iPhone 13 Pro Max review: Apple’s heavyweight super phone

Apple’s latest super-sized smartphone is a beast in every way, but is it really bigger and better?

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s most expensive smartphone, starting at £1,049 ($1,099 / AU$1,849), at least £100 more than other models. With the same chips, software, design, and camera as the full-size 13 Pro, size is the key differentiator.

The 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED screen is fantastic: sharp, bright and ultra-smooth, befitting Samsung’s best models. As with the sharp Retina displays before, the fastest displays are like a ratchet: once you use one of them, it’s very hard to go back.

But while it looks great, its large size and solid-feeling stainless steel sidewalls come with one major downside: weight.

Last year’s iPhone 12 Pro Max already weighed 226g, but the 13 Pro Max is even heavier at 240g. Direct competitors weigh significantly less: the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra at 227g and the Google Pixel 6 Pro at 210g, while the regular iPhone 13 Pro weighs 204g. d. Many other phones weigh less than 200g and the difference is quite noticeable.

You can feel the weight of the 13 Pro Max in your hand, pocket, or bag, and it’s hard to hold it in one hand for long periods of time without tiring.

specs
Display: 6.7″ Super Retina XDR with ProMotion (120Hz OLED) (458ppi)
Processor: Apple A15 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Memory: 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB
Operating system: iOS 15.1
Camera: Triple 12MP rear camera with OIS, 12MP front camera
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5, Lightning, Ultra Wideband, and GNSS
Waterproof: IP68 (6 meters for 30 minutes)
Dimensions: 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7mm
Weight: 240g
High performance and impressive battery life

The latest Apple A15 Bionic processor is one of the fastest you can get, which combined with the 120Hz display makes the 13 Pro Max very responsive.

The battery life is the best in its class. The phone lasts over 48 hours on battery, requiring me to only charge it every other day, while still using the screen for nearly eight hours of various apps, photos, and music, including a good four hours on 5G. That’s over a full six hours longer than the smaller 13 Pro and should last a day for even the most active users.

stability

Apple doesn’t list expected battery life for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but it can be replaced for £69. Batteries in these devices typically retain at least 80% of their original capacity after 500 full charge cycles. Out of warranty screen repairs cost £316.44. The 13 Pro received a repairability score of five out of 10 from iFixit.

13 Pro Max uses 98% recycled rare earth metals, 99% recycled tungsten and 35% recycled plastic in various components, and 100% recycled tin in the main board solder and battery control box. In its report, the company analyzes the environmental impact of the phone.

Apple also offers free trade-in and recycling schemes, even for non-Apple products.