A Review of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

A review of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max shows it as the only member of Series 12 to pack the new and improved triple camera on the back. This might entice users who may not even be after the Max size. That is how a proper upgrade should be done – updating every aspect possible, not just the design.

The iPhone 12 Pro’s Max review shows denomination isn’t standing just for maximum size but for the complete set of new features.

The biggest iPhone to date enjoys the most premium and durable design Apple has ever made, the most powerful chip with 5G support, the latest Apple camera, the LiDAR scanner, the largest speakers, the beefiest battery, and MagSafe support.

This Max version could have been even better with a 120Hz display, but this feature didn’t make the cut on Series 12. Maybe next year, who knows, but today even the most expensive iPhone can’t show more than 60fps on its screen.

We know you are eager to see the Pro Max’s battery life and camera performance, but first things first. Let’s take a closer look through its specs, shall we?

A Review of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: Specifications

• Body: Stainless-steel frame with glossy finish, Ceramic Shield front with oleophobic coating, Glass back with frosted finish, IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue color options. 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm, 228 g.
• Display: 6.7″ Retina XDR OLED screen of 1,284 x 2,778 px resolution, 458ppi, 800 nits, 120Hz touch sensing. HDR10, Dolby Vision support, wide color gamut. True Tone.
• Chipset: Apple A14 Bionic chip (5nm) – Hexa-core (2×3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4×1.8 GHz Icestorm with 3.1GHz Turboboost) Apple CPU, four-core Apple GPU, 16-core Apple NPU 4-gen
• Memory: 6GB of RAM; 128/256/512GB of internal storage
• Rear camera: Triple 12MP camera: Primary – 1.7µm pixels, 26mm, f/1.6, IBIS, Dual Pixel AF; Ultrawide-angle – 1.0µm pixels, 13mm, f/2.4, 120-degree field of view; Telephoto — 1.0µm pixels, 65mm, f/2.2, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom; dual-LED flash with slow sync.
• Video recording: 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, OIS + EIS, Dolby Vision capturing.
• Front camera: Dual camera – 23mm 12MP f/2.2 front-facing camera with HDR mode + 3D TOF camera; Night Mode, Smart HDR 3, Deep Fusion. 2160p@60/30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps video recording with wider dynamic range and spatial sound, EIS.
• Connectivity: Dual SIM, 5G, 4G; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac/6; Bluetooth 5.0; Lightning port; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS; NFC; Apple U1 chip ultrawideband
• Battery: 3,687 mAh battery, 20W fast charging, 15 Qi wireless charging (MagSafe)
• Misc: Face ID through dedicated TrueDepth camera, stereo speakers, Taptic Engine.
• The iPhone 12 Pro Max is an upscaled version of the iPhone 12 Pro with a bigger display and battery. It also features a larger 12MP sensor for its primary camera with the industry’s first sensor-shift image stabilization.
• Finally, its telephoto camera now has an even longer-range lens – 65mm f/2.2 for 2.5x optical zoom. Nice!

Unboxing the iPhone 12 Pro Max

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with a thin, lightweight box containing the phone and a USB-C-to-Lightning cable.

The Apple iPhone 12 family is a bona fide success. Six of the top 10 smartphones sold globally in January 2021 were Apple devices, with the iPhone 12 Pro Max leading the way in popularity in the US.

That tells us something: people do want big-screened devices with capable cameras. Demand for the iPhone 12 series is still high a couple of years later.

There is no charger or EarPods inside, but you will find a SIM ejection pin and a lonely Apple sticker if you dig deeper. You better hold on to that metal pin, as it might disappear next year, too.

Nothing appears to be poised to steal the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s mojo, at least not yet.

Android phone makers have flooded the market during the early months of 2021 with compelling flagship fare. There’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the OPPO Find X3 Pro, the OnePlus 9 Pro, and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, among others.

What about the iPhone 12 Pro Max makes it so popular? Is it the advanced triple camera system, the speedy performance, or the excellent battery life? It could be any of these.

 The real question is: is it still worth buying today? Six months after its initial release (November 13, 2020), find out what’s good and bad about Apple’s top-tier flagship in this iPhone 12 Pro Max review revisited.

The good Performance

Apple’s homemade silicon is hard to beat. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has the company’s A14 Bionic processor inside, which is the company’s top mobile chip. The iPhone 12 Pro Max was a total beast when it launched, and it still is to this day. Everything about the phone’s performance has remained top.

Cameras

Apple’s triple camera arrangement produces some of the highest quality photos available from a mobile phone. Time hasn’t changed that. Granted, the Galaxy S21 Ultra now challenges Apple, but Apple is still in the fight.

More to the point, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with its huge main sensor and powerful telephoto lens, is still a class leader.

Software

iOS isn’t for everyone, to be sure, but given its popularity, you can’t write it off. iOS 14 is among the most powerful upgrades to iOS yet, making the platform behave more like Android than ever.

Last, Apple delivered better software support than just about any other device maker. Phones that are years old can still run the newest version of iOS.

 For example, according to data from Apple, 86% of all phones introduced in the last four years are running iOS 14.

The not-so-good Performance

The iPhone 12 Pro Max still looks good but doesn’t feel good. The phone has a stainless steel band that wraps around the entire outer edge, while Apple’s proprietary “ceramic shield” protects the phone from breakage.

 It’s a classy, if conservative, look in today’s market. Toss in an IP68 rating, and you have a reasonably tough phone. It can handle minor bumps, bruises just fine, and an accidental dunk in the pool. That’s all good.

Charging speed

While the iPhone’s battery life holds up, the charging speeds are among the slowest in the flagship market. The phone supports wired charging up to 20W and wireless charging up to 15W. That’s only if you buy Apple’s chargers, which aren’t included with the phone.

If you use a third-party, Qi-based charger, your wireless charging speed is limited to a pokey 7.5W. The optional Apple wall charger will give you approximately a 50% charge in about 30 minutes.

SEE ALSO: A Review of Apple iPhone 12 Mini

 

A Review of The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: Wrapping Up

Finally, even if the iPhone 12 Pro Max review tells of it as one of the most expensive phones today, just like the rest of the iPhone 12’s, it also comes accessory-free thanks to Apple’s latest controversial endeavor to save the planet at large.