HomeFeatured Who knows what Steve Jobs would have said, ten years after his death, of this iPhone 13 Pro Max. We could try it as a replacement for the previous iPhone 12 Pro Max, but trying to make an effort: the phone is obviously not a substitute for who has the same previous model (it would not make sense for design, power and general characteristics) as a comparison with respect to how far Apple has come in the last 12 months on this front. Furthermore, our test only adds the things that change significantly for the “big” of the Apple product line to not repeat what we have already seen in our long and detailed review of the iPhone 13 Pro.
Aesthetics
It is identical to its predecessor but with one difference, which you will probably never notice. It has a notch that is 20% smaller. Smaller is better, but without it it would have been even better. This is an evolution that makes the phone a little more manageable and probably weighs Xcode (the integrated development suite for iOS and iPadOS apps) heavier by a few Gigabytes to hold the assets of yet another slightly different screen to which adapt the aspect ratio of the app.
Apart from that, the aesthetics of the 13 Pro Max are phenomenal: it is a very beautiful object and you can see it from the finishes, the shimmering edges, the new blue color (we tried a sober dark gray) and the attention to detail. Behind the three cameras they protrude a little longer but there is an advantage as we will see shortly. Furthermore, the video camera lock is such as to create some problems for those who want to use the double magsafe charging accessory (the MagSafe Duo) because with the cover it is thick and keeps the magnet detached from the cover.
Finally, the phone has the graphite colors (the one under test), silver, gold and the new Azzurro Sierra which are really pleasant and enhanced by the shiny edge.
Screen
Apple has upgraded the already great screen of this phone even further. It is actually identical to that of the smaller iPhone 13 Pro: it changes the size (from 6.1 to 6.7 inches) and the readability of the contents. The screen is a Super Retina XDR Display with ProMotion. It offers an even more fluid, bright and responsive experience thanks to the possibility of switching to 120 Hz during the refresh phase. The unlocking of the phone is spectacular, bringing the icons to the screen in a fluid and hyper-realistic movement. It is appreciated when you use it and especially when we went back to the old phone to finish the configurations the impact is truly remarkable. As with the wide color gamut and automatic color temperature definition depending on the cast in the surrounding environment, it's those things that you realize they have an overwhelming effect only when they're not there.
The screen is also protected by the Ceramic Shield (like the other models (which makes the glass mixture of this device particularly resistant, which is also more resistant to splashes of liquid, drops and dust. In short, a significant step forward, which we have highly appreciated and identical to that of the 13 Pro.
Camera
The cameras have improved a lot and are excellent. However, they are identical to those of the 13 Pro and therefore, as mentioned, we refer to that review . The greatest advantage comes from the different handling combined with an increased autonomy, which allows you to better use this phone for professional or amateur purposes.
If you want a phone capable of shooting a film or taking pictures for a competition, and you want to use it professionally, this device is more suitable thanks to its increased autonomy and screen visibility that allows you to do without a second computer in many cases. editing, editing or post production. The performance of the new macro mode is exceptional and the cinema mode is excellent, which focuses on the face of the speaker by moving back and forth. The night mode is much improved but it is still “noisy” and it is really difficult to tell the difference compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The front camera is also excellent for the possibility of using the large screen for business calls or with family and friends. This iPhone is actually a small phablet and allows it to be used as such, so it's great that the front camera is well usable.
Processor
Here too is Apple's A15 processor, with 5 nanometer processing like the previous A14. The processor is identical to that of the iPhone 13 Pro and has one more core in the GPU (5 instead of 4) and more Ram (6 GB instead of 4 GB) than the “normal” 13. Specifically, it's faster than Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 and it's the fastest on the market. Beyond the benchmarks, it is a processor that we have not found anything that would bother it in our Apple repertoire. Simply grandiose, but identical to that of the 13 Pro, which takes some of the cue from the Max of the Apple lineup, because it no longer differs in pure performance but only in screen and battery.
Autonomy
The battery of this phone is spectacular. In all our tests he gave his best: migration from the previous one and configuration (when the phone is less stable for two or three days because it works in the background), video playback, field test, gaming, work and videocall, music, film. Always with a result of two clear hours better than the previous iPhone 12 Pro Max and, as far as we could see, also the already improved iPhone 13 Pro ..
Moreover, since even this generation of iPhone does not have a charger included, we indulged in charging it with everything we had in the drawers, thanks also to the fact that we have been using Lightning cables with the Usb-C socket for some time (like those now supplied by Apple in the box). We then used the 20W Usb-C charger. the 15 Watt Apple MagSafe, the 30 Watt MacBook 12 charger, the 80 Watt MacBook Pro charger that we use as a spare and a 100 Watt power strip with third-party gallium technology. Charging performance changes only when you go above 7.5 watts (and it also depends on which intermediate voltages the charger is capable of delivering). In addition, the operating system tries to slow down the charge to avoid ruining the batteries too quickly. Significant performances.
Usability
Choosing a phone with a 6.7-inch screen (instead of the 13 Pro's 6.1-inch screen) requires clear ideas. The phone weighs 12 grams more than the previous 12 Pro Max (228 to 240, and feel), has the same super-screen and maximum equipment but there are no substantial differences compared to the 12 Pro. This means that choosing this phone requires the awareness of wanting to buy a really very large and heavy device (if we add the leather cover and perhaps the wallet with magsafe and three cards) which for some users is simply impossible to hold in the hand or very uncomfortable for the pockets or purses of medium-small size.
Usability is all here, and it is a vexed question that has been going on since the launch of the Pro Max (we had already talked about it with the previous 12 Pro Max). It's probably a phone for tall men with big hands and not for petite girls with small hands. Usability is however aided by an exceptional display, with a 120 Hz refresh that makes even just the screen unlocking experience really pleasant and an accentuated brightness that allows it to be used effectively even outdoors (up to 1000 nits) . A phone that, if you can handle it, is almost a microtablet and allows you to leave your computer at home a little more often.
5G
“Your mileage may vary” the Americans say, your experience can change. The sense is that 5G is a rather complex network to appreciate and depends on a number of variables. The first, and the only certainty we have, is that the new iPhone 13 Pro Max is, like the predecessor of the 12 series, equipped with the antenna and the chip for super-fast 5G (millimeter waves) only in the USA. . The devices sold in the rest of the world do not have this feature also because the networks implemented by us are missing. So, you travel at high speeds but not very high compared to 4G which in any case acts as a “connective tissue” to 5G: in 90% of cases you rely on 4G and switch to 5G only when needed (and obviously when there is coverage ).
Then there is the issue of operator compatibility: not all companies provide 5G connectivity with the iPhone despite having the network set up. This is the case of Fastweb, which does not give it, so much so that the writer has switched to Iliad which instead offers an excellent quality 5G. Basically the same thing for Vodafone and Tim.
The performance of the iPhone 13 Pro Max in the field (in Milan) with Iliad under 5G does not offer substantial differences compared to that of the predecessor iPhone 12 Pro Max or the other iPhone 13. Nothing to report, therefore.
Conclusions
If you don't have an iPhone 12, which is what introduces the design and performance discontinuity of the screen and camera from previous generations, then the iPhone 13 makes sense. The 13 Pro Max requires a very particular taste because there is no longer a substantial differentiation from the more manageable iPhone 13 Pro. Who could want this device? Those who want a bigger screen and longer battery life, quite simply.
For those who want to impress others by showing the latest iPhone just released there is a factor of disappointment because from abroad it is identical to the previous one: we do not know if it is a bad thing or a good, we leave it to others to judge. From our point of view, after using the iPhone 12 Pro Max for a year we are definitely in favor of this device due to the longer battery life, the improved screen, the higher image quality, the higher processor power. The only thing, you have to be aware that in reality this is actually an iPhone 12S, that is, an update that refines and improves many things and not a change of pace from the previous generation.
A negative note, the only one we feel we can raise about this device: it would have deserved a Usb-C port instead of the Lightning, like all Apple Pro products. And it would have made life easier for those who now see more and more devices of the Californian company use the power supply with the standard that the European Union will impose on everyone in two years.
Pros:
Cons:
Prices
iPhone 13 Pro Max with 6.7 ″ display) The model is available with the option of up to 1TB of storage and in alpine blue, silver, gold and graphite colors.
