Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Review: Best Just Got Better

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

4.5

Overall

4.5/5

The Good Stuff

• Gorgeous design & display
• Excellent camera
• Excellent performance
• Superb for gaming

The Bad Stuff

• Very expensive
• Mediocre zoom function
• Charger not that fast

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Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max has most of the best features to be the best smartphone of 2023. 

Specs

Overview

Introducing the all new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple’s top-tier smartphone of 2023. It has all the top features, the best performance, the best camera, the best display and the best battery life.   

When compared to the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max, holding the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a noticeably different feeling because it is lighter and has a slightly warmer titanium finish. However, Apple has also made a modest, yet noticeable alteration to the frame, eliminating just enough metal to provide curved edges all around.

It’s not just the titanium. One of the simplest yet most significant design adjustments I’ve ever noticed a smartphone maker make completely alters how the device feels in the hand.

One of the most gratifying and practical developments is Apple’s decision to remove the silence/ring button from its products. It converts a plain, one-use analog feature into a modern, reversible button that can be practically anything you want it to be.

The adoption of the USB-C port in favor of the Lightning port, however, will be the biggest change for some iPhone enthusiasts. I’m aware that the shift has caused some annoyance (all those now-useless wires in your house, workplace, and car), but it has no effect on how the phone works, and at least Apple provides you with a woven USB-C-to-USB-C connection. The old port will be missed, but I think we’ll all soon forget about it.

With Apple’s brand-new A17 Pro silicon chip, this phone is substantially more powerful than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and, for the first time ever, offers console-quality gaming to the iPhone range. Even Apple’s high-definition Super Retina XDR OLED panel, which has a 6.7-inch display, wasn’t built for console games like Resident Evil: Village, but at least that display now has the tiniest iPhone bezels I’ve ever seen.

The triple-camera system on the iPhone 15 Pro Max appears to be identical to that on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but appearances can be deceiving because the phone has undergone both internal and external improvements that contribute to one of the best photographic experiences you’ll find on any phone.

Apple essentially redesigned its image processing pipeline even though it appears to have used the same 48MP primary camera sensor as in last year’s Pro Max. A new 24MP default image size cleverly combines 12MP of pixel-binned image data with 48MP of full-sensor information to produce pictures that are, for the most part, impressive. 

However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max would let you down if you were looking for a 10x optical zoom on an iPhone. Since the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a fantastic 10x optical zoom in addition to the crazy, AI-assisted 100x Space Zoom, I was disappointed when Apple announced that it had only increased the maximum optical zoom on its largest smartphone to 5x.

Due in large part to the fact that the image quality at that expanded focal length is just fantastic, rivaling and occasionally surpassing Samsung’s greatest camera, Apple does a remarkable job of competing with just half that zoom range.

Although your experience will depend on how you use the iPhone, the combination of its innovative 3nm chipset, a display that can stop down to a power-sipping 1Hz, and clever power management may account for exceptional full-day or longer battery life.

Overall, this is my favorite iPhone of all time. It’s lighter and smaller than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which combined with the new curved edges makes it feel comfortable in my hand. Normally, I don’t like Apple’s largest iPhone, but you can be sure that this phone will be at the top of our list of the best phones when you combine it with its amazing photography, quick performance, and virtually limitless potential.

Premium Well-Designed

If you didn’t know, the brushed titanium frame of Apple’s new iPhone Pro & Pro Max has replaced the device’s former beautiful stainless steel frame. It’s resilient to corrosion. It’s strong and it’s lighter and somewhat smaller so it fits well inside your pocket. 

Beyond updating the exterior metalwork, Apple did make a few additional tweaks that offer the phone a fresh look and feel. The new contoured edges come first. Although this iPhone may initially appear to be nearly identical to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, closer examination reveals that the sides have been rounded.

It gives the device a softer appearance and making it considerably more comfortable to hold, especially given its size. Additionally, a substantially thinner bezel gives the Super Retina XDR display (and the Dynamic Island) the appearance of being larger.

Due to the differences in size and weight, the new iPhone 15 Pro Max feels different. It measures 76.7 x 159.9 x 8.25mm in comparison to the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 77.6 x 160.7 x 7.85mm dimensions. That indicates that it’s slightly smaller than the previous generation.

I even tried taking my older cover from my iPhone 14 Pro Max, to cover the new iPhone 15 Pro Max, only to find out that it was loose inside. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max weighs 19 grams less than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (221g vs. 240g) thanks to the titanium body. 

The new USB-C port is a significant architectural modification that also serves a practical purpose. It’s a little bit bigger than the old Lighting connector, but if you have the correct cable, you can transfer data at up to 10Gbps speeds. Sadly, the cable that comes with the iPhone is not a high-speed cable one.

Apple describes the front and rear panels of the body as being covered in “tough glass-based materials,” and the front of the device also has their Ceramic Shield, which is intended to shield the glass from harm. I don’t regularly drop my phones, so I couldn’t really test its durability.

However, I did submerge the phone in a bowl of water. There were no problems with the phone thanks to its IP68 rating. Although it was only for a brief period, the phone is capable of withstanding 30 minutes of swimming in fresh water up to six feet deep. Just keep in mind that you can’t charge your phone again until it is 100 percent dry after submerging it in water.

The power/sleep/Siri button and the two volume buttons were not altered by Apple, but directly above them is the new Action button, which is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro.

The long-lasting silence/ring switch is replaced by this small little button. The Action button is programmable using one of Apple’s best-designed utility interfaces ever, replacing the single-function switch.

Instead of a switch, the Action button’s default setting of ring/silent control requires a lengthy press in order to toggle between the two states. Many individuals could decide that everything is fine as it is in this case, but they would be losing out on all the hidden benefit.

The Action button can activate a preferred Focus Mode, turn on and off the flashlight, start voice memos, transform your phone into a digital magnifier, run your favorite Shortcut, provide quick access to accessibility features, start the camera, or even disable all Action button features.

If you don’t have the new Control Center, you may still locate the ring/silent control there. I quickly changed the Action button to operate the camera after testing it out in default mode. From there, I could quickly press to take a picture and then long-press to rapidly open the camera.

The one drawback to this new button is that if you frequently take screenshots by hitting the power and volume up keys at the same time, you can unintentionally touch the new Action button instead as it is now the top button on the left side of the phone. “When you press Action instead of Volume Up” will probably become an iPhone 15 Pro Max meme.

Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max design, which has a lighter chassis, smoother lines, a larger screen, and more functional buttons and connectors, in my opinion preserves the best features of the previous model while also bringing the familiar into the future.

Great & Larger Display

If you enjoyed the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’ll probably enjoy it even more on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In order to make the Super Retina XDR OLED screen appear larger, Apple removed a few millimeters from the black bezel around it (doing so also makes the Dynamic Island appear smaller). In combination with the newly-curved edges, it appears as though the screen completely encircles the phone.

In order to make the Super Retina XDR OLED screen appear larger, Apple removed a few millimeters from the black bezel around it. In combination with the newly-curved edges, it appears as though the screen completely encircles the phone.

With a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, the screen looks lovely and bright. I had no issues using it outside in direct sunlight. On this display, it’s enjoyable to view anything from images to videos to games, apps, websites, and more.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is capable of managing web page scrolling just as well as videos and games thanks to ProMotion support. Every movement seems fluid. Additionally, the phone can slow down to 1Hz when necessary, consuming less power while still giving you information—perfect for always-on functionality.

I placed the iPhone 15 Pro Max on the Belkin Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless charge stand with MagSafe, which immediately activates the new Standby mode in iOS 17, and then I placed the device on my bedside. The Always-On display was just bright enough during the night so that I could glance at it and see the time.

The display on this phone is still amazing, but I have to question why Apple can’t finally support the Apple Pencil on its biggest and best phone given that Samsung’s flagship has an integrated pen and allows stylus input in addition to touch input.

However, I am aware that not everyone requires or desires pen input, and it’s possible that Apple is aware of this as well. What you have essentially is Apple’s amazing screen technology that has been somewhat enlarged and is now complemented by some fantastic new iOS 17 capability.

Top Performance & Gaming

With system-on-chips (SoCs) in laptops, desktops, and mobile that challenge and frequently beat the competition, and sometimes even take generational leaps, Apple has been pushing the envelope of what is possible, ever since it released Apple silicon.

The A16 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Pro Max was, in my opinion, a reasonable comparison to the A17 Pro. With a CPU that is 10% quicker and a six-core GPU that is not just 20% faster than the A16 Bionic but also supports on-hardware Ray Tracing, the A17 Pro should be more efficient than the A16 Bionic. It is constructed using an even smaller 3nm technology.

From CPU test done, the new A17 Pro chipset, powering the iPhone 15 Pro Max, runs at 3.78GHz clock speeds, which is more than the previous A16 Bionic (3.46GHz) present in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (3.36GHz) chipset, which runs the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. This means that the A17 Pro is currently the fastest performing processor to date. 

Naturally, numbers only provide a partial picture of performance. What I can do with the iPhone 15 Pro Max is what matters to me. Playing native console-quality games is one of the promised experiences. Console gaming is different from mobile gaming, and the two will never collide—that is, until the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

I’m a gamer and console gaming is my go-to for gaming. Seeing the gaming demo on Resident Evil from a recent iPhone 15 show, the visuals look spectacular on the 6.7-inch display. The cut scenes look surprisingly good from the small screen but the Dynamic Island on the side does spoil the view. 

Never did the visuals stutter or tear. Early on in the game, I only saw one area with pixelation, when a shadow on the snow wasn’t entirely stable. I wonder whether it’s more about the game’s transition from console to mobile than the A17 Pro since this was a repeating experience.

Other than that, the game was snappy, and the sound was great. I was confronted with a wonderfully engaging and immersive experience when I inserted my AirPods Pro, and it was excellent enough for me to declare that console-quality gaming has finally made it to mobile devices.    

Outside of games, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s responsiveness was exactly what I wanted and anticipated it to be. I used iMovie to edit several 4K 60fps clips, and neither the program nor the output had any problems. The latter’s speed on the A17 Pro wasn’t any faster than it was on the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s A16 Bionic.

Other Features

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max supports 5G. The calls are in great quality. If you have a Wi-Fi 6E router in your house or place of business, the fact that this is Apple’s first Wi-Fi 6E iPhone is good news for you. The iPhone 15 Pro Max routinely outperforms the iPhone 14 Pro (also WiFi 6) and the iPhone 15 that supported WiFi 6.

Additionally, a new Ultra Wide-band chip could aid in precisely locating not just your Apple items but also your pals who are also holding iPhones. Apple is also extending the free (for two years) roadside assistance offered by its integrated satellite services beyond Emergency SOS. The idea is that the system can direct you to connect with an orbiting satellite and then message adjacent road services in places where cell connection is spotty or nonexistent.

Excellent Camera

Let’s check out the camera of the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. It differs from the one that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the newest iPhone 15. It is bigger and was produced by Sony. Additionally, Apple is utilizing this sensor in novel ways.

Every image taken with the iPhone 15 Pro Max by default is produced at a resolution of 24MP. Yes, that is a new resolution for iPhones. Apple achieves this resolution by first pixel binning 48 megapixels’ worth of data into the best 12-megapixel image, and then fusing that with all of the 48MP sensor’s detail.

The main drawback is that 24MP photos will be roughly a megabyte bigger than 12MP stills. By automatically storing images in HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) format, Apple helps to reduce the cost of storage a little. You may also take photos in 48MP RAW format for uncompressed, editable images.

The end result is a collection of stunning pictures. The colors are brighter, with striking clarity, and the most realistic I have ever seen on a smartphone. The iPhone 15 Pro Max triumphed even in direct contrast to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The data I obtained with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max is superior to what I have in my macros. Skin tones are accurate. Whatever the skin tone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max recognized it and accurately duplicated it. 

More professional photographic tools than ever before are available on this iPhone thanks to Apple. You may now select between physical camera-like digital lenses with focal lengths ranging from 13mm to 24mm, 28mm to 35mm, 48mm, and 120mm for the 5x zoom. Holding down on one of the primary magnification settings in the camera app will display these measurements. In the settings, you may also make one of the lenses the default.

I find Apple’s choice to just use a 5x optical zoom to be frustrating, but I can’t really contest the outcome. Beautiful images are captured by the lens, which employs an uncommon tetra prism (four turns of light between the lens and the image sensor). Therefore, even if this is a far cry from 10x optical zoom, I believe Apple aficionados will still be happy with the outcome. Digital zoom allows for far greater magnification, but these images never hold up to close inspection.

The new 3D sensor shift optical image stabilization works in tandem with that zoom and does a considerably better job of maintaining photos steady, especially on digitally zoomed footage. When I was recording a video, I was impressed with the steadiness.

In essence, the entire iPhone 15 line improves portraiture. There is still a certain mode, but you are not need to employ it to achieve the same outcome. You may post-process practically any image, even if it was only taken with the main camera, into a portrait shot as long as the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s cameras can record depth information.

A small “Portrait f” will appear in the top right corner if the camera detects any depth while you are shooting. To check how the image would seem in portrait mode, tap on it and choose Portrait (On or Off). It doesn’t always work because you can’t switch a shot to portrait mode if the camera doesn’t “see” something, such a person or a pet or doesn’t record any useful depth information; in my experience, most photos were convertible, though.

You can adjust the depth of field just as with standard Portrait Mode photos, but now you can also tap on various subjects to switch the focus point. This delivers on its promise and elevates you to the status of a portrait photography deity.

With access to Apple’s Photonic Engine, portrait photography—including that taken with the front-facing True Depth camera—got a significant bump. Now, portrait photography simply looks more authentic and less computational than before.

In terms of low-light and night photography, Apple has made some strides. The image signal processors (ISPs) of the iPhone 15 Pro Max gather more light and utilize it more effectively in all lighting conditions. Although it isn’t noticeably superior to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, I believe Apple has achieved parity. Even better night time photography exists.

Great Video Capture

The iPhone is still a fantastic video capture device because to its many lens choices, ‘Action’ mode for capturing action moments without judder, and ‘Cinematic’ mode for creating videos of auteur-level quality.

The final option, by the way, functions just like portrait mode photography in that you can quickly switch the focus from one subject to another while recording video.

The focus point of the movie may be changed after it has been shot, something you cannot accomplish with conventional film or the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s more than just a cool trick, and it can come in handy if you overlook the proper topic during the initial shoot.

Good Battery life

Since Apple never discloses the battery capacity, we can only presume that the battery in the iPhone 15 Pro Max is slightly bigger than the one in the iPhone 14 Pro Max. But battery size is just one aspect of the story. Milliampere-hours (mAhs), processor effectiveness, and onboard intelligence, all work together to manage battery life.

I’d say the iPhone 15 Pro Max handles all of this admirably with a 28 hour battery life on moderate use. With an optional 20W USB-C adaptor, Apple claims the iPhone 15 Pro Max can recharge to 50% in 30 minutes. When I charged it, I managed to get a little more, with a battery at 53% after 30 mins. But it took 2 hours for the smartphone to fully charge. This is a drawback and its some Apple needs to work on.

You will utilize the new USB-C connector and the supplied USB-C cable to charge the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I was astonished to learn that the cable is now weaved rather than having the traditional protective jacket made of plastic or rubber. Because of that the cable will last longer than the older ones. Additionally, the phone supports MagSafe charging (and accessories) and Qi.

Verdict

The new Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max sets yet another bar not only for the iPhone family specifically, but for all smartphones as well. Apple’s new large flagship meets your smartphone needs in almost every way, from the newer and lighter materials to some of the greatest smartphone cameras we’ve ever seen.

Due to its high price than the previous generation, the absence of better fast charging, and Apple’s aggravating insistence on portraying 5x optical zoom as the pinnacle of smartphone telephoto technology, it falls just short of being flawless. However, these end up being minor gripes for an all-around fantastic iPhone experience.

Should you buy it? In terms of value its expensive but you get what you paying for. Design wise, the titanium material makes it feel lighter and the rounds feel pleasant to hold. The displays feels bigger and brighter, which overall makes it look better.