THE iPhone 13 Pro Max looks the part. As Apple’s top-spec smartphone, it comes equipped with just enough bells and whistles to set itself apart from both the baseline iPhone 13 and the previous generation’s Pro models.
Of course, you shouldn’t expect a quantum leap in capability but a gradual improvement in functionality. If you’ve been waiting a couple of generations to upgrade (just in time for the holidays) and have the money to burn, moving up to the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a jump to the big leagues.
In terms of features, the Pro and the Pro Max are identical, the difference being the latter comes with a supersized (for Apple) 6.7 inches display, while the former comes at 6.1 inches (same size as the base model). In hand, the Pro Max feels like a big phone – for most users the standard size is probably big enough.
Smooth screen experience
A major selling point that Apple is pushing for the iPhone 13’s Pro models is the long-awaited inclusion of a high refresh rate display, which has been available for some Android phones for quite a while now. Most likely to set itself apart from the competition, Apple calls this feature ProMotion.
Now in simple terms, a refresh rate refers to how many times a screen updates itself every second. The higher the number, the smoother the experience, the more responsive using the device feels.
Most smartphone screens operate at 60Hz (60 times per second) – most computer monitors and modern TV screens operate at this rate as well. Increasingly, many higher-end screens on these devices offer higher frame rates, from 75Hz to 144Hz. Some gaming-focused computer monitors can even go up to 360Hz.
Some Android phones have been available on 90Hz or 120Hz (Samsung’s flagship S model phones, for example) for a few years now. Apple, despite being the industry leader in many areas and focused on the premium market, has lacked this feature.
Despite the jargon and the buzzwords, is it a notable experience for the average user? Will they even notice? Is it a huge game-changer?
While it was exciting using it for the first time – opening and closing apps, swapping back and forth, playing games – eventually, you just take it for granted. It definitely adds to what is the best screen ever on an iPhone, and with the camera A15 Bionic processor powering it, the Pro Max does just feel like a powerful phone.
More juice
Compared to the previous generation Pro Max, the iPhone 13 model is just a little thicker and weighs about 20 grams more. It feels like a hefty phone, despite the sleek design.
Much of that size difference can be attributed to a bigger battery, which according to numbers provided by Apple, is capable of lasting for up to 28 hours of video playback – 6 hours more than even the Pro model.
Those numbers have to be taken with some scepticism as we don’t really know Apple’s testing methods. Different people use their phones differently, with a mix of general use, media consumption and gaming, not to mention under different lighting conditions and connectivity.
What is true is the battery is very long-lasting, easily able to keep chugging along for a full workday on a single charge. That includes near nonstop listening to music/podcasts, using various social media apps, typing out emails and watching the occasional video on YouTube or Netflix. It has enough juice to last overnight and into the next day.
One of the benefits of the ProMotion display is that the iPhone 13 Pro Max can adjust the frame rate according to what is being displayed. If it’s a game it can go up to 120Hz, if it’s a movie it can go down to 24Hz (movies have historically been shot at 24 frames per second, but that’s a whole other can of worms).
Being at a high refresh rate all the time would eat into the phone’s battery life, so this smart energy management can help squeeze more juice out of an already big battery.
Lights, camera…
For the last couple generations, the Pro and Pro Max models of iPhone have had more powerful cameras than their respective base models – noticeably they have a three-camera system, instead of just two. The iPhone 13 continues that, and the three cameras are quite a bit bigger than the previous year’s model.
Once again there are Telephoto, Wide and Ultra Wide lenses, for use in every situation, from selfies to panoramas. Just like the base model iPhone 13, there are Photographic Styles (preset filters that will apply adjustments to photos to ensure skin tones and other important elements are preserved) and Cinematic Mode (video that automatically changes focus, depending on the subjects in the frame).
A cooler feature that comes new with the Pro and Pro Max is macro photography. With its 2cm minimum focus distance and autofocus system, the Ultra Wide camera can capture detailed up-close images.
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The new ability to record ProRes videos (a format used widely by video editors as a final delivery format) along with the processing power of the A15 Bionic chip, means the Pro models of the iPhone 13 are the only smartphones in the world that can provide end-to-end workflow (according to Apple) – allowing users to capture, edit, and share content all in one device.
Those are a lot of buzzwords, but as a higher-end device, these are the features that are designed to appeal to more serious photographers or aspiring filmmakers.
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are available in four shiny finishes, namely graphite, gold, silver, and the all-new Sierra Blue. The Pro starts at RM4,899 with the Pro Max at RM5,299.
Storage capacity can range from 128GB to 1TB, though ProRes is not available for the smaller size. 1TB is much too large for most use cases, unless you’re shooting a lot of 4K video, but even then you’ll probably be exporting those files a lot.
Then again if you’re in the market for a Pro model iPhone you’re doing well for yourself. – The Vibes, December 8, 2021
