Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max review
The iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a premium experience with its durable build quality, large OLED screen, stereo speakers, and great battery life. The device's performance is top-notch, thanks to its chart-topping chipset capabilities. The camera setup is also excellent, featuring a versatile set of lenses that deliver outstanding results in various lighting conditions. In low-light scenarios, the Night mode feature works swiftly and produces detailed shots with minimal noise. Portrait shots taken with the telephoto lens are impressive, offering great subject separation and defocused backgrounds. The ultra-wide-angle camera also performs well in low light, producing balanced exposures and decent detail. The front-facing camera is equally impressive, capturing high-quality selfies with rich detail and true-to-life colors. Selfie videos shot in 4K resolution look excellent, with good detail and minimal noise. The main rear camera can also capture great 4K footage, with impressive contrast, low noise, and accurate colors. While the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a compelling package, it's worth noting that some features, such as the LIDAR scanner and improved cameras, are also available on the less expensive iPhone 12 Pro. However, the Pro Max model boasts the best battery life, solid thermals for gaming, and the potential to take the best photos, making it a worthwhile consideration for those seeking the ultimate iPhone experience.
Build Quality and Design
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is an epitome of elegance and sophistication, boasting a premium design that justifies its lofty price tag. From the moment you hold it in your hands, the sheer craftsmanship and attention to detail become apparent. The build quality is exceptional, with a sturdy stainless steel frame that exudes a sense of luxury. The phone's body is made from toughened glass, which provides an added layer of protection against scratches and drops. The seamless integration of the screen and frame creates a sense of continuity, making it feel like a single, cohesive unit. The large 6.7-inch OLED display is a sight to behold, with vibrant colors and exceptional brightness that makes it perfect for watching videos or browsing through your favorite apps. The stereo speakers are equally impressive, producing clear and rich sound that's ideal for music lovers. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is its robust battery life, which easily lasts a day and a half with moderate use. This, combined with its fast charging capabilities, makes it an excellent choice for those who want a device that can keep up with their busy lives. In terms of design, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a masterclass in minimalism. The clean lines, rounded edges, and subtle curvature create a visually stunning package that's sure to turn heads. Whether you're a fan of bold fashion statements or understated sophistication, this phone has something for everyone.
Battery Life
One aspect where the iPhone 12 Pro Max truly shines is its battery life. With a large 4500mAh battery, this phone is designed to last all day and then some. In my testing, I found that the iPhone 12 Pro Max consistently delivered over 10 hours of screen time on a single charge, even with heavy usage. This is impressive considering the phone's powerful A14 Bionic chip and high-resolution OLED display. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12 Pro Max's battery life is its ability to handle intense gaming sessions without breaking a sweat. The phone's efficient cooling system and optimized performance ensure that the battery doesn't take a hit, even when playing graphically demanding games like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Furthermore, the iPhone 12 Pro Max's battery life also extends to everyday tasks, such as browsing the web, streaming videos, and making calls. With moderate usage, I found that the phone easily lasted a full day without needing to be recharged. Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro Max's battery life is a significant strength of this device. It offers a reliable and long-lasting performance that will satisfy even the most power-hungry users. If you're in the market for a new smartphone with great battery life, the iPhone 12 Pro Max should definitely be on your shortlist.
Display
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts an impressive 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, making it a treat for the eyes. The screen is designed to provide vibrant colors and deep blacks, which is evident in its stunning visuals. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display is its brightness level. With a maximum output of up to 800 nits, this phone can be easily seen in even the brightest environments, making it perfect for outdoor use or for those who tend to watch videos during the day. The screen also offers impressive color accuracy and coverage, with an impressive DCI-P3 gamut that provides a wide range of colors. This makes it ideal for graphic designers, photographers, or anyone who wants to enjoy their favorite movies and shows in stunning detail. One minor gripe is that the display's resolution, at 1284 x 2778 pixels, may not be as high as some other flagship smartphones on the market. However, this didn't seem to affect my viewing experience, and I found the screen to be crisp and clear even when watching demanding video content. In terms of multitasking capabilities, the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display performs admirably. With its large size and vibrant colors, it's easy to have multiple apps open at once without feeling cramped or cluttered. Overall, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max's display is a standout feature that sets this phone apart from others in its class. Its brightness level, color accuracy, and wide viewing angles make it perfect for anyone who wants an immersive visual experience.
Camera
The camera system on the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of its most impressive features. While some may argue that it's not a significant upgrade over previous models, I'd like to dive deeper into what makes these cameras tick. Firstly, the quad-camera setup on the rear consists of a 12-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel telephoto camera, and a TOF camera. The main camera is capable of taking excellent photos in various lighting conditions, with low noise and balanced exposure. The highlights are handled well too, and shadows look realistic. One notable improvement over previous models is the speed at which Night mode triggers. You can take stunning photos in low-light scenes without having to wait for what feels like an eternity. These shots have plenty of detail, very low noise, excellent subject separation, and lovely-looking backgrounds. The telephoto camera also shines when it comes to portraits, with great detail, contrast, and colors. Subject separation is spot on, and the defocused backgrounds are pleasant. Night mode portraits taken with the main camera are simply outstanding, with plenty of detail, very low noise, excellent subject separation, and lovely-looking backgrounds. The ultra-wide-angle camera also supports night mode, but the results are soft-looking, though still quite usable. The telephoto camera sometimes works at night, depending on the available light, producing shots that have a lot of fine detail, well-handled noise, natural colors, and good contrast. If you compare photos taken in Auto mode between the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the standard iPhone 12 Pro, the differences are really small. However, if you're into tinkering with RAW format images, the image stacking and heavy camera processing on the iPhone 12 Pro Max might give you an edge over its predecessor. Selfies taken with the 12MP front-facing camera are excellent, with rich detail, true-to-life colors and dynamic range, and well-handled noise. The 3D scanner on the front also produces great selfie portraits with impressive separation and defocused backgrounds. In terms of video capabilities, all cameras offer electronic stabilization in all resolutions. This is fantastic, as you'd expect from an iPhone. You can capture HDR videos in Dolby Vision dynamic HDR video format, which will still look normal on a non-HDR screen since the Dolby Vision information is saved separately.
Price and Value
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the flagship device from Apple's latest lineup, boasting premium features and top-notch performance. However, when it comes to value for money, things get a bit murky. Priced at around $1,499, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is certainly not cheap. While it does offer an excellent set of cameras, impressive battery life, and a stunning OLED display, many of these features are also available in the lower-end iPhone 12 models. In fact, the iPhone 12 Pro offers a very similar set of features to the Pro Max, including the LIDAR scanner, which is touted as one of the standout features of this device. The cameras, when used in Auto mode, produce nearly identical results on both devices. So, what exactly justifies the price difference? The answer lies in the nuances. If you're a professional photographer or someone who tinkerers with RAW format images, the iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera capabilities are indeed worth the premium. Additionally, if you value having the latest and greatest hardware, this device is certainly the way to go. However, for the average user, the differences between the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max may not be significant enough to warrant the additional cost. In fact, many users will find that the features they need are already available in the lower-end models. Ultimately, the value of the iPhone 12 Pro Max depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you're willing to splurge for top-of-the-line performance and features, then this device is certainly worth considering. However, if budget is a concern or you don't see yourself needing the extra bells and whistles, the lower-end models may be more suitable. 3.5/5 stars If you're an enthusiast who values having the best camera capabilities and latest hardware, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is worth considering. However, if budget is a concern or you don't see yourself needing the extra features, consider one of the lower-end models.
Performance
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is a powerhouse in every sense of the word. Its performance is unparalleled, making it one of the most efficient and effective smartphones available today. Under the hood lies Apple's A14 Bionic chip, which provides a seamless user experience, effortless multitasking, and lightning-fast app loading times. Whether you're running demanding games or resource-intensive applications, this phone delivers with ease. In our tests, the iPhone 12 Pro Max consistently outperformed its predecessors, with scores that rivalled those of high-end laptops. The A14 Bionic chip's 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU ensure that even the most graphically intensive tasks are handled with finesse. But what truly sets this phone apart is its incredible battery life. With a massive 4500mAh battery, you can enjoy hours of uninterrupted use, whether you're streaming movies, browsing the web, or gaming on the go. In terms of raw processing power, the iPhone 12 Pro Max leaves other smartphones in the dust. Whether you're editing 4K videos, rendering complex graphics, or simply staying connected with friends and family, this phone has got your back. Overall, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max's performance is a significant upgrade over its predecessors, making it an attractive option for anyone seeking a premium smartphone experience.
Pros
1. Upgraded Cameras
2. Chart-topping Chipset Performance
3. Impressive Selfie Camera
4. Durability and Design
Cons
1. Expensive
2. Similar Features in Lower-end Models
3. Limited Night Mode on Ultra-wide Camera
4. No Significant Upgrade over iPhone 12 Pro