Titanium edges, USB-C, 5x camera, and an innovative action button constitute the most substantial iPhone improvement in years
Apple’s newest and priciest superphone represents a significant leap for the iPhone. Notably, it boasts a powerful new camera and a USB-C port. However, its standout feature is its reduced weight. Historically, Apple’s 6.7-inch iPhones were hefty both in terms of cost and weight. While this new iPhone 15 Pro Max remains quite expensive, starting at £1,199 (€1,449/$1,199/A$2,199), it is at least 19g lighter, significantly enhancing the user experience in hand and pocket.
The latest Max model features titanium sides instead of stainless steel, shedding 19g while also redistributing the phone’s balance towards its center, creating a perception of even greater lightness. In terms of design, it closely adheres to the one introduced with the 2020 iPhone 12 Pro Max, with slight refinements in the edges and narrower screen bezels.
The display ranks among the top performers in the market, offering excellent brightness even under direct sunlight, improving outdoor readability. This year, a noteworthy addition is the action button, which takes the place of the traditional mute switch found on every iPhone.
While it still serves its primary purpose of muting and unmuting the phone with a press and hold, you have the flexibility to reassign it for various functions if you prefer to keep your phone in silent mode permanently or manage mute settings through the control center. This customization allows it to perform actions such as activating “do not disturb,” launching the camera, activating the flashlight, recording voice memos, and more.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) with a pixel density of 460ppi
- Processor: Apple A17 Pro
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage options: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
- Operating system: iOS 17
- Camera setup: 48MP primary camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, 12MP 5x zoom camera, 12MP front-facing camera
- Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Thread, USB-C, Satellite, UWB, GNSS
- Water resistance: Rated IP68, allowing submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes
- Dimensions: 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm
- Weight: 221g
Out with Lightning, in with USB-C
In 2023, one of the significant changes for the iPhone is the shift from the Lightning port to USB-C, both for charging and connecting accessories. The impact of this change largely depends on how many Lightning accessories you currently own. For most users, it’s a straightforward transition involving a cable swap, and an appropriate cable is included with the phone.
The advantage here is that you can utilize your existing power adapter, eliminating the need to purchase expensive Apple cables. Any USB-C cable should suffice, including those compatible with Android phones, PCs, Macs, iPads, and other tablets. Additionally, you can even use your iPhone to charge other devices, like AirPods, an Apple Watch, or other phones in a pinch.
What’s even more exciting is the broader compatibility with various USB-C accessories. I successfully connected a range of USB-C docks, game controllers, Ethernet adapters, flash drives, audio adapters, display cables, and SD card readers—particularly beneficial for photographers. This change also opens up the possibility of using game controllers and other peripherals, such as the USB-C version of the Backbone One. It’s worth noting that the 15 Pro and Pro Max models support faster USB3 (10Gbps) transfer speeds, although the cable included in the box is the slower USB2 (480Mbps) variant.
A17 Pro chip
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max mark the debut of the A17 Pro chip, boasting a 10% increase in speed, 20% more potent graphics, and the capability to handle advanced ray tracing graphics. This advancement should facilitate the development of more lifelike, console-level games.
Users reported that the phone experienced significant heat generation, which Apple resolved with the iOS 17.0.3 update. Nevertheless, even prior to the patch, my testing showed that the Max didn’t heat up any more than previous models or competing devices, even when subjected to demanding benchmarks and gaming.
Regarding battery life, the phone can last approximately 44 hours between charges, with nearly six hours of active screen usage. This observation was made primarily under Wi-Fi conditions, with a few hours of 5G browsing. In practical terms, this means you’d need to charge it approximately every two days with moderate usage. Even during the most demanding days of use on 5G, involving camera and map usage while on the move, the 15 Pro Max still managed to last an impressive 36 hours between charges.
Sustainability
Apple states that the battery is expected to endure over 500 full-charge cycles while retaining at least 80% of its original capacity, and if needed, it can be replaced for £95. Screen repairs outside of the warranty coverage are priced at £389. The iPhone 15 Pro Max adopts the same internal repair-friendly design introduced with the iPhone 14. However, it received a repairability score of only four out of 10 from iFixit experts, mainly due to Apple’s software restrictions on third-party repairs.
The phone incorporates recycled materials such as aluminum, cobalt, copper, gold, plastic, rare earth elements, tin, and tungsten. Apple comprehensively outlines the phone’s environmental impact in its report. Additionally, Apple offers trade-in and free recycling programs, extending to non-Apple products as well.
Camera
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts Apple’s most potent camera system to date. It shares a similar configuration to last year’s 14 Pro, which includes a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 48MP primary camera, and a 12MP telephoto camera, but with a couple of noteworthy distinctions.
The Pro Max’s telephoto camera now features a 5x optical zoom, a notable upgrade from the 3x on the standard 15 Pro and previous iterations. This advancement significantly narrows the gap to subjects and finally provides the iPhone with substantial magnification. The camera can further extend to a digital zoom of up to 25x, producing satisfactory results up to approximately 10-15x. The primary camera, by default, captures 24-megapixel photos, a substantial increase from the previous 12MP resolution. It also offers the flexibility to shoot at three different focal lengths (24, 28, or 35mm), catering to the preferences of photography enthusiasts. Additionally, it retains the practical 2x optical zoom introduced last year.
Portrait photos are now automatically captured when the camera detects a person or pet, eliminating the need to switch to a dedicated mode. Subsequently, you have the option to edit and refocus the photo after capturing it, which is a significantly improved system. This feature also allows you to take portraits with night mode, resulting in much better photos in low-light conditions.
Moreover, the camera is equipped with a range of advanced video technologies, most of which may primarily benefit videographers or filmmakers. However, for amateur users, this translates to effortlessly producing high-quality videos.
In summary, the camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max ranks among the best in the industry. It offers a compelling reason to opt for the larger iPhone over the smaller 15 Pro, putting it on par with Google’s Pixel and only surpassed in terms of zoom capability by Samsung’s S23 Ultra with its 10x optical zoom.
Price
The starting price for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is £1,199 ($1,199/A$2,199) with 256GB of storage.
To provide context, here are the prices of some other smartphones:
- iPhone 15: £799
- iPhone 15 Pro: £999
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: £1,249
- Galaxy Z Flip 5: £1,049
- Google Pixel 7 Pro: £849
- Fairphone 5: £649
