When you look at the technical data in the specification sheet of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, you can quickly understand why most experts place it on top of the iPhone hierarchy in the company’s history, with the iPhone 13 Pro being a close second-best.
However, do you really need all the additional goodies on the Max model?
Both devices are simply triumphs of modern engineering, paired to the most capable batteries ever put in an iPhone.
Let’s see the difference between the two, so you can easily decide if the Max model is worth the extra cash.
Most Significant Differences
We will begin with what we think matters the most, as these details may be definitory for your choice.
First of all, the Pro Max model has a larger main camera sensor, plus a wider, f/1.5 lens aperture.
Also, the Max has a significantly larger battery – 4352 mAh, which makes the 13 Pro’s 3095 mAh look puny by comparison.
However, if you’re no expert photographer or extremely intense user, there’s no reason to pick the more expensive model (so far).
The Little Things
Now, let’s delve into the more gimmicky details that may or may not be relevant to you as a potential buyer.
First of all, let’s talk about the screen size. To no surprise, we suggest that you get the Pro model if you are looking for a compact phone that promptly suits your hand or get the Max if you are into phablets (are they still a thing?)
The Max model is 6.7″, making it 0.6″ larger than its sibling.
The resolution is slightly better to compensate for the increase in size – 2778 x 1284 vs. the Pro’s 2532 x 1170 pixels. However, we found that difference insignificant, particularly due to the increased screen size of the Max.
Both devices have 120Hz refresh rates, making them ideal for viewing your favorite content in a smooth, pleasant way.
They feature LTPO displays, making them up to 15-20% more efficient.
The displays are made using Samsung Display’s adaptive frequency technology, probably with some extra tweaks from Apple.
As for the colors of the two devices, they will share the same options:
- Black
- Silver
- Rose gold (pale and subtle)
- Sunset gold (bronze feel)
Also, both devices are waterproof.
Camera
This is what each device comes equipped within the camera department:
- iPhone 13 Pro camera specs: 12MP main with F1.6 aperture and 1.7 μm pixels, 12MP f/1.8 ultrawide w/ autofocus, and 12 MP 2.5x telephoto
- iPhone 13 Pro Max camera specs: 12MP main with F1.5 aperture and >1.7 μm pixels, 12MP f/1.8 ultrawide w/ autofocus, and 12 MP 3x telephoto
As you can see, the two are very similar in terms of hardware specs. The difference becomes quite notable, though, if you are a professional.
Performance
Both devices run on Apple’s A15 chipset, which is more than capable of running anything you throw at it.
Both devices are mostly the same in terms of performance, so this is not a departing criterion.
Battery / Charging
As we said, this is one of the main differences between the two devices.
As there are no fast charging upgrades for this year, it’s obvious that the device with a smaller battery capacity will charge slower.
It’s rumored that the iPhone 13 Pro will cost $999, while the Pro Max will cost $1,099.
The choice is yours – Do you really need that extra battery and photo capabilities? Are you ready to live with a considerably larger phone?
