iPhone 12 Pro Max Hands On Review: A Worthy Upgrade Over iPhone 11 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 is the latest series from Apple and aside from the addition of the iPhone 12 mini, other models in the series are direct successors to the iPhone 11 lineup. The top-end version in the series is still titled, and that is the phone that I want to talk about in this iPhone 12 Pro Max hands on review. 

In this iPhone 12 Pro Max hands on review, I will go into more details about the most premium model in Apple’s new series and see if it is worth paying, given the fact that it is even more expensive in India. At the moment, the iPhone 12 Pro Max price in India starts at Rs. 1,29,900 for the 128GB option and tops at 1,59,900 for the 512GB option. 

iPhone 12 Pro Max Hands On: Design & Display

This is the biggest iPhone Apple has ever made. Paired with the new squared edges, it certainly feels bigger in the hand. Having those angular edges mean that the device won’t be as comfortable to hold as its predecessor iPhone 11 Pro Max with curved edges. However, it is undoubtedly a real upgrade for those coming from older iPhones. 

With even thinner side bezels, Apple is able to stretch the iPhone 12 Pro Max further to the edges, resulting in the 6.7” size in comparison to the 6.5” size of the 11 Pro Max. In addition, the display is also now durable thanks to the Ceramic Shield, which is claimed to make the screen four times less likely to crack from being dropped.

iPhone 12 Pro Max Hands On: Camera

Cameras are one of the most upgraded aspects of the iPhone 12 Pro Max over its predecessor. The three 12MP cameras are significantly upgraded, including standard wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto zoom cameras. Moreover, the main and ultra-wide shooters also support Night Mode for low-light photography as well.

I can see a clear improvement over the 11 Pro Max, especially when taking photos in low-light. When I cropped in on the photos captured in the night, I could see that there was less noise and the photo looked much more vibrant.

We spent quite a while comparing the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max and the 11 Pro Max, and we could easily see the differences. It is clear that the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a better version of the last year’s 11 Pro Max. It delivers photos with higher brightness, sharpness, and overall better quality. 

Not just that, I was surprised about the fact that the camera quality is pretty even out among the three cameras. There is only a little change when I switch between them, which is also a significant improvement over last year’s model. Photos from the telephoto lens looked a bit washed out, but the consistency between them is amazing.

Here are some iPhone 12 Pro Max camera samples:

iPhone 12 Pro Max Hands On: Performance

When it comes to performance, Apple’s Bionic chipset is always at the top and that is also the case for the A14 chipset on the 12 Pro Max. Along with 6GB of RAM, I didn’t experience any lag whatsoever. On the 3D Mark Wild Life graphics benchmark, the 12 Pro Max outperformed its Samsung rival, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra. While the Samsung device achieved 24 fps, Apple’s latest iPhone managed to score significantly higher, topping at 41 fps.

The same happened on Geekbench 5. While the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s scores in the single-core and multi-core tests are respectively 1,603 and 4,111 points, the Note20 Ultra’s performance is significantly more disappointing as it only scored 985 and 3,294 in the same test. 

iPhone 12 Pro Max Hands On: Battery

Battery life is another aspect that the iPhone 12 Pro Max is notably improved over its predecessor. On our battery test, the 12 Pro Max lasted 10 hours and 50 minutes while surfing web with 5G, which is almost two hours longer than the 12 Pro is capable of (9 hours and 10 minutes).

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max as it only achieved a battery life of 10 hours and 20 minutes with 5G on or nearly 8 hours with 120Hz display mode on. Just like other phones in the lineup, Apple does include a fast charger along with the iPhone 12 Pro Max. That means you have to utilize your old charger or get a new one. 

A 20W fast charger will refill the battery of the iPhone 12 Pro Max from 0 to 50 percent in around 30 minutes. You can also get the MagSafe charger, which will attach to the back of the phone thanks to the inside magnets. However, it will charge at up to 15W, which is slower than the wired charger. You need to keep in mind that both of those chargers are sold separately.