Tom's Guide
  • last year
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is still a great phone, especially the 48MP camera, always-on display and long battery life.

But should you wait for the iPhone 15 Pro Max instead?
Let's break down the pros, cons and all the biggest rumors.
Transcript
00:00 I've been using the iPhone 14 Pro Max as my main phone for the past six months, and
00:04 in short, it's great.
00:05 I'm almost always pleased with the results when I snap a photo, the A16 Bionic chip can
00:09 keep up with whatever I'm doing, and the battery will easily last me through a day
00:13 of heavy use, commuting, or just streaming shows.
00:16 But with the Galaxy S23 Ultra having launched, there is real competition in the market.
00:21 Not to mention, the iPhone 15 series is on the way.
00:24 And so, is the iPhone 14 Pro Max a good purchase right now?
00:29 And are there better options you should be looking into?
00:32 Or should you save your money for now and wait for the new iPhone 15 Pro in the fall?
00:36 I'm going to break it down all for you and help you figure it out.
00:49 First up, let's chat about the main reason people are usually willing to spend upwards
00:52 of a grand on a phone.
00:54 The cameras.
00:55 The cameras on the iPhone 14 Pro Max are superb.
00:58 The 48 megapixel main sensor is a huge step up for Apple, offering far more detail in
01:03 images when shooting in the RAW format.
01:05 Most people won't need all that detail though, and by default, the sensor will group every
01:08 four pixels in a quad pixel and optimize for better light capture in 12 megapixel photos.
01:14 It all results in stunning pictures no matter the environment, from nighttime shots outside
01:19 to dimly lit bars.
01:21 Just point, shoot, and you'll be surprised by how much detail the iPhone can retain in
01:26 your scene.
01:27 But in less challenging scenarios, the iPhone often comes up on top with more pleasing colors
01:32 and dynamic range, resulting in more social media-ready images without the need for editing.
01:37 The iPhone is still undoubtedly the king when it comes to video on a smartphone.
01:41 With its 4K resolution in its Cinema Mode and Action Mode that offer stabilization that
01:46 the competition simply can't keep up with, the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers the best pocket
01:51 video camera money can buy.
01:53 So overall, we really like the video from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and one of the features
01:57 that we're testing out right now is the Action Mode.
02:01 So it goes up to 2.8K.
02:02 Part of the reason for that is that it's cropping the video as we go.
02:06 So you're not getting that full 4K resolution, but you are getting super steady action as
02:12 both the shooter and the subject are moving at the same time.
02:16 One area where Apple is way behind the competition is telephoto zoom lenses.
02:20 The Galaxy S23 Ultra crushes the iPhone with its 200-megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom,
02:26 30x digital zoom, and 100x space zoom.
02:28 Yes, you lose some quality when using digital zoom, but at least you have the option to
02:32 snap a long-range shot and read that sign or see that landmark from afar.
02:37 Thankfully, it appears that the iPhone 15 Pro Max should be catching up in a major way.
02:43 Rumor has it that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will boast a periscope zoom lens with 6x optical
02:48 zoom, a big jump from the 3x telephoto camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
02:54 It still may not match the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but we expect a boost in digital zoom too.
02:59 Just don't expect a 100x zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro.
03:03 Let me know in the comments, do you care about how far your camera phone can zoom?
03:07 Do expect improvements across the board when it comes to the cameras and their integrations
03:12 with Apple's next-generation A17 Bionic chip.
03:15 I'd expect even better low-light performance and other upgrades, but I'd also expect
03:19 those improvements to be marginal.
03:21 If you're looking for an amazing camera phone and you're locked into the Apple ecosystem,
03:25 then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is an amazing choice, and I don't think you'll experience too
03:30 much FOMO when the iPhone 15 Pro launches.
03:34 But if you're looking for the absolute best and most versatile smartphone camera available,
03:38 the S23 Ultra is our recommendation right now.
03:41 The iPhone 14 Pro Max has some of the best battery life available, and in our Tom's Guide
03:45 battery test, it lasted an average of 13 hours and 39 minutes surfing the web over 5G.
03:51 That outperforms the S23 Ultra, which went dead around 30 minutes quicker, even though
03:55 it technically has a larger battery.
03:57 Since launch, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has lasted me through the day without a problem, but
04:02 the always-on display does drain power.
04:05 So how much better could the iPhone 15 Pro Max be?
04:08 The new 3nm A17 Bionic chip is said to be as much as 35% more power efficient compared
04:14 to the A16 Bionic, so this will almost certainly result in an even longer runtime.
04:19 Unfortunately, the iPhone 14 Pro Max lags behind the industry standard with 20W charging.
04:24 When charging a drained iPhone 14 Pro Max, you'll get just 42% in 30 minutes.
04:29 Other phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra gets to 58% in 30 minutes with its 45W charger,
04:35 and the OnePlus 11's 80W charger can get to 100% in a half hour.
04:40 We're hoping that Apple will do better this year and introduce faster charging as it ditches
04:44 the Lightning port and reluctantly implements a USB-C port instead.
04:48 The EU is mandating that Apple embrace USB-C by the end of 2024, and Apple has admitted
04:54 that it will comply.
04:56 The leaks point to Apple delivering USB-C for all iPhone 15 devices launching this year,
05:01 so it's possible that Apple could reserve faster transfer speeds for the iPhone 15 Pro
05:06 and Pro Max.
05:07 One rumored scenario is that Apple will only guarantee the fastest charging speeds and
05:12 transfer speeds if an Apple-certified USB-C cable or accessory is used, which could cause
05:17 a lot of backlash.
05:19 Regardless, we can anticipate faster charging over USB-C with the iPhone 15 Pro Max versus
05:24 the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and we'll have to see about transfer speeds when it comes to
05:28 connecting things like cameras or external devices.
05:31 This is a case of Apple catching up to the competition for sure, but it will be a welcome
05:36 upgrade.
05:37 There's nothing wrong with the iPhone 14 Pro Max's stainless steel sides, but we're
05:41 excited for the rumors that the next iPhone could be making use of a titanium-alloy body.
05:47 Titanium is super strong while weighing less than aluminum, so it should result in an overall
05:52 lighter big-screen phone from Apple.
05:54 Well, provided the new periscope zoom doesn't add too much weight.
05:58 Another positive rumor has the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max getting more rounded edges, which
06:04 should make the handset more comfortable to hold.
06:07 Some users have complained about the sharper, squared-off edges of the iPhone 14 Pro and
06:11 Pro Max, which can dig into your hands.
06:14 I for one am looking forward to an iPhone 15 Pro Max that weighs down my pocket less,
06:18 and while Apple is at it, I'd like to see better scratch resistance.
06:21 After six months, I've seen several appear on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, even though I carry
06:25 it only in my pocket or a backpack in its own pocket with nothing else in it.
06:30 Although I guess that probably sells more cases.
06:33 The iPhone 14 Pro Max is an incredible phone, and you'll likely not be disappointed if
06:37 you go out and purchase one tomorrow.
06:39 But if you're after the very best camera phone, then I think you might be better off
06:43 going for the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
06:45 If you're locked into Apple, but USB-C, a better zoom, and even better performance
06:50 are important to you, then you should hang on for the fall and see what the iPhone 15
06:54 Pro lineup has in store for us.
06:56 If you're really on a budget, you might want to wait for the iPhone 15 series to launch,
07:00 at which point the iPhone 14 Pro Max will go on a heavy discount.
07:04 Regardless of what happens, though, 2023 is going to be a big year of change for Apple,
07:09 and I can't wait to see if the iPhone 15 Pro Max lives up to the hype.
07:13 If you're looking for an even deeper dive on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, then check out my
07:17 review of the phone when it first launched on the Tom's Guide YouTube channel.
07:21 Will the iPhone 15 Pro live up to the hype?
07:24 Stay tuned for all of our coverage of the rumors and leaks leading all the way up to
07:28 my iPhone 15 Pro Max review.
07:30 I'm Mark Spunhauer, and I'll see you in the next video.
07:33 [music]
07:36 (upbeat music)