When Apple introduced the iPhone 12 pro on stage in late 2020, acting as if it had heralded in the new era of 5G, we did bawk a little. But with the iPhone 12 pro max in our hands, we’ve found it easy to forgive the bravado.
For those of you looking for a big, beautiful and powerful iPhone, the high-end 12 pro max is the release you’ve been waiting for. For starters, it looks absolutely stunning. As with the rest of the iPhone 12 line-up, the pro max has that same flat-edge design, with a stunning stainless steel border and a matte-glass rear, making it look as premium as its price tag would suggest. Its gorgeous 6.7in super retina XDR OLED ceramic shield display – 0.2in bigger than the 11 pro max – is also great for watching content over your speedy 5G connection, helped along by Apple’s new A14 Bionic chip.
The iPhone 12 pro max’s camera array really steals the show. It’s got a telephoto lens with a 2.5x optical zoom. The main camera has a 12MP resolution, but the sensor is bigger, capturing 87 per cent more light in shots. Photos are detailed, they’re brighter, and photography in Apple’s new ProRAW format is a dream.
The battery life is also the best we’ve seen on an iPhone, lasting us well into a second day of use without needing plugged in or snapping onto a MagSafe puck. We were able to charge the phone to 50 per cent in just half an hour with a 20W USB-C adaptor. Charging just with the MagSafe took significantly longer, however, but the convenience is there if you need it.
Of course, this iPhone may be a little too big for some hands and even some pockets, but the battery life and the stellar camera array more than make up for it. If you still think it’s too big, the smaller iPhone 12 pro is just as good – although the battery might not last as long. You can get both the 12 pro and 12 pro max in “Pacific” blue, graphite, gold and silver. For what it’s worth, it’s the best iPhone Apple has ever made.