{"id":90037,"date":"2019-09-29T08:31:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-29T15:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=90037"},"modified":"2020-05-29T08:35:57","modified_gmt":"2020-05-29T15:35:57","slug":"review-iphone-11-pro-max-the-iphone-for-when-you-want-the-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/review-iphone-11-pro-max-the-iphone-for-when-you-want-the-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: iPhone 11 Pro Max, the iPhone for when you want the best"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Elsewhere on this blog<\/a>, Kirk suggested the iPhone 11 is \u201cthe iPhone for everyone\u201d. With a starting price of $1,099 and “Pro” in its name, the same seemingly cannot be said of the iPhone Pro Max.\u00a0However, you might nonetheless be tempted by the pinnacle of Apple\u2019s iPhone line-up.<\/p>\n

My take on using one for a week,\u00a0having previously owned its predecessor, the iPhone XS Max,\u00a0is that the “Pro” bit is marketing fluff. You certainly don\u2019t need to be a pro to benefit from this phone, and nor does it include anything overtly pro over and above what\u2019s found in the iPhone 11. But this is an objectively superb iPhone, and it could be the one for you,\u00a0if<\/em> \u2013 but only if \u2013 you deeply care about some very specific features.<\/p>\n

Look sharp<\/h3>\n

The most obvious difference between the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the display. The Max is larger \u2013\u00a06.5 in. vs 6.1 in. \u2013 and brighter. It has richer blacks, due to using OLED rather than LCD technology \u2013\u00a0a factor if you favor iOS 13\u2019s Dark Mode.<\/p>\n

And the iPhone 11 Pro Max display is sharper than the iPhone 11\u2019s, too. Put the phones side-by-side and they will display roughly the same content, but whereas the iPhone 11\u2019s screen resolution is 1792\u00d7828, the iPhone 11 Pro Max\u2019s is 2688\u00d71242. Packing more pixels into roughly the same space means less pixelation \u2013 smoother text; more detail.<\/p>\n

The question is whether you\u2019ll notice. I do, most obviously in text-heavy apps. My wife does not. Perhaps head to an Apple Store and see for yourself. If you can\u2019t see any difference between the two screens, that\u2019s one less reason to spend more money; if you can pick out the extra detail in the iPhone 11 Pro Max, your mind may already be made up.<\/p>\n

A little bit snappier<\/h3>\n

Although the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max look similar, there are some material differences. The pricier device is more luxurious, with textured matte glass and stainless steel versus glass and aluminum. The textured glass makes it grippier in the hand \u2013 although if you\u2019re paying over a thousand bucks for a phone, you\u2019re probably going to put it in a case.<\/p>\n

The color options are more subjective. Personally, I like the brighter shades of the iPhone 11 compared to the subdued hues in the Pro line. However, with all the front faces now being black (finally!), and a case being a must, you likely won\u2019t see the back of your phone much anyway. (Possible exception: if you use a clear case. Be wary of Apple\u2019s, though, which I\u2019ve found stiff, making it hard to free the iPhone or use its buttons.)<\/p>\n

On the rear, the second big difference between these devices is apparent: the iPhone 11 Pro Max has an extra camera. Along with the iPhone 11\u2019s wide and ultra-wide, you get a telephoto camera for 2x optical zoom capabilities. If you\u2019ve never used the telephoto lens on an iPhone, you\u2019re not going to miss it \u2013\u00a0not least given that the iPhone 11 can match the Pro elsewhere, such as Portrait Mode and Night Mode shots. But if you want an optical zoom, the 11 won\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n

Is bigger better?<\/h3>\n

A few other specs edge the iPhone 11 Pro Max ahead of the iPhone 11. Its waterproofing is superior (although probably don\u2019t have your iPhone go for a swim in the first place). There\u2019s a 512GB option, for if you have tons of on-board data (although not<\/em> a sweet-spot 128GB model \u2013\u00a0the iPhone Pro line jumps from a miserly 64GB to 256GB). And then there\u2019s the battery.<\/p>\n

Last year, the iPhone XR had the longest-lasting battery of any iPhone, but that crown\u2019s now been taken by the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Depending on what factor you use to measure battery life, Apple reckons you can get anything from an extra two hours (video streaming) to 15 hours (audio playback) from the more expensive phone.<\/p>\n

In the real world, battery life is harder to test, but I\u2019ve so far found the iPhone 11 Pro Max to be meaningfully ahead of its predecessor and the iPhone XR. You can still blaze through remaining charge when downloading tons of cellular data, playing demanding games, or incessantly scrolling through social media feeds. But for those extra bucks, you can take solace in being able to do so for a little longer than anyone with a cheaper iPhone.<\/p>\n

Heart vs. head vs. needs<\/h3>\n

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is objectively the best iPhone in Apple\u2019s line-up \u2013 and possibly the best smartphone on the market. It\u2019s powerful, packed with features, and has a properly premium feel.<\/p>\n

Your heart will want it, but your head (and bank account) might think otherwise. My advice: decide whether you need<\/em> it, qualifying “need” in terms of things you often do. A few extra hours of battery life without the hassle of finding a charger, or carrying a bulky external battery pack, might alone be worth the extra outlay. Or you might prize that superior display or extra camera. If not, just ramp your iPhone up to 11, rather than going Pro to the Max.<\/p>\n

Do you plan to buy a new iPhone this year? Which model will you choose? Let us know in the comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The iPhone 11 Pro Max isn’t for everyone, but it might be the right iPhone for you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":91493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[9],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n