Phones · 2021 · Apple

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s largest 6.7-inch Pro model from 2021. It brought the first adaptive ProMotion display up to 120 Hz on an iPhone, the A15 Bionic with a 5-core GPU, a triple 12 MP camera system (including 3x telephoto) and macro photography; charging is via Lightning. In testing battery life was its strongest point; its size and weight make one-handed use hard.

iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021); 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB. Apple’s spec page lists model codes A2483 and A2484; band support varies by country model. The iPhone 13 Pro (6.1-inch), iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 Pro Max are separate models.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max — Apple image of the iPhone 13 Pro Max; Sierra Blue, Graphite, Gold, Silver and Alpine Green.
Apple image of the iPhone 13 Pro Max; Sierra Blue, Graphite, Gold, Silver and Alpine Green.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED with ProMotion; 2778 × 1284 pixels, 458 ppi; adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz; HDR, True Tone, wide colour (P3); typical 1000 nits, 1200 nits HDR; 2,000,000:1 contrast

ProMotion lowers the refresh rate for static content and raises it to 120 Hz for scrolling and animations, for both smoothness and battery savings. Because of the rounded corners, the diagonal measured as a rectangle is 6.68 inches.

BodyCeramic Shield front, textured matte glass back, stainless-steel frame; Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green
Water and dust resistanceIP68 (IEC 60529; up to 6 metres for 30 minutes)
ChipA15 Bionic: 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

The A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 and 13 mini has a 4-core GPU; the Pro models have one more GPU core.

Storage128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB

Capacity is chosen at purchase; there is no memory card slot. On the 128 GB model ProRes video is limited to 1080p 30 fps instead of 4K.

Rear camerasTriple 12 MP: Telephoto (ƒ/2.8, 3x optical zoom), Wide (ƒ/1.5, sensor-shift OIS), Ultra Wide (ƒ/1.8, 120°); 6x optical zoom range, up to 15x digital; LiDAR Scanner; Apple ProRAW

Macro photography works by switching to the Ultra Wide camera when you get close to a subject. The LiDAR Scanner speeds up focusing in the dark and enables Night mode portraits.

VideoUp to 4K 60 fps with Dolby Vision HDR; ProRes up to 4K 30 fps (1080p 30 fps on 128 GB); Cinematic mode 1080p 30 fps; macro video; 1080p 120/240 fps slow motion

ProRes is a professional video format that edits with little loss in editing software; its files are much larger than HEVC.

Front camera and Face ID12 MP TrueDepth, ƒ/2.2; Face ID
Cellular and wireless5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO, Gigabit LTE, Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2x2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, Ultra Wideband chip, NFC with reader mode

5G and LTE bands vary by model number and carrier; Apple advises checking with your carrier.

SIMNano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM

eSIM is not supported in all regions; micro-SIM cards are not compatible.

Battery and chargingUp to 28 hours video (25 hours streamed), up to 95 hours audio; built-in lithium-ion battery; 15 W MagSafe, 7.5 W Qi wireless; about 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W or higher adapter

The adapter is not included and is sold separately. MagSafe uses a magnet array in the back to align chargers and accessories.

Port and video outputLightning; up to 1080p via Lightning Digital AV Adapter; up to 4K HDR via AirPlay
Audio formatsAAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos; spatial audio playback
SoftwareLaunched with iOS 15
Size and weight160.8 × 78.1 × 7.65 mm; 240 g

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPhone 13 Pro Max with a ProMotion display, the Pro camera system and the longest battery life it had offered on an iPhone. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • In TechRadar’s test the battery was the main reason to buy: with moderate use the phone came off charge at 7:30 am and lasted until 4 am the next day; the lab measured 12 h 16 min of continuous web browsing over 5G. On a heavy day with hours of camera use it needed charging after 14 hours. With a 20 W adapter it reached about a third in 15 minutes, 53% in 30 minutes and 80% in an hour. The 120 Hz ProMotion display made little practical difference to the reviewer; the large, heavy body strained fingers during long use.

    TechRadar review (2021, later updated); single test unit, iOS 15.

    TechRadar: iPhone 13 Pro Max review

Tags

2021APPLEIPHONEIOS5GMAGSAFEOLEDLIGHTNINGPROMOTION

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPhone 13 Pro Max technical specifications (UK)
  2. TechRadar: iPhone 13 Pro Max review
  3. Apple Support: Identify your iPhone model