Phones · 2023 · Apple

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple’s large 2023 Pro phone. It brought a titanium frame, a 6.7-inch ProMotion OLED display, the A17 Pro chip, a 5x telephoto camera and USB-C with USB 3 at up to 10 Gb/s. Lab testing found strong battery endurance but slow wired charging. Heat was the topic owners raised most; Apple said iOS 17.0.3 fixed an issue that could make the phone run warmer than expected.

iPhone 15 Pro Max; 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB storage. US models (A2848 and A2849 as listed) use eSIM only; models sold outside the US have a SIM tray. The iPhone 15 Pro is a separate, smaller model.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max — The iPhone 15 Pro Max image from Apple’s tech specs page: Black, White, Blue and Natural Titanium, seen from the back.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max image from Apple’s tech specs page: Black, White, Blue and Natural Titanium, seen from the back.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2796 × 1290 pixels, 460 ppi; ProMotion up to 120 Hz; Always-On display; Dynamic Island

ProMotion changes the refresh rate with the content: it rises to 120 Hz for scrolling and drops on still images to save battery. The Always-On display shows the time and notifications dimmed while locked.

Brightness1000 nits typical; 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)

2000 nits is a peak reached with automatic brightness in sunlight; manual brightness stays lower.

ChipA17 Pro; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 6-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB

Storage cannot be expanded later. 4K 60 fps ProRes recording works only to external storage.

Rear cameras48 MP main (24 mm, ƒ/1.78, sensor-shift OIS); 12 MP ultra wide (13 mm, 120°); 12 MP 5x telephoto (120 mm, ƒ/2.8, tetraprism); up to 25x digital zoom

The tetraprism design folds light inside the body so a 120 mm focal length fits in the thin case. Values above 5x are digital zoom and lose detail.

Video4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; Dolby Vision HDR 4K at 60 fps; ProRes 4K at 60 fps with external recording; Log video; Cinematic mode 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode 2.8K at 60 fps; spatial video at 1080p 30 fps

Log recording gives a flat image for colour grading; Action mode reduces shake with software stabilisation and crops the image to 2.8K.

Front camera12 MP TrueDepth, ƒ/1.9, autofocus; Face ID
USB-CCharging, DisplayPort and USB 3 (up to 10 Gb/s)

The 10 Gb/s speed needs a USB 3 capable cable; the charge cable in the box does not provide it. DisplayPort output can drive an external display at 4K HDR.

Battery and chargingUp to 29 hours of video playback; about 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W or higher adapter; MagSafe 15 W, Qi2 15 W, Qi 7.5 W; lithium-ion battery

No power adapter is included. Qi2 support brings magnetic alignment to compatible chargers beyond MagSafe.

Cellular and wireless5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; Thread; NFC; precision dual-frequency GPS

Dual-frequency GPS uses two satellite frequencies together to reduce position drift between tall buildings. mmWave 5G works only on the US model and with carriers that offer it.

SIMUS model: dual eSIM, no physical SIM slot; models sold outside the US have a SIM tray

The phone can store eight or more eSIM profiles; two lines can be active at once.

Action buttonSilent mode, Focus, Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Translate, Magnifier, Shortcut or Accessibility

It replaces the ring/silent switch of earlier models; pressing and holding runs the chosen function.

Durability and materialsIP68 (up to 6 metres for up to 30 minutes); titanium design, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back

Water and dust resistance is not permanent and can decrease over time.

Size and weight159.9 × 76.7 × 8.25 mm; 221 g
Known software fixiOS 17.0.3: addressed an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected

Apple released this fix in October 2023; heat reports continued with later versions, see owner experiences.

ColoursBlack Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a titanium design, the A17 Pro chip, a 5x telephoto camera and USB-C. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • In GSMArena’s measurements the screen reached 846 nits in manual mode and 1787 nits with auto brightness. The endurance rating was 118 hours; the Active Use Score was 16:01h (calls 25:05, web 14:16, video streaming 22:36, gaming 9:56). With Apple’s 20 W adapter an empty battery reached 46% in 30 minutes and 80% in 60 minutes; a full charge took 1 hour 49 minutes. With a 30 W charger it reached 56% in 30 minutes. Speaker loudness was rated "Very Good".

    GSMArena lab tests (28 September 2023), one test unit.

    GSMArena: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review, lab tests

Owner experiences and issues

  • Replying to an Apple Community thread about an iPhone 15 Pro Max getting hot while charging, DadGotThis said that while filming 4K 30 fps in about 32 °C weather in Florida, the screen dimmed to nearly black after 15 minutes and a cool-down warning appeared, while their iPhone 14 Pro Max only dimmed in the same conditions. Apple’s remote diagnostics found nothing; the owner planned a store visit for a swap. The thread closed without a resolution.

    Apple Community, one thread (September 2023, before iOS 17.0.3), two replies. Use in a case and in hot weather; no failure rate was drawn from this.

    Apple Community: iPhone 15 Pro Max heating issue

  • Among iPhone 15 Pro Max complaints on Sikayetvar, one owner wrote that about three months after purchase the phone began to overheat as soon as the screen was turned on. Other device complaints covered different issues: grainy, unsharp photos on a newly bought phone, speaker crackling, paint wear around the camera in normal use, and a sudden shutdown with no restart that the owner said involved no liquid contact. These are separate single reports.

    Sikayetvar Turkey, search for "iphone 15 pro max" under Apple (27 complaints); list excerpts were read. Subscription/payment, insurance and seller complaints were excluded.

    Sikayetvar: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max complaints

Tags

2023APPLEIOSOLEDPROMOTION5GUSB-CMAGSAFETITANYUMESIM

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Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPhone 15 Pro Max - Tech Specs
  2. Apple Support: About iOS 17 Updates
  3. GSMArena: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review, lab tests
  4. Apple Community: iPhone 15 Pro Max heating issue
  5. Sikayetvar: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max complaints