Updated: November 18, 2020 7:10:35 pm
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the pinnacle of smartphone technology (Express photo).
Apple has left many potential buyers confused with its iPhone 12 series, which has four unprecedented devices. However, if there is a phone in the series that has a clear target audience, it has to be the iPhone 12 Pro Max. After reviewing the base iPhone 12, the smaller iPhone 12 Mini, and the iPhone 12 Pro in between, we have now reached the largest phone in the series, clearly aimed at professionals: professionals, professional users, and progressives.
IPhone 12 Pro Max price in India: 1.29,900+
IPhone 12 Pro Max Specifications: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (1284 x 2778p, ~ 458 ppi) | Apple A14 Bionic (6GB RAM with 128GB / 256GB / 512GB) | 12 MP, f / 1.6, 26mm (wide) + 12 MP, f / 2.2, 65mm (telephoto) + 12 MP, f / 2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultra-wide) + TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) + 12 MP, f / 2.2, 23mm (wide) front camera | Li-Ion 3687 mAh battery | 228 grams
IPhone 12 Pro Max Review: What’s New?
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great phone. In fact, it is a few inches larger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max. This means it has a better screen-to-body ratio, as well as a slightly better resolution. However, it weighs almost the same as the last version and that despite the ceramic coating and the steel frame.
The iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
The flat edges make the design very elegant. Remember, Apple didn’t have such a big phone when it last used the flat edge design on the iPhone. But the flat edges can make it a bit difficult to grip the phone at times, especially in cold weather. That’s why I recommend investing in a good case that protects your phone and offers a good grip at all times.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a few changes in the camera department. For example, you now have a larger telephoto lens and can zoom to 12x instead of the previous 10x. Even the iPhone 12 Pro cannot do this. Also, this camera can now shoot in Dolby Vision HDR at up to 60fps, which the iPhone 12 cannot. Then there is the Lidar sensor that gives the camera a sense of depth.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a smaller battery than its predecessor by about 10 percent, although I didn’t notice much of a change in battery life.
IPhone 12 Pro Max Review: What’s Good?
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is clearly the pinnacle of smartphone technology. The best processor in the industry with professional-grade camera units, a stunning display, and a sleek design. So if you want to tell the world that you’ve arrived, this is the phone to buy this year.
For the past few years, Apple has made sure that all of its phones in a year have the same processor. And this guarantee of similar performance at all price points is something very unique to Apple right now. However, the experience is clearly different if you move up the value chain, as a phone like the Pro Max has more tools to make use of that A14 Bionic processor.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max camera module has a lidar sensor and a larger telephoto lens. (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
So even though the UI / UX of all iPhone 12 series phones is the same, the Pro Max offers some premium camera experiences that the other phones can’t. For example, Dolby Vision HDR recording at 60fps is as good as most DSLRs can offer right now. This is the phone you will buy if you are shooting video at a professional level, but not always using a DSLR. This is the phone you will buy if you are an avid photographer, but not one that needs to carry a large camera to show it. This is truly a professional smartphone camera.
I’ve tried a variety of video settings, in low and normal light, and the camera is great at keeping up with subtle color changes and even following the subject. I’m sorry that the phone came to me at a time where I can’t really go out and shoot a lot, but I’ve managed to recreate a lot of scenarios with what it could do. And believe me, this camera is up to the task.
The details when you try to shoot in 4K HDR at 60fps are almost cinematic. Dolby Vision HDR is on by default in this mode, but you’ll need some California faces to see what this phone is capable of, not the skies over New Delhi.
Where this iPhone really takes a step forward is with video recording. Caught at home with another Covid-19 surge in Delhi, I didn’t have much of a choice to boost this phone’s camera capabilities. However, I tested it with the colorful Diwali lights in the middle of the night and you can see the results for yourself. In this video, you can see that despite the dark settings, the phone offers smooth image stabilization at all times. You can see the subtle changes in the lights and even the highlights that have different hues.
You can see the prowess of this camera even while clicking normal photos, be it day or night. I clearly think that the camera is now faster in processing night shots and what used to take 3 seconds before can now be captured in less time.
Low-light camera sample from iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Low-light camera sample from iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Low-light camera sample from iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Low-light camera sample from iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
IPhone 12 Pro Max full zoom camera sample (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Low-light camera sample from iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
2.5x optical zoom camera example for iPhone 12 Pro Max (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Like the Pro, the Pro Max also has a Lidar sensor on the camera deck. While this is primarily intended to deliver a better AR experience, it clearly improves some shots dramatically. For example, compare these two shots of the Buddha taken with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro Max without the active portrait mode, but with f16 settings. You can see how the iPhone 12 Pro Max is sharper with the subject almost popping out in a 3D effect. In addition, the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a vertical 2.5x optical zoom compared to 2x of its predecessor.
Comparison of iPhone 11 Pro Max (left) vs iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both cameras are shooting with full optical zoom. (Express photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
In recent years I have abandoned my camera in favor of an iPhone, with the iPhone 12 Pro Max Apple has raised it a notch. Now you can record high-end videos and edit them on the phone too. A 30-second 4K clip I shot could be edited and processed in less than a minute, preserving all the details. The phone doesn’t even groan when it does this.
iPhone 12 Pro Max: What’s Not Good?
The battery life of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is almost the same as last year’s iPhone 11 Pro Max. I should be able to see you safely back home with a full charge and a very active day. However, it seems that this time the battery (3687 mAh) is smaller than last year’s 3969 mAh cell. Since the phone has gotten bigger than last time, it is a bit difficult for me to understand why this reduction was necessary. My fear is that this will start to show up as the phone and its battery age, especially for those using the phone on 5G. Indians are lucky not to have 5G to exhaust their new iPhones. Again, fast charging on the iPhone is now among the best in the industry and will come to the rescue if it’s depleted in strange places.
There is no denying the fact that the iPhone, any iPhone, is a premium device. However, the price increase of the new iPhone 12 Pro Max model should be better justified. Even if we consider the fact that the base model now has 128GB versus the previous 64GB, the price difference is significant. While I think this is the cost of 5G, in India that becomes a future-proof tax.
A Mujjo leather case on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. (Express Photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Also, although it will be a small thing for a person to buy such an expensive phone, you will have to spend a few thousand rupees extra to get a normal charger or the new MagSafe charger, as this phone comes in a slim box that does not include space for one of these.
iPhone 12 Pro Max: Should You Buy It?
Yes, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great buy for those with professional workflows that involve a phone. These could be anything from the need for a stellar display to high-end processing or professional-grade video recording. However, if you are using an iPhone that came out in the last two years, it is too early to upgrade to this one. For anyone using an older iPhone, it’s time to move. For others, you are jumping ship for the best camera experience and a processor that could also be powering your next PC.
As Cupertino would say, this is the best iPhone Apple has ever made. I can only agree.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
.
