iPhone 13 Pro Max Review | One Month Later...

Reviewing Apple's iPhone 13 Pro Max one month after launch, to see if iOS 15 has improved, if the camera compares well vs the Pixel 6 and Android rivals, and how the everyday experience holds up.

Thanks to Vodafone for sending in the iPhone sample, you can grab the Pro Max from £62 a month, with £49 up front:

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is one of the biggest and most expensive smartphones of 2021, but not the best. It's fantastic for battery life and performance while the camera results are as good as most phone rivals. However, Apple's software is still buggy one month on, while flaws like the hefty design, massive notch, dodgy sensitivity and lack of headphone jack/microSD support are downers.

Considering the extreme price of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, this is a tough phone to recommend unless you're an Apple die-hard after the best battery life. For others, I'd recommend the excellent Pixel 6 which also boasts great longevity, a solid camera and impressive privacy tools.

Check out my unboxing with other best phones of 2021, and if you've been using this Apple blower, let us know your own review in the comments!

iPhone 13 Pro Max Review Chapters:
0:00 - How much??
0:47 - Design
3:10 - Features & iOS 15
6:03 - Screen & audio
8:25 - Performance & gaming
8:53 - Battery life
9:33 - Camera
11:45 - Verdict

[hiyukelavie]

Looking at the thumbnail, I see that the torchlight and camera virtual buttons are perfectly placed, well done

[aroundthwrId]

Interesting lock screen wallpaper mate, especially with the placement of those quick access buttons.

[pumpkin_fox]

My huge respect for being so honest while reviewing a sponsored device!

[taniamentrup]

Your comments at the end earned you a new subscriber. Too many reviewers provide overly biased reviews regarding apple products. They are good, but not worth selling a kidney for.

[cocopopscoco]

What a refreshingly unbiased review. Well done! Based on other reviews you would think this is a miracle that has landed in our hands and we should be thankful to pay for it. Really well done.

[joeyjasonalmonia]

The most comedic tech youtuber out there!!!

[Uncle_Drew]

I really like the things you said in the end. Makes me think that spending big for this device is not wise since the standard usage of a phone is just a few gaming, more on social media browsing, video streaming and email replying. I can get a phone and a laptop for the price of $1099 which I can use for work.

[reelfishingsibandshore.]

Glad to see somebody from the north east with alot of followers... Keep it up mate

[Rishabh]

Only legends will notice the thumbnail.

[ballabarnabas]

I dont know why everyone is complaining. I've never had any problems with the slightly increased weight or the edges being too sharp for the fingers in the long run and to be honest my favourite part is the camera. Because of the size of the camera lens it gives you the feel of a premium device. If I'm being honest if apple would get rid of the bump i wouldn't like the phone. It would give the new and improved phone a back to the future vibe (in a bad way).

[gnijmet]

The quick buttons in the lockscreen do go well with the wallpaper

[sandeepsingh]

Got 13 Pro Max few days ago, even though my palms are big but stills unable to hold the phone comfortably. Weight is another issue it feels heavy in hand, camera is bit better than my old Pixel 2 XL. Compared the screen quality with old Pixel 2 xl and found P2xl has better screen quality and more saturated than Pro Max. Go for regular size iPhone 13 if you want to buy, I wanted to get Pixel 6 Pro, sadly not available in my country.

[TheLinuxExperience]

Man, you always crack me up, your reviews are both good and hilarious!!!... And yes, you probably are THE ONLY reviewer out there not looking the other way when something doesn´t add up with the iPhone. Yes, the size and weight are ridiculous on this thing, something that people have to deal with every single minute of ownership, yet they are fooled to think it´s all bloody awesome because of... well, what else, the camera!

Also, so glad you brought up the absolute disaster that has been software quality for years on the iPhone. So much for shouting out how awesome it is to have huge amounts of users upgraded on the first few days... Yup, because that means they´re all impacted!.... Great thinking, Apple!... It is actually a disgrace how many popular Youtubers consciously decide to completely ignore this consistently, year after year, review after review... Money talks, I suppose?

[johnnyvonjoe]

This is one of the most balanced reviews of the iPhone 13 Pro Max I've seen so far. It's a great phone no doubt but alot of reviewers have a tendency to di*k ride the latest iPhone just because it's the latest iPhone and not honestly list the pros and cons of the bloody thing.

[joelcornejo]

Ive been an Android user for my whole life and I’m coming from a OnePlus 7 pro, decided to go for the 13 pro max, and I have to say, there are really three things which I’m impressed with, battery life it’s freaking amazing, camera is top notch and performance is just incredible. These three things for me makes everything worth it. I haven’t had any issues or bugs with iOS 15.2 and I have just experienced that lack of touch sensitivity in small icons, but that is not always and is not that dramatic. Overall, I’m really happy with the purchase and I believe apple has now fixed the main issues for what I would never considered buy an iPhone before.

[tcc]

That wallpaper of Power from chainsaw man is peak culture. As expected of the most cultured reviewer.

[funkamnkey]

I keep hearing that iOS 15 is buggy but I’ve not encountered any bugs that force me to restart or reset. A few of the usual bugs that all phones launch with but 15.1 has cured nearly all of these.

[pauldavid]

Hello baldy Mackem. I bought the pro version in gold last Monday after being a Samsung fanboy for a decade. The transition wasn’t as bad as I thought. Not as smooth and user friendly as an android but I love the simplicity and build quality. The camera is frickin amazing. It makes Middlesbrough appear as though it’s from earth and not a mutant wasteland as such.

[porleg]

Always funny, I enjoy a real review without doting on the details too much. I prefer your opinion over the rest.

[rawnuhld]

I saw Power on the thumbnail and I knew I had to watch... Got the gold color with the clover green case a month ago. Traded in my XS Max and 12 pro max and was only $80 in total. Best battery in a phone so far.