The iPhone 11 Pro Max was the biggest and most powerful phone Apple has ever made. Taking the best of its technology and combining it with an upgraded design. that includes a new matte back. Three cameras designed to rival the best from Samsung, Google and Huawei. . , and an improved battery for greater endurance.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max was there until the iPhone 12 Pro Max arrived in 2020. And now it’s been surpassed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Which was released alongside the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, and iPhone 13 Pro. The new Pro Max phones feature tweaked designs from the iPhone 11 Pro Max. As well as some improved specs and cameras, but aside from 5G. It’s not just incremental updates and revolutions.
Digging deeper into the iPhone 11 Pro Max camera. We’re most impressed with Night Mode. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is able to turn night into almost day, but does so while preserving plenty of detail.
We found the newly added ultra-wide camera useful when you wanted to squeeze in more of a scene. And to improve background defocus effects. Although it still wasn’t perfect in our testing.
The design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max will be familiar to most. With the same design language as the previous two models (iPhone X and iPhone XS). Although the matte back feels nice in the hand. The ‘Max’ size won’t appeal to everyone, but it does ease the large and impressive 6.5-inch OLED display. Which delivers a brilliant cinematic experience both visually. And through the upgraded stereo speakers.
The camera bump on the back of the phone feels a bit sharp and takes up a lot of space. Though if you’re right-handed it’s out of the way when you’re going about your daily tasks.
Apple promises that the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s battery will last five hours longer than last year’s XS Max. And that claim has been borne out in our tests – battery life seems accurate. Especially when playing HDR video on the phone and 20 hours of multimedia.
In day-to-day use we found this to be a 24-hour smartphone (assuming you slept for a part of that time). And the fast charger that (eventually) comes in the box gives you about 20% out of 15. minutes, and fully charged in just one and a half hours.
With iOS 13 on board – and now an update to iOS 15 – the Pro Max feels more refined than previous models. And changes in the accuracy and range of Face ID make it easier to use every day. With things like opening a notification when the phone is flat on a desk. Installation is much easier.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s raw performance also impressed. Although we did experience some slowdown in the camera app. But, if you like to edit video on the go (and don’t forget this phone can shoot 4K at 60 frames per second. And do it well) then you’ll enjoy the extra grunt on offer.
Overall, the iPhone 11 Pro Max was a real step up, and the most advanced iPhone at the time. But, when it comes to what’s really new here. We couldn’t do much beyond the improved camera (especially night mode). And a slightly upgraded cinematic experience.
If you’re looking to save some money, we’d recommend checking out the iPhone 11. While we’ve consistently found little to impress in performance throughout our testing of the 11 Pro Max. We can’t shake the feeling that it really is a phone. For Apple fans who want the best of everything, without compromise. And for those fans, there’s now the iPhone 13 Pro Max or even the iPhone 12 Pro Max if you can find it.
Want to know more? Read on to see our in-depth review of Apple’s high-end smartphones.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max will likely be discounted in Black Friday deals. So, it’s worth checking out the best iPhone Black Friday deals. We will conduct a re-review in the future. But, we’ve updated the references within our review to highlight new features. That have emerged since our testing to give you a better idea of what you’re buying.
iPhone 11 Pro Max Release Date and Price
- iPhone 11 Pro Max was announced on September 10, 2019
- It came out 10 days later
- iPhone 11 Pro Max price starts at $1,099 / £1,149 / AU$1,899
The iPhone 11 Pro Max was announced on September 10, 2019, and was released on September 20 in the US. UK, Australia and other markets around the world.
It’s no longer sold directly by Apple as the iPhone 13 range has ended. But it’s still fairly easy to get from third-party stores. That said, the price could be a sticking point. As it was the most expensive iPhone at launch and it’s still in the price range.
Yes, it rivals the price of some MacBooks in certain regions, but that’s not really a fair comparison. They’re different products with different features, designed to do very different things. But, this explains how expensive the iPhone 11 Pro Max is.
iPhone 11 Pro Max prices start at $1,099 / £1,149 / AU$1,899 for the 64GB model. Storage capacity then jumps to 256GB, priced at $1,249 / £1,299 / AU$2,149.
It then goes up to $1,449 / £1,499 / AU$2,499 for the most expensive 512GB model. So if you’re not rich enough to regularly swim in the pool of money, it’s probably time to save up.
You may have noticed the cost difference between the UK and the US. Where before Apple matched the dollar and pound price tags for its iPhones. This time it’s a little different.
In the US, the standard price of the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the same as the phone it succeeds, the iPhone XS Max. But it has gone up in the UK, which will surely upset some buyers there.
Looking for a great iPhone 11 Pro Max deal? Check out the links below for all the best options.
These are the best iPhone 11 Pro Max deals in the US
And these are the best iPhone 11 Pro Max deals in the UK
Camera
We don’t usually assess cameras this early in our reviews. But the main change in the 2019 iPhone range is in the imaging quality on offer.
In terms of hardware, the main difference is the addition of an ultra-wide camera. Making it three cameras on the back of the phone.
They sit proudly on the back of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. With the glass squares surrounding them matching the phone’s color. Helping to reduce the visual impact of the three prominent black holes on the back.
What you’ve got here is a ‘normal’ wide-angle lens, a telephoto lens and a new ultra-wide. The telephoto option lets you zoom in 2x closer to your subject. And the ultra-wide-angle lens enables you to cram twice as much of your front view into the frame.
This is great if you’re trying to get a shot of a group of friends or an animal, but can’t get any further back or closer. The iPhone 11 Pro Max will allow you to crop in or pull back without having to move.
All three cameras pack 12MP sensors. Which is pretty standard for most smartphones these days. Allowing for a good balance between pixel size (to capture more light). And resolution (to capture more detail).
Video recording has also been improved, with the Pro Max now capable of capturing 4K at 60 frames per second (fps). This means you’re getting smoother footage to capture more information. But it’s worth noting that it will fill up your iPhone’s storage more quickly.
There’s a lot to be said for iPhone – or any modern smartphone. Cameras these days, because they pack in so many features. And overall you’ll struggle to take a poor-quality snap with any of them.
This means that any brand trying to create. A market-leading cameraphone needs to fill it with features. And Apple has attempted to do just that here.
Night mode
The first is Night Mode – Apple’s previous models have failed to take truly impressive photos in the dark. And other brands have stolen a march here, with Samsung. Huawei and especially Google leading the way. offering phone cameras that can almost turn into night with image enhancement post- Within days of processing.
Apple’s new Night Mode certainly brings it into the conversation—in our view. It’s the single biggest reason to buy a new iPhone. You’ll have to hold the phone steady, or brace it, or mount it on a tripod. But if you do, you’ll be rewarded with the ability to take pictures with details that even your eyes can’t see.
Depending on the light level the iPhone will usually ask you to hold still for 2-5 seconds. but, you can manually extend this to 30 seconds (if the iPhone is on a tripod or leant against a wall). Get the ‘full bright’ view.
The results were sometimes surprising. The level of sharpness and brightness the iPhone can achieve using Night Mode has to be seen to be believed.
We say that the results were sometimes surprising. Because if you introduce any motion, the whole image is ruined. This means that if you’re trying to snap some friends dancing. It won’t work at all, and you’ll need to turn off night mode to get any kind of sharpness.
Better portrait mode
The other upgrade to the static camera is in portrait mode. Not only is it better at finding the outline of the person. Animal or other subject you want to keep in focus. It’s now also able to work at a ‘normal’ distance, as well as zoomed in like previous models. Plus Able to collect more information about depth thanks to the sensor.
The results are quite good, especially when you’re snapping people in well-lit. contrasting scenes – in fact. Get these types of shots right and the images can be stunning. You can play with the different lighting modes on offer to hide blemishes. Or use the new High Key Mono option to create more ethereal, stylized images.
But, when taking some photos, hair recognition was still an issue. And the iPhone 11 Pro Max struggled to perfectly sharpen a cat’s head. Photographing objects should do a better job. But we found that they were generally a bit blurry around the edges.
In the video mode, too, things have been improved. We think the 4K, 60fps mode is more of a headline feature than a really useful one. but if you’re a serious photographer or videographer looking then you should. Want such features; Detail is richer and – crucially – exposure is more balanced. Meaning you can create better-looking movies.
This feature is really only something that will appeal to the social media elite. Who want to capture truly head-turning footage with the iPhone. And the onboard editing suite lets you change the colors and filters of entire videos right on your device. . , there’s a lot to enjoy here.
One thing we didn’t enjoy was Apple’s use of the term ‘SlowFis’ in its marketing. These are simply slow-motion videos that can now be captured with the front-facing camera. and you shoot them on all three new iPhones. .
The results are good – most users will probably find them entertaining and shareable – but it’s the name that makes it great.
Design
Apple may not have changed the design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max on the front (compared to its predecessor, the XS Max). But things have improved a lot on the back. There’s a new matte glass back that feels noticeably different in the hand. It’s much less prone to smudges and fingerprints, and a Feels like an upgrade.
The rest of the design is very like what we’ve seen from Apple in recent years: the notch remains. The sides are curved stainless steel and the bottom of the phone has a Lightning connector. And two speaker grills (for symmetry – only one actually fires sound outwards).
It’s big in the hand, sure, but not overwhelmingly so — if you’re used to Apple’s recent years of Plus or Max phones. You’ll find the 11 Pro Max more than manageable every day.
The key new design element is one we’ve already talked about: the phone’s rear camera bump It’s sharp at the edges. Because it’s made by blending the glass down and turning it towards the back of the phone. Be careful: Do not put this phone in your pocket with other devices, as the bump can easily scratch the other screen.
Finally, the design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max is almost identical to the iPhone XS Max. Where we managed to factory-reset the wrong phone during the testing process.
iPhone 11 Pro Max colors are attractive: Midnight Green, Space Grey, Silver and Gold. Dark green is easily the most attractive in our minds. And the most obvious statement you can make is ‘City man, I bought a new iPhone!’
You’ll probably want to put it in an iPhone 11 Pro Max case to protect it though. Because it’s really expensive and you don’t want to explain to your other half that you ruined it in a week.
Display
Aside from the camera, the iPhone 11 Pro Max screen. (we can’t get over how annoying that name is) is a major selling point for this high-end, expensive phone.
What you get is 6.5 inches of screen real estate, an OLED panel that has again been refined by Apple. It also features True Tone technology to better match ambient lighting conditions. (changing the white balance depending on the lighting conditions you’re in) as well as a fluid screen. Although the higher refresh rates aren’t as fluid as we’ve seen. iPad Pro, for example.
The new OLED screen seems to have more of a yellow tint when you’re viewing white scenes or photographs. These tints aren’t present when images are viewed on a computer screen. For example, so it appears to be an issue with the device’s calibration.
The tint is still noticeable when the 11 Pro Max is placed next to the iPhone XS Max from 2018. But it’s slight, and doesn’t look bad when viewed in isolation.
One of the major upgrades here is the ability to play Dolby Vision content. It might not sound like a step up from HDR10. (The standard version of high dynamic range playback most phones use to punch up. The dark and light parts of a scene and make everything look more vibrant), but it’s a makes a difference
Watching films feels more immersive – you can see more detail. And overall video playback is much more cinematic. That’s because the iPhone can typically only display 800 nits of brightness. Which is still pretty good. But things get even more impressive when playing Dolby Vision films.
If you don’t have anyone around you, that cinematic feel can be enhanced by playing sound out of the speakers. Apple has created a virtual surround sound setup. And while it’s not as good as hearing the same thing through a decent pair of headphones. Ahe sound does bounce around your ears. seems to be
Again, this isn’t a new thing for the smartphone industry. But it shows that Apple is still working to deliver the best-possible media experience all these years after the iPod’s release.
Battery
Apple has made a big claim about the iPhone 11 Pro Max battery life improvement. Saying it will be able to last five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max.
The reason for this is curious. It is a big improvement in the size of the power unit without affecting the thickness of the device. Could it be that Apple wanted to unveil the reverse wireless charging feature. That was rumored in the build-up to the iPhone 11 launch, but didn’t manage to make it work to the required degree?
Well, whether that conspiracy theory is true or not, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s battery life is really strong, and here’s how we fared on the third day of testing…
Charging the iPhone off at 7 p.m. We watched a Dolby Vision-enabled movie on auto-brightness for about two hours. Before using the phone to navigate our home for about 50 minutes. We also did some messaging and tried pairing a Garmin watch before going to bed just before midnight. At which point the phone dropped to about 62%.
Overnight, things were quiet and standby mode only lost 5-6% battery in seven hours. Meaning we started the day with more than 50% battery left.
A tough day of testing, which included playing games, watching streamed videos. Testing the camera and running benchmarks Saw. the iPhone 11 finally run out before 6pm (we didn’t turn on the battery- saving mode).
That’s a pretty impressive performance. And not quite the feat we expected based on the performance of last year’s iPhone XS Max. So it looks like Apple’s claims of a more powerful battery are true.
When it comes to powering up this phone, you have two options. Wireless charging (which we urge you to invest in: get a wireless charger for home and office. If you have one, and you’ll never have one) Battery concerns Again ), or the fast charger in the box.
We tested the iPhone 11 Pro’s charging capacity from flat, and it was really fast. After just 15 minutes it was at around 25%, enough to get you anywhere in a pinch. A full charge took just 90 minutes, so having a fast charger in the box certainly makes. The 11 Pro Max’s higher cost a little more bearable.
performance
Out of the box, the iPhone Pro 11 Max runs iOS 13 but is updatable to iOS 15.
iOS 15 offers new FaceTime features with a focus on improving. audio and visual quality as well as making it easier to connect with people. 3D audio gives the impression that your recipients are in the same room as you. Voice Isolation now focuses only on your voice and blocks out any other surrounding sounds. There is also Wide Spectrum, which focuses on you and your surroundings.
There’s also SharePlay where you can share your screen as well as share music, watch TV shows and movies. So you can show a recipient how you use a particular app.
Messages also now see significant improvements with easily hidden notifications. Through Focus that recommend which apps. You want hidden at certain times of the day. It’s basically a souped-up don’t bother.
Face ID has also been improved: not as accurate, but as far as the camera can take in the field of view. But, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s front-facing camera isn’t any better at capturing faces than the model. Last year, it was easier to unlock it while sitting at your desk – like 2018’s iPhone XS Max. We didn’t want to pick up the phone to read a message.
If you’re someone who finds yourself frequently flipping. Between Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth connections. A long press on the relevant toggles in Control Center. Will take you to your will allow to select the desired network.
You’ll notice we’ve said ‘long press’ rather than ‘hard press.’ There – whereas previous high-end iPhones have used 3D Touch. Which enables users to squeeze the screen harder to open other menus or fire the camera, for example. This new The technology is not used in the iPhone 11 range.
