iPhone 11 Pro Max Vs. iPhone XS Max: Which Should You Buy
iPhone 11 Pro Max vs iPhone XS Max - Trying to decide between the iPhone XS Max or the iPhone 11 Pro Max? Read through our breakdown.
Author:Daniel BarrettMay 30, 2022134044 Shares2393644 Views
The iPhone 11 ProMax is the supersized version of Apple’s new flagship iPhone 11 Pro, sporting a best-in-class camera, vivid 6.5″ OLED display, and powerful A13 chip.With three camera lenses and the capacity for high-quality photo and video editing, the iPhone 11 Pro Max, announced on Tuesday, seems aimed at creative professionals and those willing to pay top dollar for the latest Apple tech.
Whether you’re trying to decide between the suddenly more affordable iPhone XS Max or the iPhone 11 Pro Max—or debating upgrading to the Pro Max—you’ll want to read through our breakdown of their respective specs below.
There are some significant differences between the phones, so we can help you tell them apart and decide which device fits your needs. Here’s how the iPhone 11 Pro Max compares to the iPhone XS Max.
Displays
Apple has achieved something special with the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s display. The device’s 6.5″ screen is both brighter (“new record levels of brightness”) and sharper than the iPhone XS’s, something pundits are calling Apple’s “first real HDR display.” It features a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
The iPhone XS Max’s 6.5″ display is similarly excellent, and is also classified as HDR by Apple (granted its contrast ratio is half that of the 11 Pro’s at 1,000,000:1). It’s safe to say you won’t be disappointed by the XS’s screen quality, but if you do a lot of video streaming on your phone, you’ll definitely appreciate what the 11 Pro Max gives you.
Colors
The iPhone XS Max comes in three colors: silver, space gray, and gold.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max also comes in those three colors, with the addition of midnight green.
Cameras
Despite the memes making fun of the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s triple camera, the features are nothing to laugh at:
- The new phone comes with ultra-wide-angle, wide-angle, and telephoto camera lenses.
- The 11 Pro Max comes with night mode and next-generation smart HDR.
- The front-facing camera is capable of slow-motion selfies, or “slofies.”
- The iPhone 11 Pro Max takes 12-megapixel photos, compared with the iPhone XS Max’s 7-megapixel photos.
- Both phones have portrait mode for perfect selfies.
- The iPhone 11 Pro Max features three rear-facing cameras to the iPhone XS Max’s two, in addition to key camera software upgrades.
iPhone 11 Pro Max vs iPhone XS Max
Processors
The A12 chip that powers the iPhone XS Max (as well as the iPhone XR) was the fastest chipset in any smartphone in 2018. However, the new A13 chip in the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max outdoes its predecessor in every respect, with 1.5 billion more transistors, better thermal management, and 20% faster speed. It’s an instant industry leader, and should help to make the experience of using the iPhone 11 Pro Max pretty excellent.
Batteries
One of the more celebrated aspects of this year’s iPhone 11 Pro Max is its battery size—and life. The 11 Pro Max features a massive 3,500 mAh battery (the XS Max has a 3,174 mAh one), good for up to five more hours of power than its predecessor. It charges quickly too, giving you a 50% charge in around 30 minutes. According to Apple, their impressive strides in this department are not only the result of the battery itself, but a more efficient chip and display (Super Retina XDR).
Costs
When Apple debuts its new crop of iPhones each year, they also lower the price of the previous year’s devices. In the wake of the iPhone 11 Pro’s unveiling, the now-discontinued iPhone XS Max went down $100 (via retailers and carriers). Further deals are sure to come—whether they take the shape of phone installment plan deals or outright purchase price deals.
Which to Buy
Apple’s newest flagship phone is the first with “Pro” in its name, and the company has done a pretty convincing job of designing a device that’s actually deserving of this moniker. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the supersized version, with the best of everything: three rear-facing cameras, huge battery, brilliant display, and fast processor. The iPhone XS Max, meanwhile, represents the best of Apple’s 2018 technology. Its cameras, processor and display are all (still) great.
So which one’s for you? That comes down to what’s important to you in a phone—whether you need to be a Pro, or you’re content with slightly older technology. And more importantly, how much money you’re willing to spend on a smartphone. Really you can’t go wrong with either the iPhone XS Max or the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
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Daniel Barrett
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