Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max review – NewsRaiser

Introduction

The best iPhone ever, 2022 release, size XL – we have the iPhone 14 Pro Max. This year’s big news includes the notch turning into a pill, the introduction of an Always-On display and an all-new main camera – and while you can get all of that on the 14 Pro, the Extra screen area and longevity coupled with the Max’s ‘ultimate’ status means it has its own market niche.

The Face ID notch that’s been with us since the iPhone X was no one’s favorite, and perhaps its reincarnation as a pill is a step towards its eventual removal. But not before turning the horror into a feature – the pill is a dynamic island of notifications, blurring the line between hardware and software.

Along the same lines is the Always-On Display – a software feature that’s only now being made possible in Apple’s world thanks to LTPO displays capable of dropping the refresh rate to 1Hz.

A massive increase in brightness is also among the key developments this year, this one in the hardware department alone.

Late at another party, Apple finally joins virtually every other manufacturer and introduces a camera with a Quad Bayer type sensor – the 48MP head unit specs don’t read like any other so apparently it’s a exclusive design. The telephoto lens remains unchanged, but the ultrawide got an upgrade in sensor size, while the front-facing one now has autofocus (and possibly even OIS).

On the hardware front, there’s the mandatory chipset update, of course, and nothing else worth mentioning. Well, there’s the hidden SIM slot for US models, which will only work with eSIMs – does that count as a hardware change? Collision detection and emergency-like satellite connectivity are also on the list of new features combining software and hardware.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max specifications at a glance:

• Body: 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mm, 240g; Glass front (glass made by Corning), glass back (glass made by Corning), stainless steel frame; IP68 dust and water resistant (up to 6m for 30 minutes).
• Display: 6.70″ LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM), 1290x2796px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm): Hexa-core (2×3.46 GHz Everest + 4×2.02 GHz Sawtooth); Apple GPU (5-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM; NVMe.
• Operating System/Software: iOS 16.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm, 1/3.5″, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed); Depth: SL 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic Mode (4K@24/30fps), stereo sound recording; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4323mAh; Fast charging, USB Power Delivery 2.0, 15W MagSafe fast wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging.
• Various : Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; stereo speakers; Support for Ultra Wideband (UWB), Satellite Emergency SOS (send/receive SMS), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).

Unboxing Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Virtually nothing has changed in the layout of the iPhone 14 Pro Max compared to last year’s model. The half-height box has a color-matched likeness of the phone printed on the lid and opens with a few tear-off paper tabs.

Inside, the phone lies face down, its back greeting you as you remove the cover. There’s no supplied charger, but there’s still a USB-C to Lightning cable, at least. And an Apple sticker, because free advertising.