iPhone 13 Pro Max review: Apple?s heavyweight super phone

Apple’s latest super-sized smartphone is a beast in all directions, but is bigger really better?

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s most expensive smartphone, starting at £1,049 ($1,099/A$1,849) – at least £100 more than other models. With the same chips, software, design and camera as the regular sized 13 Pro, size is the key differentiator.

The 6.7in 120Hz OLED screen is fantastic: crisp, bright and super smooth, matching Samsung’s very best. As with pin-sharp retina screens before them, faster screens are like a ratchet: once you use one it is very difficult to go back.

But while it looks great, its large size and solid-feeling stainless steel sides come with a major downside: weight.

Last year’s iPhone 12 Pro Max was already heavy at 226g, but the 13 Pro Max is even weightier at 240g. Direct competitors weigh significantly less with Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra at 227g and Google’s Pixel 6 Pro at 210g, while the regular iPhone 13 Pro weighs 204g. Many other phones are under 200g and the difference is quite discernible.

You can feel the 13 Pro Max’s weight in the hand, in your pocket or bag, and it makes it hard to hold one-handed for any extended period without fatigue.

Apple’s latest A15 Bionic processor is one of the fastest you can get, which combined with the 120Hz screen makes the 13 Pro Max feel super responsive.