Whether you love or hate Apple, the iPhone has undoubtedly grown into one of the most iconic and popular smartphones. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is no exception, and with its large Super Retina XDR display, exceptional resolution, and three 12MP cameras it’s easy to see why. The screen has become brighter, the performance is even smoother with the new inbuilt 120Hz ProMotion display, and an array of new sensors give ever more possibilities for photography enthusiasts and sports fiends alike.
Below is a detailed overview of the new larger-than-life iPhone’s biggest and best specs, as well as a pro tip on how to get your hands on one for a reasonable price:
- Better photos and videos
The new iPhone 13 Pro camera offers even better night mode photos, including portraits, with its inbuilt LiDAR scanner. There is also advanced depth control and bokeh for professional-looking pictures, and the portrait options continue to include all six lighting effects for studio-style photography. The new iPhone now also includes even better optical image stabilisation for both the telephoto and wide lenses, deep fusion, and smart HDR 4, as well as the widely anticipated Apple ProRAW feature. This enables the capturing and saving of RAW images, which can be edited in photography programmes such as the Adobe Creative Suite for truly professional-looking images. And best of all, Apple has now added a TrueDepth Camera to the new iPhone 13 Pro’s camera array, which allows even more control over your photography, plus fun features like Memoji and Animoji.
Video recording has also gotten an upgrade, with a multitude of options for capturing videos, as well as better stabilisation for all recording types. You can even take lower quality still photos in the middle of recording a video, so you truly won’t miss anything.
- A better battery
If battery life is important to you, you’ll love the new iPhone 13 Pro. The newest Apple phone now lasts up to 95 hours when playing audio – meaning you could listen to music for almost four days straight before having to charge your phone.
The battery is capable of ‘fast-charging’ as well as MagSafe wireless charging, giving you plenty of options to power up your iPhone anywhere and as quickly as you need. This also means that it’s probably the ideal phone when travelling, as you’ll always be able to charge it. Backpackers and adventure-seekers will rejoice at the fact that you don’t actually need to charge it for days, so you’ll be sure to get those all-important Instagram photos from even the remotest of locations.
- More sensors than ever
For gadget lovers, the new iPhone 13 Pro will tie into more of your accessories than ever before. In its relatively small 6.7” 238g frame, the iPhone contains Face ID, a LiDAR scanner, barometer, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor. Most of these make the inbuilt cameras and any additional camera apps more effective, but things like the barometer and three-axis gyro will also be helpful for athletes or those looking to use their iPhone for fitness measurements. The LiDAR scanner also – in theory at least – should make taking night sky photos clearer, making for spectacular starry night photography.
- Drawbacks
There aren’t many drawbacks with such a high-tech phone, however, the price for the newest model direct from Apple is a little eye-watering. At £1049 for the entry-level 128GB model, the new iPhone is pricy. A great alternative here is to buy the new Pro model refurbished, which could save you a staggering £229 for the 128GB model, and even more for the higher capacity options. This increases further if you recycle your old phones, meaning your total price for Apple’s newest iPhone 13 Pro Max could go down by as much as £819 if you trade in last year’s iPhone 12 Pro Max, making the new model a lot more affordable at only about £300 after the trade-in.
Final thoughts
The new iPhone 13 Pro Max is definitely a winner when it comes to the new camera setup and battery life. It’s also stylish, and the addition of the new Sierra Blue colour is a welcome change from the previous options, though some might miss the older rose gold or green.
If you’re upgrading from last year’s model, you may wish to hold off if you’re wanting to buy a brand-new iPhone. However, a trade-in at a reputable website could give you access to near-new refurbished iPhones for only about £300, which could be worth it considering all the fantastic new features it boasts. We certainly think that adding a battery life of nearly four days at almost constant usage is an excellent addition, especially when travelling.
