New iPhone 11 Pro Max Review: Price, Camera, Battery, Colors

OUR VERDICT

Apple has just released the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, on September 20, 2019, with stellar triple-lens cameras with Night Mode, A13 Bionic Chip, shatter-resistant glass, dustproof, waterproof faster Face ID and more. While Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $999 or $41.62 per month and iPhone 11 Pro Max at $1099 or $45.79 per month.

The new iPhone 11 Pro Max is an excellent smartphone with every aspect. The cool display screen run the games lag-free, stellar triple cameras with Night Mode is awesome, but the most impressive thing in the new iPhone 11 pro max is its everlasting battery life. The heavy usage consumes only 70% battery even before midnight, still, I have 30% remaining, and that’s great.

In my opinion:

This isn’t just the best iPhone ever — it’s the best smartphone you can buy.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max Unboxing

Here is what comes in the box of iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max Quick Specifications

Available Colors

The iPhone XS and XS Max were built with a glossy finish but the new iPhone 11, 11 Pro and the Pro Max have come up with the matte finish that looks more like a brushed glass.

Apple’s new iPhone 11 Pro Max is available in Gold, Space Gray, Silver, and Midnight Green.

Conventionally, Apple has introduced a new color, “Midnight Green” that look like deep forest green shade made with ink technique with the cooperation of Seiko Advance (Apple supplier).

• iPhone 11 Pro Max Gold
• iPhone 11 Pro Max Space Gray
• iPhone 11 Pro Max Silver
• iPhone 11 Pro Max Midnight Green

Storage Capacity

It is available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB

Price, Availability and Warranty Claims

USA: You can buy iPhone 11 Pro Max in the USA from Apple itself at $45.79/Mo or $1099 with 64GB phone from all carrier AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and Sprint.

You can buy it from your favorite Apple Authorized Reseller

Price in USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, India and Pakistan

Where to Buy iPhone 11 Pro Max Other Than Apple Store

• AT&T
• Best Buy
• Sams Club
• Sprint
• U.S. Cellular
• Verizon Wireless

The Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max is $1100 or $45.79 per month if you go for a monthly installment plan for the base 64GB model. You can also choose 256GB and order any Apple-authorized dealer for $1249 or $52 per month on installment. The new iPhone Pro Max price for 512GB is $1249 and $60.37 per month on installment.

Apple offers a standard limited one year warranty against any manufacturing faults you detect that starts from the purchasing date. You can also opt two years accidental damages and defect for repairing from AppleCare++ for iPhone

iPhone 11 Pro Max Design and Display

When we talk about the design of iPhone 11 pro and 11 Pro Max, they look identical to Apple’s predecessor iPhone XS and XS Max, measuring 5.8 and 6.5 inches, respectively. They have the same full-screen OLED display, edge to edge and top to bottom with minimum bezels.

While a notch at the front houses the TrueDepth camera system, sensors and front speakers. A slim bezel also wraps around the side of each phone.

All the rounded corners of each display (both iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max) flow into a matte glass material body that is encased by a durable stainless steel frame. Remember that iPhone 11 is encased by the aluminum frame, not steel. Apple-designed this steel frame from an alloy to match the color of the body with invisible antenna bands at the top and bottom.

Like Apple iPhone 11, iPhone XS and XS Max, the new iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro have no Home Button, no Touch ID fingerprint sensor and no bottom bezel.  The left side of the both new iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro has the standard mute and volume buttons, while the right side contains a power button.

Actually, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max looks the same as XS and XS Max but not from the back. Apple has made a large square-shaped camera bump at the back with a set of three lenses organized in a triangle with a flash and a microphone nearby.

The camera bump is made with the same glass as iPhone XS and XS Max but the three lenses at the back is the major change and look much larger than the formerly dual-lens camera bump from the XS and XS Max

Size and Weight

Both the phones are a bit thicker and heavier than its predecessors.

The iPhone 11 Pro measures in at 144mm tall, 71.4mm wide and 8.1mm thick, while its weight is 188 grams. If we compare it with iPhone XS, that was 143.6mm tall, 70.9mm wide and 7.7mm thick with a weight of 177 grams.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max measures in at 158mm tall, 77.8mm wide, and 8.1mm thick. It weighs 226 grams. The iPhone XS Max was 157.5mm tall, 77.4mm wide, and 7.7mm thick. It weighed in at 208 grams, so the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the heaviest iPhone Apple has released. 

Durability         

If we talk about iPhone 11 Pro Max durability then the phone is made up of the most durable glass ever in the smartphone industry. In general, it is the most resistive and toughest glass against scratches, minor damages, drops and accidental bumps. However, it’s still glass, so, it best to use a case right after the purchase or have a subscription to the AppleCare++ in case of accidental damages.

Here is what Apple says about the iPhone 11 Pro durability:

Apple says a “dual ion-exchange process” was used to strengthen the front and back glass to make it more durable than prior models.

Apple says

The new iPhone 11 Pro and Max Pro follows the IP68 rating under IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard 60529.

But what does IP68 mean?

IP68 is the standard for which a phone can be dropped into a body of water and provides the highest level of protection

In IP68, the number 6 means that the phone is dustproof and the second number 8 refers that the phone can resist for up to 30 minutes down in the water for up to 1.5 meters.

The new iPhone 11 Pro Max has a better IP68 water resistance and the phone can resist 4 meters down in the water for 30 minutes that is the improvement from iPhone XS and XS Max that can withstand only 2 meters.

The table below shows the various models of iPhone durability in term of Splash, water, and dust resistance

Durability of iPhone 11 Pro Vs. 11 Pro Max Vs. iPhone 11 Vs. XS, XS Max Vs. XR Vs. Other iPhones

It is clearly seen in the table that iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro have the maximum durability with respect to water and dust resistance. But it doesn’t mean that you should put your smartphone into water or dust for 30 minutes or more and test the phone whether iPhone 11Pro Max is water-resistant or not.

The apple does not provide any warranty claim against any liquid damages.

So you should keep some precautions while exposing your phone while swimming in water.

Display

The iPhone 11 series models have the following OLED display

• iPhone 11: 5.8-inch OLED screen display
• iPhone 11 Pro: 6.1-inch OLED screen display
• iPhone 11 Pro Max: 6.5-inch OLED screen display

However, all the above iPhone supports the Super Retina XDR and HDR display.

The iPhone 11, 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max display has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design, and these corners are within a standard rectangle. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, iPhone 11 Pro has 5.85 and iPhone 11 Pro Max has 6.46 inches screen diagonally.

All three iPhones have a beautiful OLED display. The iPhone 11 Pro is offering 2436‑by‑1125-pixel resolution at 458 PPI at2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and the iPhone 11 Pro Max is offering 2688‑by‑1242-pixel resolution at 458 PPI 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

Fastest Performance an iPhone Ever Have

Both iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max uses the A13 Bionic chip, third‑generation Neural Engine

In 2019, Apple introduced the A12 Bionic chip that has badly beaten the best Android phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chip in its dust, and the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max’s A13 Bionic chip has no comparison with any Android smartphones’ processors.

The 64-bit A13 Bionic still has two “performance cores” and four “high-efficiency cores,” but when we talk about iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, they have 20 and 40% faster CPU performance, accordingly.

Here’s what Apple says about the latest A13 Bionic chip:

“The A13 Bionic is the fastest CPU ever in a smartphone. Also, A13 Bionic chip brings hours of extra battery life to new iPhones plus a 20 percent performance boost across the board”

The below processor comparison shows the power of the A13 processor among all other Android smartphones.

The A13 Bionic Process has a four-core GPU which is 20% faster and up to 40% more power-efficient for graphics tasks.

I personally have downloaded several 3D games including Horizon Chase, Asphalt 9, Fortnite, Grimvalor and Legends on iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone XS to actually see any performance boost and I am telling you, I didn’t notice any performance leap in frame rates or details against these virtually 3D games. Both smartphones played the same.

With super-fast A13 Bionic chip and the ultra-wide camera quality, you can record 4K video at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, 1080p HD video at 30 fps or 60 fps and 720p HD video recording at 30 fps without hesitation. Because it is best built for Optical image stabilization for video. It also supports the stereo Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p).

iPhone 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max Camera

The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are identical in terms of camera performance. They use the same lenses, sensors, and so on. While the iPhone 11 Pro is more nimble and lighter, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a larger screen (viewfinder/display for editing/sharing) and has even more battery life. Let’s put some light on the camera section.

• Max Camera Specifications
• Night Mode
• Portrait Mode

Camera Specifications

Below is the quick look on the key specifications of the iPhone 11 Pro / iPhone 11 Pro Max:

Other Camera Specs

• Cameras: Triple 12 MP Ultra-Wide, Wide, and Telephoto
• Sensor Size: 1/2.55″ (Wide), 1/3.6″ (Ultra-Wide and Telephoto)
• Ultra-Wide Camera: 1.54mm f/2.4 (13mm FF equivalent)
• Ultra-Wide Camera Lens Elements: 5
• Wide Camera: 4.25mm f/1.8 (26mm FF equivalent)
• Wide Camera Lens Elements: 6
• Telephoto Camera: 6mm f/2.0 (52mm FF equivalent)
• Telephoto Camera Lens Elements: 6
• Image Stabilization: Dual optical image stabilization (Wide and Telephoto)
• Built-in Camera Features: Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, Panorama, Night Mode, Smart HDR, Live Photos, Advanced Red‑Eye Correction, Photo Geotagging, Burst Mode
• Image Formats: HEIF and JPEG
• Video Recording: Up to 4K @ Up to 60 FPS
• Optical Image Stabilization for Video: Wide and Telephoto Cameras
• Slow Motion: 1080p at 120 FPS or 240 FPS
• Video Formats: HEVC and H.264

If we summarize the above specifications then the new iPhone 11 Pro / Pro Max has three different cameras, each of them has its own unique features and limitations.

Let’s dip our toes in the “iPhone 11 pro and 11 Pro max camera features” in-depth details:

The 1.54mm lens on the new ultra-wide-angle camera (13mm full-frame equivalent) has a relatively slow maximum aperture of f/2.4, has five elements and the sensor behind it is fairly small at 1/3.6″.

The 4.25mm wide-angle lens (26mm FF equivalent) has the best features, with its maximum aperture f/1.8, six elements, and the sensor size is 1/2.55″.

The 6mm telephoto lens (52mm FF equivalent) has a maximum aperture of f/2.0, six total elements, and its sensor is similar in size to the ultra-wide-angle lens at 1/3.6″. Out of the three, only the wide-angle and the telephoto cameras are image stabilized.

Four Cameras Work As One

There are four cameras on each iPhone — one on the front and three on the rear.

On the back, the triple camera on the back contains the following:

There is a TrueDepth” camera inside of the notch that is upgraded from the iPhone XS’s 7-megapixel shooter to 12-megapixels with the same f/2.2 aperture.

If you are using an iPhone that has a single rear camera then after using the iPhone 11 Pro’s triple-camera system where all three cameras work as one, giving you a zoom range from 13mm (ultra wide) to 26mm (wide) to 52mm (2x telephoto), you will not go back to a single lens.

Because you’ll take better photos, especially in low-light scenarios, by using a faster 2x telephoto lens, f/2.0 aperture that ultimately absorbs more light, but the ultra-wide camera is the star attraction.

It is quite interesting that Apple is not the pioneer introducing the triple-camera system with an ultra-wide lens.

Rather it’s Huawei who beat everyone and use this triple camera system with the ultra-wide lens in Mate 20 Pro and there are the other flagship phones line up including Samsung and OnePlus who are adding a triple rear camera in their next models.

Typically, it’s the apple who has made it more possible the triple camera system to work together while the other companies fail to work consistently as one.

Apple’s software is deeply designed and paired with the camera hardware that isolates the iPhone 11 Pro camera from other phones and makes zooming between the three cameras feel so smooth.

Actually, the three cameras on the back of the iPhone 11 Pros are aligned the way they are: for zooming straight out from the center.

On the other hand, on Android phones, where the three cameras are usually aligned in a row, you have to physically shift the phone to the right or left to recompose a shot, and doing so feels less like zooming in and out and more like switching to separate cameras.

It’s a small detail, but if you’re serious about photography, it makes all the difference.

Both iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have the new “Night Mode”, but only the main wide-angle lens is able to take advantage of it. The Night Mode is disabled when using the ultra-wide-angle lens, and when using the telephoto lens, it switches to 2x digital zoom. These are important limitations to be aware of when shooting with the iPhone 11 Pro in the field. Let’s dive deeper into the three cameras of the camera.

Night Mode

Night mode in iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max use the new sensor along with machine learning and the Neural Engine in the A13 processor to create Night mode shots.

The iPhone photographers, beginners and pros often ask the same question as “how to shoot better pictures in low light?”, the addition on Night Mode on 11 Pro max and 11 Pro is the answer to their question. Thanks to the new hardware and new machine learning algorithms used on the latest iPhones.

The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max shoots more powerful, crispy and crazy photos ever. You can capture the feel of any scene in a more beautiful way because their approach to “Night Mode” is the strategic balance of solving a technical problem while also caring deeply about artistic expression. The Night mode brightens photos, preserves the night time feeling and balances the light and dark elements of an image in low light scenarios.

Taking photos in night mode, you will need to hold the camera steady to start shooting. After the set amount of time,(conceptually, the iPhone will take itself in a burst mode), the A13 chip in the ‌iPhone‌ examines each photo that was taken, aligns them to account for movement, tosses out the images that are too blurry, and then fuses all the sharpest images of the bunch.

Finally, you will see the final photo with Night Mode automatically adjusted by Apple’s algorithms regarding adjusted colors and eliminated noise. While all the Night Mode calculations are done behind the scenes.

I could spill another few lines, but I’ll just let the photos speak for themselves.

Below, you’ll find some photos examples with the three ultra-wide cameras of iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max by the famous bloggers:

Comparisons with Android Smartphones

Actually, the night mode was first introduced by the Google in 2019 in Pixels 3 smartphone and introduced a feature called Night Sight and later the Apple used it and called it Night Mode

There are many Android smartphones that have included the same features. Below, we have shared Night Mode comparison on iPhone and Android Phones made by the iJustine.

Battery: Longest-Lasting iPhones Ever

We have already made a battery life comparison from the basic Apple iPhone 3G to iPhone 11 Pro Max.

It is delightful for you if you have made your mind to buy iPhone 11 Pro Max that it has the longest battery among all iPhones and other Android smartphones.

Here is the live battery test for iPhone 11 Pro Max, Huawei Mate 30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Note 10+.

Shape-wise, both the iPhones are thicker and have a large room for a larger battery. Being equipped with the A13 Bionic chip, you will get longer use time. Apple claims up to 4 extra hours on the iPhone 11 Pro compared to the iPhone XS and up to 5 more hours on the iPhone 11 Pro Max versus the iPhone XS Max.

But if you follow some precautionary measures and some iPhone charging tips, you can even save more power and keep your iPhone health to 100 percent.

I am using iPhone XS all day with lots of emails, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Slack, Youtube, LinkedIn and it usually lasts from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

While the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, with the same things above I got about 4-5 more hours. I can save more power if I properly tweak my iPhone with these battery-saving tips.

We have already said in the unboxing iPhone 11 that it doesn’t come up with a fast power adapter.

Rather, iPhone 11 has a 5-Watt power adapter and USB-A-to-Lightning cable

On the other hands, the iPhones come with an 18-watt power adapter and USB-C-to-Lightning that is capable of fast charging.

In my test, the iPhone 11 Pro charged up to 20 Percent in 12 minutes and 50 percent in just 30 minutes, 70 percent in 45 minutes, 80 percent in 1 hour. While on 100 percent charging the iPhone 11 Pro takes 112 minutes.

But with the 5-watt charger, there is much slower charge times: more less than half of the 18-watt charger. In 15 minutes, the iPhone 11 Pro charged about 10%, 25% in 30 minutes; 45 percent in 1 hour; and it takes over 140 minutes for 100 percent.

You can also get the more powerful adapter to charge iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max with 30 watts and 61 Watts but you will feel a litter bit difference as the 18-watt charger charges your phone.

See Also:

• iPhone SE 2, SE 2 Plus Price, Release Date, News and Leaks
• iPhone XR Review: The Next Phone in Your Pocket
• iOS 13 Supported Devices – Check your iPhone, iPod and iPad in the List Now
• How to Change the Live Lock Screen wallpaper on your iPhone

Final Words

You don’t need my advice about the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are the most advanced iPhones ever. If you have read the whole “iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max review” then these smartphones are the professional versions. It is obvious they are.

With an ultra-wide triple-camera system, remarkable longer battery life, powerful A13 Bionic processor performance, and even smooth display, both the iPhones honestly earn their premium pricing.

Although Apple is not pushing the envelope on design again, instead it is reusing the iPhone X’s 02-year-old look, with slight changes to glass texture and camera bump.

But if anyone who loves the innovation, then these devices are more powerful, elegant and purposeful and long-lasting.

Have you ever think about Android phones get four years of software updates quickly? I don’t know a single one, but the iPhone 6S, a four years old device can install iOS 13 which means, Apple is more serious about its customers. Every iPhone from Apple is worth buying. Once you buy an Apple iPhone, just forget the other smartphones and the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are super professional devices that can add 4-5 extra hours of battery time, more in-depth camera quality, super cool display and the A13 ultra-fast Bionic processer are the extra qualities that make these smartphones stand out from others.

How many Android phones get four years of software updates and quickly? I can’t name a single one, but the iPhone 6S, a four-year-old device, is getting iOS 13, which bodes well for the iPhone 11 Pros. How many other phones can add 4-5 hours of battery life without making them significantly larger? Mmhmm.