The iPhone 15 Professional Max is not just the most costly smartphone in the marketplace but additionally probably the most completed. This Apple flagship has nearly reconciled me with the Apple logo. On this complete assessment, I let you know why the Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max is the one smartphone I am bearing in mind purchasing this yr.
Just right
- Unchanged glance, however gorgeous titanium blue colour
- Easiest end
- Flexible digicam module with just right zoom
- Smartly-calibrated 120 Hz display
- Most sensible efficiency
- Very first rate battery existence
- Superb replace coverage
Dangerous
- Night time-time photograph high quality no longer all the time constant
- Recharging a long way too gradual for the fee
- Large shape issue regardless of “lighter” titanium
- Petty USB 2 cable
- Exorbitant value
Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max: All offers
The iPhone 15 Professional Max in a nutshell
The iPhone 15 Professional Max has been to be had in the USA since September 22, 2023. The smallest configuration stands at 256 GB as a substitute of 128 GB, and is priced at $1,199 a pop. This is in a similar fashion priced for the an identical reminiscence capability as final yr’s iPhone 14 Professional Max (assessment).
The iPhone 15 Professional Max introduces 4 primary new options. The triple digicam module includes a new 12 MP periscopic telephoto lens this is able to 5x optical zoom. The Lightning port is changed by way of a USB-C port with the USB 3.2 usual.
The motion button at the left aspect replaces the mute button and gives a number of machine shortcuts. Final however no longer least, Apple’s new A17 Professional chip will in the end assist you play console video games in your iPhone in the community, amongst different issues
All in all, Apple’s efficiency is sort of flawless, if we omit the exorbitant value of its flagship. The iPhone 15 Professional Max makes nearly no compromises, which could be very uncommon for Apple. In brief, as an Android person, I totally loved my time with the iPhone 15 Professional Max.
Design
Titanium, titanium, it’s so cool! The iPhone 15 Professional Max has very identical visible cues to its earlier era. Then again, this yr sees a brand new subject material used this is unique to the Professional vary—titanium, and this has completely rocked the techosphere.
Professionals:
- Luxurious titanium blue colour.
- IP68 qualified.
- Virtually flawless end.
- Titanium colour has stood the check of time (for now).
Cons:
- Nonetheless huge regardless of losing 19g of weight.
- Doubts concerning the sturdiness of the titanium body paintwork.
Sure, the titanium used for its body (as a substitute of metal) makes the iPhone 15 Professional Max lighter than the iPhone 14 Professional Max. The load loss is staggering, thoughts you: we’re taking a look at 19 grams of weight.
I used to be so uninterested with such hysteria that I made up our minds to test it out for myself. I requested my colleague Ezequiel, an absolute pro-Apple fanboy, to position the iPhone 14 Professional Max and the iPhone 15 Professional Max in every of my fingers whilst I closed my eyes.
And I did certainly as it should be “bet” the telephone that felt lightest to me, which was once the iPhone 15 Professional Max. It was once a real “Apple second”, an epiphany of varieties. Anyway, I’m going to prevent trolling. Nonetheless, the iPhone 15 Professional Max weighs in at a hefty 221 grams, and its dimensions don’t seem to be precisely compact at 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm.
Then again, there is no denying that the iPhone 15 Professional Max has a virtually flawless end. The commercial, nearly minimalist design gives the look that the telephone is carved from a unmarried piece of titanium. The titanium blue colour I used to be handled to is in point of fact luxurious to have a look at. The grip isn’t ugly, regardless of its slightly huge shape issue. With out Android’s backspace gesture, I discovered one-handed navigation within the interface to be somewhat uninteresting.
As for the remaining, the digicam module seems to be precisely the similar. The glass again seems to be precisely the similar as ahead of, as are the instantly edges with rounded corners. As for the flat-edged 6.7″ OLED display with Dynamic Island, you may be arduous pressed to inform the variation from its predecessor. The smartphone may be nonetheless IP68 qualified, which is a great factor.
I had my doubts concerning the sturdiness of the titanium body colour. However after a number of weeks’ use with and with no protecting shell, I have not spotted any discoloration or indicators of damage.
A snappy phrase at the motion button, which I’m going to point out in additional element within the Interface/OS phase of this assessment. I discovered it unusually simpler than I might have imagined in the beginning look. However its placement on the peak of the left-hand fringe of the smartphone is slightly unergonomic.
Display screen
The iPhone 15 Professional Max includes a 6.7-inch OLED show with a 120Hz refresh price, 2796 x 1290 pixel answer, and a most brightness of two,000 nits. The Dynamic Island is all the time provide on the peak of the display.
Professionals:
- Herbal colorimetry.
- 120 Hz refresh price.
- Dynamic Island remains to be related.
- Ok brightness point.
- No curved edges.
Cons:
- Can’t manually the regulate refresh price.
- Dynamic Island spoils gaming immersion and is unattainable to cover.
Colours are herbal, and the 120 Hz variable refresh price is fluid, even supposing I would have favored so to customise it. The utmost brightness of two,000 nits is best accomplished in HBM (prime brightness mode). Usually, it might hover at round 1,000 nits. However that is greater than sufficient for just right legibility in all instances.
I have used the iPhone 15 Professional Max so much for gaming, from cloud gaming by the use of Xbox Sport Go Final at 1080p at 60 FPS to cellular video games or even Resident Evil: Village at 120 FPS. I would love to devote an editorial to the latter, in case you are . However in every of those situations, the visible enjoy was once top-notch.
The one flaw is that the dynamic island ruins immersion somewhat and takes up an excessive amount of display actual property. It is a pity that Apple does not be offering an strategy to cover it or just cut back the “body” in video games in order to not have this black tablet at the display.
Except for those immersion considerations, I am nonetheless seduced by way of the concept that of the Dynamic Island, the interactive tablet that replaces the notch on the peak of the display.
The All the time on show may be nonetheless there. And whilst I recognize the customization choices, I nonetheless to find it too busy and, above all, too vibrant. Admittedly, this may also be remedied by way of deciding to not show the wallpaper, as I give an explanation for on this educational under. However if that’s the case, what is the level of providing this customization possibility?
Interface/OS
The iPhone 15 Professional Max runs on iOS 17, and we now have indexed all its
new options, the eligible iPhones that can obtain the replace, and methods to set up it on this
final iOS 17 information.
Professionals:
- A top-notch replace coverage.
- A sense of safety and keep an eye on over your knowledge emanates from iOS.
- Sensible Motion Button.
Cons:
- Motion Button no longer sufficiently customizable.
- The go back gesture is as unintuitive as ever.
- Unimaginable to switch footage to Home windows PC (until you put in… iTunes).
I am not going to live on Apple’s interface on this assessment. You’ll to find our impressions of Apple’s instrument proposition in our complete iOS 17 assessment.
Nonetheless, iPhones stay exemplary in relation to instrument sturdiness. And that is an an increasing number of very important buying criterion for me, each as a tester and as a shopper. Via combining this intensive improve coverage with price retention on resale, iPhones are de facto probably the most sturdy smartphones in the marketplace. I do know I’m going to have the ability to stay the iPhone 15 Professional Max for no less than 3 years with out an excessive amount of hassle, whilst having the ability to resell it for sufficient to finance the acquisition of a brand new fashion.
When it comes to capability, I actually just like the operation of the brand new motion button, located on the peak of the left-hand fringe of the smartphone. It replaces the mute button discovered on earlier fashions.
It is a multi-function button to which you’ll be able to assign a number of movements and/or shortcuts: flip at the flashlight, transfer to silent mode, center of attention mode, release the digicam, and the record is going on. It additionally serves as a shutter unlock for the digicam, the place a unmarried press will seize footage whilst an extended press will shoot video.
I would additionally love to commit a whole article to the (admittedly, that is relative) feeling of keep an eye on that iOS supplies. It is completely counter-intuitive whilst you know that Apple hates giving its customers an excessive amount of freedom.
Then again, I felt extra in keep an eye on of my smartphone because of the more than a few knowledge coverage options. The facility to limit get entry to to the footage of my selection and no longer my whole gallery when sharing them by the use of an app, a monitoring blocker for apps when putting in them, and so forth. The selections are extra actual and the get entry to blocks are extra restrictive than on Android.
I am only a dumb journalist, no longer a cybersecurity professional. I do not understand how a lot more safe iOS is in sensible phrases than Android. In spite of everything, I had the feeling of being higher secure. It is silly, nevertheless it labored as a technique.
A last phrase concerning the transfer to USB-C. As is frequently the case with Apple, each advance is accompanied by way of somewhat asterisk. Right here, it refers back to the 10 GB/s switch speeds enabled by way of the USB 3.2 usual. That is nice, apart from that you wish to have a appropriate cable to profit from it. Unsurprisingly, the USB 2.0 cable incorporated within the iPhone 15 Professional Max field isn’t appropriate.
There is additionally a complete phase you’ll be able to discover regarding iOS accessibility and well being options. My colleague Camila produced a excellent file at the matter of menstrual cycle monitoring and in comparison the Apple and Samsung ecosystems,, coming to the realization that Apple’s resolution is healthier carried out.
An actual final phrase for actual this time: why do I wish to set up iTunes on my Home windows PC to switch my footage and movies correctly? WHY? I have simply spent 1200 euros at the iPhone 15 Professional Max. I have simply purchased a USB 3.2 cable for $40 on Apple’s reputable retailer to switch my recordsdata temporarily. Why the hell does not it paintings like a attraction?
This is only one tiny instance of Apple’s “sure, however” coverage, wherein each step ahead is accompanied by way of a wholly meaningless compromise.
Efficiency & SoC
The iPhone 15 Professional Max options the brand new A17 Professional SoC which is a 3nm chip. Kind of talking, it is a miniaturized model of the A16 Bionic that was once present in final yr’s iPhone 14 Professional and Max, with which the iPhone 15 and Plus also are powered this yr. The gap won has been allotted to the GPU, which is able to ray-tracing and the Neural Engine (NPU), amongst different issues.
Professionals:
- Most sensible efficiency.
- No overheating in customary use.
- The truth that Resident Evil Village runs nearly console-style is spectacular.
Cons:
- The 6 GB RAM is somewhat restricted for “console-level” video games.
- Overheating on Resident Evil Village with “maxed-out” graphics.
The configuration of Apple’s SoC is slightly atypical, with a “big-little” format: the CPU has two efficiency cores and 4 potency cores, whilst the GPU is a 6-core unit with Ray Tracing.
| iPhone 14 Professional Max | iPhone 15 Professional Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-D Mark Wild Lifestyles | Too robust | Too robust | 8,611 |
| 3-D Mark Wild Lifestyles Excessive | 2,291 | 3,998 | 3,840 |
| 3-D Mark Wild Lifestyles Rigidity Take a look at | Very best loop: 9,599 Worst loop: 8,121 |
Very best loop: 9,991 Worst loop: 8,709 |
Very best loop: 10,332 Worst loop: 5,606 |
| Geekbench 5/6 | Geekbench 5: Unmarried: 1,885 Multi: 5,406 |
Geekbench 6: Unmarried: 2,936 Multi: 7,453 |
Geekbench 5: Unmarried: 1,332 Multi: 3947 |
All 3-D video games run at a continuing 60 FPS, and a few 2D video games can move as much as 120 FPS. I did not enjoy any slowdowns or overheating issues. I do know that overheating was once a large drawback within the first on-line exams. However Apple turns out to have rectified this since then. In reality, my iPhone 15 Professional Max heated up extra when charging than right through an hour-long gaming consultation.
However the Apple Arcade catalog appears to be disappointing for now, for individuals who had been hoping to milk the whole energy of the iPhone 15 Professional Max.
Thankfully, the primary ports of console/PC video games are beginning to seem at the App Retailer. The primary of those is Resident Evil: Village. It is a slightly extraordinary and bold selection by way of Apple to inaugurate its catalog of “actual” triple-A video games for iOS with a horror sport.
Individually, I’ve a large number of hassle with this type of sport, for the reason that bounce scares and horrifying environment paintings an excessive amount of on my slightly timid thoughts, I admit. However I took the plunge anyway for this check.
The entire sport value me $15.99. However you’ll be able to obtain it at no cost and play for a couple of mins with out paying to get an concept. When you like, I will be able to commit a whole article to my enjoy as soon as I have completed the sport.
However principally, whilst you release the sport, you’ll be able to make a choice from a number of presets for the graphics. The default mode will run the sport in 720p at 60 FPS, on moderate. I spotted drops to 30/40 FPS after a couple of hours of play. However all in all, given the small measurement of the 6.7-inch display, the 720p is not actually a nuisance.
In my view, that is reasonably an success. Except for the superb Alien: Isolation, which I performed a couple of years in the past on Android, that is the most productive gaming enjoy on cellular as of late. The sport runs nearly as easily as on a house console.
Now, do not get your hopes up. When you push all of the settings to the max, the sport can be unplayable and run at 3 FPS. From time to time, merely pushing a graphics atmosphere to the max and exceeding the 6 GB of RAM to be had would crash the sport. However no different smartphone is but able to providing this kind of console-like enjoy. I used to be merely blown away.
Gameplay extract from Resident Evil: Village with default settings
A phrase on gameplay, then again. The builders have carried out digital keys for contact controls. I already applaud this effort, since you’ll be able to play the sport with no controller, simply together with your arms, even if it wasn’t at the beginning designed for this function.
However the contact controls, whilst whole and responsive, hinder the display a long way an excessive amount of. And that ruins immersion. I have most commonly performed with my wi-fi controller, to be fair. And I do not actually plan to do with out it, apart from for the needs of this check.
Gameplay extract from Resident Evil: Village with the graphics-priority preset
Some other downside is that this sort of sport consumes a large number of power. On a complete rate, I lasted simply over 3 hours ahead of operating out of battery energy at 20%. That is nonetheless higher than on mini-PC laptops. And the graphics are undoubtedly higher than on a Nintendo Transfer, personally.
Picture & video high quality
The iPhone 15 Professional Max includes a triple digicam module at the rear. It features a 48 MP primary lens (f/1.78, 24 mm an identical), a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens (f/2.2, 13 mm an identical), and a 12 MP periscopic telephoto lens (f/2.8, 120 mm an identical). The latter is able to 5x optical zoom, in comparison with simply 3x in earlier fashions. The selfie digicam gives 12 MP answer (f/1.9, 23 mm an identical).
Professionals:
- Flexible photograph module.
- Telephoto zoom high quality.
- Portrait mode at its very best.
- 4K video at 60 FPS with ALL lenses.
Cons:
- Flare results on some night time photographs.
This 5x periscope telephoto lens is unique to the iPhone 15 Professional Max. Different fashions, even at the iPhone 15 Professional, is proscribed to a 3x optical zoom (12 MP 77 mm an identical).
My colleague Stefan, a shutterbug thru and thru, has drawn up a digicam comparability between the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional Max. This permits me to stay this assessment concise, particularly after I have performed my photograph exams this weekend.
I merely discovered the zoom to be very efficient and, at the small pattern of footage I have taken to this point, I did not understand any vital lack of element even if I’m going all of the means as much as 10x magnification.
The portrait mode, which may also be simply implemented or got rid of in post-processing, is as superb as ever. Clipping is so blank. I did have a couple of flare problems on some night time photographs with robust gentle resources, the place gentle mirrored image artifacts would from time to time burn out portions of the picture.
Reality learn, that is more than likely my fault. I am not an Apple fan, I will have to have made a mistake or held the iPhone 15 Professional Max mistaken with my filthy pro-Android fingers (subsidized in flip by way of Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, and Asus in accordance to a couple readers, however by no means Sony. Oh no, NEVER!!!!!).
The truth that you’ll be able to shoot in 4K at 60 FPS with ALL lenses, each entrance and rear, may be a large plus. As for pro photographers, the bodily shutter button is a large plus. I’m going to ask my colleague Ben to proportion his impressions on ProRes and all that stuff that is completely past me as a layman.
Battery existence & recharging
The iPhone 15 Professional Max’s battery continues to stay an unknown amount, as standard. Apple does no longer be in contact the capability of its batteries with the sector. Stressed charging nonetheless occurs at 20 watts, and there may be additionally wi-fi charging at 15 watts by the use of MagSafe and seven.5 watts by the use of Qi. Simply when you had been questioning, opposite wi-fi charging may be supported. It isn’t a surprise now that there’s no charger incorporated within the field.
Professionals:
- Very first rate battery existence.
- MagSafe in 15 W all the time higher than Qi in 7.5 W.
- Opposite wi-fi charging.
- No use for Lightning cable.
Cons:
- Very gradual stressed out charging.
- Charger block no longer incorporated.
Come on, let’s skip this phase. Not anything has modified since final yr. The battery existence introduced by way of Apple is equal to the iPhone 14 Professional Max’s.
29 hours of video playback, 25 hours of video streaming, and 95 hours of audio playback. Sure, that does not imply a factor. Charging applied sciences additionally stay unchanged.
In precise use, I have all the time been ready to final a minimum of an afternoon and a part. Via beginning my day at round 8 a.m. with the battery at 100%, I used to be ready to head the entire day with no need to recharge the iPhone 15 Professional Max within the night time. And once I began once more tomorrow on the similar time, I used to be frequently at simply over 40% final battery existence.
This wasn’t sufficient to final the entire of the second one day with out charging. However it is a first rate ranking. I would have favored so to run an autonomy benchmark, however it is Apple. So it does not paintings.
As for recharging, it is extraordinarily gradual. Particularly as I used to be the use of the Xiaomi 13 Professional in day by day mode ahead of this. Virtually two hours for a complete recharge, which is insupportable bearing in mind the cost of the item. And that’s the reason when I used to be the use of my 140W Ugreen charger (the iPhone 15 Professional Max accepts a most of 20W). With MagSafe at 15 W or Qi at 7.5 W, you actually wish to be affected person.
| iPhone 15 Professional Max Charging pace |
|
|---|---|
| 5 mins | |
| 10 mins | |
| quarter-hour | |
| half-hour | |
| 1 hour | |
| Complete rate |
Technical knowledge
| iPhone 15 Professional Max technical specs | |
|---|---|
| Tool | Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max |
| Worth | from $1,199 |
| Symbol |  |
| Colours | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Nature Titanium |
| Display screen | Tremendous Retina XDR display 6.7″ all-screen OLED show 2796 x 1290 pixels at 460 dpi 120 Hz refresh price Dynamic Island |
| SoC | Apple A17 Professional (3 nm) |
| Reminiscence | 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB |
| microSD | ❌ |
| Major digicam | 48 MP | Quad-pixel sensor | Pixels 2.44 µm | Aperture f1.78 | Focal duration 24 mm | OIS |
| Extremely-wide perspective | 12 MP | f/2.2 diaphragm | 1.4µm | 13 mm focal duration | Macro |
| Telephoto lens | 12 MP | f/2.8 | 120 mm focal duration | 5x optical zoom | OIS sensor shift |
| Selfie | 12 MP | f/1.9 aperture | autofocus |
| Audio | Stereo |
| Battery existence | Video playback: 29 hours Video (streaming): 25 hours Audio playback: 95 hours |
| Charging | 20 W (cable) 15 W (MagSafe) 7.5 W (Qi) |
| Ruggedness | IP68 Ceramic Defend, titanium body |
| Connectivity | eSIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, UWB, satellite tv for pc |
| Dimensions and weight | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25 mm | 221 g |
Conclusion
Apple has made nearly 0 concessions on its iPhone 15 Professional Max. A yr in the past, if I needed to title the smartphone(s) I used to be bearing in mind purchasing with my cash, I might have opted for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 or the Galaxy S22 Extremely.
However my purchasing standards have advanced reasonably somewhat. I connect a lot more significance to sturdiness. From a monetary viewpoint, do not get me mistaken. I am not looking to be a moralist. My carbon footprint may well be enormously diminished. I have flown to paintings 4 instances this yr, and I nonetheless from time to time throw a packet of potato chips within the rubbish as a substitute of plastic. And my vials of digital cigarette liquid are an absolute ecological crisis.
No, once I speak about a sustainable smartphone, I am speaking a couple of smartphone that you’ll be able to stay for a very long time, no longer best as a result of it’ll stay useful and environment friendly, but additionally as a result of it’ll retain its price over the longer term.
Samsung and particularly Google have just lately made massive leaps in instrument sturdiness. On paper, Google is forward of Apple. However a Pixel 8 Professional will best be value $300 in two or 3 years’ time, if no longer much less, whilst the iPhone 15 Professional Max will nonetheless be value a minimum of 600, if no longer 700.
Some issues stay problematic personally. Providing USB 3.2 with out offering a appropriate cable is petty. Battery existence is not precisely rocket science both.
The truth stays that the iPhone 15 Professional Max leaves me with the affect of a transparent transfer upmarket. And the leap forward Apple is making an attempt in cellular gaming is extra promising and brave than anything else Android producers have undertaken within the final 5 years.
If it were not for its completely anachronistic charging, the loss of an intuitive again gesture within the interface and its stratospheric value, I would have given the iPhone 15 Professional Max a 5/5 score with out hesitation.
What do you bring to mind Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional Max after this complete assessment? Does it be offering sufficient new options?
Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max
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