Predictions about the use of an under-screen camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max did not come true. On the other hand, on both iPhone 14 Pro models this year, the large notch that has existed since the iPhone X has been replaced by a Dynamic Island that integrates a large hole in the screen with various device notification systems.
But will the introduction of Dynamic Island, a more powerful processor and a main camera with a larger sensor make the iPhone 14 Pro Max the must-buy device for 2022? This is our first look at the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Specifications
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
6.7″ Super Retina XDR OLED screen, 1284 x 2778 pixels, (458 PPI), Dolby Vision, 120Hz
Apple A16 Bionic processor (4nm)
2 X 3.43 GHz Firestorm chips
4x? GHz Icestorm
5 Core GPU Graphics Chip
RAM 6GB LPDDR5
128/256/512/1000 GB NVMe Internal Storage
Main Camera 48+12+12 Megapixel f/1.8+f/2.2+f/2.2, 3X Optical Zoom, Shift Sensor, 3D ToF
Selfie Camera 12 Megapixel f/1.9, AF
4323 mAh battery
20W wired charging
15W MagSafe charging
7.5W wireless charging
SIM/Nano Telephony/5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP68
Face ID Face Scanner Scan System
Sale Price RM 5799 (128GB)
RM 6299 (256GB)
RM 7299 (512GB)
RM 8299 (1TB)
Screen
The screen is still 6.7″ Super Retina XDR OLED with a refresh rate of 120Hz with a screen brightness of 2000 nits. There is no longer a notch that has been used since the iPhone X. Instead, it is replaced by a large oval-shaped hole named Dynamic Island. The use of this large camera hole is inevitable because Apple is not yet ready to fully utilize the under-screen camera system.
Therefore the Dynamic Island hole reminds us of the hole used on the Huawei Mate P40 Pro and Galaxy S10+. The presence of this large black hole does interfere with the use of certain applications such as YouTube, Netflix and Call of Duty Mobile. iOS 16 also does not yet provide a feature to hide the camera hole as it has existed since Android 10.
It is still too early to say that the existence of Dynamic Island will be easily forgotten as quickly as previous iPhone users can turn a blind eye to the existence of the notch.
It cannot be denied that the iPhone 14 Pro Max screen is beautiful, sharp, bright, fast and displays colors that are quite vivid. Under the hot sun, the contents can still be seen clearly. The bezel is also even, making the screen have a symmetrical balance.
Support for Dolby Vision content on Apple TV+, Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar services is also provided from day one. Colors look more cinematic when compared to HDR10+ on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Scrolling feels smooth because the LTPO screen supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and scrolling is detected precisely. No stuttering animation issues.
Design
The flat-sided design introduced on the iPhone 12 is retained on this year's model. Flat stainless metal sides are matched with a non-gloss back panel. There is no issue of the back panel getting dirty easily even without the use of a frame. This year, flat and boxy designs are a hot trend for all manufacturers. So Apple keeping the same design for the third year we feel is not a negative thing.
The power button is located on the right side with the audio adjustment button as well as muting the device placed on the left side. The position of all the buttons and switches has not changed and is still firm. We can reuse the 13 Pro Max frame on the 14 Pro Max, only the camera bump is a little tight. For those who want to save or be more environmentally friendly there is no big issue to recycle last year's frame.
The hump and lens size changes are around 10% larger. It can be felt that the top of the device is heavier than the bottom, making it feel less balanced. For a 13 Pro Max user, this change in weight and balance is not very noticeable. But iPhone XS, 11 and 12 users say the device feels a little awkward to use because of this imbalance.
Overall the device still feels comfortable in the hand with a very premium feel and look. Apple says the weight difference between the 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max is just 2 grams (238g vs 240g) but in the hand it feels like it's more significant. Although Apple says the glass construction on the 14 Pro Max is durable, we still recommend users of this device in Malaysia to buy a frame to avoid any damage.
At the bottom is a Lightning charging port and an audio grille for a stereo audio system. Another speaker is placed on the top of the screen. Because of this configuration, the audio from the bottom is clearly louder than the audio from the top speakers.
The use of this Lightning charging port may be in the last year because starting next year the use of USB-C will be mandatory in Europe. This is necessary because USB-C will standardize charging cables that already support MacBooks and iPads but also support faster data transfer rates. On devices that support Apple ProRes video recording which is extremely large, transferring data using a cable is a painful experience.
Use And Software
The iOS 16 operating system does not provide major changes to the main interface of the device. The most frequently promoted improvement by Apple this year is Always on Display support and lock screen customization similar to an Android device.
Read – iOS 16 Androidization Is Good For Apple
As an Android user in the beginning we like to laugh at the "Androidization" of the iPhone over the past few years. But after using iOS16 since it was in Beta, we can honestly say that the iPhone's lock screen implementation is more interesting, dynamic, aesthetic and more importantly easy to use than on Android.
Font design options, colors, widget layouts and background images for example are easier to use. Changing the lock screen is also as quick as pressing the screen for a few seconds and then selecting a previously used lock screen. We use this feature for different situations. A lock screen for in the office displays reminders for meetings and deadlines for articles to be written. After office hours the B lock screen we use without reminders for work is replaced with battery, weather and health tracking widgets.
We found the Always on Display system not very exciting because it just dims the screen a bit. We don't use it on Android devices and don't feel like we'll use it on the 14 Pro Max either for reasons of wanting to extend battery life.
Let's talk about the Dynamic Island system that we initially worried would be just a gimmick. But besides "eliminating" the existence of a large camera hole on the screen it is actually very useful. The process of changing songs currently playing on Spotify and Apple Music is faster because only the icon on Dynamic Island needs to be touched. The size of the Dynamic Island becomes large with the player's control buttons. After that if the space outside the Dynamic Island is touched it shrinks again.
This feature is also supported on other applications such as when making calls, using audio recording applications and more. If a few years ago the iPhone's camera notch was copied by Android manufacturers, we wouldn't be surprised if Dynamic Island will also be copied in the near future because it's not just a useless gimmick.
During a day's use the device has no problems and it is the same as with an iPhone 13 Pro Max with iOS 16. Only the Always on Display and Dynamic Island features differentiate the use of these two flagship devices.
Bench mark
With an Apple A16 Bionic chip and 6GB of RAM, the 14 Pro Max is the most powerful iPhone ever based on our GeekBench 5, Antutu 3D and Wild Life Extreme benchmark tests.
To show the performance improvement, we also include scores recorded by iPhone 13 Pro Max (A15 Bionic), ASUS ROG Phone 6 (Snapragon 8+ Gen 1) and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1). In terms of CPU capabilities, Apple's A-series chips continue to dominate with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 far behind. Only in the Antutu 3D test is Qualcomm's supremacy still visible but the score gap is narrowing.
Geekbench 5
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 1875/5469
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max – 1727/4713
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 – 1298/3963
ASUS ROG Phone 6 – 1312/4191
Antutu 3D
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 974,941
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max – 789,647
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 – 980,346
ASUS ROG Phone 6 – 1,099,5132
Wild Life Extreme
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 3373
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max – 2937
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 – 2798
ASUS ROG Phone 6 – 2786
Camera
The camera is equipped with a larger lens because for the first time since more than 2015 the sensor for the wide-angle lens has been changed. The main camera combines a 48MP+12MP+12MP sensor and a 3D ToF sensor. This year's telephoto system supports optical zoom up to 3X and digital zoom up to 15X. Even though a 48M sensor is used, the captured image is still 12MP because four pixels are combined into one to produce a sharper image through the Quadbinning technique.
The Sensor Shift OIS system is used on wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Changes are also made to the selfie camera which now comes with an autofocus system for the first time. With the front camera now being used more often for TikTok and Instagram Live, autofocus support will result in sharper images for content being produced. Here is a sample of the pictures we have taken so far.
Conclusion
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max brings innovation in the form of a screen that no longer has a notch, the Dynamic Island system, a larger main camera sensor, a front camera with autofocus and Always on Display support for the first time as well. The body still maintains the same design as last year. The camera bump has also grown with the sensor size now 48MP instead of 12MP.
Based on initial experience, we feel the 14 Pro Max will appeal to users of the iPhone 12 series and below who did not update last year's device. The improvements provided are quite interesting although admittedly not too significant.
For iPhone 13 Pro Max owners, the 14 Pro Max does not provide a very high performance improvement. In fact, the 13 Pro Max is still more powerful than 99% of other devices on the market. This makes the 14 Pro Max upgrade probably not worth it at this time.
It is still too early for us to give a final verdict on whether the iPhone 14 Pro Max is really worth it because the market for flagship devices in 2022 is very intense. Not helped by this year's iPhone 14 price which is increasing due to the plunging value of the Ringgit. Stay tuned for a full review soon.
Pro
Neat design, premium, and feels good in the hand.
The most powerful A16 Bionic processor for 2022 smartphones
The 120Hz screen is very smooth with maturing software.
48MP main camera with selfie camera equipped with AF.
Dynamic Island is very interesting and doesn't feel like a gimmick.
Cons
Still using Lightning with USB 2.0.
Charging is still only 20W.
Sudden price increase.
