When size matters: iPhone 12 Pro Max is not for everyone

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is not only a really huge smartphone, it should also be Apple's best. In fact, it has a little more on the box than the normal Pro, but you can only love this huge thing when size matters.

After the iPhone 12 mini makes users happy who finally want a small top smartphone again, the iPhone 12 Pro Max Apple's range is at the upper end of the size range: Its display is 6.7 inches. But that's not the only difference to the standard Pro, the engineers have used the space in the housing to accommodate a larger camera sensor and a telephoto lens with a longer focal length. ntv.de has tried out how clear the differences are and how practical such a powerful smartphone is in everyday life.

Huge display without a pen

If you had the iPhone mini in your hand before, the Max just seems huge, it looks more like a small iPad Air. But the device is also much larger than the normal Pro, even if it is 0.6 inches on paper look like little. It is so huge that you can hardly reach all the keys with your index finger or thumb, no matter which hand you hold it in. The otherwise very chic edges of the iPhone 12 Pro Max also make themselves uncomfortable for a long time, as the device weighs almost 230 grams.

Well, the thing is not made for one-handed operation either, it actually almost calls for the Apple Pencil. But there is no stylus like Samsung's Galaxy Note smartphones, and so the only advantage for productivity is the magnificent 6.7-inch screen. With it, however, it is a pleasure to organize appointments in the calendar or to do other office work.

Very persistent

In addition, there is a pleasantly good endurance, which prevents you from having to spend the evening near a socket after a long day at work. Obviously, Apple used the space in the large case for a large battery.

It is not so nice that with this display size, it is particularly noticeable that the screen only offers a frequency of 60 Hertz. As a result, the writing trembles noticeably when scrolling through texts, which is hardly or not at all the case with displays with 90 or 120 Hertz. Otherwise, the screen is a feast for the eyes with strong contrasts, high color fidelity and a lot of luminosity.

Outstanding triple camera

In addition to the display size, the most important difference to the normal iPhone 12 Pro is the even better camera equipment. On the one hand, the Max has a larger and therefore more light-sensitive sensor, on the other hand, the telephoto lens has a longer focal length and therefore enlarges 2.5 times instead of just 2 times. The main camera is also stabilized by shifting the sensor. The better equipment does not only have advantages, because the camera unit of the Max protrudes further out of the housing than that of the other 12 series.

In daylight, the differences to the wide and ultra-wide cameras of the other new iPhones are, as expected, marginal. The less light is available, the more the Max can show off its photo strengths. We especially like recordings at dusk that have not yet been made in night mode.

The night shots also look great, but the differences to the "normal" ones are not too great. The Max seems to show a little more details at night and the sensor stabilization probably helps to keep recordings out of hand.

However, this is the case with the main camera, because the edges of the ultra-wide-angle camera of the Max also muddle in their night shots. In return, the telephoto lens is surprising, which with a smaller aperture should actually have problems with weak light conditions earlier. This should be thanks to the larger sensor.

Just the right device for some users

The sensor stabilization also enables steady handheld video recordings, at least one has the feeling that it is. Because the clips of the other 12 series do not wobble as quickly, and a direct comparison is difficult.

If you are passionate about taking photos a lot, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the ideal device. The same goes for users looking for a work device that's almost as productive as an iPad, but still a phone. Then you either accept the size or even celebrate it. All other users are better served with one of the other iPhones, which are hardly less powerful, but much more manageable.