Detailed Review of iPhone 14 Pro Max: Powerful Performance, Stunning 48 MP Camera, but Room for Improvement!

Right after the launch of iPhone 14 Pro Max, it's not hard to predict that this phone will be extremely HOT, exploding in sales. First, the front screen design has been changed from Notch to Dynamic Island, something many iFans have been eagerly anticipating. The camera is significantly upgraded, and it boasts powerful performance with the Apple A16 Bionic chip. So, how robust is the configuration of iPhone 14 Pro Max? What's new in the design of iPhone 14 Pro Max? How enduring is the battery life of iPhone 14 Pro Max? What about the camera quality on iPhone 14 Pro Max? Let's unravel these questions in the detailed review of iPhone 14 Pro Max below!

Note: When posting images on the web, the image quality is reduced; you should visit The Gioi Di Dong stores or borrow a device from relatives or friends to experience the camera authentically!

See more: iPhone 14 Pro Battery Review: Long-lasting, Over 7 Hours of Continuous Use

iPhone 14 Pro Max Design remains distinctive but more intriguing with Dynamic Island

To captivate users, design is a key factor determining attraction and attention, and in this regard, iPhone 14 Pro Max has done exceptionally well. The premium 'Apple' phone still features a highly distinctive and familiar design seen in recent years. The device still carries the shiny, elegant, and square metal frame like its predecessors, the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, this metal frame is still prone to scratches after some use, so I recommend users still equip a protective case for iPhone 14 Pro Max to ensure a consistently sophisticated appearance.

In addition, this year's iPhone 14 Pro Max also comes in 3 classic colors: Black, Gold, and Silver, extremely familiar to users. As in previous years, the high-end iPhone series will have a unique color, and on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, it's the Purple color. This Purple color is quite unusual as, in some cases, the device appears to have a slightly dark gray hue. Overall, this year's colors are still very beautiful and highly sought after.

The back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is not significantly different from its predecessor. However, the camera module is slightly larger and quite protruding, so when placed on a flat surface, you'll notice the device is a bit tilted.

In terms of grip, the feel remains the same. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is still relatively heavy when used with one hand, and adding a case doesn't make it very comfortable. However, we still need a case to protect the device from accidental or intentional drops.

Turning to the front, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has transitioned from the Notch screen to the Dynamic Island display (hole-punch). This can be considered a necessary change as many Android 'siblings' have had it for a long time, making it extremely beautiful. Moreover, there is news that some brands will soon use an under-display camera. Therefore, the hole-punch screen on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a worthwhile upgrade.

However, the hole-punch screen on the iPhone 14 Pro Max didn't impress me much. First, the screen protrudes a very large black strip, looking somewhat 'awkward' when compared to some competing models. To be fair, Apple may not have found a replacement for this Face ID module yet, so the device couldn't avoid having a somewhat bulky hole-punch screen.

However, the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is also quite interesting. You can interact with it using some apps for activities like timing, listening to music, or answering calls. Yet, this remains just a novelty because many third-party apps are not yet optimized, affecting the overall experience. When playing games or watching movies in certain ratios, this Dynamic Island part takes up quite a bit of space, even covering content, making it visually appealing. Therefore, I hope with future versions like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the device can be better optimized to provide a more complete experience.

In addition, the iPhone 14 Pro Max this year has the Always On Display (AOD) feature, something many iFans have been eagerly anticipating. However, unlike many phones on the market, this AOD is a slowly dimming and submerging lock screen inside the display, looking quite distinct and beautiful. Moreover, I have some concerns about leaving a static screen on the OLED panel for too long. Will it lead to Burn-in issues? I experienced this on the Galaxy S8 Plus when leaving the static screen for a long time. This cannot be determined yet due to the relatively short usage time. If your device encounters this issue after prolonged use, please comment below to let me know!

Furthermore, the entertainment and work experience on the iPhone 14 Pro Max screen remains excellent. The device offers extremely good display quality, harmonious colors, balance, and a screen brightness of up to 2000 nits, allowing you to see content and notifications clearly, whether outdoors in bright sunlight or indoors. Additionally, the 120 Hz screen refresh rate of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is very smooth, making the touch and gaming experience seamless.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max still boasts a powerful configuration with the Apple A16 Bionic

Before diving into details, let me summarize the specifications of the iPhone 14 Pro Max for everyone's reference.

• Display: 6.7-inch size, Super Retina XDR OLED panel, 120 Hz ProMotion refresh rate.
• CPU: Apple A16 Bionic.
• Internal Memory: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB.
• Rear Camera: 48 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP.
• Selfie Camera: 12 MP.
• Battery: 4,323 mAh, 29 W fast charging (official charger), 27 W with other accessories.

As everyone can see, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is equipped with the Apple A16 Bionic processor, considered one of the most powerful chips available. Specifically, the CPU of this processor is rated to be only 10% faster than the A15 but provides more than 50% memory bandwidth, which will offer better support for gaming. Now, let's together assess the performance of the iPhone 14 Pro Max to see how powerful this phone is!

• Performance rating of the iPhone 14 Pro Max

I've assessed the performance of the iPhone 14 Pro Max using common software like GeekBench 5 (single-core/multi-core and GPU Compute), and 3DMark to provide you with a visual overview of the device's performance. The specific conditions for scoring are as follows:

• The device battery must be between 90 - 100% (battery below 90% can affect performance and results).
• Do not charge the battery while scoring.
• Score 3 times consecutively and take the average result after 3 rounds of scoring.

First, I'll score the device's performance using two applications: GeekBench 5. The results I obtained are as follows:

- GeekBench 5:

• Single-core/multi-core scores: 1,887/5,354 points.
• GPU Compute: 15,508 points.

Next, I'll utilize the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme benchmark to assess the graphic processing capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. As you can see in the image below, my iPhone 14 Pro Max achieved a total score of 3,372 points with an average FPS of 20.2. This test is relatively light, not challenging the Apple A16 Bionic chip significantly, hence there is no significant impact on the device's battery life during the test.

A crucial highlight in this performance scoring section is the intense graphics test named 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test. For those who might have forgotten, this test repeats 20 times to assess the device's performance over an extended period (such as gaming or video editing) to check for stability. The results, as shown in the image below, pay attention to the Stability metric.

Looking at the results table above, we easily observe that the iPhone 14 Pro Max, equipped with the Apple A16 Bionic chip, demonstrates a stability level of 79.7%. I assess this result as quite commendable for a chip developed on a 4nm process, evident in the modest difference between the highest loop score and the lowest loop score (3,138 - 2,499 = 639 points). During the test, my iPhone 14 Pro Max experienced a slight temperature increase, and the battery depleted by around 16% (100% - 84%).

The obtained score for the iPhone 14 Pro Max is highly commendable, but the real-world user experience remains the most crucial aspect. So, let's dive into experiencing some popular games on the iPhone 14 Pro Max!

- Arena of Valor

First up is the national MOBA game of Vietnam - Arena of Valor. With a high-end device like the iPhone 14 Pro Max, I confidently set the graphics to the highest level without encountering any difficulties. You can refer to the settings in the image below!

With the configured settings, Arena of Valor truly can't pose a challenge to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Every movement, skill cast, and scene transition is executed smoothly without any difficulties. The detailed in-game landscapes are vividly reproduced, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

- PUBG Mobile

Continuing the gaming test with the shooting game PUBG Mobile, I was able to set the graphics to Ultra HD and push the FPS to Extreme. This is the highest setting that the iPhone 14 Pro Max can achieve. Additionally, you can slightly lower the graphics to boost the frame rate to Extreme for an extremely smooth gaming experience while maintaining high quality.

During gameplay, I must commend the iPhone 14 Pro Max for completely empowering me to dominate every battle. Every movement, shot, and state transition is incredibly smooth. Moreover, the detailed in-game visuals are vivid and sharp, leaving nothing to be desired.

- Call Of Duty

Entering the fast-paced shooting game Call of Duty, I could set the graphics to very high while keeping the frame rate at Maximum. However, I find this setting to be extremely optimal for everyone to game to the fullest. For those seeking higher demands, you can push the frame rate to ULTRA but compromise by lowering the game graphics to Medium.

In my real-world experience, I must say it was satisfying and exhilarating. Every movement and combat action was smooth and flawless. It can be said that this game still couldn't pose a challenge to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

- Genshin Impact

Moving on to the last game, considered a 'beast' for every smartphone nowadays - Genshin Impact. With the iPhone 14 Pro Max, I confidently pushed all graphics settings to the highest for a smooth experience. However, I'm a bit disappointed that I couldn't push the game to 120 FPS like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, perhaps because this game hasn't been optimized well yet.

In the real-world experience, the iPhone 14 Pro Max didn't disappoint me at all. Everything was incredibly smooth, from movements and combat to unleashing powerful strikes. During gameplay, the iPhone 14 Pro Max only warmed up slightly, so it didn't significantly impact my hunting journey.

Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro Max can handle most popular games today with the highest graphics settings. What I love most about the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the smooth gaming experience across almost every title. The only drawback is that the Dynamic Island may obscure a portion of the screen, making the gaming experience slightly less comfortable.

iPhone 14 Pro Max with a 4,323 mAh battery for 10 hours of usage

For the most accurate perspective, I'll measure the battery life of the iPhone 14 Pro Max by testing it according to the standards of The Gioi Di Dong under specific conditions as follows:

• Experience 4 rotating tasks: Play Liên Quân Mobile (graphics settings as above), watch YouTube, scroll Facebook, and use Safari.
• Each task used for 1 hour.
• Screen brightness at 100%.
• Volume continuously on at 50%.
• Turn on Wi-Fi and receive notifications from social networks.
• Do not enable power-saving mode, adaptive screen, GPS, and Bluetooth.
• Rate from 100% to 0%.

The results I obtained are as follows:

In this way, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was able to last for 10 hours after the challenging test I conducted. This result is truly commendable for a phone, though not as impressive as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, it is still exceptionally good. Additionally, the Apple A16 Bionic chip is quite powerful and heats up quickly, leading to a slightly higher battery consumption. If people use it under normal conditions, I believe the above figure will change!

The usage time of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is still highly commendable; however, the device is only equipped with 27 W fast charging for external accessories and 29 W for the official main charger, which is not too impressive in today's era. I conducted a test of the charging speed of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and you can view the results in the image below!

A small note, I conducted this test without using the official Apple charger. Instead, I used the Baseus 65 W fast charger and XMobile charging cable to test the iPhone 14 Pro Max charging speed. As you can see above, the iPhone 14 Pro Max charges quite well, taking 1 hour and 48 minutes to reach 100%. This charging speed ensures a seamless user experience.

iPhone 14 Pro Max upgraded to a 48 MP camera for significantly better image quality

This year marks significant changes to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, including improvements to the camera. Apple has made substantial enhancements to the iPhone camera hardware, introducing a larger 48 MP sensor. Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro utilizes Apple's upgraded image processing system, presumably to improve image quality in low-light environments. However, does this mean the iPhone 14 Pro Max camera will deliver high-quality photos? Let's find out in the section below!

Under normal conditions, there's nothing to complain about with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Specifically, as seen in the image below, the photos exhibit excellent brightness and high contrast, rendering colors realistically in outdoor conditions. Moreover, the iPhone 14 Pro Max camera system quickly captures subjects, effectively reducing noise.

Additionally, the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max demonstrates excellent light balance. When capturing wide-angle shots, central details are accurately reproduced, with true-to-life colors and sharp details. However, similar to many other devices, there is slight distortion and noise at the edges of the scene. Nevertheless, the image quality remains exceptionally good.

Capturing a portrait with the portrait mode of the iPhone 14 Pro Max under good lighting conditions, the device quickly focuses on the subject. The image quality, backed by effective post-processing, appears very natural. The background is naturally blurred.

Photos taken with the iPhone 14 Pro Max in portrait mode exhibit very natural skin tones, well-balanced color tones, even in challenging backlight conditions. Details are prominently highlighted, maintaining good quality even in adverse conditions.

Nighttime photos captured by the iPhone 14 Pro Max exhibit outstanding quality, accurately reproducing desired details. The Night mode on the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes about 2 - 3 seconds to capture an image.

Moreover, the iPhone 14 Pro Max features a RAW photo mode for high-quality shots that can be easily post-processed. You can observe the ProRAW photo below, demonstrating incredibly high detail with everything reproduced very clearly.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max also exhibits the ability to capture stunning selfies with excellent detail, avoiding excessive smoothening or diminishing the subject, unlike some competitors.

Conclusion

In general, the iPhone 14 Pro Max this year brings an interesting user experience with the Dynamic Island display, a 48 MP camera for superior image quality, and still boasts powerful performance. If you're hesitating about choosing this phone, I think you should, as the iPhone 14 Pro Max will offer many enticing features that are hard to find in other smartphones.

So, what are your thoughts on the battery life of the iPhone 14 Pro Max? Leave your comments below for me and everyone to know! Thank you for your interest and following my article.

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