Apple’s bigger Max phones have been popular among power users, those with more disposable income, and people who have wanted huge displays for years.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max from 2021 was one of the greatest models produced by the company thus far, with a fantastic camera, excellent battery life, unmatched power, and a super-fluid display. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is now available, pushing the envelope in terms of performance and photography.

What makes one of these two Apple super-sizers a better investment? Based on the specs, here are several opinions on how this most opulent improvement compares to its forerunner.

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Design and Size 

Both the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Pro Max have the flat surfaces and acute right-angled corners of the iPhone 12 Pro Max before them, giving them a similar profile.

Some sources had projected that Apple would move from the stainless-steel finish of the iPhone 13 Pro Max to a more durable titanium alloy for the frame of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, as both have identical polished frames, that hasn’t been the case.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max weighs 238g and has dimensions of 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm dimensions and weighs 240g. As you can see, the more recent Pro Max is a little bit thicker and heavier and somewhat shorter and narrower. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is available in Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue. Along with Gold, Silver, and Space Black, Apple has added a new Deep Purple color for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The most significant design change here is the notch in the display. While Apple’s iconic ‘widow’s peak’ notch on the iPhone 13 Pro Max eats into the top edge of the screen, the iPhone 14 Pro Max truly shakes things up.

The front camera and Face ID system are now hidden behind a punch-hole cutout called the ‘Dynamic Island,’ while the proximity sensor is hidden behind the display. Therefore, it takes up 30% less space, yet the screen moves around and between the viewable pieces.

Additionally, Apple has updated Dynamic Island’s user interface (UI), which offers a variety of context-sensitive notification animations that expand and contract by the job. The bezels surrounding the iPhone 14 Pro Max display have also been shrunk. Although the overall appearance is similar, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has an even bigger camera module. 

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max Display 

Due to LTPO technology, both phones have 6.7-inch OLED screens with 2778 x 1284 resolutions and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz (these panels are better equipped for handling dynamic refresh rates).

The iPhone 14 Pro Max can fall to 1Hz, whereas the iPhone 13 Pro Max can only dip to 10Hz under specific circumstances. This makes it possible for the always-on display feature of more recent phones, which little taxes the battery while continuously displaying essentials like the clock, widgets, and Live Activities on the lock screen.

The display on the iPhone 14 Pro Max can also go significantly brighter than the one on the iPhone 13 Pro Max; in ideal outdoor lighting, it can reach a whopping 2,000 nits, which is twice as bright as the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Specifications and Performance 

Due to its A15 Bionic chip’s 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is still among the quickest smartphones available.

With the iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple seems to have seized its throne. Another improvement is provided by Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor, which has performance cores that are 20% more efficient and a GPU with 50% higher memory bandwidth.

We’ll have to wait and see how these function in practical use. It’s intriguing to note that Apple hasn’t made any major performance claims comparing the A16 to the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so this may be more of an instance of efficiency and computational photography improvements across generations. Both phones come in four internal storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB.

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Battery Life 

An unofficial confirmation has been received that the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s battery capacity is 4,352mAh. According to our tester, the phone had the greatest battery life of any iPhone ever, typically leaving us with a third of a tank full at the end of a day of heavy usage.

It will be interesting to see how the iPhone 14 Pro Max measures up. Apple’s imprecise “all-day battery life” promise doesn’t tell us much.

Online speculations claim that the new model has a 4,323mAh battery, nearly identical to its predecessors. But if the always-on display changes because of the more effective A16 Bionic processor, the more flexible LTPO display is still up in the air.

Final Thoughts 

In terms of Apple smartphone innovation this year, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max genuinely hold all the exciting things.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has some fascinating upgrades, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max was and still is a fantastic phone. The iPhone now has an enhanced 48MP wide camera, a better selfie camera, and an “always-on” feature for its brighter display, among other improvements.

Of course, performance improves as expected, but Apple’s effort to eliminate the notch also makes excellent progress thanks to a much more compact approach. Apple’s brand-new Dynamic Island aims to turn the terrible screen blight into a real virtue.

Overall, the iPhone 14 Pro Max looks to be a significant step forward for Apple, while it is now much more expensive in some countries. But if you don’t have a big budget, you can buy a used iPhone 13 at a lower price.