iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Max: Main differences to expect

On Jul 9, 2022

Intro

In 2022, Apple will be doing something for the first time: Cupertinians will be releasing a more affordable version of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, called the iPhone 14 Max. This indicates a major shift in Apple’s device policy and a move away from small phones, as there will be no iPhone 14 mini. The iPhone 14 Max is expected to have the same size as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but differ in a few key areas, namely camera count and chipset generation.

With the arrival of the iPhone 14 Max, Apple will finally allow consumers to get a hold of a fairly affordable large iPhone. Previously, you could only get that with the ultra-premium iPhone Pro Max model, which surely boasted everything but came with the price tag to match, and the affordable iPhones, like the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, simply couldn’t match its enormous size.

So, which one will prove to be the go-to large iPhone in late 2022? Would the iPhone 14 Pro Max retain the crown, or could it be the iPhone 14 Max that would steal its thunder? Let’s break down all the differences and come up with an expectation, shall we?

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Max in a nutshell:

Triple camera (iPhone 14 Pro Max) vs dual camera (iPhone 14 Max)
120Hz OLED (iPhone 14 Pro Max) vs 60Hz OLED (iPhone 14 Max)
i-shaped notch ( iPhone 14 Pro Max) vs traditional notch (iPhone 14 Max)
Apple A16 Bionic (IPhone 14 Pro Max) vs Apple A15 Bionic (iPhone 14 Max)
Always-on display (iPhone 14 Pro Max)
1TB storage option (iPhone 14 Pro Max)

Table of Contents:

Design and Display Quality

Same size, but many differences to expect

So far, it seems like the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Max would mostly share the same general design, which in itself is mostly similar to the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max. Thus, expect the same new flat design language that got introduced with the iPhone 12-series, with metal frame and glass backs.

The big differences here will be found in the camera and display departments. True to its nature, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will retain the triple camera setup that got introduced with the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Meanwhile, Apple’s super-premium phone will introduce a new, i-shaped notch that will substitute the regular iPhone notch. This would achieve a more futuristic look for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and probably allow iOS to display more status bar icons up there thanks to the newly-reclaimed screen real estate.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Max is certainly remaining a more traditional iPhone device: with a dual camera setup and a traditional notch. Basically, it will be a larger iPhone 14 for all large display enjoyers.

One new aspect that could be common for both devices are their rumored thinner bezels, which could be one major selling point in comparison with the previous iPhone 13 series (not to mention older iPhones). The bezel minimization trend kicked off with the iPhone 12, went strong during the iPhone 13, and it seems that the iPhone 14 Max and Pro Max could give us the thinnest bezels on an iPhone so far.

In terms of colors, Apple has always separated its Pro models from the regular ones, and it doesn’t seem like this would change with the iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 14 Max will likely be available in the following colors: Midnight, Starlight, Sky Blue, Product RED, and Purple. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro Max could be available in Graphite, Silver, Gold, and Purple.

In terms of display, both phones will come with similarly sized, 6.7-inch OLED displays. The main difference will be in the refresh rate of the two different screens. The more affordable phone will arrive with a 60Hz display with a more traditional notch, while the premium model would boast a 120Hz LTPO screen with a new, i-shaped notch. It would facilitate the front camera as well as the Face ID module and allow for some reclamation of screen real estate, that could be used to show more status bar elements.

Another important distinct point between the two phones will be always-on display, which is rumored to make an appearance on the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. They would allow for a clockface and other useful information to be displayed on the screen at all times. Apple already does this functionality on the Apple Watch and it makes sense to finally have it on the iPhone. While this functionality doesn’t necessarily require an LTPO display (many Android phones have had it in the past), Apple will likely decide to only use this new feature on the Pro/Max versions to further differentiate the premium from the more affordable lot.

As mentioned, Face ID will remain the main biometric of choice on the iPhone 14 family. Both the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max will come with the functionality on deck despite the differences in the notch design.

Performance and Software

New chip for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but a well-known unit in the iPhone 14 Max

The main difference between the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Max will be the chipset powering each phone. The iPhone 14 Pro Max will get a newer generation Apple A16 Bionic chipset, while the iPhone 14 Max will use last year’s Apple A15 Bionic chip. This will be the first time that Apple differentiates its more premium models with the newer chipset and the affordable bunch with last-year’s processor.

Mind you, the Apple A15 is still the best all around mobile chip, so there’s nothing wrong with reusing it another year. Still, many could be irked by Apple’s decision as the company has always used its newest chipset across all of its contemporary devices.

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Max: Main differences to expect

Speaking of the Apple A16 Bionic, it’s expected to be manufactured on a 5nm node by TMSC and offer some efficiency gains in comparison to the A15 Bionic. The latter was used to power the full iPhone 13 lineup, and seemingly, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 114 Max. In case you need a refresher as to how the Apple chip performs, check out the benchmarks below.

In terms of memory, we expect 6 or 8GB of RAM to make an appearance on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and 4 or 6GB of RAM on the iPhone 14 Max. The more premium model will most certainly start at 128GB and also offer 256GB, 512GB, or even a full 1TB of storage.

When it comes to software updates, iPhones are famous for their five- to six-year software update policy. Having this in mind means that both the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max will certainly be up-to-date until 2027 or 2028, which is the best the mobile industry currently has to offer.

Both phones will have 5G support, and there are even rumors that we might see satellite calling on the iPhone 14 series.

Camera

Triple versus double, the difference is clear

For the iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple is considering a significant camera update. Apple is expected to introduce a new and considerably larger primary camera sensor, a gigantic 1/1.3-inch 48MP main sensor, but only the top-tier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max flagships are likely to have this it. Even if it scores such a large sensor, the iPhone Pro family will likely use pixel-binning to merge four pixels into one and eventually output 12MP images, as it does now, but with superior dynamic range and better light sensitivity during low-light conditions. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Max will probably retain the 12MP sensor used in most previous iPhones.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is set to arrive with a tirple camera system, similarly to all of its predecessors: the 48MP wide-angle camera is joined by a ultra-wide and a telephoto lens in order to achieve maximum versatility. The ultra-wide and telephoto cameras will still clock in at 12MP.

There’s most likely be a LiDAR sensor at the back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max as well, allowing for depth-sensing capabilities of the phone.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Max will use the same camera setup found on the iPhone 14. A 12MP main wide-angle camera will be joined by a 12MP utlra-wide one, possibly achieving the same overall image quality of the iPhone 13.

Thanks to the 48MP sensor, the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max will theoretically allow for 8K video capture with the main camera. At the moment, iPhones can only capture up to 4K video at 60 fps. We are not sure whether 8K will actually arrive this year, though, as insiders have said it might not. It seems as if this will be the maximum video recording of the iPhone 14 Max as well.

Battery Life and Charging

Best battery on any iPhone ever

When we talk about the iPhone 14 Max and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, we can safely expect that Apple’s upcoming behemoths will be battery champions. iPhone battery capacities are usually revealed only after the phones go on sale, so it’s natural that we don’t have battery capacity for either model just yet. However, judging from the sizes of the two devices, we can guesstimate that the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Max will have batteries at least as big as the one found on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. This means that a minimum of 4,352mAh is guaranteed, unless some larger hardware component inside doesn’t take away too much extra space.

Paired with the more efficient chipset, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will likely break its predecessor’s battery endurance record, while the iPhone 14 Max could achieve battery life similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

In terms of charging, Apple will likely adorn the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 27W wired charging and the iPhone 14 Max with 20W wired charging, as that’s what the charging situation looked like on the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13, respectively. Both will have 15W MagSafe wireless charging, but USB Type-C on either device is probably still out of the question in 2022, but next year’s iPhone crop will likely finally do the switch to the USB standard.

Specs Comparison

And here’s how the specs of the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Max mostly differ. You can also check out our iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Max dedicated specs comparison.

Specs	iPhone 14 Max	iPhone 14 Pro Max
Dimensions	160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm	160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm
Weight	219g	240g
Screen	6.7″ OLED 60Hz Notched Face ID 19.5:9	6.7″ OLED 120Hz ProMotion i-shaped Face ID 20:9
Processor	A15 Bionic	A16 Bionic
RAM	6GB LPDDR4X	6GB LPDDR5
Rear Cameras	12MP Main (1X), 26mm f/1.6 12MP Ultra (0.5X), 13mm f/2.2	48MP Main (1X), 26mm f/1.5 12MP Ultra (0.5X), 13mm f/1.8 12MP Tele (3X), 77mm f/2.8
Front Camera	12MP Front with AF, f/1.9	12MP Front with AF, f/1.9
Battery Size	4,352mAh	4,352mAh
Charging speeds	20W wired charging 15W MagSafe wireless	27W wired charging 15W MagSafe wireless
Price	from $899 for 128GB	from $1,199 for 128GB

As seen in the table above, the differences are mostly found in the camera and performance section, which kind of justifies the higher price of the iPhone 14 Pro Max versus the iPhone 14 Max.

Summary and Final Verdict

So, as established in this preliminary comparison, the main differences between the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Max will be a few distinct features in favor of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Its high-refresh display, faster chipset, more storage, and additional telephoto camera will be the main selling point against the similar, but more affordable iPhone 14 Max.

But how do these differences translate to the potential price tags of the iPhone 14 Max and the iPhone 14 Pro Max?

We expect the iPhone 14 Pro Max to start at $899 for the 128GB version, while the range-topping iPhone 14 Pro Max will likely start at $1,199 for the 128GB version. Those prices are a $100 increase over the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the iPhone 13, which start at $1,099 and $799, respectively.

The price increase for the iPhone 14 Pro Max could be justified by all the new features that will be included, but don’t be so quick to disregard the iPhone 14 Max as well. Due to its large size and fairly affordable price in comparison with the Pro Max version, it could be the potential bestseller among all iPhone 14 models.

With either phone, it’s certain that large phone lovers will be having a field day with Apple’s upcoming large iPhones. As we know more, so will you, but for the time being, Apple’s largest upcoming phones are shaping up to be major winners.

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