iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: What’s The Difference?

How does the iPhone 13 compare to the iPhone 13 Pro Max? Let’s compare the camera tech, the design, the display, and the battery life to find out…

Apple’s iPhone 13 series is now – almost – a couple of years old, and that means one thing: all of the models are now considerably cheaper than before. 

If you’re savvy, and you don’t mind using refurbished models, you can save a fortune by running an older iPhone. You’ll still get the same level of support from Apple with iOS updates, and most of the time the phone itself, while over 40% cheaper, will look and function as good as new. 

Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max are excellent options for 2023. Despite not being the newest models, both still punch well outside their weight class when compared to the competition. 

But what is the difference between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max? The Pro Max costs A LOT more money, of course, but why is this? What extras do you get with the iPhone 13 Pro Max? Let’s take a look at two phones to find out…

iPhone 13 vs iPhone 13 Pro Max

The Cameras

Why do people use the Pro models then? The main reason is to do with the camera. If you want the best possible camera on your iPhone, you’ll have to go with one of the Pro models. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max come with LiDAR, sensor-shift optical image stabilization, and an extra macro lens inside its module. 

On top of this, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has three lenses inside its camera module. The extra lens is a telephoto lens and it also has the LiDAR sensor in there too. With the iPhone 13, you get a dual-lens camera with one 12MP Ultra Wide and one 12MP Wide lens – there’s no LiDAR or telephoto.

But the differences don’t end there; the iPhone 13 Pro Max also benefits from Apple’s ProRaw technology which allows for better quality images and the ability to shoot 4K video at 30 fps. The Pro Max is essentially designed to replace a DSLR, whereas the standard iPhone 13 would struggle.

With camera tech, if you want the best of the best, you’re going to have to go with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It is designed with professional users in mind, the type of people that use DSLR cameras. Apple believes its iPhone 13 Pro Max can replace these types of cameras, and if you look on YouTube this does seem to be the case – plenty of channels shoot with an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Low light performance on the Pro models has been improved dramatically as well. Apple basically completely revamped the cameras inside its Pro models. Every aspect has been tweaked, updated, and refined, making them vastly superior to the standard camera module you get on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini. 

You also get access to Apple’s ProRes technology on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, as well as Apple’s new 120Hz Super Retina XDR screens which are brighter and more detailed than the displays on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini. The Pro and Pro Max also come with more storage options – up to 1TB. 

Basically, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are Apple’s flagship models. They have all the latest features and hardware. If you want to best possible overall experience, go with the Pro model. If you’re not the kind of person that needs or requires a Macro lens and things like ProRes, just go with the iPhone 13 – it’s a brilliant phone that has more than enough performance for 99.9% of users. 

Battery Life

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the largest iPhone inside Apple’s iPhone 13 stable. It uses the largest battery and it has the largest display – a 6.8in OLED panel. The Pro Max model uses a 4373mAh battery, while the iPhone 13 uses a 3227mAh battery, which is considerably smaller than what you get in the Pro Max.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max, therefore, is the clear winner here on paper. But does its larger battery translate into better overall battery life? It does run a more advanced camera module and a larger display, after all. As it happens, it does – the iPhone 13 Pro Max will last around 12 hours, with continued video playback, and the iPhone 13 will do around 10 hours.

In real-world usage, you won’t run into any battery issues with either phone. Both the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will get through a full day with heavy usage and 5G connectivity, unlike the iPhone 12 which really struggled to do a full day with a constant 5G connection.

If you want the best battery performance, however, and the most advanced camera system, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is obviously the one to go for – although you will pay quite a bit more, especially if you go with higher storage variants.

Apple’s Pro models are available in 1TB too but, again, these higher-end storage options are CRAZY expensive. The standard iPhone 13 tops out at 512GB and starts at 128GB, with 256GB occupying the middle-ground tier.

Display Size & Technology

The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs the biggest display in Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup at 6.8in. The iPhone 13’s display is 6.1in. Both are OLED displays but the iPhone 13 Pro Max features Apple’s ProMotion technology which allows for refresh rates up to 120Hz.

The iPhone 13 does not and is locked to a max 60Hz refresh rate. Does this matter? It depends. Higher refresh rates do look better, of course, with smoother transitions and better gaming experiences. But if you haven’t experienced it before, you won’t know what you’re missing.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s display can dynamically switch between 10Hz and 120Hz refresh rates, depending on what you’re doing, and the net effect of this is better-looking video, games, and web browsing. This is a nice bonus and one of the core reasons why the Pro Max costs more.

But, like traveling in first class on a plane, if you’ve never done it, you don’t know what you’re missing out on, so most people – especially those on a budget – would be wise to stick to the iPhone 13. Its display is still very impressive, is OLED-based, and is sharp enough for most things. Gamers, however, will definitely notice the difference in this context, so give it plenty of thought before making a decision.

The Price

As noted throughout this post, all of the “extras” you get with the Pro Max model come at a much higher price than Apple’s iPhone 13.

At launch, the starting price for the iPhone 13 Pro was $999 or £949, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is $1,099 or £1,049. The iPhone 13 Pro at 1TB cost $1,499, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max for 1TB was $1,599.

This was when both phones were new, though; in 2023, both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max are now significantly cheaper. How much cheaper? If you go the refurbished route (which I’d advise), you’ll save around 40% versus buying a new phone (and it’ll look just as good).

Basically, if you go with the iPhone 13 Pro Max you’re A) going to need deep pockets, B) be sure that you’ll take advantage of all of its additional features, and C) be able to actually afford it.

iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the changes Apple introduced aboard the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max:

iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Price In 2023

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s flagship model, and while it originally commanded a premium price, refurbished models are now available at significant discounts. Gazelle offers these refurbished models at competitive rates, making them an attractive option for those looking to own Apple’s top-tier device without paying the full original price.

Originally, the iPhone 13 started at $800, and the 13 Mini was priced at $700. The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max were initially priced starting at $1000 and $1100, respectively.

These refurbished prices offer a significant reduction from the original retail prices, making it a great time for potential buyers to consider these models.

As you can see below, the iPhone 13‘s launch price was considerably more than its current RRP on the refurbished market.

As to whether the iPhone 13 is worth buying, that kind of depends on your current situation and what phone you’re currently using. If you have an older iPhone, say, the iPhone XR or iPhone X, then, yes, the iPhone 13 is definitely worth upgrading to – it is massively better than those phones.

If you’re running an iPhone 12, however, I’d probably wait until next year’s iPhone 14 to update. The iPhone 13 is an S-Update in all but name. The specs are better than the iPhone 12’s but not in any meaningful area.

The only time updating from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13 makes sense is if you want to get the iPhone 13 Pro Max model. This will represent a big shift in performance – notably in the camera department.

Indeed, the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s camera is one area where Apple has brought in quite a few updates. It is now one of the best mobile phone cameras on the market. It is also brilliant for shooting video footage, making it an ideal choice for YouTube content creators.

The pro camera system gets its biggest advancement ever with new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras that capture stunning photos and video, powered by the unmatched performance of A15 Bionic, more powerful than the leading competition. These technologies enable impressive new photo capabilities never before possible on iPhone, like macro photography on the new Ultra Wide camera and up to 2.2x improved low-light performance on the new Wide camera.

Video takes a huge leap forward with Cinematic mode for beautiful depth-of-field transitions, macro video, Time-lapse and Slo-mo, and even better low-light performance. Both models also offer end-to-end pro workflows in Dolby Vision, and for the first time, ProRes, only available on iPhone.

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