If you’re currently using an iPhone 11 Pro Max, you might be wondering if the new iPhone 13 Pro Max is worth the investment. Or, you just simply want to know the differences and know which one to purchase. Let’s review these two powerful Apple phones to help you decide, including pros, cons, and a comprehensive comparison of every feature. Let’s get started!
Table of contents
iPhone 11 Pro Max: Pros and cons
Pros
- Night Mode is still excellent
- Excellent video recording quality with XDR
- A cheap option for a still high-end phone if you buy it refurbished
- Big but lighter than other high-end smartphones
Cons
- Big notch
- No 5G connectivity
- No headphone jack
- No USB-C
64GB storage
Space Gray
256GB storage
Space Gray
64GB storage
Midnight Green
iPhone 13 Pro Max: Pros and cons
Pros
- The camera has seen a significant improvement
- Excellent video recording quality
- Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles
- Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
- Much better battery life
- Exceptional screen with 120Hz refresh rate
- ProMotion display technology
Cons
- A bit oversized and heavy
- It’s expensive
- No USB-C
- No fast charging
128GB storage
Graphite
256GB storage
Graphite
128GB storage
Graphite
iPhone 11 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Specs Comparison Table
| Feature | iPhone 11 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) with ProMotion technology |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 83.7% | 87.4% |
| Resolution | 2,688 x 1,242 at 458 pixels per inch | 2,278 x 1,284 at 458 pixels per inch |
| Brightness | 1,000 nits (typical) and up to 1,200 nits (HDR) | 800 nits (typical) and up to 1,200 nits (HDR) |
| Dimensions | 6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in 15.8 x 7.7 x 0.81 cm | 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.3 in 16 x 7.8 x 0.76 cm |
| Weight | 7.97 oz 226 g | 8.47 oz 240 g |
| Colors | Silver Gold Gray Dark gray | Silver Black Gold Blue Green |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
| CPU | A13 Bionic with 8-core Neural Engine | A15 Bionic with 16-core Neural Engine |
| RAM | 4GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 64GB 256GB 512GB | 128 GB 256 GB 512 GB 1 TB |
| Front camera | 12MP lens with f/2.2 aperture | 12MP lens with f/2.2 aperture |
| Rear camera | Wide-angle: 12MP with f/1.8 aperture Ultra wide-angle: 12MP with f/2.4 aperture Telephoto: 12MP with f/2.0 aperture | Wide-angle: 12MP with f/1.5 aperture Ultra wide-angle: 12MP with f/1.8 aperture Telephoto: 12MP with f/2.8 aperture |
| Optical image stabilization | Yes | Yes (sensor-shift stabilization) |
| Photographic Styles | No | Yes |
| Cinematic Mode | No | Yes |
| Battery capacity | 3969 mAh | 4352 mAh |
| Battery life | 20 hours of video playback 15 hours of video streaming 80 hours of audio playback | 28 hours of video playback 25 hours of video streaming 95 hours of audio playback |
| Wireless charging | Yes (7.5W) | Yes (7.5W) |
| Charge power | 18W | 27W |
| Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
| Face ID | Yes | Yes |
| Original price | Starting at $1,099 | Starting at $1,099 |
| Price (refurbished) | Starting at | Starting at |
iPhone 11 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: How do they compare?
In this section, we’ll have a look at the main differences between the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Design
The design of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is similar to that of the iPhone 11 Pro Max, but you’ll notice a clear difference: the size. Indeed, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is bigger and heavier than the standard smartphone and even bigger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Specifically, the iPhone 13 Pro Max measures 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.3 inches and weighs 8.47 oz, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max measures 6.22 x 3.06 x 0.3 inches and weighs 7.97 oz.
The most recent model comes with flat edges compared to the curved ones of previous releases. This can look great, but it might feel harder to grip. In addition, they both feature IP68 water and dust resistance.
In short, the iPhone 11 Pro Max seems more comfortable to use due to its smaller size, less weight, and curved edges.
Screen
Both phones enjoy a high-quality OLED display with vibrant colors, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max screen is a bit bigger at 6.7 inches, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has 6.5 inches. An important difference is that the 13 has a Ceramic Shield screen protection with an 87.4% screen-to-body ratio, while the 11 stays with tempered glass and 83.7%.
It’s also worth noting that the latest model enjoys a 120 Hz refresh rate with ProMotion technology. This allows super smooth scrolling since the screen automatically varies from 10 Hz to 120 Hz. Last but not least, the screen reaches a higher peak brightness at 1,000 nits compared to the 800 nits on the 11 Pro max.
👉 Worth considering: 20 Best Widget Ideas for Your iPhone Home Screen (2023)
Performance
Apple has led the smartphone market with its powerful chips. In this case, the A15 chip built on a 5nm technology is much faster than the A13 chip of the 11 Pro Max built on 7nm, with 3200 Mhz of maximum clock frequency instead of 2650 Mhz and almost doubled the number of transistors: up to 15 billion from the A13.
According to the benchmarks by Geekbench 5, the 13 Pro Max recent model delivers an improvement of 32% on single-core and 37% on multi-core. If you are a demanding gamer or need your smartphone to process the latest apps at the highest possible speeds, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is your choice.
Camera
Apple releases new iPhones with significant improvements in the camera hardware, and this is no exception. The Night Mode of the iPhone 11 Pro Max was a breakthrough at the time, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max only improved it with faster apertures and bigger sensors.
Both phones have a triple-camera system with wide, telephoto, and ultra-wide lenses and are capable of 4K video recording, 240 FPS slow-motion recording at 1080p, and include optical stabilization.
Another essential difference is that the 13 Pro Max takes only 1 second to capture a night photo compared to the 11 Pro Max at 3 seconds. Sharper details and a more natural are also on the menu, along with the new Photographic Styles on the 13 series that can make powerful edits in real time and the Cinematic Mode. In addition, the 13 can take high-quality close-ups as close as 2cm.
Image: Apple
On top of that, the new LiDAR scanner is only present in the 13 Pro Max, which is used for AR and Night Mode portraits. The handset includes sensor-shift optical image stabilization to stabilize your photos and videos even more.
Storage
Both phones have non-expandable storage. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has four configurations to choose from: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, while the 11 Pro Max has 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB options. So, if you need a lot of storage on your phone, the 13 Pro Max is the better option.
Connectivity
Regarding connectivity, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a big step up from the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The 13 Pro Max features 5G support for faster connectivity, now available in multiple areas. In contrast, the iPhone 11 Pro Max only offers 4G LTE connectivity. If you prioritize 5G connectivity in your smartphone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max should be your choice.
Battery life
The battery of the iPhone 13 Pro Max reaches up to 28 hours in video playback, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max reaches 20 hours. Regarding video streaming, the difference is big; the 13 Pro Max has up to 25 hours, while the 11 Pro Max has up to 12 hours, setting one of the biggest differences between the two handsets.
Finally, the iPhone 13 Pro Max reaches up to 95 hours of battery life, while the 11 Pro reaches up to 80 hours. There’s a clear advantage in terms of battery autonomy, especially when streaming videos.
Charging
The iPhone 13 Pro Max charging rate is set at 27W and the iPhone 11 Pro Max at 18W. Both phones are compatible with Qi wireless charging, but only the most recent model is compatible with MagSafe charging. However, the total charging time of the two is quite similar.
Related comparisons
👉 iPhone 11 vs. iPhone 13
👉 iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max
👉 iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max
👉 iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 15
Takeaway
The iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a range of new features that make it superior to the iPhone 11 Pro Max. It has the latest Apple technologies, such as an A15 Bionic processor and 6GB of RAM for exceptional performance, 5G connectivity, substantial camera improvement, a better screen, and improved battery life, and it still has long years of support.
👉 Learn more: 6 Best Places to Buy Refurbished iPhones
With these powerful features combined with the signature Apple reliability and design standards, you can have peace of mind knowing that you can have one of the best phones on the market today. If you are looking for 5G connectivity with improved performance and cameras, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best choice.
