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We updated our iPhone 12 Pro Max review in 2023 to guarantee that our pricing and stock links are accurate. We’ve since been hands-on with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 series flagships, and unfortunately the iPhone 12 Pro Max is no longer widely available in the UK, but you’ll still find refurbished models at BackMarket, musicMagpie and Amazon Renewed. Need a new handset and don’t mind trying Android over iOS? There are loads of options, so here are the best iPhone alternatives, too.
With four handsets available, it's harder to choose which of Apple's 12-series smartphones is for you. If you’re not sure whether to plump for the iPhone 12 Pro Max then read on, as we’ve put it through our tests to find out if it’s worth buying.
Key Specs
• Display: 6.7-inch Super Retina
• Processor: Apple A14 Bionic
• Operating system: iOS 14
• Camera: 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP wide, 12MP telephoto
• Battery: Up to 20 hours of video playback
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB
Should you buy the iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2023?
It’s unlikely that you’ll find the 12 Pro Max to buy new in 2023 but there are lots of refurbished models available for under £500 so it's still a great way of getting an affordable flagship phone with a massive 6.7-inch display. Still, we find it harder to recommend as the Pro Max models have come a long way since this model was released in 2020. While the design and display are virtually identical, you don’t get the 120Hz refresh rate, macro photography or cinematic video mode that were introduced in the 13 Pro Max. The same goes for the Dynamic Island, always-on display, crash detection, action mode or the extra-long battery life you’ll find in the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Unlike the base iPhone 12, the 12 Pro Max is starting to show its age.
Pros
- Great design
- High-resolution display
Cons
- Still has large notch
- No high refresh rate
iPhone 12 Pro Max review: what's new?
Apart from the slightly larger screen size (6.7-inch vs 6.1-inch), the iPhone 12 Pro Max has the same design as the iPhone 12 Pro, and comes in the same four colour options (silver, grey, gold and blue). The front and back matt-glass panels are made from the Ceramic Shield and joined together by a stainless steel band. Apple claims this new screen is four times less likely to smash when dropped.
The screen is OLED, just like on all of the variants in the iPhone 12. We found that when watching films and TV shows, colours looked more vibrant and blacks appeared darker than on a smartphone with an LCD display. The stereo speakers support Dolby Atmos and spatial audio (the same as the iPhone 11 Pro Max) to make sure the sound experience equals the visuals. It’s waterproof and supports 5G, too.
What to Read Next
All of the iPhone 12 handsets are powered by the Apple A14 Bionic chipset and Neural Engine (which also appear in the iPad Air 2020). On test, it proved to be the fastest phone we’ve tried in terms of both opening apps and surfing the internet.
iPhone 12 Pro Max review: camera
Just like the iPhone 12 Pro, this larger handset has three rear cameras. The 120-degree wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses are the same as those on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini, but there’s also an additional telephoto lens.
The telephoto lens is what really makes the Pro Max stand out. There’s a longer focal length, which boosts the optical zoom to 5x and meant on test we were able to get a closer shot of our subject without having to move.
We also found photos taken in low light (without Night Mode enabled) were much clearer and detailed than those shot on the iPhone 12 Pro. This is thanks to the sensor, which is 47 per cent larger and lets in more light. The iPhone 12 Pro Max also has 12x digital zoom (compared to 10x on the Pro) and optical image stabilisation when recording video, so clips shot from moving vehicles don’t appear as shaky.
Like all the other iPhones in the 12 range, Night Mode (which improves the detail in photos taken in dark conditions) is available on all cameras. During testing, both selfies and video shot at night appeared more detailed, while the LiDAR scanner (a laser that can calculate depth) made the phone faster at focussing in low light.
There was also less noise in "Portrait" shots taken in dark conditions when compared to the same photo captured on the iPhone 12. And we were impressed that video can be shot in Dolby Vision (a cinematic format that makes film look more true-to-life).
iPhone 12 Pro Max review: battery
According to Apple, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will last 20 hours between charges when watching video. On test, we found that was an accurate claim. Fully recharging the handset took 2.5 hours with the optional 20w mains charger (£19).
The iPhone 12 range is the first to support a new, faster type of wireless charging, too. MagSafe uses magnets to quickly position chargers (and other accessories like cases and wallets) correctly on the back of the handset.
iPhone 12 Pro Max review: downsides
The cable now has USB-C at the mains charger end. With no charger in the box (Apple’s move to reduce electrical waste) you may find yourself without a compatible charger. You can’t expand the storage space on the phone, either.
iPhone 12 Pro Max review: verdict
If you’re serious about photography and want a smartphone that can take professional-looking photos and video, the iPhone Pro 12 Max is worth the extra over the iPhone 12 Pro. The additional battery life and larger screen is an added bonus, too.
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Carrie-Ann Skinner is a technology and smart home expert with over 16 years of experience reviewing the latest gadgets and gizmos.
She's tested everything from smartphones, tablets and laptops to headphones, speakers and smart home kit such as wi-fi security cameras and video doorbells, making her best placed to offer advice on the gadgets to buy, how to use them, and how to get better deals.
Carrie once headed up the tech testing team at the Good Housekeeping Institute, and during her nine-year tenure (2011 to 2020) put the latest consumer and home tech through its paces for hundreds of reviews, and wrote detailed advice on how to buy the best tech and get the most out of it.
Carrie is also the former Homes Editor at TechRadar, where she focussed on finding the best kit to automate the home, and she has written for Tech Advisor (when it was known as PC Advisor), Ideal Home and Sound Advice.
When not getting hands-on with new technology, Carrie can be found on Instagram offering up simple tech tips, uncovering the best hidden features in the most popular gadgets at @tech_ing_it_easy, and indulging her passion for baking.
