iphone 14 Pro Max TOP-TIER

Are updates like Apple’s Dynamic Island and improvements to the camera enough to make the 14 Pro Max the creative’s next iphone?

Price £1,199/$1,099 Company Apple Web www.apple.com

The first question we asked ourselves when reviewing the iphone 14 Pro Max was, what does it have that the iphone 13 Pro Max doesn’t? Especially given the fact both phones look so similar.

With its predecessor already among the best smartphones of 2022, it would take quite something to outdo it. The most obvious upgrade in the 14 Pro Max is that Dynamic Island, a novel take on the punch hole and pill-shaped selfie camera cutout we’ve seen in Android phones for a few years. Then there’s the new, improved camera system, with its bigger sensors and higher resolution that should make the 14 Pro and Pro Max the best iphones for photography. And in daily use you’ll also notice the new 14 Pro Max’s Always-on Display – how can you not, the screen never turns off!

But can it make for a good phone and creative tool, for painting and drawing on the move? We take a look at its design, performance, features and upgrades to form our verdict

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

Anyone who was hoping for a major design change in the new iphones is out of luck. From the back, the iphone 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max look virtually identical. Both feature three stovetop-styled cameras, both enjoy a frosted glass lustre, and both have stainless steel metal frames that are very, very polished.

Many were expecting a USB-C connector this time around, bringing the iphone Pro family in line with the ipad Pro and virtually every other smartphone, laptop and smart device launched in 2022. But no. Apple is attached to its Lightning connector, and it isn’t budging yet. In true iphone style, there’s no headphone jack either.

It’s the front of the phone where things start to look a little bit different. We’ve spent years getting used to the iphone notch, where the selfie camera and Face ID sensors live. These have been shrunk and now live in a pillshaped cutout in the top centre of the screen. In true Apple fashion, a design problem – components cutting out a portion of the screen – is turned into an opportunity to make a visual

flourish, and so, the Dynamic Island was born.

The front panel of glass on the 14 Pro Max is a Ceramic Shield, but don’t be fooled. If you have the phone face down on even a smooth table, you can expect micro scratches, so we’d urge you to get a screen protector.

CAPTURE THE WORLD

On a day-to-day level, the camera upgrade is probably the most enticing aspect of the new 14 Pro Max, with the resolution climbing from 12MP in the 13

Pro Max to 48MP. The 14 Pro Max still takes 12MP photos, but captures fullresolution, 48MP RAW files for photography enthusiasts to play with. Apple’s also loaded the 14 Pro Max with a wider-than-usual, 24mm angle of view. This, with a larger sensor size, means it is pretty handy for taking reference photos for your art.

The iphone 13 Pro Max was the phone to beat when it came to battery life, but the 14 Pro Max fails to outperform it. It comfortably lasts a full day, and if you tinker with some settings, you could probably eke two days out of it. That said, it isn’t the best-in-class battery champ the 13 Pro Max was on launch.

The iphone 14 Pro and Pro Max are powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic chips, which deliver great performance, and with up to 1TB of storage, the phones should pack plenty of space for music, paintings and photos.

What Apple’s done for 2022 is create yet another excellent phone in its portfolio of excellent phones. Is it perfect? Not quite. No matter how it’s dressed up with flourishes and

The larger sensor size means the 14 Pro Max is pretty handy for taking reference photos for your art

Dynamic Island branding, the pillshaped cutout at the top of the screen is a visual interruption. We would have also loved to see Apple go the USB-C route, and include a superior zoom and selfie camera.

Despite those few drawbacks, the iphone 14 Pro Max is still one of the best smartphones of the year, and arguably, the best camera phone around, and runs creative tools smoothly and efficiently.

It’s a worthy option for a creative’s shortlist and should remain viable for the foreseeable future.

Everything from the screen to the camera, its interface, battery life, and performance all do a great job. An excellent package – albeit an expensive one.

The Dynamic Island makes a feature of a problem, but doesn’t completely overcome the visual disruption.

The new camera specs are a big upgrade. For creatives looking to take reference photos it is at the top of the pile.

While the cameras have been updated, the camera app remains familiar and intuitive.