Review update: iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2022

With the new iPhone 13 Pro Max, you would sometimes almost forget Apple’s previous showpiece. Is the iPhone 12 Pro Max still worth it in 2022 or are there better alternatives? That tells iPhoned you in this review update!

Review update: iPhone 12 Pro Max

The iPhone 12 Pro Max was the biggest and best iPhone released by Apple in 2020. The successor (the iPhone 13 Pro Max) has been out for a while now. In this article you can read whether it is still worth buying the iPhone 12 Pro Max in 2022.

iPhone 12 Pro Max speed: completely fine

The iPhone 12 Pro Max has an A14 chip and this chip debuted in the iPad Air 2020. An A15 chip has already appeared, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max is still lightning fast. That does not alter the fact that the new iPhone 13 Pro Max (with the new A15 chip) feels just a bit ‘snappier’. However, you only notice this when you hold both devices next to each other.

Very heavy applications, such as the games MARVEL Future Revolution and Genshin Impact, the iPhone 12 Pro Max still does not turn around. But if it gets tough, the device does get a bit warmer. The heat is not such a problem, but you notice it on the screen. For protection, the brightness is then turned down and sometimes that is quite annoying (especially on sunny days). The iPhone 13 Pro (Max) suffers less from this.

Of course, the iPhone 12 can also handle the latest operating system: iOS 15. We expect that the device will receive software updates for at least four years, so you can still go ahead!

Battery life: certainly enough for a day

The battery life of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is fine and you can easily do a full day with one battery charge. On average, you get about 9 hours if you use the iPhone all the time (and don’t run super heavy apps). The new iPhone 13 Pro Max takes this one step further and shows that it can last for 11 hours on a single battery charge with constant use.

iPhone 12 Pro Max: no Promotion screen

This has mainly to do with the Promotion screen. It can refresh the image of iPhone 13 Pro (Max) 120 times per second. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a standard OLED screen of 60 Hz and can therefore not. Promotion also ensures that movements (such as swiping) are just a bit smoother. However, this is only noticeable if you use both devices. Different

iPhone 12 Pro Max camera: just not the best anymore

When you buy an iPhone 12 Pro Max, you have a triple camera on the back and access to the LiDAR scanner. This sensor is ideal for taking portrait photos, for example, because it excels at estimating depths.

The camera also receives support from a wide-angle lens (useful for taking group photos) and a telephoto lens. The latter is very nice for zooming in without loss of quality. The optical zoom goes up to 5x, which is only very slightly lower than the 6x optical zoom of the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

ProRAW, no ProRes video

Avid smartphone photographers can also squeeze even more quality out of the lenses with Apple ProRAW. What is missing: the iPhone 12 Pro Max does not have photographic styles. In addition, the option to make a ProRes video is also not present with the older iPhone.

Even when taking night photos, the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s camera still shows its good side. The photos still look excellent, only shots you take with the wide-angle lens are a bit grainy. What is missing is the macro zoom function of the iPhone 13 Pro (Max). But there is also something to be done about it…

Read more: Taking macro photos with your iPhone is also fine without an iPhone 13

Buying iPhone 12 Pro Max: is that still a good idea?

In 2022, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is still one of the best iPhones on the market. Especially at the refurbished prices, there is often a nice price advantage if you do not necessarily want the latest iPhone 13 Pro Max.

With the new prices it is all a bit more nuanced, because there is sometimes just under 100 euros difference between a new iPhone 12 Pro Max and an iPhone 13 Pro Max. And in that case it is smarter to go for the latest device.

iPhone SE 2022: much cheaper, worse camera

Do you want a rock-solid iPhone that is priced a lot more favorably? It is wise to wait a little longer for the new iPhone SE 2022, which Apple will probably release in March or April. This device is cheaper (probably will cost about 489 euros) and it probably contains an A15 Bionic chip, with 5G support. Only the iPhone SE 2022 does not get such a good camera as the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the screen is a bit smaller.

Conclusion iPhone 11 in 2022 review

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is still fine in 2022. The showpiece of 2020 even keeps up with the new iPhone 13 Pro Max in many areas. You miss a few functions compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max and that is a shame, but that does not immediately make the device outdated. However, the price difference with a new iPhone 13 Pro Max is so small (often less than 100 euros) that you would do well to go for the latest device from Apple.