iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Which is the Better iPhone 11?

We know how confusing it is to select which phone is best for your needs. Therefore, we have written this iPhone 11 Pro vs Max comparison review just for you.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: At First Glance

Apple released both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max in September 2019 as replacements to the 2018 iPhone XS and XS Max. As of 2019, iPhone 11 Pro and Max were the most powerful iPhones around.

But that is no longer the case as we have seen more recent releases such as the iPhone 12 and 13 lineups. Nonetheless, Apple packed the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max with features that will keep them relevant for years.

Little wonder both models are still worth considering even in 2021.

As a result of the newer iPhone releases, Apple has discontinued the sale of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro. This means that you cannot buy them directly from the Apple store.

However, they are still very much available at retail stores.

For the prices, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are not cheap. When I updated this article in December 2021, the iPhone 11 Pro starts at $534.99 on Amazon.

Meanwhile, the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $614.99 Amazon.

Now that I have given you an insight into how much each model costs, let us delve into the discussion that will aid your final pick.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Design, Dimension, and Weight

Apple is known for its great quality and luxurious devices, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are no exception. They are both solidly and aesthetically built.

For the build material of both models, Apple has chosen polished stainless steel for the frame. Meanwhile, the back panels of both models are made from textured matte glass.

The matte glass gives both models a firm grip to the touch and reduces the chances of slipping off.

Do not let the glass backplate fool you. Apple has claimed that the glass is the toughest glass you would see in a smartphone.

To prove the legibility of this claim, SquareTrade.com conducted a series of durability tests.

The first test was a 6-foot drop test with both face-up and face-down impacts. Consequently, both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max got broken.

A tumble test was also carried out where the iPhone 11 Pro came out almost unscathed with just some scratches on its corners. On the other hand, the iPhone 11 Pro Max got cracked from the tumble test.

As the first iPhone to survive the tumble test intact, the iPhone 11 Pro has earned the title of the most durable iPhone. However, you will still want to invest in a pouch to protect your iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max from cracking when they drop.

Furthermore, both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are IP68 compliant. This implies that they are splash, spill, and water-resistant.

Consequently, your phones will survive accidental liquid spills. Not just that, both models will survive a dunking in up to 4 meters of water for 30 minutes.

However, bear in mind that the water-resistance capability can wear off over time. Hence, you should be wary of intentionally dunking your phones in water.

Having said that, let us talk about the size and weight of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. The size and weight are a few of the areas where the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max differ.

Specifically, the iPhone 11 Pro measures 144.0 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm (H x W x D). Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro Max measures 158.0 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (H x W x D).

Hence, the iPhone 11 Pro is the more compact of the two models; so, it is easier to handle one-handedly. Hence, portability enthusiasts will love it.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max on the other hand is quite big as expected of a phone with a “Max” moniker. Hence, it is not a one-handed phone and you will need to be extra cautious to prevent it from falling off your hand.

Meanwhile, lovers of large phones will be quite pleased with the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

For the weights, the iPhone 11 Pro weighs 188g while the iPhone 11 Pro Max weighs 226g. Sadly, both phones exceed the ideal weight preferred by most smartphone users.

Research shows that most smartphone users prefer a phone that weighs between 140g and 170g. This implies that you will most likely feel the weight of these phones when holding them for long.

For color options, both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are available in four color schemes. Speaking of the color schemes, there is a Gold, Silver, Space Gray, and a newly introduced color option – Midnight Green.

The Midnight green catches my fancy as my favorite of all the available options. Nonetheless, if you disagree with my choice, you can choose the color that appeals to you.

However, color schemes are most times insignificant to users since most people use a protective pouch that covers up the color. Meanwhile, we strongly advise the use of a protective pouch.

Now let us move on to the physique of the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. We will start this from the front view.

Both models feature the same edge-to-edge screen that began with the iPhone X. The famous notch is also present and Apple has dubbed it as the sensor housing which is truly what it is.

Although the sensor housing notoriously obstructs the viewing experience, its importance is unparalleled. It is home to several essential features such as the front camera, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor.

That is not all, there is also the flood illuminator, infrared camera, speaker, microphone, and dot projector. All these features sit in the sensor housing.

Moving on to the back view, the most prominent feature of the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max’s back view is the square camera layout.  The camera layout is located at the top left corner of the glass back panel.

The camera layout houses a triple camera system with a triangular lens arrangement. In addition to the camera lenses, the square layout also houses a dual-tone LED light and a rear-facing microphone.

Another feature of the back panel on both models is the centered glossy Apple logo.

Having discussed the front and back features, let us move to the edges while looking through the front view. The metallic edges of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are smooth, making them easier to grip.

The top edge is featureless, save for an antenna line running across the right edge. Meanwhile, the bottom edge of both models slightly differs due to their differences in width.

Specifically, both models have an antenna line by the left edge. On the iPhone 11 Pro, the antenna line is followed by speaker grilles and a microphone.

Next to the microphone, you will find the lighting connector flanked to the right by six more speaker grilles.

Meanwhile, on the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the antenna line is followed to the right by three speaker grilles and a microphone. Additionally, the lighting connector is located at the center but followed to the right by seven more speaker grilles.

Hence, the only difference between the bottom edge of both models is just the number of speaker grilles.

Moving on, the right edge houses two antenna lines, one running across the top and the other across the bottom. Additionally, as common to all iPhones, the right edge also houses a side button and the SIM card slot.

Speaking of the side button, with a light press, you can lock the screen or wake the screen. Whereas, with a long press you can switch the phone on or off.

For the SIM card tray, it houses a single nano-SIM and you can eject it with a pin-like tool.

You might have heard that the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max supports dual-SIM well, that is absolutely correct. However, the second SIM card is not a physical SIM, it is an e-SIM that is built into the motherboard and unremovable.

Hence, you can configure the e-SIM with your second number and use it along with the inserted SIM.

Meanwhile, Apple also sold a conventional dual-SIM variant in China. These variants use two physical Nano-SIMs.

Moving on to the left edge of both models, you will find the volume rockers and ring/silent switch as usual. When you move the switch down, you will see an orange lining which puts the phones in silent mode.

Meanwhile, pulling it up takes it away from silent mode.

In conclusion, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are both great phones. The design of both models is identical which makes it difficult to make a final pick in this category.

However, they differ in size and weight – the iPhone 11 Pro Max is bigger and heavier.  To make my pick, I will follow the popular opinion that says “the lighter the better”.

Hence, my final pick for this category is the iPhone 11 Pro being the lightest of the two models. Additionally, I also made it my choice due to its compactness.

Therefore, in this iPhone 11 Pro vs Max design comparison section, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro a nine. Likewise, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro Max an eight.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Display Features

The next feature to compare both models in this review is the display. To deliver on this, we will be looking at various factors such as display size, resolution, technology, etc.

The multi-touch display of both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max uses Haptic Touch. Haptic Touch was introduced with the iPhone XR in 2018.

However, Apple has extended the feature to its subsequent releases up to date.

Haptic Touch works by long-pressing the screen which then returns haptic feedback (vibration) and pops up a menu.

For a start, the iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch screen while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.5-inch. Sadly, both models have screen sizes that exceed the ideal screen size preferred by most users.

Research shows that most smartphone users prefer screen sizes between 5-inch to 5.5-inch. However, to the percentage of people that oppose that, a larger screen size means a larger screen estate.

Another factor that contributes to the screen estate of a phone is the aspect ratio. Both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have aspect ratios of 19.5:9.

19:5:9 is longer than the standard 16:9 aspect ratio and it translates to more screen estate for enjoying media content. A longer aspect ratio also means that when performing activities that use the keyboard, you will have lesser contents obstructed by the keyboard.

Next, let us talk about display technology. Both models have a Super Retina OLED display just like their predecessors – the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 11 Pro.

However, Apple has introduced a new term in respect to the display technology of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Specifically, the iPhone 11 Pro Max uses an XDR OLED display where XDR is short for extreme dynamic range.

An XDR OLED is an improvement over the traditional OLED displays with more brightness, color accuracy, and wide color support. Apple has also claimed that the XDR OLED displays of both are capable of better power efficiency.

Speaking of the display brightness, both models get enough brightness which is expected of OLED displays.

The displays have a screen brightness of 800 nits which is very impressive. Therefore, you will have no difficulty using your phones outdoors while shading your phone from the sun reflection of course.

Most impressively, you can increase the screen brightness of both models to 1,200 nits when displaying HDR contents.

For the display resolution, both models differ in this respect. The iPhone 11 Pro has a resolution of 1125 x 2436 pixels.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a higher resolution of 1242 x 2688 pixels. The higher resolution of the iPhone 11 Pro Max would have been an advantage over that of its counterpart.

However, considering that the screen on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is significantly larger than that of its rival, this puts them at a draw.

Additionally, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are also similar when it comes to their pixel density. They both have a pixel density of 458 PPI.

This is above the 300 PPI standard pixel density and it implies that both screens display detailed, sharp, and quality contents.

Furthermore, the displays of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Max support Apple’s True Tone functionality. Apple True Tone helps to automatically adjusts the white balance of the display according to the ambient light of its surroundings.

In simpler terms, the True Tone functionality helps to prevent eye strain from prolonged use of your phones.

For black values and contrast ratios, both models have the values of 0 cd/m² and 2,000,000:1 respectively. These are perfect values and it implies that both models will display black colors as true blacks and not a shade of gray.

For color reproduction, both models cover a wide range of color gamuts. Specifically, the iPhone 11 Pro covers 99.4% of the sRGB color gamut and has a Delta E score of 1.2.

Likewise, the iPhone 11 Pro Max covers 99.6% of the sRGB color gamut. Also, it has a delta E score of 1.4.

Finally, both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max displays do most things right. Both models also have a lot of display features in common except for their screen sizes and resolution.

Hence, having considered the factors discussed above, my top pick for the display features comparison is the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a larger screen size which makes it more enjoyable for watching media content.

Additionally, its higher resolution also corresponds to its bigger size which ensures that there is no pixel loss.

Therefore, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro Max a nine. Also, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro an eight in this display features review section.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Camera Features

Next up is the comparison of the camera features of both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.

Starting with the front camera, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max use a 12 MP TrueDepth camera with a wide field of view. The front camera has an aperture size of f/2.2 which enables it to take great pictures during the day and at night.

The front camera on the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro is not only used to take selfie pictures or videos. It also allows you to make FaceTime video calls with friends and families.

Also, the front camera also has a biometric sensor that is useful for Face ID. Face ID is an important feature that started with the iPhone X and has continued with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro as well as the latest iPhone models.

We will talk extensively about the importance of the Face ID in the security and sensors section later in this article.

Moving on, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max features a new Triple rear camera system with a triangular layout. The first camera lens is a wide-angle camera with a 12MP resolution and an aperture size of f/1.8.

The main camera also has an aperture size of 1.4-micron pixels. The main camera supports optical image stabilization (OIS) which helps to prevent motion shakes in shots.

Additionally, the wide camera has a dual-pixel phase detection autofocus (PDAF). This ensures that images are in focus.

Furthermore, the second camera is a telephoto lens with a resolution of 12 MP as well. It has an aperture size of f/2.0 and a pixel size of 1.0-micron pixel.

The telephoto camera is useful for taking zoomed-in shots with great image quality. Moreover, the telephoto camera supports phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilization.

The third camera lens is an ultra-wide-angle camera that captures up to 120 degrees field of view. The ultra-wide-angle camera is useful for capturing more surrounding areas.

Before you take pictures, you will be able to preview what the main camera and the ultra-wide camera see in the viewfinder.

The ultra-wide camera has a resolution of 12 MP and an aperture size of f/2.4

The rear cameras are capable of 2x optical zoom in, 2x zoom out, 4x zoom range, and up to 10x digital zoom.

Additionally, both the front and rear cameras support night mode which enables you to take clear pictures in low lights. The resulting shots get natural colors with reduced noise and lots of details.

There is also a dual-tone dual-LED flash for taking brighter pictures in low lighting conditions when using the rear cameras. Apple has claimed that the LED is 30% brighter.

The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max camera use the Deep Fusion image processing feature. Deep Fusion uses advanced machine learning to process each pixel in a photo by improving details and reducing noise.

Furthermore, the cameras use next-generation Smart HDR. Smart HDR uses advanced machine learning to recognize subjects in the pictures and transform them into better natural-looking images.

The Camera app in the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max has also been improved than that of the predecessor. The camera interface is easy to use and more interactive.

There is also a newly improved video standard on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Max. The main cameras on both models are capable of recording 4K resolution videos at 24, 50, or 60 fps.

Also, the cameras can record 1080p resolution videos at 30, 60, 120, and 240 fps. Furthermore, there is slo-mo support for 1080p resolution videos at 120 or 240 fps.

Moreover, both models support a new Quick Take feature that allows you to start recording videos in photo mode. This implies that you do not need to switch out of the photo mode before you can shoot videos.

All you need to do is simply press and hold the shutter button to start recording.

The front cameras are not left out in the improved video shooting as well. The front camera on both models can also record good-quality selfie videos.

It is capable of recording 4K videos at 24, 50, and 60 fps. Additionally, it can record 1080p resolution videos at 30, 60, and 120 fps.

The front cameras on the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max use a gyro-EIS system for video stabilization. Simply put, the front cameras use the gyroscope snd an electronic image stabilization system to prevent motion shakes in videos.

Portrait mode on the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max is on a way new level. Portraits are pictures with artistically blurred backgrounds also known as the bokeh effect.

It allows viewers to focus on the subject by defocusing the background. The portrait mode on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max supports advanced bokeh and depth control.

Depth control allows you total control over the background blur of your shots. You can set the background blur before or after taking the shot.

Additionally, the portrait mode supports six Portrait Lightings. This allows you to choose various dramatic lighting effects that make your shots look professional.

In conclusion, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max deliver similar immersive camera experiences. They are both great choices for excellent mobile photography and they score a tie in this category.

Hence, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 11 Pro a ten in this camera features comparison.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Battery Life and Talk Time

The battery life of a mobile phone is a very essential feature to consider when choosing a phone. It determines how long you can operate your phone without having to plug it in.

There are several factors that determine the battery life of a phone. Some of these are the battery capacity, screen size, and the intensity activity performed.

The larger the screen size of a phone, the shorter the battery life. Likewise, the larger the battery capacity, the longer the battery life.

Based on all the aforementioned, I’ll now compare the battery performance of iPhone 11 Pro vs iPhone 11 Pro Max.

For a start, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a battery capacity of 3969 mAh non-removable battery. For a 6.5-inch smartphone, it is safe to say that the battery capacity is sufficient.

Meanwhile, the smaller iPhone 11 Pro with a screen size of 5.8-inch has a battery capacity of 3,046 mAh.

In comparison to previous iPhones, the battery performances of both phone models have substantially improved. Therefore, the iPhone 11 Pro offers up to 388 mAh more battery capacity than its predecessor.

Hence, Apple claims that the iPhone 11 Pro will deliver up to 4 hours more battery life than the iPhone XS.

Meanwhile, according to Apple, the iPhone 11 Pro Max offers up to 795 mAh more battery life than its predecessor. Therefore, it delivers up to 5 hours of more battery life than its predecessor – iPhone XS.

So, the iPhone 11 Pro offers up to four more hours of battery life in a day than iPhone XS. Similarly, iPhone 11 Pro Max offers up to five hours more than iPhone XS Max.

For the real-life endurance ratings of both models, we will consider four tests performed by notebookcheck.net. The first test we will consider is the idle test.

The idle test involves putting the phones to minimum load while screen brightness is at its lowest and WiFi is turned off.

Consequently, the iPhone 11 Pro delivered up to 34 hours 44 minutes of battery life in the idle test. Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro Max delivered up to 43 hours 38 minutes of battery life in the same idle test.

Also, the iPhone 11 Pro delivers 13 hours 11 minutes in a WiFi web surfing test. Whereas the iPhone 11 Pro Max delivered 15 hours 9 minutes in the WiFi web surfing test.

Additionally, the iPhone 11 Pro delivered a battery life of 17 hours 26 minutes in a video looping test. On the other hand, the iPhone 11 Pro Max delivered 22 hours 26 minutes of battery life in the video loop test

Lastly, the iPhone 11 Pro delivered a battery life of 5 hours 36 minutes under maximum load with screen brightness maxed out. Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 Pro Max delivered 6 hours 48 minutes in a similar workload.

The endurance rating of both models in the tests is quite impressive. However, their most impressive feat is that they both support fast charging which allows you to top up in no time.

Thankfully, for the first time in iPhone history, iPhone has decided to ship both models with an 18W fast charger. The fast charger delivers up to 20% of battery power in 15 minutes and 100% in about an hour and a half.

Another impressive feature of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max is their support for wireless charging through their glass back. With wireless charging, you don’t have to worry about cables and connectors.

All you need to do is place your phone back down on a wireless charger and there you go. However, you should be aware that wireless chargers take longer to charge than fast chargers.

In conclusion, the battery performance of both models is impressive. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is clearly the winner here.

Therefore, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro Max a ten in this battery life comparison section. On the contrary, I will rate the iPhone 11 Pro a nine in the same respect.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Storage Options and Performance

The importance of sufficient storage capacity on mobile phones cannot be overemphasized. You need enough storage space for the iOS and system files.

Additionally, you also need to store applications, videos, music, and most especially pictures for excellent Mobile photography phones like these.

Moreover, iPhones do not support storage expansion via memory cards. Hence, the entire storage space available for utilization is completely dependent on the internal storage that your phone ships with.

Both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are available in three storage capacity models. Firstly, the baseline model ships with 64 GB of internal storage.

Also, there is a 256 GB midrange model for both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Finally, there is a 512 GB top-end model offering the largest storage space.

Therefore, users can choose any of the three storage models based on their storage needs. One thing to note when deciding the model to buy is the price.

The price is dependent on the storage size. The 64 GB models are the cheapest while the price increases as the storage capacity increases.

Finally, the storage option is another feature that is similar on both the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Hence, I will rate both phones a nine in this iPhone 11 Pro vs Max storage options comparison section.

iPhone 11 Pro vs Max: Security Features and Sensors

For security features and sensors, the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro came prepared. These phones are loaded with sensors such as Face ID, accelerometer, three-axis gyroscope, ambient light, barometer, and proximity sensor.

Face ID authentication is an efficient security feature that started with the iPhone X. It has continued with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and 11 Pro up to the most recent iPhone releases.

Face ID uses the front camera and machine learning to effectively map your face using facial recognition. Thereby, this enables you to unlock your phone just by looking at it.

The Face ID feature allows multiple attempts of facial recognition. However, after five unsuccessful face match attempts, your passcode will be required to unlock your phone.

Speaking of the passcode, this is another security feature that can be used to prevent your phone from unauthorized access.

In addition to unlocking the phone, Face ID is also used to authorize purchases from the App Store and iTunes. Also, you can use the Face ID to make payments on Apple Pay and to sign in to some apps.

Moving on to the accelerometer, just like the name implies, it is used for measuring acceleration. The accelerometer senses axis-based motion, the speed of motion, and the direction of your phone.

The accelerometer is responsible for displaying your driving speed in driving apps. Also, it is useful for switching your phone’s orientation from landscape to portraits or vice versa.

However, the accelerometer is not the only sensor that contributes to the change in orientation of the phone. The three-axis gyroscope also contributes a vital role in this cause.

The gyroscope is used for measuring the position of your device at any point in time. It helps the accelerometer to determine the current axis used by the phone in other to adjust the orientation accordingly.

The importance of the gyroscope is not limited to changes in orientation, it is also useful in preventing motion shakes in videos and pictures.

The next sensor I will discuss is the ambient light sensor. The ambient light sensor measures the light surrounding the phone and adjusts the screen brightness accordingly.

This is attainable when you set your phone to auto-brightness mode. You would discover that if you are in a dark room, the screen becomes dim.

This will help to prevent eye strain and also conserve battery power. Likewise, when you are outdoors, the ambient light sensor will automatically increase your phone’s brightness in order to improve legibility.

Furthermore, we will also be looking at the barometer sensor. It is not present in all smartphones except high-end phones of which the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max belong.

The barometer is used for measuring air pressure. It makes It possible for your smartphone to forecast weather conditions.

Additionally, the barometer is used to detect your current altitude – thereby, making it possible for your phone to tell what floor you are on.

The data gathered by the barometer are sent to the health apps, weather apps as well as GPS.

Moving on, the last sensor I will consider in this section is the proximity sensor. Just as its name implies, the proximity sensor is used to detect close objects and react to them.

For instance, when you move your phone to your ear during a call, the proximity sensor detects this and switches off the screen. Switching off the screen, in turn, helps to save battery power and prevent accidental screen touches.

In conclusion, both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are equipped with these important sensors we have discussed above. Therefore, they are both a tie in this category.

Hence, I will rate both the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max an eight in this security and sensors comparison section

Our Rating Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are excellent luxury smartphones. They have great design-build except for the glass back that can get fairly easily broken if you drop it.

The three color choices available for both models are also agreeable since most users will use a protective pouch anyway. The size difference between both models makes it easy for users to make a choice based on their size preference.

Finally, the display quality on both models is superb and one of the best out there. You also have a clue as to which option to choose based on their screen sizes.

If you love a small portable phone that you can easily slide into your pocket or hold for a long time, go for iPhone 11 Pro.

However, if you are a lover of large phones and do not mind its heft, you can choose iPhone 11 Pro Max:

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