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Apple announced its new iPhones quite recently, the iPhone 15 series. We’ve already pushed out quite a few comparisons, and this time around, we’re comparing the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max. In other words, we’re comparing Apple’s most powerful handset this year with the most powerful device last year. This article will hopefully help you make a purchasing decision, or for some of you, a decision whether to upgrade or not.
There’s a lot to talk about here, and we’ll kick things off by listing their specs. Following that, we’ll compare the two phones across a number of categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. That being said, let’s get this party on the road, shall we?
Specs
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max, respectively
– Screen size:
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion (flat, 120Hz, HDR10, 2,000 nits)
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion (flat, 120Hz, HDR10, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2796 x 1290
2796 x 1290
– SoC:
Apple A16 Bionic
Apple A17 Pro
– RAM:
6GB
8GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe)
256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe)
– Rear cameras:
48MP (f/1.8 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, macro photography), 12MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 3x optical zoom)
48MP (f/1.78 aperture, second-gen sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, macro photography), 12MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 5x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
4,323mAh
4,422mAh
– Charging:
20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless (charger not included)
20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, reverse wired charging (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mm
159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25mm
– Weight:
240 grams
221 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Advanced facial scanning
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
iOS 16 (upgradable)
iOS 17
– Price:
$1,099
$1,199
– Buy:
Apple (no longer officially available)
Apple
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Design
These two devices look extremely similar. The bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro Max are slightly thinner, and there’s also an Action Button on the left side, instead of a mute switch. Another difference you may notice are the slightly rounded sides on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the Type-C port at the bottom. Those are all the differences that you need to look for to see, at first glance, they’re almost identical design-wise.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a lot more comfortable to hold, though. Those rounded sides help in that regard, not to mention that the latest flagship is noticeably lighter. It weighs 221 grams compared to 240 grams of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. They’re almost the same size, though. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is ever so slightly shorter, narrower, and thicker. Both phones have a pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display, and uniform bezels.
The camera setups on the back look the same, design-wise, but they’re different, of course. The iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with an improved main camera, not to mention a brand new 5x telephoto camera with a tetraprism lens. We’ll talk more about that in the camera department, though. Both smartphones offer IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, and both feature glass on the back. The iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with a frame made out of stainless steel, while Apple used titanium for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Display
The displays on these two phones look the same on paper, and quite frankly, they’re also the same when you look at them side-by-side. The same goes for usage. We’re looking at a 6.7-inch 2796 x 1290 LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display on both sides. That display is flat, and has a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10 content is supported by the display, and the same goes for Dolby Vision, actually.
Even the brightness is the same on both sides. Both smartphones/displays support up to 2,000 nits of brightness. We’re looking at a 19.5:9 aspect ratio on these two displays, and a 460 PPI. Apple used its Ceramic Shield glass protection on both of these smartphones. Always-On Display (AOD) functionality is also supported.
The panel that Apple used on both of these smartphones is outstanding. It is very vivid, the viewing angles are very good, and the sharpness is also where it should be. You’ll also be glad to hear that there are no issues with touch response either. Even the brightness is very high, so you should not have any issues using the devices outdoors, even in direct sunlight. The two panels are the same, so that should not be a differentiating factor for you.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Performance
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic. That’s the same chip that fuels this year’s vanilla models. It’s a great processor. The phone also includes 6GB of RAM and up to 1TB of NVMe storage. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is fueled by the Apple A17 Pro, and comes with 8GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.
Things get rather interesting in the performance department. The Apple A17 Pro is an outstanding chip capable of running AAA games on an iPhone, but… at the time of writing this, the iPhone 15 series has some issues with overheating. Plenty of reports surfaced, and based on analysts, the titanium build has something to do with that, in addition to the lack of better cooling, and probably also space inside the phones. Those are only analyses, and that may not even be a problem by the time you’re reading this. Apple could tone down the performance of the SoC, to battle this, or something of the sort. The performance in general is really good on both phones, though, they’re very smooth and everything related to that.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battery
You’ll find a 4,323mAh battery inside the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a 4,441mAh battery inside of its successor. Those are very good battery sizes for their sizes, and having in mind these are iPhones we’re talking about. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s battery life wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t on the same level as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Well, you’ll be glad to know that the iPhone 15 Pro Max does improve things.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is on the same level as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, basically. It will provide you with an extra hour of screen-on-time compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, on average, at least based on our experience. Perhaps even more, depending on what you do on your phone. Crossing that 8-hour screen-on-time mark is a possibility. Do note that if you’re pushing games on the phone, or something of the sort, will make the phone drain quicker, of course. Also, your experience may be considerably different than ours.
What about charging? Well, it’s not faster on the new model. You’re still getting 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless, and 7.5W Qi wireless charging on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the same as on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Qi2 charging is coming to the new model, though, and possibly even the old one. The iPhone 15 Pro Max can charge other devices, though, unlike its predecessor. Do note that neither phone comes with a charger in the box.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Cameras
Both phones feature a 48-megapixel main camera, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a larger sensor on the inside. It also has several other camera perks. There’s also that 5x telephoto camera with a tetraprism lens on the phone. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to 3x optical zoom, compared to 5x optical offering on the new model. Their ultrawide cameras are pretty much the same hardware-wise, each includes a 12-megapixel unit with a 120-degree FoV.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max not only has a better main camera sensor, but it also takes 24-megapixel pictures by default. It provides more details, if you Pixel peep, and the colors it provides are better than what the iPhone 14 Pro Max has to offer. There’s also that feature where the phone takes plenty of depth info, so that you can change the focus after you took the shot. That only works when the phone recognizes that you’re taking a portrait shot, though, or when you use tap to focus.
Both smartphones do a nice job in low light, but the colors are better on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and there’s also a bit more detail in the shots provided by it. The video has also been improved now, and you can even shoot LOG video directly to an external SSD, if you want. All in all, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is an improvement in the camera department, in many ways.
Audio
Both of these smartphones have a set of stereo speakers. They’re both very good, though the ones on the iPhone 15 Pro Max do sound a bit richer, at least to us. It could be just a placebo effect, though, they’re very similar.
You will not find a 3.5mm headphone jack on either of the two phones. You can always take advantage of their ports on the bottom to hook up a pair of wired headphones. Do note that they have different ports, though. If you prefer wireless audio, Bluetooth 5.3 is supported on both smartphones.