Our comparison of iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max will tell you everything you need to know about the new iPhone 15 Pro Max and how it surpasses the iPhone 14 Pro Max as Apple’s top-of-the-line smartphone.
The iPhone 15 is Apple’s latest offering, and it comes with some unique improvements. However, most of the major changes are exclusive to the Pro Max model. This means that the iPhone 15 is not very different from the iPhone 14, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a huge upgrade from the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max Specs Comparison
| Specification | iPhone 14 Pro Max | iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Starting price | $1,099 | $1,199 |
| Design | Glass front and back, stainless steel frame | Glass front and back, titanium frame |
| Size | 6.33 x 3.05 x 0.31 inches | 6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches |
| Weight | 8.5 ounces | 7.8 ounces |
| Display | 6.7-inch OLED | 6.7-inch OLED |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz adaptive | 120Hz adaptive |
| Action button | No | Yes |
| Port | Lightning | USB-C |
| Chip | A16 Bionic | A17 Pro |
| RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Rear camera | 48MP Wide | 48MP Wide |
| 12MP Ultra Wide | 12MP Ultra Wide | |
| 12MP Telephoto with 3x optical zoom | 12MP Telephoto with 5x optical zoom | |
| Digital zoom range | Up to 15x | Up to 15x |
| Video modes | Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K at 60fps | Cinematic mode and Action mode with Dolby Vision HDR up to ProRes at 4K at 60fps |
| Battery life | Up to 28 hours of video playback | Up to 29 hours of video playback |
| Up to 80 hours of audio playback | Up to 95 hours of audio playback | |
| iOS | iOS 16 (upgradable to iOS 17) | iOS 17 |
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max In Detail
Lighter Design
The iPhone 15 Pro Max marks the time when Apple decided to make a change to using titanium instead of the normal stainless steel sides. This is great news since Titanium while having the same strength as stainless steel but it’s only half the weight. This helps the 15 Pro Max weigh only 7.8 ounces as opposed to the 8.5-ounce iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Other than the material, Apple also made a few other changes to the design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Most notably the contoured edge which makes the phone more comfortable and less prone to slipping.
USB-C Port
Apple has confirmed the rumor of a new USB-C port to replace the old Lightning port of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds and more compatibility with other devices and accessories. It also enables new video formats and workflows that were not possible before. However, this won’t affect charging speed at all.
5x zoom
Apple has finally stepped up its game in the telephoto zoom department with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This flagship device has a tetraprism design that enables a 120mm equivalent focal length, along with a 3D sensor-shift module that combines optical image stabilization and autofocus for the telephoto lens.
This means that the iPhone 15 Pro Max can offer a 5x optical zoom, which is a significant improvement over the 3x zoom of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It also gives it an edge over some of the best camera phones in the market.
But that’s not all. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a larger main sensor that can capture more light and detail in challenging situations. You can shoot at full 48MP resolution, or choose from three different focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, and 35mm) at 24MP resolution.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max also leverages computational photography to enhance your photos. You don’t have to switch to Portrait mode anymore, as the phone can automatically detect people, dogs, or cats in the frame and apply a bokeh effect. Night mode delivers sharper images, while Smart HDR improves skin tones and highlights.
Action button
The old mute switch on previous iPhone models is now replaced with an Action Button on the new iPhone 15 Pro Max. While it still has the mute function, now you can customize it with many new features like a flashlight, voice memo, and many more. The button also works with the Shortcut app for further customization.
A17 Pro Chip
The iPhone 14 Pro Max was the first to feature the A16 Bionic chip, which was exclusive to the Pro models and the fastest chip at the time. However, this year, the A16 Bionic chip has become the standard for all iPhones, and the new A17 Pro chip has taken its place as the king of performance.
The A17 Pro chip is based on a 3nm process and has eight cores: four performance cores and four efficiency cores. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning tasks and a new GPU for graphics-intensive games.
Apple claims that the A17 Pro chip can deliver up to 10% faster CPU performance and up to 20% faster GPU performance than the A16 Bionic chip, making the iPhone 15 Pro Max a powerhouse for gaming and productivity.
Longer battery life?
The 14 Pro Max already had the longest battery life out of all the iPhones when it first came out with up to 28 hours of video playback in a single charge. So what are we expecting from the iPhone 15 Pro Max here?
Well, first of all, as we mentioned before, the A17 Pro chip is much more powerful and efficient than the A16 Bionic chip. It can deliver up to 10% faster performance while using 35% less power.
Secondly, although Apple hasn’t revealed the exact battery capacity of the iPhone 15 Pro Max yet, rumors suggest that it has a 4,852 mAh battery pack, which is larger than the 4,323 mAh battery in the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
These factors, along with Apple’s claim that the iPhone 15 Pro Max can offer up to 29 hours of video playback, indicate that the new model has a slightly better battery life than its predecessor.
Price
It wouldn’t be Apple if we had all these amazing changes without seeing a price increase in the new Pro Max model. Apple is going to raise the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max to $1,199 which is $100 higher than the starting point of the iPhone 14 Pro Max at $1,099.
However, Apple has also increased the storage capacity of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, giving you more value for your money. The base model of the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 256GB of storage, which is twice as much as the base model of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which has 128GB of storage. So all in all, this is like Apple is stepping toward eliminating the 128GB storage out of their high-end lines if anything else.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is available for pre-order on Friday, September 15 on Apple’s website and will hit the stores on September 22.
Final Thought
The iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are both excellent devices that offer a premium and powerful smartphone experience. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has some clear advantages over its predecessor in terms of design, performance, camera, battery, and features.
If you’re looking for the best of the best from Apple, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the one to get. And if you’re happy with your iPhone 14 Pro Max or don’t need the extra bells and whistles of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you might want to wait for the next generation or look for other options.
