iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Key Differences to Expect

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The upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max may not be big enough for the previous-generation model, but for those who own the two-year-old iPhone 12 Pro Max, this might just be the right phone to upgrade.

With major performance gains, several improvements to the camera, and an expected big jump in battery life, the iPhone 14 Pro Max may look like the 12 Pro Max, but inside it’s a completely different beast.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. the 12 Pro Max, a summary of the leaks and rumors, and let’s start with the

Design and display quality

Brighter screen with thinner bezels

The iPhone 14 Pro Max retains the design that promoted the iPhone 12 Pro Max to the world with flat edges, a stainless steel frame and a frosted glass back.

However, Apple is said to shrink the bezels around the display, especially the infamous notch that houses the front camera and Face ID hardware, for a more discreet i-shaped shape.

Expect the same IP68 water and dust protection on both devices, the same Lightning port used for charging and the same lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack.

In terms of colors, you can choose from four colors with both models. Three of them are nearly identical: graphite, silver, and gold, but the fourth is rumored to be a new shade of purple on the iPhone 14 compared to the Pacific Blue shade we had on the 12 Pro Max.

There’s also not much difference when you open the box: the iPhone 14 is expected to come with only a Lightning cable in the box, no charger included, just like the 12 Pro Max.

Face ID remains the biometric security solution of choice for Apple, and despite the new cut-out shape, it works exactly the same on the iPhone 14.

But what about the screen? Both phones come with a 6.7-inch OLED display with beautiful colors, but the 12 Pro Max lacks one key feature: 120Hz ProMotion, so scrolling doesn’t look nearly as smooth.

The higher peak brightness of the newer 14 Pro Max is another argument in its favor.

Otherwise, however, both devices are expected to have excellent color calibration and both fully support HDR content.

Performance and software

Higher speed on the newer model

Under the hood you have the Apple A16 Bionic chip on the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the A14 on the 12 Pro Max. The newer chip is expected to be made on the more efficient 4nm process and should not only deliver faster speeds but also consume less power.

Both also have 6GB of RAM, with one small difference: the newer model comes with faster LPDDR5-type RAM versus LPDDR4 on the older model.

In terms of software, both will have iOS 16: the 14 Pro Max at launch, and the 12 Pro Max should also get the iOS 16 update in a few days after that. With 5 or 6 years of software support, both devices are also perfectly future-proof, but keep in mind that two of those years have already passed on the 12 Pro Max.

In terms of connectivity, both have 5G, and it’s good to know that the older 12 Pro Max will also support C-band 5G frequencies that will be crucial for Verizon and AT&T.

We’ve also heard rumors of satellite connectivity on the 14 Pro Max that lets you send an emergency message if you’re in trouble and out of range, and that could be a life-saving feature.

Camera

A new 48MP sensor could make the next big leap in video quality

Camera systems have only gotten bigger and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will only continue that trend. Both phones use a triple camera system on the back, but with a new and larger 48 megapixel sensor for the main camera, the 14 Pro Max camera has been further expanded.

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs 12 Pro Max camera expected differences:

Having this bigger camera opens the door for Apple to introduce 8K video recording on this new iPhone, plus just the ability to shoot full-resolution 48MP photos sounds great for landscape shots, for example.

But of course it’s not just about the hardware. A number of features are not available on the older 12 Pro Max. Chief among these is Movie mode, which lets you blur the background in videos, just like Portrait mode does in photos. You also don’t have Photographic Styles or the larger zoom range.

We’ll be adding more details about the new camera features on the iPhone 14 Pro Max here as more details emerge.

Audio quality and haptics

While the iPhone 12 Pro Max sounds good, it was the next generation that made a huge leap forward in both volume levels and richness, and we expect further improvements in the 14 series, so those who appreciate great audio from their phone should check out the newer ones. need to appreciate model.

We don’t expect any changes to the Taptic Engine driving the haptics or the vibration feedback, but it’s been excellent from the get-go, so that’s no cause for concern.

Battery life and charging

Big boost in battery life

We expect the iPhone 14 Pro Max to have the same or larger battery than its predecessor, which is a big leap over the 12 Pro Max.

So those who appreciate long battery life will enjoy the 14 Pro Max, and this alone could be a good reason to upgrade.

On the charging front, both use the Lightning connector with minor differences in the charging speed. The 12 Pro Max can charge up to 20 watts, while the 14 Pro Max can go up to 27W. Due to the different size of the batteries, the charging time from 0 to 100% on both is approximately 2 hours.

Both also support MagSafe wireless charging at 15W speeds.

Specifications comparison:

Summary and final verdict

So, is it worth upgrading from the 12 Pro Max to the newer 14 Pro Max? While we don’t know everything about the 14 Pro Max yet, it’s a significant upgrade. The longer battery life is arguably the most significant improvement, next to the 120Hz ProMotion display.

We’re not sure how many people will appreciate 8K video recording or higher resolution photos. The camera geeks certainly will, but the rest we’re not sure. But it’s the whole range of improvements you get with some nice trade-in deals that might just be convincing enough.

Don’t forget that there are rumors of a price hike, and the newer iPhone 14 Pro Max may also be slightly more expensive.

What would it take to upgrade from the 12 Pro Max? Is a certain function missing or do you want to see it improved?