What to choose: iPhone 13 Pro Max or iPhone 14 Plus? Comparing last year’s iPhone 13 and the new iPhone 14 is not a very interesting exercise. There are not so many differences between them, in fact, everything depends on money and the advice is simple: if you want the newest, buy an iPhone 14, if you want to save a little, then look at the iPhone 13.
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The new generation of iPhones has the iPhone 14 Plus with a large 6.7-inch screen. A smartphone for those who are not enough 6.1 inches in a regular iPhone 14? Or who doesn’t want to pay extra for the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro Max? There are different options for reflection, but the bottom line is that the novelty has a direct competitor. Obviously, considering the iPhone 14 Plus for purchase, the solid iPhone 13 Pro Max will not be left without attention.
It is necessary to make a remark that the iPhone 13 Pro Max has disappeared from the Apple online store, but stocks still remain, and experience shows that the smartphone will be sold in networks from reserves for about a year.
Design
From the point of view of the ratio of weight and size, the iPhone 14 Plus looks preferable. The phones have the same screen sizes, but the iPhone 14 Plus is slightly thicker, but noticeably lighter than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The sizes are:
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: 160.8 × 78.1 × 7.65mm, weight 240g
- iPhone 14 Plus: 160.8 × 78.1 × 7.8mm, weight 203g
Both smartphones received Ceramic Shield glass, but the iPhone 14 has an aluminum frame, while the 13 Pro Max has a steel one. In the first case, it is matte and in the color of the body, but does not get dirty, and in the second case it is glossy and easily soiled.
You can feel the difference if you walk with a smartphone without a case, but if you prefer protection, then the materials no longer play any role.
Screen
The physical dimensions of the screens are identical, 6.7 inches diagonally, there are OLED displays. The “bangs” are in place, the glasses are flat and easily covered with protective coatings. The main difference between the iPhone 13 Pro Max is support for a frequency of 120 Hz, which the “non-pro” models do not have.
Super-smooth animation, judging by the survey of acquaintances, is not critically important for everyone, but if it can be, then why deny yourself the pleasure? The screen is slightly brighter on the iPhone 13 Pro Max: 1000 nits versus 800 nits on the iPhone 14 Plus, but the difference is negligible in practical use. Judging by the experienced summer of 2022, the top iPhone gave in to the sun and cut the brightness.
Filling
Calling last year’s 5nm Apple A15 Bionic obsolete does not turn the tongue, it has a reserve for many years to come. This chipset was used by the 2022 iPhone lineup, and it is also used by the 14 series this year. The iPhone 13 Pro Max and 14 Plus each have 6 GB of RAM, from 128 to 512 GB of internal memory. Moreover, Pro Max also happens at 1 TB – if you are used to carrying everything with you.
The differences are hidden in the details: for example, the iPhone 14 Plus will have a more recent version of Bluetooth 5.3, not 5.0, an emergency notification via satellites and a call for help in case of an accident have appeared.
US versions of the iPhone 14 Plus will not have a physical SIM tray and will have two eSIMs. In other markets, this feature will not be, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max is no different.
At the presentation of the iPhone 14 Plus, we heard that this iPhone is the best in terms of battery life. If you look at the specifications, it will work for 26 hours in video playback mode, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max gets 28 hours in this mode. If we take streaming video, then the 13 Pro Max wins again: 25 hours versus 20. But in the audio player mode, the iPhone 14 Plus wins: it has 100 hours versus 95. As for me, this weakly draws on the statement of the most tenacious iPhone.
Cameras
If you look at the specifications, it turns out that the iPhone 14 Plus camera is a step up from the iPhone 13, but it still falls short of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. At least in terms of the number of cameras: there is no telephoto with a threefold optical zoom.
But to the delight of selfie lovers, the front camera has been improved – now the aperture is f / 1.9, and not f / 2.2 – pictures in poor lighting should be better.
The wide-angle of the iPhone 14 Plus is inferior in aperture ratio, in theory it will be worse: f / 2.4 versus f / 1.8 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Both smartphones have optical stabilization, but the iPhone 14 Plus also has a new Action Mode to get rid of the effect of shaky hands. Another feature of the iPhone 14 Plus is the new Photonic Engine for processing images using neural networks, it gets rid of artifacts, improving the frame taken in bad conditions.
But the iPhone 13 Pro Max also has interesting features to offer. You can take portraits in night mode, take macro photos and videos, and shoot in ProRaw and ProRes. At the same time, strangely, the iPhone 14 Plus is able to shoot video with a cinematic effect in 4K at 30 fps, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is not, it has 1080p limits.
So what to choose?
Last season’s flagship costs $1,099 for the 128GB version, while the iPhone 14 Plus costs $899 for the same amount. I think that the 13 Pro Max will drop in price by about $ 100-150 and will be a very attractive purchase.
On the side of the 13 Pro Max, a more spectacular appearance, a 120 Hz screen, an additional third camera for portraits, a 1 TB version, support for ProRaw and ProRes, and macro shooting.
The iPhone 14 Plus has the following advantages: it is cheaper, it is the novelty of the season, it is noticeably lighter, the front camera is better, new software “improvers” for the camera.
Apple has already stopped production of the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max lines, whether to buy a smartphone from the remaining stocks or wait for a new product is up to you. But the rule “last year’s flagship is a rational purchase” still applies in this case.
Moreover, judging by the estimates of analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in the Chinese market, about 85% of pre-orders belong to 14 Pro and Pro Max, and about 10% to the base iPhone 14. It is easy to calculate that about 5% of those who wish remain on the iPhone 14 Plus. Sparsely, especially considering that the situation was similar with the iPhone 12 and 13 mini – the demand for babies was lower than for all other models.
