The iPhone 15 Pro Max has been out for quite some time now, and as a regular Apple user this model in particular had struck me as curious and cautious at the same time. In this article, I will be sharing my experience using the iPhone 15 Pro Max as my daily driver and give insight into answering the question "Should you buy this now" or wait for the successor?
To kick start this article, a month after the iPhone 15 series was released, social media was flooded with so much heat regarding the iPhone 15 Pro Max series, usually from my point of view, much like anyone else's, if you want to experience the best of the best of what Apple brings to the table, the Pro series is the way to go, however for some reason the 15 series wasn't entirely polished out of the gates.
There were known issues that were visible at the time, and a lot were impacted by the Pro Max which was the most expensive and had the most features/ upgrades. Fast forward to 2024, the vast majority of these issues had already been addressed through a software update with only a few left which seem to be unavoidable, which are as follows:
- Battery Drain
- Overheating
- Throttling, Lag,
- Durability
I'm pretty sure in other online sources there are more mentioned, but I'll be focusing on these 4 major bullet points since some of the mentioned issues online are more of a case-to-case type of situation.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max | Battery Drain
If you've been an iPhone user for the longest time, clearly one of the major setbacks as well as a win is the battery. Way back in 2010 when I first dived into smartphones, in contrast to their Android counterparts, iPhones had always had the longest battery standby time on a single charge. I remember charging my iPhone to 100% and waking up with either 100% still or at least 99% which was phenomenal.
The newer iPhones remain true to that notion, that, it is the actual usage that causes the alarming state to kick in for most users, but it gets deeper than that. From the time of the lockdown to the present, there has been a spike in consumers switching from Android to iOS and this is mainly because of a few reasons which are as follows:
- Optimization of applications
- Performance of each application
One of the biggest challenges of having to use an Android phone is the compatibility of each application for each smartphone released in a certain period, and having to buy the latest and greatest doesn't exactly mean everything will work 100% of the time since Android devices are fragmented devices, which means a lot is contributing to the overall device experience as opposed to Apple wherein everything is handled in-house.
Given the circumstances, for long-time Android users who are used to having a massive 5,000 mAh battery, with fast charging capabilities, and a processor that handles multi-tasking, it is no surprise there would be a surge of complaints after shifting to iPhones that usually come with a smaller battery and is designed for single processing.
In my case however, the iPhone 15 Pro Max does come with a stellar battery life experience, since I'm used to having the base model iPhone that usually comes with a battery within the range of 3,000 mAh, having to use an iPhone with a much bigger battery is a more than welcome addition as my daily.
Overheating | Throttling or Lag
One thing worth mentioning however in terms of this much talked about "overheating" issue, this mostly came into play during the onset of using the iPhone 15 Pro Max. After the initial boot and set up process, installation, and updating of applications to the first time using the camera or playing a game, the heating was very evident but after a few days/ weeks later, as soon as the iPhone learns your patterns and usage, the "heating" issue is less evident making it such a pleasure to use.
With general use the iPhone 15 Pro Max can easily power through any application you throw at it, be it for social media, video editing, multitasking, and the like, this is one sophisticated beast that can handle anything easily. The only instance that I've encountered anything that falls under the throttling or lag category is when playing games that are too demanding in terms of graphics. I am 100% sure this isn't because of the iPhone 15 Pro Max specifically but more of the developers of the said app in question which is none other than Call of Duty War zone.
Although I can play a few rounds with no issues whatsoever even at high graphic settings, there were occasional instances that the latency and frame drops would spike. During these instances, the phone itself does heat up quite a bit and it would take a while before the actual performance goes back to normal which is rather saddening considering how beastly the iPhone 15 Pro Max performs with any other task.
For Creating Content
As a Content Creator, be it if you're into making videos, blogging, journalism, photography and videography, the iPhone 15 Pro Max can handle everything. This of course works so much better if you have that cohesive ecosystem which is an Apple Watch, Air Pods, and a MacBook. It is of course not a mandatory requirement to complete the whole set but it does make everything work faster and more efficient.
A benefit to anyone looking to invest in getting the iPhone 15 Pro Max for content is that beautiful 6.67" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display with 120Hz Pro-Motion. In layman's terms, This is a flagship grade screen that has a variable refresh rate that both conserves battery as well as makes everything look fluid and buttery smooth. This of course not only makes the animation faster, but it also helps content creators appreciate their projects with such fluidity.
Taking photos on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is okay, I wouldn't say it is the best, but it is one of the best in 2024. I will say however that iPhones in general are king when it comes to video recording, even my trusty iPhone SE 2nd Gen despite having 1 lens can produce great videos, what more with an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
If by any chance you were able to watch Apple's last year's keynote where they introduced the iPhone 15 Pro Max, one interesting feature of the said keynote was the fact that it was shot using the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Some would speculate and although I would too, to a certain extent considering that I too create videos for my YouTube channel, It is pretty much possible to achieve even on a smartphone.
For reference, here's the keynote video:
The iPhone 15 Pro max | To Buy or Not To Buy
At the time of this writing, we're moments away from the release of the newest products from Apple, which means a new iPhone in 2024 that would come with better specifications, designs, etc. Which also means new possibilities for everyone and anyone.
My take when buying iPhones, ideally I would recommend keeping your current at least 2 - 3 generations before considering the upgrade. This of course may be dependent on a few things to consider which are:
- Do you need the spec upgrade for the camera - If you're a content creator into making videos/ photography
- Do you need the latest processing power for gaming - if you're a gamer or is into game streaming or is just a fan of gaming on flagship devices
The reason why i've narrowed down the specific points to those two is mainly because, every other feature of what an iPhone is today is very much available and works flawlessly on past iPhones all the way to the iPhone Xr. The only real noticeable feature would be the application load times but as far as day-to-day performance is concerned, from the Xr/11 to the most latest and greatest, the experience you get would be 90-95% similar.
Buying a new iPhone can be daunting to a certain extent, we all know iPhones are expensive, and for good reason considering even the base model can do so much that in the world of Android, you'd be limited to buying flagships most of the time just to get that level of satisfaction that could be related to what you get in buying an iPhone.
Be that as it may, as far as the Pro/ Pro Max series is concerned, this is something, in my opinion, you shouldn't be replacing on a year-to-year basis unless your profession requires it.
As a photographer/videographer or even a content creator on TikTok, having the best set of cameras on a smartphone would be your bread and butter, especially if you've already found that secret sauce in making videos stand out and go viral while earning money on the side. For gamers, a yearly upgrade does merit you having fewer problems in gaming as it will equip you with the latest upgrades that bring that level of performance for your gaming needs and can also merit an easy win.
However as a general consumer, I wouldn't recommend spending all your hard-earned money just to get the flashiest or the top-tier iPhone, it is an amazing device that I'm sure many would appreciate but with everything that I've stated in this article, I'm pretty sure I've already made it clear to this point that you don't need the Pro/Pro Max's of the world just to say you're "an iPhone user".
Enough with this stigma that if you're using a base model iPhone you're poor, no, if you're using a base model iPhone, it means you're smart enough to know that the base model is just as good as the top-tier model.
The Final Hoorah
In light of all things fair to consumers, even at the time of this writing, I would be called a lier if I said the iPhone 15 Pro Max isn't a device worth wanting, I've used a lot of Android devices in the past and regardless of whatever feature or upgrade each model has, I would still find my way back to using an iPhone. With this notion, if using a base model iPhone is all good, having to switch to an iPhone 15 Pro Max is arguably one of the best possible experiences you'd ever witness as a regular iPhone user.
With the enhancement that comes with Apple's top tier, the refinement of how the iPhone has progressed in the modern day. From the smooth user interface to the beefy specifications, it is really hard not to recommend the iPhone 15 Pro Max to anyone who's looking to get the best of the best especially if it will do justice in your line of work.
As a long-time Apple consumer, we all know that in the Philippines, there are a few that are officially authorized to sell Apple products, and for me personally, my go-to even from when I first got my very first iPod touch way back in the yesteryears would be Power Mac Center. I've been a loyal customer for as long as I can remember and it would even come to a point where if no Power Mac Center stores are available, I would literally hold out and wait for a day that I could drop by another mall that the brand exists.
Now this may come off as a bit of a hard sell, however, based on my experience, Power Mac Center is the only Authorized Apple reseller in the Philippines that provides the widest payment options, abundant promotions, and discounts along with a very accommodating staff with pleasing personalities.
Having said all that, my final words are this:
If you're in the market for a new iPhone regardless of the reason, provided that you have the means to pay for it, simply go for it. What you're paying for here is the overall experience of using a device that can cater to your needs with ease of use and efficiency, the reliability of day-to-day tasks, and how seamless the performance is that it just works.
So if you're ready to make that leap, click here, as this would be the best online platform to get your very own iPhone 15 Pro Max.
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