Apple’s two most premium smartphones have a similar spec sheet but don’t cost the same. In reality, if the iPhone 11 Pro is suitable for a certain profile, its big brother the iPhone 11 Pro Max does not actually target the same audience. It is enough to compare them to understand it.
In September 2019, Apple followed its usual release schedule and unveiled, like every year, its new family of phones. This includes three devices: the iPhone 11, which we will not present today, and two more expensive versions: the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. If these surnames do indicate that some iterations are more qualitative than others, the differences between each of them are in fact hardly noticeable at first glance.
To find out which of the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max meets your expectations, it is best to refer to the specifications of their components. Provided by the manufacturer, these are comparable to Android competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 + and S20 Ultra or the Huawei P40 Pro and P40 Pro + duo. However, with one notable difference: the operating system used.
The best iOS mobiles on the market in 2020
Indeed, like any good product marketed by Apple, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max run thanks to proprietary software: iOS. As you probably already know, this one offers exclusive applications, impossible to find in any other brand of smartphone: the Safari browser, the Shortcuts application, the Maps mapping service, or even the iTunes Store. In addition, it provides access to the App Store, allowing you to download many great apps.
Another advantage of iOS concerns synchronization with other Apple connected objects. It is therefore very easy to share content from your iPhone 11 Pro to your Mac computer or to listen to music stored on your iPhone 11 Pro Max with AirPods wireless headphones. There will also be no real difference in terms of functionality between iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max: their manufacturer has chosen to integrate the same options on each of them. No need therefore to base oneself on this criterion to try to find a winner in this duel.
Key Specification
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) | Apple A13 Bionic |
| Display | 5.8 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Memory | 128/ 256/ 512 GB | 128/ 256/ 512 GB |
| Camera | 12 + 12 + 12 MP | 12 + 12 + 12 MP |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Face ID | Face ID |
Design
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| Dimensions | 144 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 188 grams | 226 grams |
| Screen Size | 5.8 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Display | 1125 x 2436 pixels | 2688 x 1242 pixels |
| Colors | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green | Matte Gray, Silver, Gold, Midnight Green |
Indeed, if the iPhone 11 Pro is decked out with a large 5.8-inch OLED panel, the 11 Pro Max displays 6.5 inches on the counter. To give you an idea, the tablets start at 7 ″. To play video games, have fun in front of Apple TV + or even browse websites that do not have a mobile version, this diagonal is much more practical than the smaller one. In terms of numbers, the 11 Pro Max’s definition is 1,242 x 2,688 pixels, while the Pro sticks to 1,125 x 2,436 pixels. The form-factor / screen size ratio is also different, at 83.7% versus 82.1%.
The rest of the peculiarities of iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max do not change depending on your choice. You will thus be entitled to Apple’s exclusive Super Retina XDR and True Tone technologies. Pixel density is 458 PPI on both products, while peak brightness reaches 800 nits. In short, unless you really want to enjoy enhanced comfort in peace, you can save a few dollars by settling for the less luxurious variant.
The design branch of the company has been the inspiration for several best-sellers, while its precepts are taught even in the grandes écoles. But the appreciation of the cabin of the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max will however be subject to more divisions: it is subjective, but some may find it a “toy” aspect that the latest iPad Pro does not have with its edges. straighter for example.
Logically, the 11 Pro Max is therefore the slimmest of the two smartphones: it measures 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm. The thickness does not change on the iPhone 11 Pro, but it is on the other hand shorter by 14 millimeters in the direction of the length, while its width reaches 7.14 centimeters. Consequently, its weight is also lighter: count only 188 grams against 226g for the heaviest. Last information: the color. At Apple’s official online store, you can choose from gold, midnight green, space gray, or silver. Without distinction among models.
Performance
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| Processor | Hexa-core | Apple A13 Bionic |
| GPU | Apple-designed 4 core | Apple-designed 4 core |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4 | 4GB LPDDR4 |
| Internal storage | 128/ 256/ 512 GB | 128/ 256/ 512 GB |
| Storage expansion | No | No |
| OS | iOS 13 | iOS (13.x) |
Without its processor and RAM, it is impossible to measure the pure performance of a laptop of the size of the iPhone 11 Pro. And when we know that it is equipped with the latest Apple SoC, based on an ARM architecture, no doubt: the power is there. Just like on the iPhone 11 Pro Max, this advantage comes with 4 GB of RAM , and 64 GB of storage. It is possible to increase the storage to 256 or 512 GB, for those who have a real library of movies or applications.
Camera
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| Rear | 12 + 12 + 12 MP | 12 + 12 + 12 MP |
| Front | 12 MP (EIS, HDR) | 12 MP (EIS, HDR) |
| Video recording | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
Let’s move on to a feature that Apple wanted major on its new range: the capture of quality shots. Just take a look at the back of the iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max to understand what it is: the mobiles are both equipped with an imposing photo block at the top left of their shell. There are three lenses, as well as an LED flash and a microphone. And the good news is that the subcontractor in charge of the design of these lenses is none other than… Sony, known for a long time for its real digital cameras, in particular the range of ⍺.
The three sensors each offer a resolution of 12 MPx. The first is a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, the second a wide-angle lens with an f / 1.8 aperture, and the third a 13-millimeter ultra-wide-angle. The photos obtained are good and will be perfect for an influencer who makes Instagram his daily ally. As for the videos, they can be shot in 4K at up to 60 fps, a number that climbs to 240 frames per second at 1080p. HDR is obviously part of it. Again, there is no real difference between the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Multimedia
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers | Multiple speakers |
Battery Life
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro Max | |
| No of Cell/Capacity | 3064 mAh | 3969 mAh |
| Quick Charging | Fast charging 18W, 50% in 30 min | Wired: 18.0W; Wireless: 7.5W |
| User Replaceable | No | No |
The iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max both benefit from compatibility with the 4G network, and can obviously pair in Bluetooth (5.o) and connect with Wi-Fi 6. The speakers integrated are in stereo, a GPS and an NFC sensor are integrated, and it is a Lightning plug which allows to connect the mobiles to power them. The only documented change is in the battery, which goes from 3,046 mAh on the more affordable model to 3,969 mAh on the other. Both can be charged wirelessly (Qi). But on a daily basis, the energetic gap is unlikely to be felt, since the 11 Pro Max’s larger screen consumes more power.
Connectivity
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPhone 11 Pro | |
| SIM | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Wifi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| USB | Type-C | Type-C |
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
Conclusion!
Finally, let’s compare the prices. The iPhone 11 Pro is available from 1400 USD in 64 GB version, to which must be added 200 USD to obtain 256 GB of storage or 500 USD for 512 GB. For the iPhone 11 Pro Max, it is the same at 120 USD more: it will cost 2000 USD to afford half a TB.
Finally, apart from the size of the screen and therefore of the device, almost nothing changes between these two-headed phones. Except for the capacity of the battery, which is, all the same, to be qualified precisely, because a panel consumes more according to the surface it occupies. The scores obtained bypassing these iPhones to the test bench of several benchmarks such as AnTuTu or Geekbench do not allow them to be separated.
