Apple iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max
Announced September 1, 2021
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max represent a refined iteration of the series, offering notable battery longevity and a high-refresh-rate display that significantly improves daily interactions. While the camera system provides top-tier performance and versatile new shooting modes, the substantial weight and recurring design elements like the notch may deter some users.
Weighted from 31 reviewer scores
Pros
- Fluid 120Hz ProMotion display with high brightness
- Exceptional battery life that often lasts through two days of use
- Powerful camera system featuring 3x optical zoom and improved low-light performance
- Creative video tools including Cinematic mode and macro photography
- Robust performance from the A15 Bionic chip
Cons
- Heavy, bulky design that is uncomfortable for one-handed use
- Slow charging speeds and lack of included charger
- Cinematic mode limitations including 1080p resolution and focus tracking errors
- Persistent notch and lack of USB-C connectivity
- Launch price $999–$1,099 (USD)
- Main camera 12MP f/1.5 + 12MP Ultrawide + 12MP 3x Telephoto
- Video 4K 60p
- Display 6.1-inch / 6.7-inch LTPO OLED 120Hz
- Chipset Apple A15 Bionic 6GB
What the Reviewers Say
All 31 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 8/10
Apple has made some big strides compared to where it was in 2019 and through most of 2020 before the iPhone 12 models launched.
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I didn't think I would because it's so unlike what I would normally want on a phone, but this is an awesome phone even if you never play games.
- The Verge 9/10
The story of the iPhone 13 Pro is a story of iteration, sure, but iteration matters.
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For everyone else there are better, lighter options.
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It might not replace your DSLR or mirrorless camera, but it really raises the bar for image quality, performance and features and leaves regular point and shoot cameras for dead. But you do have to think long and hard about choosing the Pro Max over the regular Pro.
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Apple's iPhone 13 Pro Max is the ultimate mobile content creation machine, with the best camera and longest battery life of any iPhone.
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If you want a big iPhone that you’ll enjoy for years, this is it.
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Basically, for anyone who doesn't mind iOS, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max, if you don't mind the weight, is a worthy upgrade.
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The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max also get a new feature called cinematic mode, which is a blast to use and experiment with.
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The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the same exact great phone as the iPhone 13 Pro, only bigger.
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These cameras are the biggest deal for me and have totally made upgrading to the Apple iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max worth it [...]
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The 'biggest camera update ever' on an iPhone doesn't have to come in a big iPhone, at least not a Max-sized one - the iPhone 13 Pro will do.
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Not just the best iPhone ever, but also the one with the 'biggest camera update ever' - that would be this year's iPhone 13 Pro, which we have here in Max size.
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The iPhone 13 Pro Max isn’t a huge upgrade on its predecessor, but it is meaningfully better in a few ways, most notably the battery and camera. Just as important to us is that the screen is even better than before, and the built-in speakers have been improved, too.
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So I find the telephoto is still too slow a lens to really reliably do that but the wide angle ultra wide angle now works just really well and I I have to say again I review them all I'm picky I has a hobbyist I'm a photographer too I really like Apple iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max.
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The iPhone 13 Pro Max is an extremely powerful phone with the best SoC, video camera, and ecosystem of apps and accessories. I personally find its size too unwieldy and uncomfortable to use long term, but this may not be an issue to you if you have large hands.
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While the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a better phone, the differences in many areas are negligible. It has a better camera and a brighter screen and offers the Dynamic Island, but outside of that the iPhone 13 Pro Max matches it almost stride for stride.
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The iPhone 13 Pro Max offers the best battery of any iPhone to date, but the lack of differences between it and the more affordable iPhone 13 Pro – including ProMotion tech and enhanced cameras – make it hard to recommend to most.
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[T]he hardware of the 13 Pro Max in terms of offering the best performance, the best battery, and arguably the best all-round camera—and [...] the battery, the performance, and the camera as a package I think makes this 13 Pro Max the best phone you can buy right now [...]
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If you're a power user who wants to keep plugging away all day and you really get on well with iOS, you've got lots of other Apple kit in your homestead, and also a very, very healthy savings account, then sure, go for it.
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It's basically the best phone Apple's ever made. The camera's amazing.
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Okay, so up until this point it is pretty clear that the 13 Pro is the perfect iPhone. It's got a true all-day battery life, Apple's best display by far, and their best cameras while also having a compact form factor that's easily usable in one hand.
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All in all though, the iPhone Pro camera continues to be impressive. I thought last year was gonna be the major leap forward with the 12 Pro Max, but this is honestly even better.
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It’s been a solid device and for $200 more, to me is worth the upgrade over the 13.
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What it comes down to is this: if you're coming from an older phone, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max is an easy recommendation; if not, you might want to hold off until next year.
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Honestly, if you own a 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max, you don't need to upgrade, but if you're coming from an 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, or honestly, anything before that, it is a really solid upgrade.
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[I]'ve never been as satisfied with an iPhone as I am right now with this one.
- Nick Ackerman 9/10
[A]fter three months, this phone is a solid 9 out of 10 for me.
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The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are a technological tour de force with best-in-class craftsmanship and hardware performance, as well as an iOS 15 platform that’s designed to take full advantage of their advanced capabilities.
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[T]he iPhone 13 Pro Max has the best battery in the game.
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It is the best on the market right now, and the features on it are definitely going to be future-proofed for years to come.
