Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

At Rs. 481,499, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is a 2023 flagship that still costs flagship money in Pakistan. You pay for the parts that age slowly: the A17 Pro chip, a grade 5 titanium frame that keeps the weight at 221 g, a 5x periscope camera, very strong video recording, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 and support for Apple Intelligence.

Main strengths

• Video quality and stabilisation that remain among the best on any phone
• Smooth, well-optimised gaming and apps
• Natural photos and reliable 5x portraits
• High resale value, as iPhones usually hold their price better than Android phones

Main compromises

• Slow wired charging next to Android flagships
• No 3x lens, so portraits at close range mean stepping back
• A glossy screen that reflects more light than the Galaxy S24 Ultra's
• Screen, back glass and battery repairs cost far more than on a Galaxy S24 Ultra
• iOS still lacks split screen, and moving files to a Windows PC is awkward

Against the iPhone 13 Pro Max (Rs. 318,699): the older model has the same 6.7-inch size and 120Hz screen, but it runs the A15 Bionic with 6GB RAM, uses 12 MP rear cameras and is not on Apple's list of Apple Intelligence phones. The 15 Pro Max adds 8GB RAM, a 48 MP main camera and the 5x periscope.

Verdict: worth it for buyers who shoot a lot of video, play demanding games or already use a Mac, AirPods or Apple Watch. If you mainly want a big iPhone screen and good battery life, the iPhone 13 Pro Max covers the basics for much less.

Official specs: 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 1290 x 2796 pixels (about 460 ppi), 120Hz, HDR10 and Dolby Vision, rated at 1000 nits typical and 2000 nits peak, with Ceramic Shield glass.

Real-world use: text is very sharp, colours are accurate, and touch response is quick. The LTPO panel drops its refresh rate when nothing moves, which saves battery while keeping scrolling smooth at 120Hz. Dolby Vision support makes HDR films and shows on streaming apps look especially good, something Samsung phones do not offer.

GSMArena's brightness test with auto brightness came in close to the rated peak, so outdoor visibility is good. The weak point is glare: the glass reflects more than the anti-reflective glass on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, so in direct sun or under strong lights you will see more reflections on the iPhone.

The flat screen and rounded edges make long gaming sessions comfortable, with no accidental edge touches.

Limitation: the screen uses 480Hz PWM dimming, not the high-frequency dimming many Chinese phones now offer. If dim screens give you headaches or eye strain, try the phone in a shop before buying.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max runs the Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) with a six-core CPU, a 6-core Apple GPU and 8GB RAM.

Everyday use: apps open instantly and stay in memory. The phone stands out in social apps: going live on Instagram, posting Snapchat stories and switching between camera lenses all feel quicker and more consistent than on most Android flagships.

Gaming: this is one of the strongest gaming phones of its generation. PUBG Mobile stays smooth even in crowded late-game circles, where the Galaxy S24 Ultra can stutter, and Genshin Impact can run at 120 fps. The A17 Pro can also run console titles that were made for PCs and consoles.

Heat and sustained performance: cooling relies on a small graphite sheet rather than a large vapour chamber. Even so, after several iOS updates, its temperatures and sustained performance in long sessions are on par with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Bonus for creators: the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port lets you record video straight to an external drive.

Official specs: 48 MP main (f/1.8, large sensor, sensor-shift OIS), 12 MP 5x periscope telephoto (120mm), 12 MP ultrawide (120˚), LiDAR, and a 12 MP selfie camera. Video goes up to 4K at 60fps with Dolby Vision HDR and ProRes.

Daylight photos: the phone saves 24 MP photos by default, so detail is high without any special mode. Colours lean warm and natural, and textures such as pet fur look realistic. The Galaxy S24 Ultra sometimes lifts shadows better, but the iPhone controls skin tones and exposure more consistently. The 48 MP mode keeps the same processing quality.

Low light: night shots are warm with light sharpening, and colours stay accurate even under changing coloured lights. At dusk contrast can be weak, and opinions differ on whether the Galaxy S24 Ultra's brighter, sharper night photos are better. Night portraits look natural, not filtered.

Zoom and portraits: the 5x camera is excellent for portraits, with sharp subjects and smooth background blur most of the time. Long-range shots up to the 25x limit hold real detail. Two weak spots: quality dips between 3x and 4x because there is no 3x lens, and at a dinner table you have to step back to frame someone at 5x.

Ultrawide and macro: the ultrawide is balanced and slightly wider than the S24 Ultra's. Macro switches on by itself and focuses very close.

Selfies: consistent and natural, never heavily smoothed. Samsung's selfies are brighter and more flattering; the iPhone's are more true to life.

Video: this is the main reason to buy it. Footage is smooth, highlights are controlled, 4K60 from the ultrawide is clearly better than the S24 Ultra's, and Action mode stabilisation is the best in its class. The microphones keep voices clear without cutting them up in noisy places.

Limitations: slow motion stops at 1080p (240fps), bright stage lights cause internal lens reflections at concerts, and the built-in editor is simpler than Samsung's.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 4441 mAh battery.

Real-world battery life: it lasts a full day even with heavy use, and its endurance is close to the Galaxy S24 Ultra's. In GSMArena's lab tests it earned an Active Use Score of 16:01h, with 22:36h of video streaming and 9:56h of gaming, which puts it among the longer-lasting phones of its year.

Charging: this is the weak side. Apple quotes 50% in 30 minutes. GSMArena reached 46% in 30 minutes with Apple's charger and needed 1:49h for a full charge, and a stronger charger did not shorten the full charge much. The Galaxy S24 Ultra fills up in about an hour with its 45W charger.

Other charging options:

• 15W wireless charging with MagSafe and Qi2 chargers
• 4.5W reverse wired charging, enough to top up AirPods or an Apple Watch through a cable
• No reverse wireless charging

The box includes a braided USB-C cable but no power adapter, so budget for a USB-C PD charger if you do not already have one.

The phone launched with iOS 17, and our database lists it as upgradable to iOS 26.3.

Updates: Apple does not publish a fixed number of years of updates. Based on how long Apple usually supports its iPhones, the 15 Pro Max should keep getting updates for several more years, but that is an estimate, not a promise.

Apple Intelligence: the A17 Pro is on Apple's list of supported chips, so the phone gets Apple Intelligence features such as Clean Up (removing unwanted objects from photos), Image Playground, Live Translation, proofreading and Visual Intelligence in the camera. It needs Siri and the phone set to a supported language such as English, some features are not available in every region, and some server-based features have daily limits.

Useful features:

• The Action button replaces the old mute switch and can be set to silent mode, a Focus mode, the camera or any shortcut
• No third-party bloatware or system ads
• Tight links with a Mac, AirPods and Apple Watch

Limitations:

• No split screen or multi-window apps
• Copying files to a Windows PC is slow and awkward without a Mac
• Switching between primary and secondary SIM for calls takes more steps than on Android

Regional note: the international model takes one nano-SIM plus eSIM, US units are eSIM only, and Chinese units take two nano-SIMs. Check the variant and PTA status before buying.