Design and Build

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is presented with a high-end and tough design made of a stainless steel frame, surgical grade, a Ceramic Shield front (4x stronger drop protection than iPhone 11), and a textured matte glass back. The dimensions are 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches (160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm) and the weight of 8.03 ounces (228g), which is very large and heavy and the priority is the screen and the battery. It is issued by a flat-edge design and is available in: Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. The lightning port is the interface for charging and the use of a nano-SIM with an eSIM (dual eSIM in some regions) is supported by the device.

• Surgical-grade stainless steel frame
• Ceramic Shield front (4x stronger drop protection)
• Textured matte glass back
• IP68 rating (water and dust resistance up to 6 meters for 30 minutes)
• Flat edge design
• Lightning port for charging and data transfer
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent)

iPhone 12 Pro Max Display

First and foremost, the iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and a stunning resolution of 2778 x 1284 pixels (458 PPI) which produces the most colourful decorations for content with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The front camera and Face ID are embedded still on the notch, however, the display with its 60Hz refresh rate may be considered an obsolete feature with the arrival of the ProMotion technology. The screen peaks at 800 nits typical brightness and 1200 nits HDR brightness, which does a good job of outdoor visibility, but the phone is not supported by the latest models of Always-On Display.

• 6.7-inch OLED (Super Retina XDR)
• 2778 x 1284 resolution, 458 PPI
• HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
• 800 nits (typical), 1200 nits (peak HDR)
• Ceramic Shield protection
• 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion or Always-On Display)

Performance and Software

Using the A14 Bionic processor that is manufactured in a 5nm process, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is expected to offer high performance with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. With 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM at its disposal, the device copes well with multitasking and even gaming, but it appears to be slower than A15 or A16 of the newest models. Storage options comprise 128GB ($1099), 256GB ($1199), and 512GB ($1399). It is installed with iOS 14, which can be updated to iOS 18; however, such featured as ProMotion, Dynamic Island, and the Always-On Display are missing from the phone at the moment.

• A14 Bionic chip with 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
• 6GB LPDDR4X RAM
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
• iOS 14 (upgradable to iOS 18)
• Optimized for gaming and computational photography

Camera System

The iPhone 12 Pro Max model is equipped with a triple camera system, which includes a 12MP Wide (2.5x Telephoto) (f/2.2, 65mm), a 12MP Main (f/1.6, 26mm, sensor-shift OIS), and a 12MP Ultra Wide (f/2.4, 13mm, 120° FOV).

• Rear: 12MP Main (26mm, f/1.6, OIS), 12MP Ultra Wide (13mm, f/2.4), 12MP 2.5x Telephoto (65mm, f/2.2)
• Front: 12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2)
• Video: 4K Dolby Vision 60 fps
• Modes: Night mode, Portrait, Deep Fusion
• True Tone flash

Battery and Charging

The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 3687mAh battery and this means you can expect no less than 20 hours of continuous video playback, real-world tests however show that between 15-17 hours of continuous usage are more likely. The 20W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes), 15W MagSafe, and 7.5W Qi wireless charging are all supported by the device. There is no charger included, only a Lightning cable. The battery of the phone is not weak at all, yet it is not as good as the iPhone 13 Pro Max thanks to the extra smaller capacity and less efficient chip.

• 3687mAh battery
• Up to 20 hours video playback, ~15–17 hours real-world
• 20W wired charging (50% in 30 min)
• 15W MagSafe, 7.5W Qi wireless charging
• No charger included (Lightning cable only)

Connectivity

The X55 5G model from Qualcomm of the iPhone 12 Pro Max provides 5G connectivity through sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G in the United States only to offer high download speeds under the best conditions. You get Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, and physical nano-SIM with eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent) support. The U1 ultra-wideband chip also allows you to use the Precision Finding function for AirTags. The setting for the satellite does not allow for the activation of Emergency SOS service that is integrated in the later models. GPS supports multiple systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou).

• Qualcomm X55 5G modem (sub-6 GHz, mmWave in U.S.)
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Physical nano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM (region-dependent)
• U1 ultra-wideband chip (Precision Finding)
• No satellite connectivity
• GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou

Pricing and Availability

The price of the iPhone 12 Pro Max for the 128 GB version was $1099, while the 256 GB version costs $1199 and the 512 GB version $1399. Pre-orders started being accepted on November 6, 2020, with sales commencing on November 13, 2020. You can be able to purchase it through Apple, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile carriers, Best Buy, and certain retailers. The launch of the new phone happened in September 2021 which led to the iPhone 13 Pro Max model coming out but there may still be some new stocks in the market for the former. You can take advantage of the trade-in programs to defray the cost of your purchase.