iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max - First Reactions

[janeauburn]

Took delivery of these two phones yesterday and have been putting them through their paces. Let me know if you have questions, and feel free to post observations of your own if you have them.

General
They're both good phones, well made, well worth keeping. I doubt anyone who has not had phones this size before will be disappointed. Both are a tad lighter than their predecessors, the Max more so (good).

USB-C: Hmm. Pain in the butt. Have to buy all new cables or adapters. Plus even if I do, I'm left with mismatches between the USB-C connector and the lightning connector on all my AirPods. This sucks, and honestly it's a reason just to use the 14 Plus or Max if you've already got one. Even if you don't, there's a case to be made for buying a 14 Plus now just to keep your life simple. Also doesn't click in as nicely as lightning, as I suspected based upon my other experiences with this connector.

The slightly tapered edges are less of an improvement than I suspected they would be. More comfortable? Maybe, perhaps more so with the Max because the 14 Pro Max could really hurt your hands. This was mostly due to weight.

Dynamic island: Mostly useless. Mostly just distracting.

15 Plus
Nice phone. Camera has that after-the-fact ability to adjust depth of field, but don't let this sell you on the camera. With iOS 17, you can do these even with the 14. You just have to be sure you're in Portrait mode when you take the shot. No big deal.

The colors...oh, man, these really suck. I got the black because I couldn't stand any of the pastel shades offered this year. But I really hate black phones, too. So boring. The one good thing about them is that with a case on you rarely see the color unless you look for it. Plus there's no bright colored ring around the edge to distract you. Shades of Iphone 7 Plus in black, though.

Max
Feels solid. But so does a brick. If that's your thing, okay. You've got it. The cameras seem nice, so that's an upgrade. It's still too heavy to carry around in my pants full-time, though. I'd be looking for any excuse to offload it onto a table or something.

It's faster, zippier. I notice this. Probably a combination of the higher refresh rate and zippier processor. I suspect more the former than the latter.

Holding the camera with one hand positions your index finger on one of the camera lenses, which of course will cause smudging. So you'll need to adjust your grip. Not great.

Colors: Yuck! What happened to Apple this year? All the colors suck. The new "natural" tone is the one I have, and it's gray. Boring gray phone. Looks like your oven. Yuck.

The new woven cases
Not as bad as many are making them out to be. They're fine--too expensive, of course.

iOS 17
This is actually nice in many ways, but you can get this simply by upgrading your phone (except for the 8 Plus earlier, sadly). Particularly like how the lock screen shows a full-screen view of your music that's playing.

 

[snipr125]

Thanks for the write up, so which one are you keeping? Or are you keeping them both?

 

[janeauburn]

Having these two models next to each other for over a day now, I find myself wanting to like the Pro Max, but it's just too heavy. It's fat, and feels like a brick.

So that makes me feel a sense of relief when I hold the 15 Plus.

This year, I think the 15 Plus is the model to get. Unless you really value the Max features enough to want to sacrifice a less holdable device, then I guess, yeah. But honestly the extra zoom feature on the Max is something I can work around (or walk around). Or I can use my dedicated DSLR to take a better picture anyway at that focal length.

Other than that, no. I go comfort and holdability over Max features. I'd give the Max as a gift to someone who really valued it. I just don't. It's certainly not about money. It's just about comfort.

The Pro Max is still too heavy.

"Plus" there are many things about the Plus that are just nice. It's nice, too, and the speakers are great. I actually prefer the notch over the dynamic island, which I consider distracting most of the time.

The bigger question then becomes "which Plus"? There's a strong argument to be made for getting the 14 Plus if you don't want the hassle of switching all your stuff to USB-C rather than sticking with Lightning for a while longer. Plus the colors of the 14 Plus line are just nicer. The rounded edges feature of the 15 Plus is no big deal. The 14 Plus feels fine, especially with a nice case, and the ones of the leather variety are still available. Last of a breed, sadly.

The 15 Plus without a case is also slippery. I think it's more slippery than the 14 Plus.

 

[NotApplicable]

Having these two models next to each other for over a day now, I find myself wanting to like the Pro Max, but it's just too heavy. It's fat, and feels like a brick.

So that makes me feel a sense of relief when I hold the 15 Plus.

This year, I think the 15 Plus is the model to get. Unless you really value the Max features enough to want to sacrifice a less holdable device, then I guess, yeah. But honestly the extra zoom feature on the Max is something I can work around (or walk around). Or I can use my dedicated DSLR to take a better picture anyway at that focal length.

Other than that, no. I go comfort and holdability over Max features. I'd give the Max as a gift to someone who really valued it. I just don't. It's certainly not about money. It's just about comfort.

The Pro Max is still too heavy.

You must’ve never had a previous Pro Max?

 

[meenu26]

Thanks so much for the write up. I’m also deciding between these two devices, coming from an iPhone 13 mini. I do have a Hisense A9, which is actually slightly larger than the Plus or the Pro Max (though lighter than both), so I’m not too concerned with the size jump here.

My main concern is the battery life. I don’t watch a lot of videos (maybe I will on something larger than the mini), but I do a lot of browsing and audiobook/podcast listening (often on speaker), which drains the Mini battery very quickly. Do you have any thoughts on the battery life of these two devices?

Many thanks!

 

[bsmr]

Not as bad as many are making them out to be. They're fine--too expensive, of course.

They don't fit, the buttons rattle, they're misaligned... And I'm not talking about quality aspects as many others are...

 

[Zest28]

Having these two models next to each other for over a day now, I find myself wanting to like the Pro Max, but it's just too heavy. It's fat, and feels like a brick.

So that makes me feel a sense of relief when I hold the 15 Plus.

This year, I think the 15 Plus is the model to get. Unless you really value the Max features enough to want to sacrifice a less holdable device, then I guess, yeah. But honestly the extra zoom feature on the Max is something I can work around (or walk around). Or I can use my dedicated DSLR to take a better picture anyway at that focal length.

Other than that, no. I go comfort and holdability over Max features. I'd give the Max as a gift to someone who really valued it. I just don't. It's certainly not about money. It's just about comfort.

The Pro Max is still too heavy.

"Plus" there are many things about the Plus that are just nice. It's nice, too, and the speakers are great. I actually prefer the notch over the dynamic island, which I consider distracting most of the time.

The bigger question then becomes "which Plus"? There's a strong argument to be made for getting the 14 Plus if you don't want the hassle of switching all your stuff to USB-C rather than sticking with Lightning for a while longer. Plus the colors of the 14 Plus line are just nicer. The rounded edges feature of the 15 Plus is no big deal. The 14 Plus feels fine, especially with a nice case, and the ones of the leather variety are still available. Last of a breed, sadly.

The 15 Plus without a case is also slippery. I think it's more slippery than the 14 Plus.

Dude, you need to start lifting some weights. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is light as hell. And yes, I have used it myself in the Apple Store.

 

[janeauburn]

Do you have any thoughts on the battery life of these two devices?

Many thanks!

My sense is that battery life is more taxed by the features of the Pro Max than the regular Plus. If max battery life were my primary concern, I would lean toward the Plus. Plus the Plus just feels better, lighter.

The 15 Plus is definitely more slippery than the 14 Plus, no doubt due to the curved edges. Honestly I think the 14 Plus is a fine device, made even finer by iOS 17.

Sounds radical, and I haven't checked the price differences, but if you can save a couple hundred by buying the 14 Plus, plus extra by not buying a bunch of new USB-C cables, plus not having to put up with the annoyance, frankly, of the dynamic island, plus getting better color choices, well, the 14 Plus is looking like a strong contender, unless you just hate the idea of buying last year's model.

And added "plus" of the 14 Plus is that there are still Apple leather cases available for them, and at Amazon they were selling for as little as $19 a pop. They seem to have gone up in price again now, probably because the demand has increased by people like me who see value in the 14 Plus and want to get a few more leather cases before they're gone for good.

 

[meenu26]

Thank you again for your thoughts! The idea of getting the 14 Plus is definitely interesting - I'll have to think about that more

 

[blairh]

Absolutely love my 15 Plus. Other than no always-on display, it lacks nothing for me. (I can't see ProMotion.)

Also apparently the best battery in real world usage.

 

[dturner123]

Plugging in the USB-C cable does feel weird lol

 

[kp98077]

Took delivery of these two phones yesterday and have been putting them through their paces. Let me know if you have questions, and feel free to post observations of your own if you have them.

General
They're both good phones, well made, well worth keeping. I doubt anyone who has not had phones this size before will be disappointed. Both are a tad lighter than their predecessors, the Max more so (good).

USB-C: Hmm. Pain in the butt. Have to buy all new cables or adapters. Plus even if I do, I'm left with mismatches between the USB-C connector and the lightning connector on all my AirPods. This sucks, and honestly it's a reason just to use the 14 Plus or Max if you've already got one. Even if you don't, there's a case to be made for buying a 14 Plus now just to keep your life simple. Also doesn't click in as nicely as lightning, as I suspected based upon my other experiences with this connector.

The slightly tapered edges are less of an improvement than I suspected they would be. More comfortable? Maybe, perhaps more so with the Max because the 14 Pro Max could really hurt your hands. This was mostly due to weight.

Dynamic island: Mostly useless. Mostly just distracting.

15 Plus
Nice phone. Camera has that after-the-fact ability to adjust depth of field, but don't let this sell you on the camera. With iOS 17, you can do these even with the 14. You just have to be sure you're in Portrait mode when you take the shot. No big deal.

The colors...oh, man, these really suck. I got the black because I couldn't stand any of the pastel shades offered this year. But I really hate black phones, too. So boring. The one good thing about them is that with a case on you rarely see the color unless you look for it. Plus there's no bright colored ring around the edge to distract you. Shades of Iphone 7 Plus in black, though.

Max
Feels solid. But so does a brick. If that's your thing, okay. You've got it. The cameras seem nice, so that's an upgrade. It's still too heavy to carry around in my pants full-time, though. I'd be looking for any excuse to offload it onto a table or something.

It's faster, zippier. I notice this. Probably a combination of the higher refresh rate and zippier processor. I suspect more the former than the latter.

Holding the camera with one hand positions your index finger on one of the camera lenses, which of course will cause smudging. So you'll need to adjust your grip. Not great.

Colors: Yuck! What happened to Apple this year? All the colors suck. The new "natural" tone is the one I have, and it's gray. Boring gray phone. Looks like your oven. Yuck.

The new woven cases
Not as bad as many are making them out to be. They're fine--too expensive, of course.

iOS 17
This is actually nice in many ways, but you can get this simply by upgrading your phone (except for the 8 Plus earlier, sadly). Particularly like how the lock screen shows a full-screen view of your music that's playing.

Rather pessimistic views! I think the max 15 is amazing. The “less brick feel” alone is worth it.

 

[janeauburn]

Plugging in the USB-C cable does feel weird lol

That's one way to put it. Not as confidence-inspiring as Lightning as another, which is just another way of saying "flimsy" or "fragile."

I think there was good reason for Apple to drag its feet on USB-C on the iPhone, and that reason was that as a connector it's inferior to Lightning in stability.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

Having these two models next to each other for over a day now, I find myself wanting to like the Pro Max, but it's just too heavy. It's fat, and feels like a brick.

So that makes me feel a sense of relief when I hold the 15 Plus.

This year, I think the 15 Plus is the model to get. Unless you really value the Max features enough to want to sacrifice a less holdable device, then I guess, yeah. But honestly the extra zoom feature on the Max is something I can work around (or walk around). Or I can use my dedicated DSLR to take a better picture anyway at that focal length.

Other than that, no. I go comfort and holdability over Max features. I'd give the Max as a gift to someone who really valued it. I just don't. It's certainly not about money. It's just about comfort.

The Pro Max is still too heavy.

"Plus" there are many things about the Plus that are just nice. It's nice, too, and the speakers are great. I actually prefer the notch over the dynamic island, which I consider distracting most of the time.

The bigger question then becomes "which Plus"? There's a strong argument to be made for getting the 14 Plus if you don't want the hassle of switching all your stuff to USB-C rather than sticking with Lightning for a while longer. Plus the colors of the 14 Plus line are just nicer. The rounded edges feature of the 15 Plus is no big deal. The 14 Plus feels fine, especially with a nice case, and the ones of the leather variety are still available. Last of a breed, sadly.

The 15 Plus without a case is also slippery. I think it's more slippery than the 14 Plus.

It sounds that you have decided to get the 15 plus. Enjoy your choice and be happy
Personally, I am very satisfied with the lighter weight of 15 pro max as it does not cause any light material short issue when it is on the pocket😁

 

[Lobwedgephil]

USB C much needed, now very few things have lightning connector. Been waiting for years for it.

 

[Act3]

I currently have the 15 PM, considering returning it and getting just the 15 plus just for the lower weight. I came from a 12.

 

[Surfsalot]

op never heard of magsafe lol

 

[janeauburn]

I currently have the 15 PM, considering returning it and getting just the 15 plus just for the lower weight. I came from a 12.

The 15 PM is just too heavy. I keep wanting to like it, but no, I am not going to walk around with that brick in my pocket.

Yeah, it's lighter than the 14 PM. But that's like saying a brick is lighter than a cinderblock. I still don't want to carry either one of them around with me.

 

[Davidnguyen_89]

15pm is light as heck compared to the 14pm. feels nice in the hands. texting with one hand would need a bit of adjusting to do. the longer battery life, is needed for me. on my current ip 11 pro, i can barely get through the day without it draining to at least 30 percent.

 

[Carlsberg69]

Great write up and sharing!! Like your personal angles on the two devices and your arguments for the 14+.
Yes the 15max is lighter then the 14max, obviously, and many have been over the moon about it in combination with the rounded edges,but it’s not THAT big of a difference really imho… Was just in the Apple Store today and had a good testing and feeling of the new phones. Weirdly enough I thought the pros didn’t feel so premium… the 15/15plus felt more premium, but that’s just me. And the colours, well, you’re absolutely right there I think. I’ll hold on to my 14max for now.
Hey, maybe you should just return both and get the 14+!!?

 

[bigjnyc]

The 15 PM is just too heavy. I keep wanting to like it, but no, I am not going to walk around with that brick in my pocket.

Yeah, it's lighter than the 14 PM. But that's like saying a brick is lighter than a cinderblock. I still don't want to carry either one of them around with me.

Really? Damn I feel the total opposite.. I feel like the 15PM is sooo light. I barely know its there when in my pocket. It was shockingly light compared to my 14PM when I first held it... I know its only like 8-10% difference but it feels like so much more. Maybe its a psychological thing.

 

[MrMister111]

Be interested what you think of camera quality between both.

The 15 Plus has 2x now but think that it’s just digital cropped from the 48MP?

I’m going from a 14 Pro to a 15 Plus as want to try the bigger screen. The 15 Plus is virtually a 14 Pro/PM, just missing a few things.

Agree on the 15/+ colours though, has to be black for me, I do like some of the Pro colours though.

Regarding USB-C, it has to be done, but yes is a pain as having older Lightning. But if it’s not a pain this year, will be next until catch up. I’ve bought Native Union dual cable, as have USB-C iPad so isn’t too bad. Also have the MagSafe duo, which I find great, so will hopefully have lightning for a while anyway.