The iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are two Apple flagship phones that stand as a top tier in their respective series. These models are 2 generations removed, with the 11 Pro Max having been released in 2019 and the 13 Pro Max released in 2021. Check out how two generations of technology have impacted these two iPhone models.

Camera

Both the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro Max feature a 12 MP rear main camera and 3 rear lenses (main, ultra-wide and telephoto for zoom). The telephoto lens is more advanced on the 13 Pro Max allowing for 3x zoom compared to 12 Max Pro’s 2x zoom. The main difference in terms of picture quality is that the 13 Pro Max captures more light and improves on the 11 Pro Max’s Night Mode feature.

Battery

The 13 Pro Max received one of the biggest boosts in battery capacity between consecutive iPhone series. The 13 Pro Max boasts an impressive, 4373 mAh battery compared to the 11 Pro Max’s 3959 mAh cell. The 11 Pro Max already had great battery life, but Apple took that a step further with the 13 Pro Max. In most usage cases, you’ll find the 13 Pro Max delivers 2-5 hours of additional battery life on a full charge than the 11 Pro Max.

Display

If you’re looking for the biggest and brightest display, you’ll prefer the 13 Pro Max, which has a larger display size and resolution at 6.7 inches and 1284 x 2778 px compared to 6.5 inches and 1242 x 2688 px for the 11 Pro Max. It is worth noting that even though the 13 Pro Max is only .2 inches bigger, it feels a good bit heavier at 240g than the 11 Pro Max at 228g. 

Storage Options

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the first iPhone model to offer up to 1TB of storage. That’s almost double the amount of storage on the previous maximum of 512 GB. The iPhone 11 Pro Max only offers up to 512 GB, but that’s usually more than enough for even the most prolific camera user. You’ll want to consider 1 TB of storage if you tend to download excessive movies or shows.

Processor

The chipset might be the main feature that sets the iPhone 13 Pro Max apart from the 11 Pro Max. Since it is two generations newer, you’ll get an upgraded A15 Bionic chip on the 13 Pro Max compared to the A13 Bionic chip on the 11 Pro Max. You’ll find that this leads to faster, smoother improvements while using the phone, but it might only be noticeable while gaming or switching the multiple, intensive apps.

Overall, the 13 Pro Max does offer an impressive upgrade 2 generations after the 11 Pro Max. Another consideration you may want to keep in mind is that the 13 Pro Max offers 5G capabilities, which doesn’t exist on the 11 Pro Max. 5G support seems to be the way of the future, so if you need it, the 13 Pro Max is the only answer. Otherwise, you’re going to get a great phone at a phenomenal value if you go with the 11 Pro Max.