iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Which is Best for You in 2024?

Now that the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been out in the hands of Apple users, many are still unsure how the phone weighs against the previous model – the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

You might be wondering about the price, the camera, the performance, charging, and everything in between.

While both phones enjoy a high stature in the flagship league, there are some key features that make the key difference.

This blog will delve into the things that might be most relevant and vital in determining your purchase.

Let’s get right into it.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Summary

Here is the summary of the differences between the two flagship devices;

• Slight frame redesign
• Titanium replacing the Stainless Steel frame
• Mute switch is upgraded to Action Switch
• New A17 Pro processor with ray tracing, USB 3 data speeds
• No more 128 GB entry option
• New camera algorithms to improve image quality
• New 5x zoom lens
• USB Type C instead of Lightning

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Specs

Here is the comparison table for the specs of the two phones;

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Price

The 15 Pro Max with the 256GB space starts at AU$ 2015 while the 14 Pro Max with the 128GB variant starts at AU$ 1909. Other variants with more storage cost more than these. Also, since the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a year older, you can find various cheaper refurbished iPhone 14 Pro Max phones online.

If you’re having a budget issue, however, and want to save money on flagship iPhone features, have a look at our iPhone 14 review. It might help you make a more budget-friendly switch from your current smartphone.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Design and Display

Looking from the outside, both phones tell the same tale – a durable design built of premium materials. While it might not be visible right away, the 15 Pro Max offers a more refined device build.

The 15 Pro Max embraces a new titanium frame; which offers the same durability as the stainless steel frame of the 14 Pro Max, but weighs half the weight. You will clearly feel the difference as you grab the devices in your hands. There is a noticeable 0.7 ounces difference between the two.

Apple made the design in the 15 Pro Max more hand-friendly with contoured edges that make the device comfortable to hold. The stainless steel edges in the iPhone 14 Pro Max are annoying for many users.

The mute switch, which has been here for a long time now, is now replaced with the Action button. While the default function remains the same, that is to silence the incoming calls, you can now customize the button to do other functions.

The displays of the two iPhones are almost identical to such an extent that you’ll scratch your head trying to spot the difference. Both OLED panels are 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR displays with 120 Hz refresh rates. Everything looks stunning with immersive colour reproduction, brilliant blacks, and excellent viewing angles. 

The 14 Pro Max is a little brighter with a 1565 nits peak compared to the 1550 nits of the 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Camera

The camera is unquestionably the key upgrade you’ll get in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The telephoto lens now has a 5x optical zoom compared to the 3x optical zoom in the 14 Pro Max. This means you can capture zoomed photos from longer distances without blurring out the pixels.

The 15 Pro Max has a tetraprism design that models the professional-level 120, focal length to capture long-range objects. Also, the optical image stabilisation and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module bring more brilliance to the captured shots. 

You will enjoy a 25x digital zoom while there is a 15 digital zoom available in the 14 Pro Max.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Video

There are a couple of handy upgrades in the videography section. The iPhone 15 Pro Max now has a Cinematic mode that supports up to 3x digital zoom. Professional videographers can now shoot and export ProRes videos via USB-C at up to 4K and 60 frames per second. This translates into faster video file transfer.

Traditionally, video professionals had very little control over how they could shoot. But now, with Log encoding the 15 Pro Max gives pros more control with colour grading in post. This gives them freedom to tune the settings and get the best results for their videography work.

iPhone 14 Pro Max Vs 15 Pro Max: Performance

In terms of performance, the 15 Pro Max has a new A17 Pro chipset that boosts the results compared to the A16 Bionic chip of the 14 Pro Max.

The A17 Pro is built on a 3nm process that helps boost the processing speeds with greater efficiency. The benchmarks validate the better results delivered by this chipset – achieving the single-core and multi-core scores of 1783 and 6945 respectively, beating the 1,882 and 5,333 scores of the A16 Bionic processor. 

Common Issues

What is the Burn-in issue with the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

Burn-in refers to the screen retaining portions of graphics after you have switched to another application or background. This is a common concern for iPhone 15 Pro Max users. To avoid this, you should not leave an image on the screen for too long especially when you are out in the daylight. 

How to Improve the Battery Life of the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

Poor battery life is a lingering problem with the iPhones year over year. The 15 Pro Max inherits the issue from its predecessors. You can enhance the battery life by either enabling the auto-rightness feature or the dark mode. Disabling background app refresh, switching off GPS, and disabling notifications can also help minimize the battery drain.

How to get rid of the Black Screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max?

This happens with the Pro and Pro Max models as they have the Action button for silencing incoming calls or launching applications. When you launch the camera by pressing the button, you’ll see a black screen, sometimes. The only solution to this is to quit the camera app or lock the device and try again. 

Conclusion

While the iPhone 15 Pro Max costs more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, this price jump is worth the upgrades. The starting storage capacity is now 256GB which means you’ll not have to worry about running low on the storage space.

Also, the USB-C, Action button, and a durable yet lighter titanium design are some of the attractive perks you’ll be grabbing.

Along with that, the better 5x zoom of the telephoto lens is a great improvement from the 3x optical zoom of the 14 Pro Max.

So, if you can bear the price gap, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is clearly a better option with many enhancements and promises a better user experience.