iPhone 13 Pro vs Pro Max: The Ultimate Video Production Powerhouse?

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The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max: Still the Best, But for Whom?

Apple has finally decided to give iPhone users a high-refresh-rate screen and the ability to take macro photos, but it’s only available on the new iPhone 13 Pro models, and even then, it’s not a groundbreaking advancement. These features, while enticing, have been common on sub-Rs. 20,000 Android phones for years now. So, what justifies the hefty price tag well over Rs. 1,00,000 for these iPhones? The answer lies in the overall experience Apple delivers, an experience that extends beyond spec sheets and is built on the seamless integration of hardware, software, services, design, and manufacturing. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max boast the best cameras of their generation and offer unique capabilities that will attract amateur and professional filmmakers and photographers alike. Apple is positioning these Pro iPhones as all-in-one moviemaking tools, targeting a new market segment while highlighting the subtle yet significant improvements in the world of top-tier smartphone features and performance. If you’re an iPhone user with no budget constraints and desire the pinnacle of technology, the iPhone 13 Pro models are undoubtedly the choice. However, if you’re on the fence about upgrading or wondering if the iPhone 13 Pro is worth the premium over the standard iPhone 13, read on.

The Price Point: A Premium Experience at a Premium Cost

With the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, compared to the more affordable iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, you’re paying for a luxurious stainless steel frame, more potent graphics, enhanced rear cameras with an added telephoto lens and LiDAR scanner, and a superior screen.
Only the Pro models can record ProRes video, capture ProRAW stills, and take portrait stills in Night mode. All models share similar core specifications, IP68 ratings, Ceramic Shield for display protection, and MagSafe wireless charging support. Interestingly, the headline features of this year – Cinematic Mode for video recording and Photographic Styles for stills – are accessible across all four Pro and non-Pro iPhone 13 models.

The 128GB iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini start at Rs. 79,900 and Rs. 69,900 respectively, while the iPhone 13 Pro starts at Rs. 1,19,900 with the same storage. For greater storage, you’ll pay Rs. 1,29,900 for 256GB, Rs. 1,49,900 for 512GB, or Rs. 1,69,900 for the new 1TB option for the smaller iPhone 13 Pro. The iPhone 13 Pro Max costs Rs. 10,000 more for each storage tier, starting at Rs. 1,29,900 for 128GB and going up to Rs. 1,39,900 for 256GB, Rs. 1,59,900 for 512GB, and Rs. 1,79,900 for 1TB.

It’s crucial to note that Apple’s pricing doesn’t scale evenly across the Pro and non-Pro lineups in India. For instance, the 512GB iPhone 13 and 256GB iPhone Pro (or 128GB iPhone 13 Pro Max) are priced at $1,099 in the US but cost Rs. 1,09,900 and Rs. 1,29,900 in India, respectively. This pricing discrepancy makes it less tempting to consider the Pro models in India, as the price difference doesn’t reflect a proportional increase in features.

Furthermore, you don’t get anything in the box apart from the phone itself, a Lightning to Type-C cable, a SIM eject pin, and some paperwork. You’ll need to purchase an Apple official charger and headset separately, or, as Apple would prefer, spend even more on a pair of AirPods and some MagSafe accessories.

Design: The Familiar Yet Refined Aesthetic

If you’ve seen the iPhone 12 Pro series, the iPhone 13 Pro siblings will feel familiar. It’s challenging to distinguish them visually, with only subtle changes like larger camera modules on the rear (requiring new cases and incompatible accessories) and a new signature color for each generation. The Sierra Blue finish appears light and bright in Apple’s promotional images, but in real life, it’s a muted blue-grey, projecting a sophisticated and fresh look. Silver, Gold, and Graphite remain as color choices.

The next year’s iPhones are expected to have a significant design overhaul, perhaps adopting an in-display fingerprint sensor. For now, though, the iPhone 13 Pro maintains the same familiar body shape. These new Pro iPhones are 0.15mm thicker and up to 16g heavier than their predecessors. While the thickness difference is negligible, the weight is noticeable.

The front and rear are completely flat, echoing the stainless steel frame surrounding the sides. This design, while aesthetically pleasing, makes it slightly difficult to grip comfortably, especially the larger iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple’s official leather and silicone cases are helpful in this regard, providing better grip and protecting the frame from fingerprints.

The power and volume buttons are conveniently placed on the right and left sides respectively, while the mute switch above the volume buttons is easily accessible. Sadly, there’s no fingerprint sensor, only Apple’s unique 3D Face ID for biometric security. Unfortunately, Face ID doesn’t function when wearing a mask, leaving users with less convenient security options.

The Notch: Still Dominant but Slightly Refined

Speaking of Face ID, Apple has attempted to refine the notch on all iPhone 13 models, making it less wide but taller. While many Android manufacturers embraced the notch early on, they quickly realized its design shortcomings and moved on to narrow notches, waterdrop-style indentations, and even embedded camera holes. Apple remains tied to its large Face ID sensor assembly, and the new notch shape doesn’t offer a noticeable improvement, feeling even more intrusive during full-screen video playback.

The lack of iOS 15 utilization of the new lateral space, which could have brought back the battery percentage display, is another missed opportunity.

Performance: A Powerful Engine and a Fluid, Responsive Experience

The iPhone 13 Pro models are powered by the A15 Bionic SoC, Apple’s latest and greatest processor. While there isn’t a huge leap in performance compared to last year’s A14 Bionic, Apple claims its A14 Bionic is still superior to competing processors such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Snapdragon 888+.

The Neural Engine for on-device machine learning has been significantly upgraded, from 11 trillion operations per second to 15.8 trillion. The new image signal processor enables camera features like Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles, features that won’t be available for older iPhones through software updates.

Apple’s A15 Bionic features two high-performance CPU cores running at up to 3.23GHz and four efficiency cores for less demanding tasks. The integrated GPU is a notable change as Apple, for the first time, has given its Pro iPhones more power than the non-Pro models. The Pro models boast five GPU cores compared to the four in the non-Pro iPhones. Apple claims this is the best graphics performance of any smartphone ever. This approach mirrors the strategy with the M1 SoC in the entry-level and high-end versions of the 2021 iMac and 2020 MacBook Air. This approach allows Apple to utilize chips with minor defects, increasing manufacturing efficiency while maintaining high performance standards.

The ProMotion Display: Smooth, Responsive, and a Game Changer

Let’s talk about the lauded 120Hz ‘ProMotion’ displays finally implemented in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. This feature is constantly active, providing a smooth and responsive experience. Users can’t disable it unless they delve into the Accessibility settings, a typical Apple approach, but honestly, you wouldn’t want to turn it off even if possible. Placed side-by-side, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 (with the same screen size) demonstrate the clear advantage of the Pro model’s smoother and more responsive motion. Apple’s optimization efforts are evident as the refresh rate dynamically adjusts based on both the active app and the user’s actions, ensuring fluidity while conserving battery. While scrolling through lists, the refresh rate increases, whereas an idle home screen can refresh at significantly lower rates to save power.

Beyond the refresh rate, these iPhones have crisp, bright displays. HDR videos in compatible apps are exceptionally vivid, showcasing the quality of the panel. The lack of an ambient always-on display feature is a missed opportunity, given the advantages of the OLED panel. Although the notch intrudes on the screen space, it doesn’t hinder gameplay significantly, as games are designed to avoid placing controls in that area. However, it remains distracting during video playback. The stereo speakers produce loud, spacious sound, delivering impressive audio for movie dialogues and game sound effects.

Camera: Apple’s Continued Dominance with Tweaks and New Features

Unlike their predecessors, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max share the same camera setup. All three rear cameras and the front camera have 12-megapixel resolutions. The primary wide-angle camera features an f/1.5 aperture, sensor-shift stabilization, and a 7-element lens. A new ultra-wide camera with an f/1.8 aperture joins the lineup and now offers autofocus capabilities, enabling macro shots. The telephoto camera has been upgraded to 3X optical zoom with OIS, but its aperture has been reduced to f/2.8. Apple continues to include a LiDAR sensor on the Pro models, aiding augmented reality apps and enabling portrait shots in Night mode.

Many of Apple’s previous camera innovations persist – Portrait mode lighting (utilizing the TrueDepth 3D sensor on the front for selfies), Deep Fusion computational enhancement, and the ProRAW format for professional-level photo editing. The iPhone 13 Pro siblings will also be able to shoot ProRes video, a feature that will be added through a future iOS update. ProRes promises enhanced quality and a professional workflow for video production (but remember the 1080p limitation on iPhones with only 128GB of storage). Smart HDR 4 can now independently adjust the color and exposure of multiple faces with diverse complexions in group shots.

New Features: Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles

There are two newcomers to the iPhone 13 camera suite, shared across all models: Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles. Cinematic Mode applies a Portrait-like depth effect to video backgrounds and automatically switches focus between subjects based on who is looking at the camera and who is speaking. It also reacts to subjects entering or leaving the frame or simply turning their heads. While this feature works well on non-human subjects, it requires good lighting and struggles after dark. It’s compatible with the wide, telephoto, and front cameras but not the ultra-wide camera.

Cinematic Mode is a potential boon for scripted videos, vloggers, and content creators looking to reduce manual focus shifting. Users can also adjust focus points or entirely disable the effect post-recording using the iOS Photos app editor. This feature is fun to experiment with for dramatic effects but might not be ideal for ordinary memories. Sometimes it can appear overbearing, as not every scene or subject demands depth of field or dramatic focus shifts.

Photographic Styles empower users to express their preferences by customizing metering and color tones, going beyond the iPhone’s automatic settings. While technology has democratized professional-quality photos and videos for amateurs, it inevitably results in a certain homogeneity, often favoring the tools over the photographer. Photographic Styles allow users to set default levels for Tone and Warmth, influencing all subsequent photos. Four preset combinations are available: Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm, and Cool, but users can also fine-tune these settings individually. The differences are subtle but noticeable.

Macro Mode: A Mixed Bag of Potential and Frustration

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max introduce macro photography capabilities. However, the implementation is less than ideal. First, there’s no dedicated macro mode or toggle. As soon as the phone gets close to a subject, the app automatically switches to the ultra-wide camera, a behavior extending to video mode. While this usually appears in the viewfinder, the lack of an on-screen icon can cause confusion, particularly after taking multiple shots and moving back and forth to adjust the composition. Additionally, there isn’t an indicator for the optimal distance from the subject. Apple’s tendency towards oversimplification hasn’t worked effectively, and a future iOS update might address these issues. Despite these drawbacks, macro quality fluctuates. It’s often necessary to take several shots from varying positions, hoping for a sharp result upon review.

The telephoto camera now supports 3X optical zoom, but its aperture has been reduced to f/2.8 from f/2.2. This is a surprising change, but Night mode is now compatible with this camera, offering some compensation. Digital zoom can reach 15X. Daytime shots at 3X are crisp and useful. Interestingly, Portrait mode automatically activates the telephoto camera. While you can switch back to the primary wide-angle camera, this default setting enables sharp framing and natural background depth.

Low-Light Performance: A Major Improvement

The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max demonstrate exceptional low-light performance. The larger primary camera sensor, enhanced A15 Bionic SoC, and Night mode combine to deliver sharp, vibrant images even in dim lighting conditions. While the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras aren’t quite as impressive, they still perform exceptionally well.
Video footage captured with all three cameras, both in daylight and at night, is vibrant. HDR is a must-have, enhancing detail and quality. Moving objects appear smooth, minimizing jitter and shimmer when recording with the main camera while walking. While the ultra-wide camera lacks definition in low light, video brightness remains impressive. However, some light flaring was observed when shooting with the telephoto camera at night.

Front Camera: Serviceable but Not Exceptional

The front cameras on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are functional but don’t offer anything extraordinary. They deliver sharp daytime shots and acceptable detail at night, at least for phones at this price point.

The Verdict: Superior but Not a Must-Upgrade for Everyone

Apple has clearly made significant improvements upon the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The cameras are better, battery life has been boosted, and the 120Hz displays are a welcomed addition. But, these phones won’t necessarily wow users. Those with an iPhone 12 Pro or even an iPhone 11 Pro might not feel compelled to upgrade. If you can find last year’s models at discounted prices, they might suffice for you. However, if budget isn’t a concern and you crave the latest and greatest from Apple, these iPhone 13 Pro models won’t disappoint. But, for those with a more modest budget and a Rs. 1,20,000 or more price tag, there’s a lot to consider.

Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles are available on the non-pro iPhone 13 models, and they aren’t features that would necessitate a Pro upgrade. However, Apple has shifted the Pro iPhones’ focus from being solely super-premium smartphones to becoming video production tools. From that perspective, these phones offer a compelling investment for content creators. For those not needing these powerful video-centric capabilities, the iPhone 13 might be a more suitable option.

Furthermore, you can access a high-refresh-rate display, IP rating, macro and telephoto cameras, and numerous other features on less expensive Android phones. Additionally, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Z Fold 3, while more fragile but offering a more futuristic experience, costs similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The choice ultimately boils down to personal preference and whether the premium Apple ecosystem justifies the high cost.

Article Reference

Brian Adams
Brian Adams
Brian Adams is a technology writer with a passion for exploring new innovations and trends. His articles cover a wide range of tech topics, making complex concepts accessible to a broad audience. Brian's engaging writing style and thorough research make his pieces a must-read for tech enthusiasts.