Comparing Apple Giants: iPhone 14 Plus vs Pro Max

Let's compare two large smartphones from the 14th iPhone line to understand what's the difference between iPhone 14 Plus and Pro Max.

Key differences

The main distinctions between these smartphones lie in performance, new display features, storage capacity, and cameras. In all these aspects, the Pro Max outperforms its counterpart. However, the iPhone 14 Plus remains a great workhorse, and it comes with a more affordable price tag. Read the review to find out more details.

Table of content:

Specs Comparison

Design and Size comparison

Despite almost identical sizes, the smartphones have some design differences. When looking at the front of the devices, you will immediately notice the more refined Dynamic Island Feature, which replaced the standard black notch on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Now, the top area of the screen has become not only more attractive but also more functional.

There are also differences in the materials used for the body. For instance, the aluminum chassis in the base model has been replaced with stainless steel, and the glass on the back panel has been changed—on the 14 Pro Max, it is matte and textured.

In the iPhone 14 Plus vs Pro Max size battle, there is no clear winner. In terms of dimensions, the smartphones are practically identical, but the Plus model takes the lead in weight. It is 37 grams lighter than the Pro Max. If you hold both smartphones in your hands, the difference is quite noticeable.

Regarding color variants, the 14 Plus offers 6 color variations, including a red smartphone for those who appreciate vibrant colors. The 14 Pro Max is available in only four colors, all of which are warm and muted tones.

Display comparison

The smartphones have the same screen diagonal—a massive 6.7-inch OLED display, which slightly differs in resolution and pixel density. However, when it comes to technologies, in the iPhone 14 Plus vs Max battle, the victory undoubtedly goes to the top-tier Pro Max.

Firstly, it features ProMotion Technology. This is an automatic screen refresh rate that adjusts to the displayed content, allowing for efficient energy consumption while delivering an exceptionally smooth user experience.

Secondly, the Pro Max has a higher Max Brightness Level — in peak mode, the screen brightness reaches an impressive 2000 nits, making it more suitable for outdoor use on a sunny day. In the younger Plus model, the maximum brightness level is only 1200 nits.

Battery life

The giant screen and high power demand robust batteries. On the other hand, a larger chassis allows fitting a bigger battery inside the smartphone. Indeed, compared to the "smaller" models in the series, the 14 and 14 Pro, the Plus and Max smartphones feature substantial batteries with capacities of 4325 mAh and 4323 mAh, respectively.

Overall, the gadgets have comparable battery life, and you'll likely need to charge the smartphone once a day in any case. However, the Max offers more continuous web surfing, video playback time, and gaming.

Conclusion: in the battery comparison between the Apple iPhone 14 Plus vs Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, the advantage lies with the Max model.

Charging speed

In terms of charging, the Pro also holds an advantage. The flagship model supports fast charging at 27W, while the Plus model supports only 20W. Using a power brick of 20W or higher, you can charge the battery to almost half in just half an hour.

The power for wireless charging is the same—standard 7.5W for both models.

Speaker test

The larger chassis allows for better speakers to be installed inside the device, so larger Apple smartphones typically sound a bit better than smaller ones. In general, an average user might not notice a significant difference in sound quality between the iPhone 14 Plus versus iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, in tests for maximum volume, the premium model came out ahead—89 dB compared to 79.8 dB.

Performance

Firstly, let's note that the gadgets are equipped with different chips. The base model uses the A15 Bionic Chip, while the top-tier one uses the newer A16. The models also have the same RAM capacity, but they use different types of memory. The storage capacity is also larger in the premium Max—besides the options of 128/256/512 GB, it also comes in a 1 TB version.

Certainly, in everyday use and gaming, the Processor Performance in the Pro Max will be higher, but the Plus is also a very powerful device with performance that will certainly last for several more years.

Camera comparison

In the iPhone 14 Plus vs Pro Max camera comparison, the Pro Max comes out on top:

• It is equipped with a triple camera setup instead of the dual setup on the Plus.
• It has a main sensor with a higher resolution of 48 MP, a telephoto lens, and 3x optical zoom for Macro Photography. 
• It supports the latest ProRAW and ProRes Video technologies. 

Among the general improvements are the Photonic Engine for capturing better images in low-light conditions and autofocus for the front camera, a feature absent in the 13 series.

The front camera of both smartphones supports the Face ID biometric security feature.

Price Comparison & availability

The price is a significant difference between iPhone 14 Plus and 14 Pro Max. For instance, the sale of the 14 Plus with maximum storage at release was priced at $1099, while configurations with lower storage were sold for $799 and $899.

In contrast, the Pro Max started at $1099 for the minimum 128 GB storage. Other options were priced as follows:

• $1199 for 256 GB,
• $1399 for 512 GB,
• $1599 for 1 TB.

With the release of the iPhone 15, the Pro and Pro Max were discontinued, and now they can only be found on marketplaces or by waiting for refurbished units. As for the 14 Plus, users can expect price reductions.

Conclusions

In the battle of the giant flagships, iPhone 14 Plus vs Pro Max, the more premium model offers better performance, cameras, and battery life, as well as more storage. On the other hand, the 14 Plus is lighter, comes in more vibrant colors, and, most importantly, is more accessible. Despite this, the smartphone still packs enough power for the long haul.