Not to get too depressing, reader, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max was just a tease of what life could’ve been: evenings with drinks and friends downtown, where I’d flash my giant, stunning phone and pretend like it wasn’t just a loaner from Apple.
Instead, I’m inside doomscrolling.
At 6.7 inches, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s largest iPhone yet. It’s also super expensive with a starting price of $1,099. I’ve only been using it for a few days, so you’ll have to wait for my final verdict on the device. But you can read my review of the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 mini right now.
I don’t care how ridiculous the 12 Pro Max looks in my tiny hands.
Image: zlata ivleva / mashable
That price is only for the 128GB model. If you decide to go all in, as in opt for the maximum 512GB of storage, and throw in the new MagSafe charger, along with a MagSafe leather case, you’re looking at a grand total of almost $1,500.
It’s an absolutely ridiculous phone that makes me feel like a celebrity — specifically the one and only Kim Kardashian. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve watched Keeping Up With the Kardashians since it first aired. And I always loved how Kim made large phones look so glamorous in her small hands (especially with one of those chunky LuMee cases).
When I found out Apple was sending me the gold version of the Pro Max, I couldn’t help but think of two things: the gold iPhone 5 Kim received back in 2012, and that time CNET reported the iPhone 5S was internally nicknamed “The Kardashian” phone. I was about to feel real fancy.
I’ve always been a fan of the Max versions of the iPhone. After swapping my 4.7-inch iPhone 6S for the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus back in 2017, I never looked back. That is, until I recently swapped my 6.1-inch iPhone XR for the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro and realized just how much I missed having a larger phone.
When I received both the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, I was more excited for the latter. When I unboxed it, with its glistening gold stainless steel edges and soft matte back, I suddenly forgot I only had $52 in my bank account. I proudly paraded that thing around my apartment as if I bought it myself.
I did have a few problems with it. At 6.7 inches, the Pro Max feels like a mini version of the iPad Pro. I couldn’t hold it comfortably with one hand because I was worried I was going to drop it. And my fingers couldn’t stretch far enough to tap every letter and icon.
In a non-pandemic world, I might’ve been able to justify dropping that kind of cash. While quarantine hasn’t changed my awful smartphone addiction, it was even worse before coronavirus hit.
Look at this thing, it’s stunning.
Image: zlata ivleva / mashable
I relied on my phone for everything: watching Netflix during my commutes to and from the office, reading books on my Kindle app, answering emails and Slack messages while heading to briefings, taking product photos at said briefings, FaceTiming family, texting friends, writing random notes for future stories — the list goes on.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s large display would have been perfect for all of those things. And the big battery would have freed me from constantly worrying about being near a charger. With the triple camera system on the back, I would have felt comfortable leaving my DSLR at home.
Now, considering I barely leave my apartment, I just use my laptop for most of those tasks.
See? She makes big, chunky phones look fancy.
Image: Matt Baron/Shutterstock
I would’ve been so excited to live out my Kardashian fantasies by showing off my large, shiny gold iPhone to friends and strangers on the subway and at NYC bars. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to do that anytime soon.
(No word, by the way, if Kim plans on upgrading to the Pro or the Pro Max.)
hi @KimKardashian, out of curiosity: are you planning on upgrading to the iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max
— Brenda Stolyar (@BStoly) November 5, 2020
Of course, my thoughts on the iPhone 12 Pro Max could change as I spend more time with it. There are few differences between it and a phone I have fully reviewed, the iPhone 12 Pro. Both have similar camera set-ups — the main difference being that the telephoto lens on the 12 Pro is 52mm while the Pro Max is 65mm. That lets you get a 2.5x zoom versus a 2x zoom. And the battery is bigger in the 12 Pro Max. In fact, as iFixit confirmed, the battery in the 12 Pro is smaller than the one in the 11 Pro. Be sure to check back for my full review soon.
Also, Kim, if you’re reading this, please answer my tweet.