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iPhone 17 Pro Max GSMArena review is out
- Thread starter nickelro
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Rumors about iPhone Air appeared much earlier than rumors about Samsung’s thin phone.
Looks like Apple has changed the way auto-brightness works in software which makes method of measurement used by GSMArena useless.
I was referencing my disappointment with the Air. As I mentioned in a prior thread, I have been using my Galaxy S25 Edge since launch day and went into my local Apple Store to purchase an Air for my other line.I don't think the Air is disappointing at all. If you have a PM then you might not be interested but it's surely a great engineering product to have that level of durability in something that thin which I assume you haven't used. If you can't respect that or it doesn't at least get you interested in the future then you're bound to be locked into the same old boring chunky Pro line but hey, that's the pro life for a pro user like you that takes full advantage of everything it has to offer...right
But despite knowing the specs beforehand it wasn’t until I was holding it and trying the features did it become apparent how awful the single monotone speaker sounded. Then there’s the matter of the way the plateau affects the in-hand experience.
While my work phone over the last several years has been a current Pro Max, I also enjoy other iPhones and Androids on my other lines. Deeply immersed in the ecosystem and satisfied overall with Apples offerings I will simply take a wait and see approach, perhaps the next version of the Air will showcase what Apple is capable of compared to their initial attempt.
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I love it.
But not because of how "ugly" it is, but because it's functional. Very functional (supposedly). I care about how my phone works. I think pretty much every smart phone ever made has had a very similar look. I truly can't imagine ever caring more than a tiny bit about how one of these things looks.
Kudos for a very well written post. I enjoyed and concur with your take on the state of iPhones circa 2025 😉
I like specs and data as much as the next nerd. I also see where some can place so much emphasis on the numbers that they may be missing the point of all of this math: how does it feel to use the device?
[While certainly subjective] Feel is the sum of all of those specs and data and the effect they have on you - even on subconscious levels. I’ve owned every iteration of iPhone, save the 5 & 8. That’s 18 years of “research.” And while each iteration has offered both pros/cons, the arch of the platform has been one of evolution. I’ve enjoyed each subsequent release more than the last (the least difference being the move from 15 Pro to 16 Pro - and even then…). The 17 Pro Max is no exception. Maybe it’s because this is my first PM. Maybe because I’m only days into using it. Maybe it’s the lager foot print that makes it feel thinner than the 16 Pro. Maybe it’s the more hallowed timber of skin-on-aluminum that makes it feel lighter than a 16 Pro. Maybe the brighter silver finish makes me, even on subconscious levels, feel good. Maybe it’s the sum of all the specs that makes this the most enjoyable iteration I’ve used to date. Is it perfect? Nope. But perfection is a destination that never arrives. Don’t let’s it’s pursuit rob you of enjoying the journey. Get those big brains out if the way. Think less, feel more. Lean into the moment. You might find joy awaits.
[While certainly subjective] Feel is the sum of all of those specs and data and the effect they have on you - even on subconscious levels. I’ve owned every iteration of iPhone, save the 5 & 8. That’s 18 years of “research.” And while each iteration has offered both pros/cons, the arch of the platform has been one of evolution. I’ve enjoyed each subsequent release more than the last (the least difference being the move from 15 Pro to 16 Pro - and even then…). The 17 Pro Max is no exception. Maybe it’s because this is my first PM. Maybe because I’m only days into using it. Maybe it’s the lager foot print that makes it feel thinner than the 16 Pro. Maybe it’s the more hallowed timber of skin-on-aluminum that makes it feel lighter than a 16 Pro. Maybe the brighter silver finish makes me, even on subconscious levels, feel good. Maybe it’s the sum of all the specs that makes this the most enjoyable iteration I’ve used to date. Is it perfect? Nope. But perfection is a destination that never arrives. Don’t let’s it’s pursuit rob you of enjoying the journey. Get those big brains out if the way. Think less, feel more. Lean into the moment. You might find joy awaits.
Comparing the phone to another is exactly what a reviewer should do! It helps to understand it's strengths and weaknesses giving buyers the info they need to make an informed purchase.
Tell me you got the 17 Pro Max without telling me you got it…. sorry for you.
Tell me you don't have it, without telling me you don't have it.
Yup. Phone Arena has done a wonderful job of playing both sides and getting everyone riled up at every turn. Typically any negative article is just what you said.
I'm very OCD to the point that I can distinguish between shades of white/dark gray, I've returned countless MacBooks simply due to them having poor screens. Never once have I come across pre-scratched or dented screens out of the box.
Do you happen to have a picture to illustrate your point?
Lots of drama around this time of year - as every year. I upgrade every 2-3 years for the last decade. This time from 15PM to 17PM. Aesthetically, the 17PM is not as pleasing to my eye from the back. The front is the same and I got a flawless display. It’s snappier, has a larger battery and better camera. Sold!
As for the thermals, Geekerwan did a deep dive into the thermal capacity of the new Pros and contrary to GSMArena found that it has improved dramatically. However, GW felt that Apple was being too conservative with their thermal profile for certain applications, prioritizing coolness vs performance and that, based on application performance where Apple did allow for greater thermal headroom, Apple was almost certainly leaving performance on the table for the Pro line of phones. This can be probably be improved with firmware updates in the future - not uncommon for the thermal curves of a new phone to require tweaking.
As a creative professional, I can attest that the motivation for making consumer products and experiences is not so that same audience can sit around and debate specs. I mean, if you're doing it right, no one would. Or, said another way, if done too well, maybe that's all peeps will have to discuss.Jony Ive would love you.
Definitely check my post history. I have a forum post. I have ordered more than 50 brand new customised units straight from Apple Online Store.
The only unit that was perfect took 4 months and that was during covid.
All others have scratches and dents, they look like dust, but if you try to clean them its obvious.
Use a flashlight shine on it and look at it at an angle or daylight reflection.
Lots of people notice afterwards and they think they did it themselves during cleaning. All I can say is I have ordered more than 50 units since M1 , M3 and M4. Never fixed.
Yes, and as we know the entire R&D process and all business decisions can be finalised within a week so that Samsung could beat Apple to the market lol 🤣 that's hardcore fanboy approach to believe it, sorry
If Apple came out with it first, then Apple is the first.
If someone else came out with it first, Apple is still first.
Got it.
Realize that rumors are based on money. The guy in the supply chain doesn’t just report info to Kuo or Gurman for free. He is paid. There is more money to be made from Apple rumors so you read about them first.
I don't seem to have that kind of access since after clicking your name I am getting:
"This member limits who may view their full profile."
So I'll have just to take your words for it.
That being said I have 3 MacBook Pros from the optical, to the first RMBP in 2012 to the M1. Prior to that I have the original Intel Core MacBook 13. My last laptop is a MBA M2. I've returned these machines countless times in order to 'win' the screen lottery. None of these devices, even the ones I returned came pre scratched or with dents. Do they have screen issues? Yes, from horrible light bleed, to image retention to uneven colors and yellow spots and worst of all stuck/deadpixels. But scratches no, those weird stains that don't go away? No as well, externally they've been acceptable to my OCD level inspections. I even have a jewelry loop to inspect every inch of the screen because that is by far the most important part to me.
Fully agree, for me it’s also the