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iPhone 12 Have reviews changed any minds?

Supermallet

Supermallet

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2014
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This year has been the most infuriating lineup of any year of iPhones for me. You could make an argument for or against any of the phones. I’d love the to use the Mini one handed but could I take the hit in battery life? I’d love the camera system and battery life of the Max but not the size. For every pro of the 12 pro there’s a con compared to the 12 and vice versa. I’ve convinced myself I’d love and hate each model at the same time. It just used to be what color did I want because I always knew the model I wanted.

I ended up ordering a 12 but after reading yesterday’s reviews, I’m convinced I need to get the Max despite its awful size so I can get the best camera. I use the camera on my iPhone a ton and hearing that the improvements on the 12/pro are solid but subtle, and specifically hearing about the photographic improvements LIDAR provides, I know I won’t be happy with less than the best camera, which means the Max. So I’ll be returning my 12 as soon as it arrives and will pre-order a max instead.

Have the reviews changed anyone else’s mind or opinion in any way? Convinced you to switch models or maybe skip this year altogether?
 
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I think you’re overthinking it. Any of the current new iPhones will be better overall than any previous gen. Now if you have a recent gen one, if you’re still on the fence, you probably don’t need to upgrade. The new design, much faster processor, ceramic glass, OLED screen, better cameras, MagSafe are way more than enough to push me over. I am coming from an X so YMMV.
 
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Supermallet said:
This year has been the most infuriating lineup of any year of iPhones for me. You could make an argument for or against any of the phones. I’d love the to use the Mini one handed but could I take the hit in battery life? I’d love the camera system and battery life of the Max but not the size. For every pro of the 12 pro there’s a con compared to the 12 and vice versa. I’ve convinced myself I’d love and hate each model at the same time. It just used to be what color did I want because I always knew the model I wanted.

I ended up ordering a 12 but after reading yesterday’s reviews, I’m convinced I need to get the Max despite its awful size so I can get the best camera. I use the camera on my iPhone a ton and hearing that the improvements on the 12/pro are solid but subtle, and specifically hearing about the photographic improvements LIDAR provides, I know I won’t be happy with less than the best camera, which means the Max. So I’ll be returning my 12 as soon as it arrives and will pre-order a max instead.

Have the reviews changed anyone else’s mind or opinion in any way? Convinced you to switch models or maybe skip this year altogether?
Click to expand...


So what do you use your camera for? Let me start with that.
 
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I have a XS Max and have small hands so I hate that it's so large and bulky.
I need to use 2 hands which defeats the purpose of a phone - I can use my iPad Pro for 2 handed work....

And I wear 2 iPhones on my belt 5 days a week so I do wish my XS Max was the size of the 12 instead.

After watching more detailed reviews that the Apple event did not disclose I am more in favor of keeping the 12.

The battery life on the new 12 should be as good if not better if you leave it in 4G/LTE mode since the upgraded A14 Bionic, more efficient modem will offset the "smaller battery"...
 
AbSoluTc said:
So what do you use your camera for? Let me start with that.
Click to expand...

A mix of indoor and outdoor family photos, as well as landscape and wildlife photography, in a variety of light situation. I do have a mirrorless camera but I also have a small child and the two do not always mix. I can always rely on the iPhone for a good shot even if my mirrorless isn’t at hand.
 
Supermallet said:
This year has been the most infuriating lineup of any year of iPhones for me. You could make an argument for or against any of the phones. I’d love the to use the Mini one handed but could I take the hit in battery life? I’d love the camera system and battery life of the Max but not the size. For every pro of the 12 pro there’s a con compared to the 12 and vice versa. I’ve convinced myself I’d love and hate each model at the same time. It just used to be what color did I want because I always knew the model I wanted.

I ended up ordering a 12 but after reading yesterday’s reviews, I’m convinced I need to get the Max despite its awful size so I can get the best camera. I use the camera on my iPhone a ton and hearing that the improvements on the 12/pro are solid but subtle, and specifically hearing about the photographic improvements LIDAR provides, I know I won’t be happy with less than the best camera, which means the Max. So I’ll be returning my 12 as soon as it arrives and will pre-order a max instead.

Have the reviews changed anyone else’s mind or opinion in any way? Convinced you to switch models or maybe skip this year altogether?
Click to expand...
I’m in exactly the same boat. What I WANT is a “Mini Pro Max” with that badass camera module in a compact shell. Unfortunately I suspect that’s not physically/technologically possible at the moment. So many reviews are saying the 12 Pro camera is “really good, but wait for the Max...”

Sucks having to decide between ergonomics/pocketability and camera tech as I value both equally. Definitely feeling nostalgic for simpler times when the choice was limited to colour and storage size (as much as I understand why that’s not the case anymore.)

But yeah, having made cardboard mockups of all three sizes, the Max is a SLAB and I refuse to be “that guy with a phone holster“ just for the sake of having the highest-spec’ed smartphone camera. If a phone is too big to pocket—as the Max will certainly be with a case on it—that pretty much kills the convenience factor for me.
 
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Do people really expect the Pro Max camera to perform that much different than the Pro? It has slightly better zoom and slightly better low light performance. Definitely not worth it if you don't want the size of the Max. Just get the 12 Pro.
 
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sort of in a similar boat. Turns out i'm happy with my 11 pro overall but feels strange to not upgrade every year as i have been.

I am most intrigued by the mini, but i use the telephoto enough to know i'll miss it. I preordered the 12 pro but the improvements seem particularly minimal this year. Looks like improvements are most noticeable in edge cases - night mode portraits, mild sharpness and distortion improvement in the wide angle lens etc. for day to day photos in normal conditions its very mild improvements

In my mind i want the best camera in the smallest body. last year that was the 11 pro. this year theres no clear answer. The regular 12 for me feels like its in no mans land. If i don't get the telephoto lens i would prefer to have the smallest size.

That being said i haven't cancelled my preorder of the 12 pro figuring maybe i'll change my mind on it once in hand. Sometimes the intangibles like the minor design changes could be the difference maker
 
Detonation said:
Do people really expect the Pro Max camera to perform that much different than the Pro? It has slightly better zoom and slightly better low light performance. Definitely not worth it if you don't want the size of the Max. Just get the 12 Pro.
Click to expand...
I dunno what your standards are, but an “87% improvement“ in low light performance certainly exceeds my definition of “slightly better”. That bigger sensor and image stabilization will be huge—commensurate with the size of that gigantic, barely portable slab of circuitry.
 
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Supermallet said:
Have the reviews changed anyone else’s mind or opinion in any way? Convinced you to switch models or maybe skip this year altogether?
Click to expand...


From which phone are you coming from?

While iPhone 12 pro max will have better main camera the problem is that the rest of the cameras are still pretty much the same. For standard pro I would not expect much improvement over iPhone Xs if you leave out nightmode and deepfusion.

I would skip this year unless you have some very old phone.
 
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eclipse01 said:
So Apple says.
Click to expand...
Yeah, hence the “quotes”. ;) But that estimate is in keeping with sensor tech. Generally, a bigger sensor and pixels means increased sensitivity and less noise, so I have no reason to doubt the marketing hype. Granted, all the computational stuff working in the background for all 12 models might make the differences appear less drastic than they would be from a purely mechanical standpoint...
 
I don’t get how the Pro Max doesn’t fit in so many guys pockets. I have the 11 Pro Max and I’ve never worn pants it doesn’t fit in and I wear slim jeans. Not skin tight but slimmer.
 
It made me less excited about the wallet which I was super excited about before seeing the reviews. I want to try it out myself though to see if Apple fixes the flaws or i'll return it if it doesn't work for me.
 
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I'm on the fence now. I've literally upgraded every year since iPhone 1 and I'm finding it really hard to move on from the 11 Pro Max.

I put a 12 Pro on reserve for Friday but will cancel. I was hoping the battery numbers would improve but that doesn't seem to be the case. If I'm upgrading it will be to the 12 Pro Max. But at this time I'm not really seeing a good reason to do it other than I do it every year.

Also it's only going to be a 10 month cycle since the 13 should be out in September 2021.
 
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There's seven different models to choose from (old and new). If a person can't make a choice from all that, having 14 different models wouldn't help any.
Buying an iPhone is always a compromise no matter what model is chosen. It's never going to be perfect
 
Detonation said:
Do people really expect the Pro Max camera to perform that much different than the Pro? It has slightly better zoom and slightly better low light performance. Definitely not worth it if you don't want the size of the Max. Just get the 12 Pro.
Click to expand...

With a bigger sensor, larger pixels and sensor shift stabilization, it will absolutely perform better than the Pro, especially in low light.
 
The reviews convinced me to wait for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Love the camera, always a sucker for better battery life. Yes the size is not for all, I would have loved the 12 Pro to have all the features of the Max but it doesnt.
I was also thinking of getting the 12 mini and a sleek battery case this year and go all in next year when Apple does the 120hz iPhone. Will wait for reviews on the mini and Pro max early next month and decide
 
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I wasn't all that excited about the 12 Pro Max specs on paper and wasn't sure I was going to get one as Im loving my Note 20 Ultra. However, after seeing some great photographers reviews and photos, especially a few against the Note 20 Ultra, Ive deftnitley decided on getting a Pro Max.
 
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Samut said:
From which phone are you coming from?

While iPhone 12 pro max will have better main camera the problem is that the rest of the cameras are still pretty much the same. For standard pro I would not expect much improvement over iPhone Xs if you leave out nightmode and deepfusion.

I would skip this year unless you have some very old phone.
Click to expand...

11 Pro. It’s actually the inclusion of Deep Fusion and Night Mode on all the lenses that has me wanting the Max. More data means better computational photography. I do understand that next year will probably be even better. I generally upgrade every year.
 
For me, the reviews allow me to live vicariously through the reviewer and see the phone in action before I get my own.

I always know which phone I'm getting ahead of time. Sometimes I fidget over the color a little bit, but the specific model/form factor is always going to be the super uber mega pro max.

So, this year, I'll be upgrading from my 11 Pro Max to the 12 Pro Max (512GB, Graphite) and I'll still watch most of the reviews to scratch that itch until the phone arrives. :)
 
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