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It's not just the size but the weight of the pro max for me, especially for a guy putting in pockets, i tried a xs max for a few weeks before the pro released but sold it and used a SE till i got my 11 pro. Seeing they have same camera etc was easy decision for me.
At home i mainly use my iPad 11 pro so bigger screen is no value to me and it comes anyway when i travel.
The max becomes huge when you throw a OB symmetry or similar case on it too.
 
I have had both in my possession for the last week. I am coming from the X and am blown away by the screens on both of these phones. But I am literally torn to my core about which I should keep. On one hand, I had the Pro Max first and used it for several days and loved it, although I was very aware and afraid it was going to slide out of my pockets (I wear shorts a lot and scrubs to work). I also noticed it doesnt fit in my 4Runner's cupholder like my X and the 11 Pro do.

I think I would be completely happy with the 11 Pro's size and use since I am coming from the X. But at the same time, I love the gorgeous screen and larger screen on the Max. I really just need some advice from yall, cause either way I know I am going to be happy with either phone, I think.

Last year I replaced my 7 with an XS and about six weeks later got the idea that maybe I'd be happier with the XS Max because it displays more text than the X/XS/11 Pro display. Apple accepted the XS for return (!) and I got the Max. It was sort of an experiment. Here's what I found:

- the additional pixels were a big plus for me when reading emails and text websites
- the extra battery life was a big benefit
- I didn't notice the extra weight
- the extra size didn't matter in either regular use or biking (still fits in my small under-saddle bag)
- while it's bigger than the X/XS/Pro, it didn't affect one-hand use because even in my XL hands the smaller phone still requires use of Reachability

TL;DR: I would not go back to the 11 Pro-size phone. YMMV depending on how you carry your phone and lots of other personal preferences.
 
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It’s definitely a personal decision. For me, I was all about the plus size phones and had them until the Max came out last year. Totally weird for me as it was the same size as my old plus phone but it just felt more bulky and heavy. I ended up going back to a smaller phone. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to the larger max phone again.
 
I have had my 11 Pro for about 6 weeks - well outside return period - and I am still struggling with this decision. I should have bought both to be able to thoroughly evaluate. I may still buy the Max to compare and if I love it, sell my regular Pro and just take the loss.
I like the portability of the smaller phone, but that display on the Max is awesome for video...
 
I have had both in my possession for the last week. I am coming from the X and am blown away by the screens on both of these phones. But I am literally torn to my core about which I should keep. On one hand, I had the Pro Max first and used it for several days and loved it, although I was very aware and afraid it was going to slide out of my pockets (I wear shorts a lot and scrubs to work). I also noticed it doesnt fit in my 4Runner's cupholder like my X and the 11 Pro do.

I think I would be completely happy with the 11 Pro's size and use since I am coming from the X. But at the same time, I love the gorgeous screen and larger screen on the Max. I really just need some advice from yall, cause either way I know I am going to be happy with either phone, I think.

I chose to get the iPhone pro over the max, 1 because I have the I pad pro and use that for movies and shows and 2 the smaller size works best for me because I run and don’t need a huge phone to try to fit in my pocket
 
I have the Pro Max...sometimes I wish I had the regular smaller Pro lol....but I'll be fine until next year...gonna consider the 5.4 next year if that actually happens.
 
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I recently moved from a 8 Plus/256 to a 11Pro Max /256 and I hardly notice any difference in size or weight.

I did love my 8 Plus but I really love my 11 Pro Max, I am glad I went with the larger size because they are so similar. IMHO.
 
Did the OP who was so torn tell us her decision or just take the advice and vanish??

I want to know how the story ends. 🙃
 
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I have had the pro Max since launch day, and I love it. Especially the all-day battery life. But, everytime I grab my wife’s Pro, I just love that smaller feeling. It just fits so good in my hand, it’s lighter and it seems easier to use with one hand. But, I’m afraid I would miss the bigger screen (though several apps actually look «crisper» on the smaller screen) and the extra battery life. For those of you who have tried both.. what are your experiences?
 
For some types of use, especially Web browsing, the larger screen doesn’t make things easier to read, with everything a bit larger. It just means that more is shown on a screen at any given time without scrolling. I suspect that people who watch a lot of video on their phones might appreciate the larger screen the most. I don’t and so am leaning toward the smaller one (I have the original X now), but I, too, am somewhat torn
 
I chose to get the iPhone pro over the max, 1 because I have the I pad pro and use that for movies and shows and 2 the smaller size works best for me because I run and don’t need a huge phone to try to fit in my pocket

This is another reason for me to have the smaller portable phone. I may watch a quick video on my phone but I use the iPad for movies.
 
It's not just the size but the weight of the pro max for me, especially for a guy putting in pockets, i tried a xs max for a few weeks before the pro released but sold it and used a SE till i got my 11 pro. Seeing they have same camera etc was easy decision for me.
At home i mainly use my iPad 11 pro so bigger screen is no value to me and it comes anyway when i travel.
The max becomes huge when you throw a OB symmetry or similar case on it too.
How does the battery life on your Pro compare to the battery life of your XS Max? I’m thinking about making the same switch.
 
Not the same but I went from the 7 Plus to the XR to the 11 Pro. I love the XR display size, but wish they offered the Pro models in that size because everything about the Pro is worth the upgrade.

After living with the 11 Pro, I am really enjoying the size. It’s so nice to be able to use this phone one handed and the pocket ability is great. With that said, I’m 5’8” 155lbs and I do wear skinny jeans. If I were larger maybe the Max would be the better choice.

* side note: the fact that there are no compromises between sizes like the previous generations is icing on the cake. Pick the Pro size for you and reap the benefits either way.
 
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I was in a store last night and played with a Pro, and surprisingly, it didn't feel too tiny. In fact I kinda liked how comfortable it felt in the hand. Sure the screen is smaller, but it wasn't awful. I'm kinda thinking about not doing the Max again this year and doing the Pro.
 
This is a dilemma for me. I have typically always gone for larger phones, but I did switch to a smaller one once. I sold my iPhone 7+ to get the iPhone 7. I loved it for 6 months, and then started to really miss the larger screen and better battery life, so I sold it and got a 7+ again.

Every time I hold an iPhone X/XS/11 Pro, I love how comfortable and effortless it feels in my hand. The fact that it's about the same screen size as the 6/6S/7/8 Plus screens but in a smaller form factor makes me wonder if it'd be adequate (whereas the regular 6/7/8 screens were too small) since I sometimes use my 7+ and that screen size doesn't seem too small to me.

I'm just really concerned that if I switch to the smaller size, I'll want to switch back again in 6 months. I don't want to give up the larger battery. I also think about how nice it is to have a larger screen in the car when I use my phone as a GPS and how much nicer it is to watch videos on it.

I wouldn't sell my XS Max just to switch to an 11 Pro. My XS Max still works as great as it did on Day 1, and I've kept it in mint condition (knock on wood). I don't feel like spending money to upgrade, and I haven't had the best luck with buying used phones in the past. The XS Max has also depreciated pretty fast, and I'd feel dumb selling it anytime before the next iPhone comes out since iPhone depreciation tends to slow over time.

I might consider switching to the smaller size next time I do decide to upgrade. However, if Apple really is going to reduce the iPhone X/XS/11 Pro size down to 5.4" from 5.7" for the next generation of iPhones like the rumors suggest, I don't think I'd be buying the smaller size. With me already being unsure that I'd like the smaller size over the long-term, making that size even smaller would ruin it for me. Sigh, first world problems.
 
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This is a dilemma for me. I have typically always gone for larger phones, but I did switch to a smaller one once. I sold my iPhone 7+ to get the iPhone 7. I loved it for 6 months, and then started to really miss the larger screen and better battery life, so I sold it and got a 7+ again.

Every time I hold an iPhone X/XS/11 Pro, I love how comfortable and effortless it feels in my hand. The fact that it's about the same screen size as the 6/6S/7/8 Plus screens but in a smaller form factor makes me wonder if it'd be adequate (whereas the regular 6/7/8 screens were too small) since I sometimes use my 7+ and that screen size doesn't seem too small to me.

I'm just really concerned that if I switch to the smaller size, I'll want to switch back again in 6 months. I don't want to give up the larger battery. I also think about how nice it is to have a larger screen in the car when I use my phone as a GPS and how much nicer it is to watch videos on it.

I wouldn't sell my XS Max just to switch to an 11 Pro. My XS Max still works as great as it did on Day 1, and I've kept it in mint condition (knock on wood). I don't feel like spending money to upgrade, and I haven't had the best luck with buying used phones in the past. The XS Max has also depreciated pretty fast, and I'd feel dumb selling it anytime before the next iPhone comes out since iPhone depreciation tends to slow over time.

I might consider switching to the smaller size next time I do decide to upgrade. However, if Apple really is going to reduce the iPhone X/XS/11 Pro size down to 5.4" from 5.7" for the next generation of iPhones like the rumors suggest, I don't think I'd be buying the smaller size. With me already being unsure that I'd like the smaller size over the long-term, making that size even smaller would ruin it for me. Sigh, first world problems.
Ha ha ha, are you my brother from another mother? That's my story too, I've gone 6s to 6s+ after a few months, 7 then right to 7+ after 3 weeks, then 8+, then to my Xs Max, which has been my favorite phone thus far. By a long shot. But the feeling in hand of the Pro is really nice, I'm leaning towards that. I'm looking to take advantage of Black Friday and upgrade in a couple of days, so I'm on a time crunch, lol. I literally just got my Amazon order as I'm writing this, cases and screen protectors for both Pro AND Pro Max, and the size of the Pro isn't bad. I'm sure I won't miss the weight of the Max, and the pocket-ability and lack on one handedness, but man that screen and battery life. Yup, I know first world problems, but my new phone is my only splurge I spend on myself so I want it to be right.
 
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I value being able to use my phone one-handed, so I went with the Pro. I'd love to have the bigger screen with the Pro Max but it's too uncomfortable for me to use with one hand. Sometimes my other hand is occupied, like holding coffee, and I don't want that to stop me from being able to use my phone.
 
Ha ha ha, are you my brother from another mother? That's my story too, I've gone 6s to 6s+ after a few months, 7 then right to 7+ after 3 weeks, then 8+, then to my Xs Max, which has been my favorite phone thus far. By a long shot. But the feeling in hand of the Pro is really nice, I'm leaning towards that. I'm looking to take advantage of Black Friday and upgrade in a couple of days, so I'm on a time crunch, lol. I literally just got my Amazon order as I'm writing this, cases and screen protectors for both Pro AND Pro Max, and the size of the Pro isn't bad. I'm sure I won't miss the weight of the Max, and the pocket-ability and lack on one handedness, but man that screen and battery life. Yup, I know first world problems, but my new phone is my only splurge I spend on myself so I want it to be right.

I’m excited and rooting for you! Keep us updated and let us know what size you decide in the end and how you feel about each if you want to!
 
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I’m excited and rooting for you! Keep us updated and let us know what size you decide in the end and how you feel about each if you want to!
Will do, I'm thinking this year will be the Pro. But that will change again in 10 or so minutes, then I'll flip flop back again, LOL.
 
I value being able to use my phone one-handed, so I went with the Pro. I'd love to have the bigger screen with the Pro Max but it's too uncomfortable for me to use with one hand. Sometimes my other hand is occupied, like holding coffee, and I don't want that to stop me from being able to use my phone.

I am gravitating away from the larger phone segment. I mean, I like having a larger display, viewing the text and images on a 6 inch screen and above, but aside from holding it with one hand which can be discomforting, it’s absolutely annoying to carry this in the pocket. It’s not so much how heavy it is, but just the bulk of it when you add a case to it as well.

I’ve had large smart phones since the iPhone 6s Plus, but in terms of actual communication/checking the weather/local news, I don’t need a large display for that, which is why I can resort to my iPads if need be and have a smaller iPhone for the future.
 
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I am gravitating away from the larger phone segment. I mean, I like having a larger display, viewing the text and images on a 6 inch screen and above, but aside from holding it with one hand which can be discomforting, it’s absolutely annoying to carry this in the pocket. It’s not so much how heavy it is, but just the bulk of it when you add a case to it as well.

I’ve had large smart phones since the iPhone 6s Plus, but in terms of actual communication/checking the weather/local news, I don’t need a large display for that, which is why I can resort to my iPads if need be and have a smaller iPhone for the future.

This is why i got the 11 pro, i have a 11" iPad pro too and wanted best camera available, even if the SE2 rumours are true and if it's IP8 size, which is not much smaller, maybe a bit lighter. Won't have as good a camera so i wouldn't buy it anyway.
 
I’m due for a new phone but am holding off to next year. I always had the bigger phones but switched back to the regular size and am just as happy. Now if the phone next year provide pencil support, then maybe I’d go large.
 
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