iPhone 11 Pro Max Tops Consumer Reports' Smartphone Rankings

[m0sher]

Excited to get the Max I’m waiting on order.

I realize it’s not the best in every category, but where Apple is good, it’s actually great.

I know this right now, I can’t go back to Samsung to pay $1000 on a product that won’t see software updates past a year into its life cycle IF at all. So pros and cons for everyone I guess. I’ll deal with iPhones downfalls. No phone is perfect.

Amazing large quality display, Fast arse A13 chip, great battery life, highly secure and fast FaceID, most importantly the best camera. About time Apple used it’s amazing CPU processing power for software driven camera enhancement tools.

FINALLY I won’t be ridiculed by my android using extended family members in dark picture situations. No more “here let me use my camera and I’ll send you it”. Thank you Apple for catching up and surpassing the Pixels.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Seems that many people are pleased with their new acquisition. That is good for both Apple and those who own the device. Good news.

 

[BvizioN]

The Pro Max is the best Apple product, and probably the best product period, that I’ve ever bought. And I started with Apple in 1997 with a 7100.

I never had the larger version of iPhone because in my mind I just thought it would be to large. Bought it for the cameras and also to use it on my drone remotes. I absolutely love it and can’t go back to smaller display ones.

 

[Coconut Bean]

Didn't CR just withdraw their recommendation for the XS and XS Max because of their "too fragile" glass backs? They must have drunk the Kool-Aid about more durable glass.

Not that many people have dropped their shiny new phones in the past 3 weeks

 

[realtuner]

Reading this on my Galaxy Note 10+ Dual sim, 1024 GB Storage, RAW Pictures, edge screen and watching 1440p videos on youtube.
-Wireless PowerShare
-depth camera for 3D-Scanns so i can print it on my 3D-Printer
-Dolby atmos sound
-S-Pen with bluetooth
-16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens.
-Samsung pay that works everywhere !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-****ing USB-C

I COULD GO ON FOREVER BUT I STOP NOW......

PS: Samsung DEX Whilst connected to a display you can use your phone to allow desktop functionality...
Sry, i stop now.

I think Apple can catch up in around two years if they get a new CEO, maybe

I've got a Note 10 (also a Note 9 and Note 8). It's good, but not nearly as good as you claim. Even my XS Max can outperform it. My Pro Max crushes it. One simple example - I can switch between cameras seamlessly while recording video on my Pro. The Note 10 stutters when doing so and often has to refocus when changing cameras. Makes for an essentially useless video. But hey, don't take my word for it. Try it yourself. Or read any in-depth camera reviews about it.

My Note 8 took 6 months and my Note 9 took 5 months to get the next version of Android. Wonder how many months before the Note 10 gets Android 10. Apparently my Note 8 (a 2 year old phone) isn't even going to get Android 10. For a $1,000 flagship that's downright pathetic.

Let's see, what else. Oh yeah, no color management (Android is useless at this). When people have questions about color spaces (sRGB or DCI-P3) I usually send them to one of several websites with content in each format so they can compare the pictures and see the differences. The problem? You can’t view these websites on an Android phone because you can’t display content from different color spaces on the screen at the same time. So it’s impossible for an Android user to even see the difference. iPhones could do this for years now.

Dex is still half baked and not very useful. But feel free to tell me specifically what you like about it or what it does that's so great and I'll try it on mine. Because nothing I've seen with it is very impressive at all.

 

[The Game 161]

Reading this on my Galaxy Note 10+ Dual sim, 1024 GB Storage, RAW Pictures, edge screen and watching 1440p videos on youtube.
-Wireless PowerShare
-depth camera for 3D-Scanns so i can print it on my 3D-Printer
-Dolby atmos sound
-S-Pen with bluetooth
-16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens.
-Samsung pay that works everywhere !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-****ing USB-C

I COULD GO ON FOREVER BUT I STOP NOW......

PS: Samsung DEX Whilst connected to a display you can use your phone to allow desktop functionality...
Sry, i stop now.

I think Apple can catch up in around two years if they get a new CEO, maybe

Note 10 is a great phone and it’s Good you enjoy it but there’s a reason people return to their iPhone after trying Samsung.

Samsung has some great features but also features that need work. The fact is as good as the note line is people still aren’t buying the phones...sales are still poor and they are poor for a reason

Samsung pay doesn’t work with some banks in UK so no it doesn’t work everywhere

You can talk about Samsung camera features bit they are behind the competition. iPhone, pixel both have better cameras so why mention those features?

 

[naturalstar]

I’m very happy to read this. If one had only paid attention to posts here over the lack of “interesting” rumors, the 11 Series should have bombed upon release.

I like that Apple managed to keep some information secret and ultimately produced a series release that appealed to the wider consumer market. I know I was pleasantly surprised and compelled to upgrade this year when I was very certain that I wasn’t. 2019 was not a boring year after all. I’m loving my 11 Pro Max.

Keep it up, Apple. Makes me excited to see what 2020 brings.

 

[theorist9]

I’m surprised. Consumer Reports hates Apple even when they do good.

Nope, CR has historically, and consistently, given Apple products top or near-top rankings.

 

[theorist9]

Is there a difference between the screens on the two models? I ask because CR gives very different assessments of their respective durabilities:

iPhone 11 Pro Max: "DURABILITY: After 50 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it as excellent. The phone had nearly no noticeable damage Overall, it was in good working condition. After our more strenuous 100 drops in the tumbler the screen and body proved they can take a serious tumble. Our experts rated it as excellent. The phone had nearly no noticeable damage Overall, it was in good working condition."

iPhone 11 Pro: "DURABILITY: After 50 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it poor. The display was broken. Be very careful with this smartphone. The screen is delicate. After 100 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it poor. The display was broken. For this phone, a quality protective case is something you should buy along with the phone."

Also, I think there may be a typo here, since in the overall rankings, the iPhone 11 Pro's durability is rated "good", not "poor"

 

[fguzman]

Can’t imagine anyone would be criticising anything they paid 1000$+ for. Especially Apple fanatics who would be happy with Apple Turd. Hence the high satisfaction ratings.

how about galaxy fold?

 

[newellj]

Is there a difference between the screens on the two models? I ask because CR gives very different assessments of their respective durabilities:

iPhone 11 Pro Max: "DURABILITY: After 50 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it as excellent. The phone had nearly no noticeable damage Overall, it was in good working condition. After our more strenuous 100 drops in the tumbler the screen and body proved they can take a serious tumble. Our experts rated it as excellent. The phone had nearly no noticeable damage Overall, it was in good working condition."

iPhone 11 Pro: "DURABILITY: After 50 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it poor. The display was broken. Be very careful with this smartphone. The screen is delicate. After 100 drops in the tumbler, our experts rated it poor. The display was broken. For this phone, a quality protective case is something you should buy along with the phone."

Also, I think there may be a typo here, since in the overall rankings, the iPhone 11 Pro's durability is rated "good", not "poor"

I wonder if the chassis of the 11P handles shock/drops less well than the 11PM. Or, possibly battery size or location is contributing to the difference. Those seem to me a little more likely than significant differences in the construction of the displays, which other than size have basically the same specs. Just guessing...

 

[dblissmn]

The reason CR is garbage is because of the criteria they use to “test” these phones. For so long CR tested them the way they did dumbphones in the past. Call quality, ease of use, dialing a phone number, etc.

They have adapted a bit throwing in camera but they still pretty much ignore OS, software, services, screen, internals, etc.

Last year they tested battery life, rear camera image quality, 1080p video quality, ergonomics, activation and setup, build quality, durability, and water resistance.

Even with that limited criteria they’re inconsistent. iPhone X is rated “good” for ergonomics and iPhone XS is “excellent”?? It’s the same form factor.

Really? While they should deal more with OS, most of the other points you raise are off-target. The screen quality is a big factor with their testing. They deal with ease of use. And ergonomics are a relative thing. Phones have gotten too big and as time goes on the smaller 5.8 inch iPhones start to stand out more, as strange as that sounds.

Reading a report about the CR review on another Mac website, it looks like the 11 and 11PMax did really well on the durability/breakability test, much better than the XS phones. So, thumbs up to Apple on that. The comments on the real-world-ish battery test they ran are pretty impressive, too.

I'd love to know how the 11 Pro Max came out so much better on durability than the 11 Pro. Any insight on this? Anyone with their own experiences? That really surprised me in the CR test.

 

[newellj]

I'd love to know how the 11 Pro Max came out so much better on durability than the 11 Pro. Any insight on this? Anyone with their own experiences? That really surprised me in the CR test.

Purely a WAG, but somehow - different chassis, different battery placement - it seems logical that the display must be better supported in the Max. I'd love to have someone from iFixit weigh in on that!