Pictures don’t quite prepare you for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple’s newest flagship sits at the top of a four phone family for 2020, and you could be forgiven for assuming that distinguishing between them would be tricky.

Incredible cameras; A14 Bionic processor is fast and future-proofed; More than all-day battery life; Beautifully designed and constructed

Potentially too big and too heavy for some; No 120Hz display; iOS could make better use of the massive screen

The Pro Max’s 6.7-inch display is the largest screen ever on an iPhone. It has the biggest camera sensor of any iPhone, including the three other iPhone 12 models Apple announced this year. It has a 5G radio, and it’s got a bigger battery. It is without question the most iPhone you can get.

Terrific camera; Tremendous battery life; Fast performance

Very close to being too big; 60Hz screen behind competition at this price; I was required to think about 5G

Is the iPhone 12 Pro Max worth upgrading to? The best camera on an iPhone meets a 60Hz display refresh on a $1099 phone, what's the review verdict?

Largest; toughest display on an iPhone; The best camera set on an iPhone; Double the base storage of its predecessor; Futureproof 5G support with bands record; Best water-resistance on a general purpose phone

Static 60Hz display refresh on a $1099 phone; Blocky and heavy compared to its peers; Expensive $599 body repair if you crack the rear; No power adapter in the box; slow charging

Apple's biggest phone to date excels as a photographic tool, especially in the dark.

It sets a new bar for low-light photography, even if the bar isn't drastically higher than the competition. If you like big phones, you'll love the massive screen. Excellent battery life. Also makes phone calls.

Expensive. No 120-Hz refresh rate or USB-C port, two features commonly found on other large phones at this price.

It’s an iPhone 12 Pro, only bigger. The super-long battery life is the real draw here, while the improved camera doesn’t offer much benefit over the already-fantastic iPhone 12 Pro.

Best battery life ever in an iPhone, A slightly better camera than the iPhone 12 Pro, Blazing fast performance

Camera improvements are minimal

Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max has a lot in common with its smaller sibling. Think: a new design, expansive 5G network support and amazing performance, to name just a few. Because they're so similar, we think the smaller iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are better options for most people, but if you can handle an...

Best-in-class performance; Big and beautiful screen; Improved triple-camera system

Way too big for some; Cameras can be temperamental

Yes, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great buy for those with professional workflows that involve a phone. These could be anything from the need for a stellar display to a top-end processing or professional-grade video recording.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: The best iPhone you can buy is equipped with a superb set of cameras but it is very large

Incredible camera; Very powerful; Gorgeous but tough design

Very large; Battery life isn’t hugely impressive; Disappointing zoom

The only choice if you want to fully Max your iPhone experience, but make sure that’s you before plonking down any cash

Excellent new design; Impressive camera set-up; Lovely large display; Almost unreasonably powerful

No ProMotion/120Hz display; Edges are a fingerprint magnet; Lightning instead of USB-C; Big; bulky and heavy

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the biggest and best iPhone ever made, but it is now only marginally better than the standard iPhone 12

Huge; beautiful screen; Surprisingly capable speakers; Excellent sound via headphones

Marginal gains over iPhone 12; No bundled charger