Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review: specs, battery & used prices
Hands-on-style overview of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max with Apple A15 Bionic: screen, cameras, battery, performance and what it costs used.
Summary
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple's 2021 large flagship and the first Pro Max with ProMotion: a 6.7-inch 120 Hz OLED, the A15 Bionic, and a triple 12 MP camera system with sensor-shift stabilisation. It launched at $1,100; 6/128 GB units now sell for around $394 with a deep ten-sale sample, and higher storage trims cluster between $348 and $430.
Display and design
The 6.7-inch OLED finally brought 120 Hz to the Max line and scores 63/100 on our screen-quality axis. At 240 g with compactness at 57/100, it is the heaviest phone in this comparison class, and IP68 sealing is standard. Build quality remains the reference its successors polish.
Performance
The A15 Bionic remains a genuinely fast platform: our gaming score of 37/100 handles current titles comfortably, and everyday responsiveness at 75/100 shows no aging in general use. The long iOS support horizon is the quiet argument over any same-year Android flagship.
Camera
The camera system is 12 MP across the board — a stabilised main sensor, an ultrawide with macro focus, and a 3x telephoto — with video to 4K at 60 fps. Our camera score of 32/100 reads low against our cross-brand scale, but the consistency of Apple's processing across all three lenses is the practical strength buyers report.
Battery and charging
The 4,352 mAh battery scores 27/100 on battery life — for years this was the endurance benchmark of the iPhone line — while 23 W charging scores 5/100, among the slowest routines we track. Wireless charging exists; speed does not.
Verdict
At around $394 used with the deepest sales sample of any 2021 flagship in our catalog, the 13 Pro Max is the established value play for large-screen iOS: ProMotion, a triple camera, and platform longevity, with resale confidence at 100/100. Slow charging and the 240 g mass are the accepted trade-offs. The iPhone 14 Pro Max introduced Dynamic Island and a 48 MP main sensor one year later; the standard iPhone 13 Pro offers the same system in a smaller body.
Data sheet
Overall score
mid (0–100 composite of performance, battery, value and longevity)
Review scores
nanoreview.com editorial · 0–100| Screen | 6.7" OLED |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic |
| Memory (RAM / storage) | 6 GB / 128 GB · 6 GB / 256 GB · 6 GB / 512 GB · 6 GB / 1024 GB |
| Battery | 4,352 mAh |
| Main camera | 12 MP |
| Released | 2021 · iOS |
Memory & used prices
| RAM / storage | New | Used (eBay median) | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 / 128 GB | $1,100 | $395 | 10 listings |
| 6 / 256 GB | — | $348 | 3 listings |
| 6 / 512 GB | — | $425 | 2 listings |
| 6 / 1024 GB | — | $430 | 3 listings |
Resale trend
Estimate from two anchors: launch MSRP $1,100 (2021) and used-market median $395 (2026). −19% / year · next year ≈ $321
Cost to own ≈ $5.5/mo · buying now at $395, 2-year horizon
Money could earn ≈ $1.4/mo · the $395 kept at 4.17%/yr (US Treasury 3-month bill, as of Sep 21, 2026)
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