Talking about the iPhone 11 Pro Max, this was one of the most well-received Apple product when it was released, the 11 lineup which the introduction of the Triple Camera option,  the 11 Pro and Pro Max were both really anticipated, everyone wanted to get a feel of that triple camera option and the wide display of the 11 Pro Max.

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The iPhone 11 Pro Max, despite being several years old, remains a viable option in 2025; however, it’s necessary to note the declining software support. In a few years, the iPhone 11 series is likely to be unsupported by the latest iOS update.

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So, if you’re wondering if the iPhone 11 Pro Max is still worth buying in 2025, let's take an in-depth look at the 11 Pro Max, its features, performance, and comparison with its successors, to determine if it's still a good buy in 2025.

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Firstly, we will be looking at the body of the iPhone 11 Pro Max

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The physical design of the iPhone 11 Pro Max reflects a typical blend of durability, giving it a premium look. Honestly, when the iPhone 11 was newly released, it was a huge upgrade from the XS Max. I didn’t even hesitate before cooping one for myself; it was my then-favorite. The rounded stainless steel edges, which were quite similar to those of its predecessor, were highly polished, presenting a shiny yet premium curved edge. However, it is highly prone to scratches; even the slightest drop can leave a mark on it. It didn’t take me long before I got a scratch on my 11 Pro Max. Most of the time, I tend to use my phone without a phone case.

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The back of the iPhone 11 Pro Max is filled with a frosted glass design, which has no difference with that of its successor the 12 Pro Max, the 11 Pro Max, was sleek, glass back, shiny stainless edges, it was giving off all kinds of premium look, which was a plus for me, but trust me, using this phone without a phone case was a huge risk, I mean, it could literally slip off your hand before you notice.

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So next is the weight of the iPhone 11 Pro Max, honestly, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is quite heavy, this was an issue for me, now imagine using a phone case on a phone that already feels heavy, that was a downside for me, and this was essentially one of the reasons why I preferred to use my 11 Pro Max without a Phone case bearing in mind the risk that comes with that, and sadly this was passed down to the its successor, the 12 Pro Max, even till the 14 Pro Max, the phones only became lighter from the 15 line up due to the titanium frame material.

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One new notable feature that Apple introduced from the 11 lineups was the triple camera lens, the 11 Pro tiers were actually the very first in the history of Iphones to have the ultra wide lens which was the beginning of the triple lens camera design that we’ve had on every pro tier iPhone and this continued all the way up to their newest flagship. The Midnight green color was my absolute favorite, being the first iPhone to come in this color option. It felt unique, honestly, and I love it.

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Next on the list is the Display of the iPhone 11 Pro Max

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When the iPhone 11 Pro Max was launched, the display was one of the best out there as at then, and honestly I was a little impressed, on the display, there wasn’t too many notable difference with that of the XS Max, but the 11 Pro Max offers an improved brightness and contrast level, same refresh rate with that of its predecessors, every other thing were slightly improved, some of which are barely noticeable.

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One feature that poses a significant upgrade from that of the XS Max was the brightness and contrast level, I noticed that the 11 Pro Max was more easier to read in bright sunlight compared to that of the XS Max, I didn’t need to strain my eyes in order to clearly see what’s on my screen or watch a quick video while in an open bright space.

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The color of the 11 Pro Max is slightly better than that of its predecessor. I mean, the display color on the 11 Pro Max feels more accurate, whether indoors or outdoors. It has slightly better color consistency at off-angles, and it doesn’t tend to change when the brightness is set to a high level, which is great. I experienced lagging and overheating while playing the Call of Duty Mobile, the graphics was slightly better given the improved contrast and brightness of the 11 Pro Max and I kid you not, the lagging and overheating made it difficult to play the game for a long time and this was also a result of the fact that the 11 Pro Max also runs on the 60 Hz refresh rate which is what runs on the XS Max too, the touch responsiveness and refresh rate are literally same.

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My overall experience with the display of the 11 Pro Max, judging now in 2025, honestly, it was pretty much okay, yes, it’s not the best, but it still holds up beautifully for media and day-to-day usage, it is pretty much an affordable upgrade from lower Apple lineups, and still supports the IOS latest update.

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Next is the Camera of the iphone 11 Pro Max

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The cameras on the iPhone 11 Pro Max are impressive; for most users, the cameras on each iPhone model are the major focus, especially the Pro Max versions. Many content creators and mobile photographers who can’t afford a digital camera often opt for iPhones due to their outstanding camera performance.

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The cameras on the iPhone 11 are so good that I could hardly tell the difference between photos taken with it and those of its successor. I'd say the 11 Pro Max devices are the oldest phones one can use in 2025 and still feel like you’re not missing any major camera features.

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Some may wonder why I said that, here is why, many camera features in recent iPhones todays started on the 11 series, these features include, the apple second gen smart HDR2 and deep fusion image processing system, not to mention the night mode for nighttime shots, I can proudly say that the difference with night mode shots on the 11 Pro Max and that on the 13 Pro Max are  not too very significant.

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The only thing lacking on the 11 Pro Max is higher resolutions that comes with latest iPhones, I took pictures with the 11 Pro Max and also with the 13 Pro Max, and from zoom out point, you’d barely tell the different in sharpness, until you zoom-in the photos you took on the 11 Pro Max, you’d notice it tends to blur out, while 13 Pro Max held up and still presents more detail and sharpness.

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The Battery Life of the iPhone 11 Pro Max

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As regards battery life of the 11 Pro Max, I won’t even lie, I was very impressed, as at launch, the 11 Pro Max was regarded as the battery life champion, the 11 Pro Max battery life beat that of the Samsung S10+, Apple really worked magic with the battery of the 11 Pro Max when it was released.

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The iPhone 11 Pro Max supports up to 18-watt charging, which allows for a 0-100% charge in approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. Although this is not comparable to the newer iPhone models, I still find it pretty impressive, honestly. I basically love everything regarding the battery life of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. I didn't experience any issues during my time of usage.

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However, as we all know, the 11 Pro Max has been available on the market for about six years now. If you’re looking to get one, be sure to choose one with a battery health of 85% or above for optimal and smooth battery performance.

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Now, let's look at the general performance of the iPhone 11 Pro Max

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The iPhone 11 Pro Max is powered by the A13 Bionic Chipset, which sets it apart significantly from its competitors. Of course, the 11 Pro Max isn’t the fastest iPhone currently available, but trust me, it has more than enough power for typical day-to-day usage. I’d proudly pick the iPhone 11 Pro Max over the Samsung S10+ when it comes to handling basic day-to-day activities.

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If you’ve been reading my past review, you will know I’m big on games, the 11 Pro Max game performance is okay but for someone like me who can play high performance mobile games for over an hour straight up, the 11 Pro Max tends to heat up quickly thereby making me quit my game and that’s not a good experience, although the battery life is very good for games, it doesn’t run down quickly.

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When it comes to IOS update, the iPhone 11 runs smoothly on the IOS 18, the only concern with the iphone 11 lineup is it’s limited amount of remaining years of major IOS support, the iPhone 11 is currently on its sixth major IOS version with the IOS 18, and judging from Apple’s track record, it is likely that the 11 lineup will only get a few more years of major IOS update support. This is the major reason why I won’t recommend buying one now, instead of purchasing the 11 Pro Max in 2025, I will honestly recommend buying the 13 Pro Max which is just a few bucks higher than the 1 Pro Max in the Used/Refurbished market, performance wise, the 13 Pro is a really good catch too, and it offers more longevity if you plan on holding on to your iPhone for a good few years.

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In conclusion, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is an exceptional device, offering a smooth and improved performance compared to its competitors, a powerful battery life, and an impressive camera. Despite being an old device, it remains a standout even in 2025.

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If you’re looking to buy the iPhone 11 Pro Max, then bear in mind that the iPhone 11 lineup might cease to support the IOS update in a few years time, but that doesn’t stop the functionality of the iPhone 11 Pro Max or will it reduce its performance, it only means that when that happens, you won't be able to upgrade your IOS from the current IOS you are on to the recent one. Aside from that, the  iPhone 11 Pro Max is pretty impressive and runs smoothly on iOS 18.

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