iPhone 11 Pro Max ranks 'third' in DXOMARK camera 'quality test'

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iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • DXOMARK has released its review of the iPhone 11 Pro Max camera, ranking it 117 and third overall.
  • DXOMARK offers consultation services as well as ratings, which is controversial.
  • DXOMARK liked the contrast and exposure but didn't like the noise, zoom, or bokeh.

Oh look, DXOMARK has released its iPhone 11 Pro Max camera review, giving the device a score of 117 overall. "117 what?" I hear you cry... well nobody really knows, but here we go anyway... The 11 Pro Max's score makes it the 3rd highest scoring smartphone tested by DXOMARK, tied with the Galaxy Note 10+ and the 10+ 5G. The iPhone 11 Pro Max was tested running iOS 13.2, so Deep Fusion could be tested.

https://twitter.com/reneritchie/status/1087837704937750533

DXOMARK claims its scores are calculated using combined scores in a number of sub-categories. However, DXOMARK has also come under fire by many in the industry for also running a paid consulting service to, essentially, better pass their tests and, presumably, earn a higher rating. Apple, by policy, never pays for such services. So, factor that in — or throw the whole thing out — as you will.

According to DXOMARK, the 11 Pro Max performed well in several of their tests, achieving the highest score ever given by DXOMARK for exposure and contrast. It also scored well in the color, autofocus, artifacts, and wide categories, but was let down by bokeh, zoom, noise and texture.

You can read a full breakdown of each category and the score achieved here:

In summary of the test DXOMARK said:

With an overall DXOMARK Camera score of 117, the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max secures itself a top 5 position in our current ranking. Its Photo score of 124 puts it among the best for still images, and it shares the top spot for Video with the Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition.

While camera testing is subjective, DXOMARK has also been criticized for the apparently arbitrary and mercurial nature of their scale. So, take any numbers they offer, whether the iPhone is the higher or lowest any given Thursday, with a moneybag-sized grain of salt.

We're only covering it because so many others have somehow decided to cover it but without the context needed to make an informed decision about how much weight to give to them... if any.

Now you have the information, let us know what you think.

Updated to explain DXOMARK's role as both "consultant" and "ratings" company, and the potentially huge conflict of interest that results.

Stephen Warwick
Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9