It's amazing how quickly you get used to the size of iPhone 13 Pro Max, even with small hands

By Oliver Haslam
published

Iphone 13 Pro And Iphone 13 Pro Max
Iphone 13 Pro And Iphone 13 Pro Max (Image credit: Rene Ritchie/ iMore)

Before I write any more, let me preface all of this with the fact that I know iPhone 13 Pro Max is too big for you, and yes, I'm insane for carting it around with me. But really — am I?

See, I've been waiting for the iPhone 13 series to arrive. Not because I was looking forward to new cameras — they are good — and not because I expected the A15 Bionic to smoke the A14 Bionic — it doesn't. No, I was looking to ditch my iPhone 12 Pro a year in for one reason, and one reason only — I wanted the bigger display. I believe that iPhone 13 Pro is now the best iPhone for people who like to use it as a mini-computer, and that's exactly what I do.

Usually, I might not have bothered ditching my iPhone 12 Pro for an iPhone 13 Pro — who am I kidding? — but I'd very much set my heart on buying something bigger. I'd even considered chopping my iPhone 12 Pro in for a cheap iPhone 12 Pro Max! I just wanted the big screen, after all. But that just seemed like a bad idea, and now I have a Sierra Blue iPhone 13, Pro Max. And it's naked.

I'll get to that part later.

Iphone 13 Pro Sierra Blue Hero

Iphone 13 Pro Sierra Blue Hero (Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore)

So, how am I getting on with my first bigger than big iPhone? Well, that's actually a lie right out of the gate. I've tried the big iPhones before, and they never lasted longer than Apple's 14-day return period. So I'm sure you can imagine that I opened the iPhone 13 Pro Max with some trepidation. I knew I wanted it. But could I handle it?

Less than a week in, and I'll say that I can. What's more, I'm amazed at just how quickly that 6.7-inch ProMotion display feels normal. Not small, of course. It very much isn't. But it doesn't feel like the monster that it did on day one, and honestly, it doesn't feel much bigger than my iPhone 12 Pro despite the numbers showing that it is. Even one-handed, the phone is smaller than its dimensions might have you believe. Admittedly, I made a call on it earlier and lost sight out of one eye, but still!

The only time I did feel the size and weight — the latter is arguably the bigger issue for some — was when I decided to put a case on this thing. I won't name the cases because that's unfair on them, but it's fair to say that an iPhone 13 Pro Max in a case designed to protect it well is too much for me. Then it's too big and too unwieldy for my small hands.

Did I mention my hands are small yet? Because they are. That's a fact that can't be overstated. Yet here I am, iPhone 13 Pro mAx (almost) in hand, ready to rock and roll.

But like all the very best, I'll be rocking and rolling naked because a case is just too much, and this is what Uncle Steve invented AppleCare+ for.

Oh, and I haven't dropped it. Yet!

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.

5 Comments
  • I’m glad you’re happy with the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but I feel like the trade off of buying the larger size iPhone, then having to purchase for Apple Care+ in order to use it without a case just isn’t worth the benefit; especially since they share the exact same features (aside the difference in screen real estate). To each their own, I guess. :)
  • Yeah it's one of those where you have to decide which works best for you. Like I say, it was all about the screen size so it was worth it regardless. Most reasonable people would just put a case on it, but I tend to go naked regardless. People on the iPhone Upgrade Program already have AC+, too.
  • Agree. They become a drop hazard if used one handed by a small person. Same with the larger Samsung Phones. There is no way I'd use my iPhone 8 Plus or Note 9 without a case. I'd still get AppleCare+ because that kind of makes sense. Things can go wrong outside of drops. I just don't think they're convenient for someone my size. I owned Note and iPhone Plus sized devices since the Note 3 (5.7") up until the iPhone 11 Pro. I can not go back. They're nice when you're stationary and watching YouTube videos or something, but once you start moving the inconveniences start to pile up. That being said, I got over my phone addiction a few years ago. I don't use my smartphone nearly as much as I used to - especially after getting off of Social Media (except Instagram, which is kind of a compromise and I only created it to keep in touch with a few colleagues during the pandemic).
  • I pretty much have had the exact same experience as you. I had an iPhone 12 Pro and was envious of the larger screen of the Max. For years I had been afraid to go Max since I don't have big hands either, but I decided to go for it now and got an iPhone 13 Pro Max. After a week, I no longer notice it's size. I too got used to it and can use it one handed. I do however, have it in a nice clear Spigen MagSafe compatible case and am loving it!
  • Glad you're enjoying it!