iPhone 12 Pro Max Teardown

- Ready to take on the final iPhone challenge? Here’s what you’re working with:

- A14 Bionic chip and a fourth-generation Neural Engine for lightning-fast moves

- Big, bold 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen (2778 x 1284 pixels) with P3 color and True Tone magic

- Triple 12 MP camera setup: wide angle (ƒ/1.6, OIS), ultra-wide (ƒ/2.4), telephoto (ƒ/2.2, OIS), plus a LiDAR module for next-level AR

- 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage (with beefier 256 GB or 512 GB options if you like collecting apps)

- 5G on both sub-6 GHz and mmWave, 4x4 MIMO LTE, Wi-Fi 6, ultra-wide band (UWB), NFC, and Bluetooth 5.0—connectivity galore

- MagSafe wireless charging up to 15 watts—no more plugging in at weird angles

- IP68 water resistance: can handle up to 6 meters deep for 30 minutes. Pool party approved (but let’s not push it)

- Guess what? Square is back in style... again.

- Heads up: when it comes to camera sensors, size definitely counts. To pull off that claimed 87% boost in low-light shots, the 12 Pro Max packs the largest sensor ever in an iPhone. But before we dive into camera geekery, let's line up some iPhones for comparison:

- If you’re all about that big-and-bold vibe, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has you covered. Everything’s larger—even the camera bump.

- Taking a spin around the iPhone lineup, here’s a green iPhone 11 Pro Max, a gold iPhone 12 Pro, and a blue iPhone 12 Pro Max.

- We don’t mess around with teardown projects without a solid X-ray blueprint. Thankfully, we have the hookup with Creative Electron for all the X-rays we need.

- This iPhone’s core design matches the rest of the 12 series, but that sleek dark steel frame? That’s exclusive to the Pro models. Also, the MagSafe ring that was too big for the 12 mini looks tiny on this Max.

- One thing we’re pumped to check out: the wider L-shaped battery—especially since the Pro had that rather plain rectangle. The Max keeps the L shape, but hey, other iPhones, you’ve got your own vibe going on.

- A little heat and a trusty iSclack tool convince this big Pro Max to loosen up and reveal its secrets.

- Just like its iPhone 12 siblings, the Pro Max opens to the left—almost like flipping open a book. There’s a good story waiting inside.

- Not actually fixing anything? No problem. If you just want to admire the inner beauty, check out these Pro Max wallpapers.

- Okay, maybe it's not exactly a novel, but you get the idea. With our step-by-step guides, anyone can tackle their iPhone repair.

- Alright, let's get to it! We've got exciting features to explore, starting with the star of the show: those shiny new cameras.

- First up, the standard wide camera (that's the one chilling at the bottom left of our camera trio) is what all the buzz is about. It's rocking a sensor that's a whopping 47% bigger, which means it can soak up more light and deliver even snappier photos.

- Thanks to our imaginary X-ray vision, we can confirm that this wide sensor is indeed larger. Plus, those four magnets around it? They’re a clear giveaway of Apple’s latest sensor-shift image stabilization magic.

- Curious about the LIDAR features? We’ve got a cool video that breaks it down for you!

- Unmasked, the iPhone 12 Pro Max's primary (wide-angle) sensor is... impressively large. It's not just the phone that's a big deal here!

- We often raise an eyebrow when a 'Pro' feature is exclusive to the bigger, pricier model. But honestly, this sensor likely wouldn’t squeeze into the snug space of the iPhone 12 Pro without a few trade-offs.

- This sensor is a giant compared to the iPhone 12's. At 47% larger but still rocking that same 12 MP resolution, each pixel can soak up more light, making your photos shine!

- This is the same tech that many modern DSLR and mirrorless cameras use. When your hands get a little shaky, you've got two main options for stabilizing the image: move the lens or move the sensor.

- Most smartphones boasting image stabilization go for lens-based optical image stabilization (OIS) to smooth out those jitters. There’s been plenty of debate online about which stabilization technique reigns supreme in the world of professional cameras.

- Since Apple made a special effort to include sensor-shift in the iPhone, they must be pretty confident in this approach, or maybe they just needed a better way to stabilize the larger version of their new f/1.6 lens.

- Removing the loudspeaker and Taptic Engine is a breeze with our handy Minnow Driver Kit—it's so compact, you'll wonder how you lived without it!

- The Max Taptic Engine comes with a quirky little black plastic sidecar. What’s it for, you wonder? It might be there to support the display or perhaps it's an extra battery bumper. It’s a bit odd to find something in an iPhone that just seems to fill empty space, but hey, it’s not unheard of!

- Apple's engineers must feel pretty good about the battery capacity, giving the Taptic Engine and speaker plenty of room to pump out sound. Compared to the mini, these components are seriously impressive!

- Now that we've tackled those lower components, we're in the perfect position to go after those tricky battery adhesive tabs.

- Don’t be fooled by that 'L' shape—the Max is the true champion of battery life in the iPhone 12 series. Not only does it pack more power, but it's got the latest tech to back it up. A little X-ray magic reveals that the Max’s battery isn't quite filled to the top, but it’s pretty darn close—and its sleek design lets it maximize capacity in a way the others just can't match.

- The Max’s battery weighs in at a solid 14.13 Wh, leaving the mini battery at 8.57 Wh and the 12 and 12 Pro at 10.78 Wh in the dust. Talk about a powerhouse!

- Now that the Pro Max's logic board is out, it’s looking seriously snug—maybe even tighter than the iPhone 12 mini’s version down below. But hey, the mini’s built-in SIM reader doesn’t make things any easier for it.

- Take a peek at this X-ray snapshot before we crack the board open. We’ll tackle it layer by layer, but isn't it wild to see all those circuits hanging out together? It’s like a tiny metropolis of silicon powering your phone.

- The 12 Pro Max rocks a separate, modular SIM reader—just like the 12 and 12 Pro. It’s easier to swap out, which is a win for repairs.

- Heads up: today’s board delamination had a few hiccups—turns out a hot knife at 300°C and some slippery chips don’t mix well. Our robot intern may need a recalibration. Here’s what we managed to rescue from the chaos:

- 128 GB Kioxia NAND flash memory

- STMicroelectronics STB601A power management IC

- Qualcomm SDR865 5G/LTE transceiver, SDX55M 5G modem-RF system, and SMR526 intermediate frequency IC

- USI 339S00761 WLAN & Bluetooth module

- Avago 8200 high/mid-band power amplifier with integrated duplexer

- Murata 1XR-482 mmWave front-end module

- Alright, let's dive right into that A14 chip and its neighboring components!

- Apple A14 SoC, cozied up with 6 GB of Samsung K3UHCHC0MM-VGCL RAM

- Apple 343S00437 power management IC, keeping everything in check

- Could be an STMicroelectronics wireless power receiver, adding some magic

- Possibly an Apple/Cirrus Logic audio codec, for those sweet sounds

- Apple 338S00564-B0 power management IC, ensuring smooth operations

- Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00537 mono audio amplifier, bringing the noise

- Apple 338S00616, likely a display power management IC, lighting up your screen

- And while we're on this side of things, let's not forget a few more nifty chips:

- You might stumble upon a Bosch Sensortec accelerometer, ready to sense all your moves!

- Keep an eye out for the NXP Semiconductor CBTL1614A1, a clever little display port multiplexer.

- There's a chance you'll find the Maxim Integrated MAX8559, a cool 300 mA LDO regulator hanging out.

- Look for the Apple/USI U1 ultra-wideband chip, making connections like a pro!

- And let’s not overlook the Texas Instruments LM3562A1, probably an LED driver brightening up your day!

- Last stop: let's do a quick tour of the storage side of the board—where all the magic happens:

- Texas Instruments SN2611A0 battery charger: keeping your power game strong.

- Broadcom BCM15960A0, touch controller: the brains behind your smooth swipes.

- Texas Instruments TPS68836 display power management: making sure your screen looks flawless.

- Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00537 audio amplifier: pumping up the jams (or podcasts).

- Texas Instruments SN61280 battery DC-DC converter: converting power with style.

- Thanks to amazing supporters like you, we've wrapped up another season! The fourth and final iPhone has been carefully taken apart. What's next on the agenda? Time to deck out your screens with some awesome teardown wallpapers!

- The Pro Max stands out as one of Apple's top achievements in the iPhone realm this year, seamlessly integrating robust 5G technology without compromising on any other features.

- We’re excited to see this iPhone sporting its nifty L-shaped battery. Fingers crossed these make a grand reappearance across the entire iPhone lineup next year—larger batteries typically mean fewer replacements over time. Plus, they just look really cool!

- P.S.: We're quite impressed by the new camera's performance—If you didn't see it coming, the two photos we snapped on the iPhone can be found here and here. Kudos to our lucky winners who guessed right!