iPhone 13 Pro Max Earns DisplayMate's Best Smartphone Display Award - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iPhone 13 Pro Max Earns DisplayMate's Best Smartphone Display Award

DisplayMate today awarded the iPhone 13 Pro Max with its "Best Smartphone Display Award." The device earned the company's highest-ever display performance grade of A+ and set or matched 12 of its smartphone display performance records.

iphone 13 pro max display
iPhone 13 Pro models feature a new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion, which is Apple's branding for a variable refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz. This technology allows the display to refresh from a power-preserving 10 times per second to an ultra smooth 120 times per second depending on the type of content that is on the screen.

One of the records that the iPhone 13 Pro Max set was highest full-screen brightness for smartphones with OLED displays, according to DisplayMate's in-depth analysis. Apple says the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a max brightness of 1,000 nits for typical content and 1,200 nits for HDR content. By comparison, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a max brightness of 800 nits for typical content and 1,200 nits for HDR content.

Other records set or matched by the iPhone 13 Pro Max include highest absolute color accuracy, highest contrast ratio, lowest screen reflectance, and more.

Samsung is the exclusive supplier of the LTPO OLED panels used for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, according to Display Supply Chain Consultants, but LG is reportedly aiming to begin supplying Apple with LTPO OLED panels as early as next year.

DisplayMate extensively tested the iPhone 13 Pro Max's display, so make sure to read the full analysis for more details.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
Apple Creator Studio iWork suite

Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]

Thursday October 22, 2026 11:01 am PDT by
Apple has temporarily removed Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the App Store, just after releasing an update that added iPhone Duo support and a new Intelligent Assistant. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug. Apple has not said when the apps will be reinstated, but if it was in error, they should return soon. Update: The Mac versions are back without...
M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...

Top Rated Comments

spiderman0616 Avatar
66 months ago
That's weird, I read just a couple of days ago on these here very forums that the OLED displays Apple uses for iPhone are "garbage" and "unusable".
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
66 months ago

Produced by Samsung, calibrated for color accuracy by Apple.
You are completely wrong. These are 100% screens made according to technology developed by Apple. They have nothing to do with Samsung, except that Apple is hiring them as the final contractor. The same screens are produced for Apple by several other companies, including LG.
Apple is brighter, has a different coating, has a different color scheme.
Not many people know about it, but Apple has powerful laboratories dealing with screen technologies.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
the future Avatar
66 months ago

You are completely wrong. These are 100% screens made according to technology developed by Apple. They have nothing to do with Samsung, except that Apple is hiring them as the final contractor. The same screens are produced for Apple by several other companies, including LG.
Apple is brighter, has a different coating, has a different color scheme.
Not many people know about it, but Apple has powerful laboratories dealing with screen technologies.
Exactly. The displays are „from Samsung“ in the same way the A15/M1 chips are „from TSMC“.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
66 months ago

iPhones with OLED displays use PWM, therefore they automatically are garbage and should not be winning any awards.

Shame on Apple for using PWM in their displays.

Shame on MacRumors for never reporting about this as being a major issue.
That would be because, for the vast majority of people, it isn’t an issue. And blue light doesn’t prevent sleep. And you are almost certainly not allergic to gluten.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
66 months ago
My 13 Pro has the best display I've ever seen, it really blew me away. Coupled with the 120Hz VRR it's incredible, worth every penny.

Also I compared it side by side with my wife's 13 Mini and I do notice the difference the 120Hz makes, the 13 Mini felt a bit choppy. I think if you don't let yourself get used to it then it's fine.

I just wish the new MacBook Pro's had a 120Hz VRR OLED display.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
66 months ago
Best display, best camera, fastest processor. So much winning.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
5 hours ago
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
6 hours ago
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
7 hours ago
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
8 hours ago
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
8 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
9 hours ago
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
10 hours ago
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
10 hours ago
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
13 hours ago
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
14 hours ago
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
14 hours ago
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
15 hours ago
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
16 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
17 hours ago
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
17 hours ago
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
21 hours ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
21 hours ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
22 hours ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
22 hours ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
22 hours ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
23 hours ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
23 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
1 day ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
1 day ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
1 day ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
1 day ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
1 day ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
1 day ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
1 day ago