When it comes to smartphones, Apple’s iPhones are no stranger to having premium price points and that’s understandable, given the likes of its strong security and privacy features. Not to mention it has better quality control overall, namely its vibrant display that produces great colours and details.
So, depending on your needs such as the size of the phone and your preferred storage capacity, here is a list of reviews on the 6 best iPhones in Malaysia worth checking out.
Editor
Jodee Tan chevron_right
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- List of Best iPhones in Malaysia
- iPhones vs Android Phones
6 Best iPhones in Malaysia
Why It’s Our Top Pick:
“The new iPhone 13 Pro Max is a beast of a smartphone that money can buy. It has a big & bright display, long battery life, top-of-the-class performance and superb cameras.”
Features:
The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a whopping 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display. Coming complete with a 120Hz ProMotion technology (adaptive refresh rates and response times), you can experience a buttery-smooth interface and performance. The display itself comes equipped with Ceramic Shield protection, which has nano-scale ceramic crystals for higher scratch resistance.
Powering the phone is the latest A15 Bionic chipset and has an optional storage capacity starting from 128GB up to 1TB. Other highlights include IP68 water resistance and a triple Pro 12MP camera setup including telephoto with 3x optical zoom as well as wide and ultra-wide lenses. It has a 12MP TrueDepth front-facing camera designed for selfies.
As for video recordings, the iPhone 13 Pro Max supports both 1080p Full HD and 4K up to 60fps. It comes with plenty of functions ranging from 1080p slow-motion video support to time-lapse, Night Mode and Cinematic Mode. Videographers can also look forward to ProRes, which offers more creative control in terms of real-time editing.
Performance:
The reviews on iPhone 13 Pro Max are generally positive, beginning with praises on the vibrant 6.7-inch display. Aside from its great colour and detail, the 120Hz ProMotion is also a nice addition when playing fast-paced mobile games. Moreover, the display is bright enough for outdoor uses between 837 nits and 1,038 nits upon testing.
However, the phone is somewhat bulkier than its predecessor (iPhone 12 Pro Max) whereby its all-too-protruding camera bump on the back can be a turn-off for some users. If you don’t mind all that, then the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a superb build quality, thanks to its stainless steel body and Ceramic Shield protection.
The A15 Bionic chipset offers amazing processing power with a fast and smooth performance no matter if you are playing mobile games or multitasking. Its camera performance also excels. You can achieve dynamic colours and details as well as reasonably good low-light images, even though camera noises remain apparent, depending on the lighting condition.
Shooting videos with the iPhone 13 Pro Max is fun, particularly if you use the Cinematic mode that captures good-looking bokeh. The only downside about the Cinematic mode? You can shoot it at 1080p max. Battery life, in the meantime, can last around 11-12 hours when the phone runs on 120-150 nits of screen brightness.
If you are looking for a value-for-money iPhone minus the hefty price tag (at least by Apple standard, that is), you might want to check out the iPhone 12 Mini model.
Features:
The phone has a small display at 5.4 inches with a Super Retina XDR at 2340 x 1080 px resolution. It utilises an A14 Bionic chipset and a storage capacity available from 64GB to 256GB. Sporting an IP68 rating, the phone has water resistance at a maximum immersion depth of 6 metres for up to 30 minutes.
In terms of cameras, the iPhone 12 Mini has dual 12MP wide and ultra-wide shooters. Its front-facing camera comes equipped with a 12MP sensor too for selfies. Not forgetting; the phone supports multiple-resolution video recording at 720p, 1080p and 4K with various filming functions such as slow-motion and time-lapse.
Performance:
Based on most reviews, the iPhone 12 Mini feels light and premium, with the former attribute weighing 135g. It even feels easy and comfortable to hold if you use it with one hand. But the phone’s smaller size (than the rest) also means it might not be suitable who has big hands.
Otherwise, look forward to its great display which is both sharp and vibrant with the brightness level peaking at 627 nits upon testing. The A14 Bionic chipset performs well when multitasking and running games. In the meantime, its choices of storage capacity might be a turn-off for some users since it only offers 256GB at the maximum.
The iPhone 12 Mini does a good job in both rear and front-facing cameras, where they produce sharp and quality images. Its glaring omission lacks a telephoto sensor, which would be useful for zoom-in shots. Otherwise, low-light images shot have decent sharpness and details, thanks to its Night Mode feature.
Video recording is equally impressive with the added Dolby Vision HDR, which provides clarity in terms of colours and details reproduction. Battery life, however, manages to last around 6 hours and not more than a day, depending on your usage. You might find yourself recharging the phone often if you are a power user.
The iPhone 13 Pro combines power, speed and performance in a single device, making it even suitable for graphically-demanding games.
Features:
What’s included in the iPhone 13 Pro is an A15 Bionic chipset, complete with a 120Hz ProMotion technology and an optional storage capacity from 128GB to 1TB. It sports a 6.1-inch OLED display at 2532 x 1170 px resolution. A bonus is that the phone is made tough with Ceramic Shield protection.
The iPhone 13 Pro is splash, water and dust resistance rated at IP68. In terms of camera setup, there are three cameras on the back, all of which are equipped with 12MP for main, ultra-wide and telephoto. Not forgetting; the front is a 12MP camera. In terms of videos, the phone can shoot at 1080p and 4K resolutions.
Performance:
If you are a heavy gamer, the iPhone 13 Pro’s A15 Bionic chipset offers enough processing power to handle all kinds of mobile games while the 120Hz ProMotion technology helps to make your gaming looks smooth and stutter-free. Some of the games that are tested well include Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile, just to name a few.
The chipset also handles multitasking well regardless of opening multiple Google tabs, loading apps as well as editing photos and videos. With its display looking spectacular in terms of colours and contrast, it offers an amazing brightness level at up to 1,024 nits, making it ideal for outdoor uses even under direct sunlight.
Camera functions are equally top-notch, being able to produce high-quality images with great colours and details. Those who love to shoot videos will find the likes of Cinematic mode a fun feature worth exploring. As for the battery life, the phone can last a day or so, depending on your usage.
The recently-released iPhone 13 is everything you want in an iPhone; great and improved overall performance with upgraded camera functions.
Features:
Looking at the specs, we have a large 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display at 2532 x 1170 px resolution. The phone itself is IP68-rated for splash, water and dust resistance. It comes equipped with an A15 Bionic chipset and an optional storage capacity of up to 512GB max.
The phone has two cameras, which are placed diagonally on the top side with wide and ultra-wide shooters. It also includes a sensor-shift optical image stabilisation to minimise camera shake. On the front is also a 12MP camera for selfies.
For videographers, the iPhone 13 boasts a cool feature called Cinematic Mode, which allows you to create depth-of-field effects and even automatically shift focus, say from one subject to another.
Performances:
Users who bought the iPhone 13 love its overall premium feel whereas the phone has a sturdy build quality. The display looks amazingly sharp and bright while the thin bezels mean more viewing pleasure. Moreover, the 60Hz refresh rate makes playing games and navigating through web pages smooth minus the lagging issue.
Moving on to the cameras; the iPhone 13 shoots great photos with rich colours and details. Its added sensor-shift optical image stabilisation does come in handy for more steady shots. They have plenty of features worth exploring here, notably the Photographic Styles that allow you to customise the preferred look of your images (e.g. Warm, Cool or Vibrant).
The iPhone 13 can also shoot videos regardless of 1080p or 4K with the video quality looking spectacular, offering adequate dynamic range as well as colours and contrast. Not forgetting; aspiring and established videographers will find the Cinematic mode a useful arsenal, where they can achieve good bokeh effects to make the footage look professional.
Performance-wise, the A15 Bionic chipset offers powerful performance in terms of multitasking and playing games. Battery life, in the meantime, is great and particularly an improvement over the previous generations.
Let’s face it, iPhones are generally expensive. But if you insist on owning one, the “cheapest” iPhone that you can get would be the second generation of iPhone SE, where the base 64GB model costs just under RM2,000.
Features:
The iPhone SE sports a smaller 4.7-inch Retina HD display with IPS technology and comes equipped with an A13 Bionic chipset. Two tiers are available in terms of storage space: 64GB and 128GB. A nice thing; the phone is rated IP67 for splash, dust and water resistance, as well as can withstand an immersion depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes.
iPhone SE sports a single lens at the back, with a 12MP wide shooter and contains various functions like Portrait Mode and Depth Control. It can also shoot videos at a different resolution from 720p to 1080p and 4K. Selfie lovers, in the meantime, can make use of the 7MP front-facing shooter.
Performances:
Despite its “cheap” price tag, most reviews pointed out that the iPhone SE has a good build quality. While its prominent bezels look dated but one thing is for sure; it’s lightweight and comfortable to hold the phone. Otherwise, the display looks fine but nothing outstanding with decent colours and details.
The phone’s A13 Bionic chipset offers sufficient speed and power, doing well for multitasking regardless of switching between apps and playing videos. Camera performances are good too for everyday shooting. But it doesn’t quite cut it when trying to do low-light shooting. Lastly, battery life capacity is up to approximately a day or so, depending on your usage.
For work and productivity, among the recommended smartphones that give you the best quality and features are iPhone 12. Even though the phone is already over a year old, it still packs a punch.
Features:
Its highlights include a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield protection as well as an IP68-rated dust-and-water resistance. The phone also comes equipped with an A14 Bionic chipset. For cameras, you will find two wide and ultra-wide 12MP shooters as well as another 12MP on the front for selfie purposes.
Performance:
According to most reviews, the iPhone 12 has a solid build quality and feels premium too. The display looks crisp and crystal clear while the thinner bezels mean you get more viewing space at all angles.
The phone’s A14 Bionic chipset is among the best selling points here, where it excels in hiccup-free multitasking even among slightly higher tier phones. It performs fast and smoothly no matter if you are opening and navigating within apps as well as playing music or video.
As for the cameras, the iPhone 12 offers amazing clarity in well-lit conditions. Shooting low-light photos are just as exceptional with the help of the Night Mode. Battery life, however, is a mixed bag, lasting around 10 hours max which is if you are a heavy user.
iPhones vs Android Phones
Both Apple and Android have dominated the global smartphone market for more than a decade. Or more specifically, since the late 2000s. They have been competing against each other in terms of everything from the phone design to others like software and camera technology.
Especially if you’re loyal to either one, you must’ve been curious about the differences between the two of them. Here are three major points to know:
1. The Operating Systems (OS)
Apple iPhone:-
- iPhones utilise Apple’s iOS and their operating system which are strictly and exclusively designed for the particular brand itself. iOS has better and yes, even regular updates than Android OS.
- If that’s not impressive enough; once a new iOS version has been released, it is available to every iPhone user on the same day. In fact, an iPhone model averages about 5 major iOS updates in its lifetime. That’s about 5 years worth!
Android Phones:-
- Android runs on Google’s mobile ecosystem and they are generally more versatile (e.g. allows you to use third-party services) as well as highly customisable.
- Android OS isn’t as restricted as Apple’s iOS. In simpler words, they are open-sourced and is available for many phone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Samsung and Oppo, to use. This gives you plenty of options to choose from in terms of the phone’s brand, built, price and features.
- However, Android OS has a significant setback in terms of its software update. Unlike the regularity found in Apple’s iOS, Android users typically need to wait, pray and hope their respective smartphone’s manufacturers would release the updates. While this can be looked over, it does impact the phone’s longevity in general.
2. Price Point
Apple iPhone:-
- The word “economical” does not apply to the iPhones. Even their current “cheapest” range of iPhones (the 2020 version of iPhone SE), as seen on the official Apple MY website, costs RM 1,999.00 for the 64GB model.
- And if your budget is barely an issue, the currently most expensive iPhone you can buy right now would be iPhone 13 Pro Max, starting with a whopping price from RM 5,299.00 (128GB) to RM 7,599.00 for the 1TB model.
Android Phones:-
- iPhones generally have premium prices even for entry-level models. But the overall price point on Android phones is much more acceptable and popular by comparison.
- For instance, you can get a budget-friendly Android phone under the RM 500 price range, namely Realme C21 and Samsung Galaxy A02.
- Android phones also include both mid-range and high-end as well, though the latter matches iPhones and can stretch over RM 6,699 onwards (Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G in 2021).
3. Security
Apple iPhone:-
- Apple means business when comes to its overall security, making them one of the main reasons why they are so popular in the first place.
- Thanks to regular updates, iPhone users rarely need to worry about security threats and malware attacks since iOS uses a closed ecosystem.
Android Phones:-
- The security system found in Google’s Android can be vulnerable to, say malware attacks since their OS is open-source compared to the strict lock-and-key type of iOS.
- Besides, Android also allows users to install apps from .apk files, which can be harmful if they are not authorised by Google Play.
- Additionally, there are instances where apps may affect (read: slow) the phone’s overall performance, and it can be hard to figure out which app is the cause of it.