iPhone 15 Pro Max If you had to buy an IPhone to last 2 years

[kittur]

My IPhone 12 Pro Max was pickpocketed in Paris last week, and I just found out my insurance doesn't cover it! 😭

I can't afford a 15 Pro Max right now (I always prefer to buy the phone outright), so I'm wondering what would be the best older model Iphone to buy reconditioned or second hand to last for a couple of years when I should be able to buy the newest Iphone at that time.

Go hive mind! 💆🙏

 

[Apple_Robert]

iPhone 11 and newer.

 

[Fat_Guy]

The iPhone 12 Pro Max.



That would be a tough one to swallow as you just lost it. So, 13 Pro Max.

 

[eyoungren]

I got the 11 Pro Max in February 2021 (payed off in 2023) and I have no intention to upgrade until about two years from now. So, that'll be about 4 years with this phone and right around the average period of time I upgrade.

Been a good phone. Of course it doesn't have 5G, but that was intentional on my part. 5G is still being built out here in the US and I didn't want to play the part of network guinea pig. I did that with the iPhone 5 when LTE was being rolled out.

 

[Falcon9]

I’d be surprised if the iPhone 11 doesn’t get iOS 18 so I’d say that would be the cheapest option that would essentially be supported with the latest OS for the next two years. XS and XR will likely not be supported by iOS 18 as they are the oldest devices supported by iOS 17 and each major update usually drops support for the oldest generation. If you can budget it though, probably better to go with the 12 or even 13 (which I think can still be bought new from Apple) as you could easily get 3-4 more years with those and starting with the 12 you get the more current form factor/design aesthetic Apple is using. I’ve heard a lot of people praising the battery life of the 13’s as being a noticeable improvement over the 12’s.

 

[Andeddu]

iPhone 11 or newer. The 11 should have iOS 18 as its last update however will definitely be usable for 2 years with full app support along with security updates. You don’t require the most up-to-date iOS version.

 

[dz5b609]

With a new battery iPhone 11 and newer is good, although I would skip the 12 series because of the lesser battery life compared to the others.

 

[mlody]

What carrier are you on? I would buy cheap iPhone or Android that qualifies for a good trade-in and switch the carrier and then jump on the more recent iPhone. Since you had 12 Pro Max, I would advise to get 14 Plus or 15 Plus depending on the current carrier promos.

 

[1BadManVan]

Depends on your budget. I would suggest an iPhone 13 as the A15 was also carried over from that to the regular 14 series. Very good phone with great battery life, camera etc. Our oldest has an iPhone 11 and it still runs great as well but he will be getting an 14 for Christmas as they had some great Black Friday deals on it through our carrier, making it cheaper to get than a 13

Really anything 11 and up will last you 2 years no problem, its just a matter of what fits your budget

 

[Wando64]

I have a 12 pro and if I was forced to upgrade I would look for an Apple refurbished 13 pro Just for the camera improvements.

 

[Reverend Benny]

If you like the "max" size i'd say go with a 13 or 14 pro max.
Or why not have a look at the regular 14 max, might be an upgrade over the 12 pro max you had in some aspects.

 

[kittur]

Thank you all for these considered responses. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and wisdom!

 

[cousintim]

My IPhone 12 Pro Max was pickpocketed in Paris last week, and I just found out my insurance doesn't cover it! 😭

I can't afford a 15 Pro Max right now (I always prefer to buy the phone outright), so I'm wondering what would be the best older model Iphone to buy reconditioned or second hand to last for a couple of years when I should be able to buy the newest Iphone at that time.

Go hive mind! 💆🙏

iPhone 12 Pro Max.

 

[RRC]

Get an 11 Pro with a new battery and you’ll be set for a good few years if you are conscious about budget. Still a great phone!

 

[Zest28]

You can probably buy a used iPhone 14 Pro Max for cheap? Some people buy a new phone every year so you can try your luck.

If that is too expense, then a used iPhone 13 Pro Max.

 

[kevink2]

If something happened to my phone i would probably go with the 15 Pro. I'm currently on the 12 Pro.

I don't want to buy any more phones that aren't at least on USB-C. My laptops are USB-C. I have a backup Galaxy S23 with USB-C. My iPad Air is USB-C. See the pattern?

I considered an < $100 2022 SE over Thanksgiving holiday but backed out due to the Lightning connector.

I haven't upgraded to the 15 Pro because no pSIM. Which I still want.

 

[kvlq]

i would say 13 pro (max) is the best you can buy at a decent price right now.

 

[GalileoSeven]

I'll echo the sentiments of others who mentioned the 13 Pro Max - definitely can't go wrong with that

 

[rui no onna]

Country, budget and size?

If I were in your shoes and absolutely need the larger size, I'd just grab an Apple certified refurb iPhone 12 Pro Max 128GB for $679 (mainly because it's in stock now while the 13 refurbs are often out of stock).

If you can tolerate a smaller device and don't need the Pro camera system, either brand new iPhone 13 or SE3.

Mind, LTE sucks at my office. 5G midband is a must so for me, that means iPhone 12 or newer.

 

[Al Rukh]

I wouldn’t get any of the 11 or 12 series. They do not do well with the current version of iOS in terms of battery life. I think getting either the 13, 13 Pro or 13 Pro Max would be a better choice. The 13 PM is still doing well on iOS 17 so I’m sure it’ll do reasonably well for the next two years.

 

[MisterMillz]

As several others mentioned, 13 series, specifically the pro or pro max. Solid hardware, great battery and has a lot of life left in it. Both can be had on Amazon for less than $700.