HBO Max

On HBO Max you’ll find some of the best new original shows and Hollywood blockbusters joining an unrivalled archive of some of the best television and films ever made. Many of the world’s biggest-name franchises live exclusively here. The app is well designed with thoughtful collections. 4K HDR content with Dolby Atmos is available, but there isn’t enough of it yet. However, there’s no sign of a UK launch – and, due to current agreements, it may be years away.

Introduction

It’s been two years since the launch of HBO Max, the consolidation of the HBO Go/Now streaming services, a wealth of the content owned and licensed by WarnerMedia (AT&T to be specific) and an expanded brand of Originals. Hence the Max appendage.  

Since its arrival in March 2020, HBO Max has become one of the most compelling propositions around, a true rival to Disney Plus and Netflix, with some of the most recognisable super-franchises in all of television and cinema front and centre.

The vast archive of HBO TV dramas and comedies – regarded among the finest ever made – are there, with new, ground-breaking original shows, documentaries and current affairs series under the HBO and HBO Max Original banner. It’s also first to host some of the biggest Hollywood movies following their theatre runs. 

The apps are available in most places, the library is constantly growing, and there’s some support for the 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, if your setup can handle it. With ad-supported and ad-free options, the real argument is, can you afford not to have it? 

Platforms

• Wide support on mobile, smart TV and web
• AirPlay and Chromecast support

HBO Max is available in most major places with a functioning app store, and on the web. When watching on your television set, you can download the HBO Max app for the major set-top box and streaming stick operating systems: Amazon Fire TV (Running FireOS 5.1 or later), Apple TV 4K or HD (4^th generation or later), Android TV (Android OS 5 or later) and Chromecast with Google TV, as well as Roku streaming devices with Roku OS 10.0 and later.

Beyond that, native smart TV interfaces from LG, Samsung, Sony, Vizio offer the app; but many other manufacturers are missing. If your TV doesn’t have a native app, but does support Apple AirPlay or Google Chromecast, you can cast directly to the set from another device. Otherwise, it’s the old HDMI from laptop to telly job. 

There are apps for the PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Series S/X. On mobile there’s iPadOS, iOS and Android and Amazon Fire tablets. Windows, PC and Mac are supported through the major browsers.

Interface

• Slick TV interface with prominent artwork
• Thoughtful categories and collections
• No easy way to find 4K HDR/Dolby Atmos content

The TV app has a clean interface with large artwork. The homepage has a specific suggested pick, perhaps a new film or documentary. There are rows for Continue Watching, My List as well as For You recommendations.

Just Added features the hottest new picks, while there are dedicated rows for curated collections from channels or studios such as TCM (Turner Classic Movies), the DC Universe, or the best of HBO. That curated content tends to be topical. At the time of writing (March 2022), I see a row with 2022 Awards Picks with nominees and winners from the Oscars and Golden Globes.

There are dedicated tabs on the left-sided menu for Search, Movies, Series, Browse (featuring Last Chance, Coming Soon and Trending Now among the traditional genres) and hubs for various studios such as DC, TCM, Studio Ghibli, and so on. This experience is more condensed within the mobile app. 

Search has predicted results as you type, and you can use voice search where it’s available on your device, as it is on an Apple TV 4K. 

What’s missing is 4K-, HDR- and Dolby Atmos-specific menus. The content is available (more on that later), but you’ll have to go into the title itself to find it. HBO Max automatically plays the highest quality video and audio, but it would be good to see a dedicated menu for supported titles. 

The title page itself depicts available quality, as well as the length, age rating, year and synopsis. You can watch a trailer before playing, or add the item to your watch list. Scroll down to see bonus features, related content and the cast and crew listings. The interface is similar for TV series’, with accommodations for seasons and episodes. HBO Max doesn’t offer Rotten Tomatoes ratings, or the chance to review. I missed that, but welcomed the absence of a dominant recommendations algorithm. 

The playback interface is pretty standard, but will appear differently depending on the device upon which you’re watching. The Apple TV app, for example, conforms to house style. You hit down on the D-pad to access Info, Subtitles and Audio options. 

Features

• Offline downloads on mobile apps
• 4K HDR / Dolby Atmos supported, but limited
• Plenty of profiles and parental controls

Following a launch without 4K HDR video in 2020, HBO added support for select titles last year for viewers on the $14.99 ad-free plan. There’s Dolby Vision and HDR 10 support, as well as Dolby Atmos audio if you possess compatible AV tech equipment. Max also supports 5.1 surround sound.

The maximum available video and audio quality is listed on a per-title basis and will play in best quality automatically, unless you specify otherwise at device level. You can’t manually adjust these settings within HBO Max.

Sadly, there isn’t a huge array of content ticking those high-end boxes. There’s King Richard, The Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman and most of the latter-day DC movies, Dune, Space Jam: A New Legacy to name but a few. Why isn’t Harry Potter in 4K? Or the Lord of the Rings movies? At least they have the Extended Editions, thank heavens!

Disappointingly absent from all TV series is 4K HDR – even HBO’s latest highest-profile properties such as Westworld, Euphoria and Succession lack anything beyond HD with 5.1 audio. The offering here isn’t up to that of Disney Plus and Netflix. 

Since this is HBO, you can barely go five minutes without seeing genitalia or some kind of romp, so it’s good to see that pin-protected parental controls are available. You can also “Clear Continue Watching”, if you’ve been enjoying such content. You can add personal profiles with five in total for kids and adults, for personalised recommendations, watch lists, and so on. 

On the mobile apps, you can access limited time Offline Downloads, with content expiring 29 days after it has been downloaded. It’s worked ever so well for me on long flights. 

Library

• Unmatched HBO lineup of new and archive shows
• The home of the DC Universe and Harry Potter
• Lots of original shows, episodes released weekly

HBO has always felt like the anti-Netflix, with at least one can’t-miss original show that entices you to keep your subscription going. It was the combo of the big budget dramas with the high production values, such as Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Big Little Lies, alongside incorrigible comedies such as Eastbound & Down, Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Barry. Today it’s Euphoria, Succession, The Righteous Gemstones, Last Week Tonight, Curb (again), and so on. And that’s just the stuff I like!

During the pandemic, HBO was also releasing brand-new movies – Tenet, Wonder Woman ’84, The Matrix Resurrections and Dune – on the same day they hit theatres. Unlike Disney Plus, these came at no extra cost to subscribers. Alas, the cinemas have reopened so you’re going to have to wait the 90 days again. 

The TV lineup has been bolstered by the other properties that aren’t part of HBO. Past seasons of Rick and Morty, South Park, Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Chappelle’s Show and plenty more. Again, this is just the stuff that I like! 

The HBO originals have been boosted by a new crop of HBO Max originals exclusive to the service. I’ve only watched The Flight Attendant all the way through, which was enjoyable, but Hacks won the Emmy for best comedy. However, these are largely second-tier HBO shows.  

If Disney Plus is the home to everything Marvel and Star Wars; HBO Max is the only place to be for the DC Universe and Harry Potter. This is before you get to other Warner-owned properties such as New Line Cinema and Turner Classic Movies (all-timers such as Gone with the Wind, Casablanca) and Adult Swim. HBO Max is also the US distributor for Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio behind Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.

If you’re new to HBO, the Max app is a trove of some of the best TV ever made. The Sopranos, The Wire, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, for starter. I re-watch The Sopranos in its entirety once a year!

All first-run shows are released on an episodic, weekly basis, which is my absolute preferred method for watching television. If you like to sit down and blitz through a whole series, you’ll have to wait until it’s all aired. 

Performance

• 4K HDR content looks amazing
• App works perfectly

What 4K HDR content there is looks utterly spectacular in Dolby Vision on my 2021 65-inch OLED LG C1 with Apple TV 4K (2021). Dolby Vision and those extra pixels really shine on that blindingly colourful intro to Wonder Woman ’84, for example. While even the greyscale HDR in the black and white (well, grey) version of Justice League benefits from those deep, deep blacks. Some of the older stuff, not so much. 

HBO recommends at least a 25Mbps internet connection with 50+ recommended, so my average speeds of around 90Mbps certainly helped that. I don’t have a Dolby Atmos setup at home right now, but the Sonos Beam soundbar delivered an excellent performance with crystal-clear dialogue. 

I haven’t experienced any crashes with the app, offline downloads work as advertised, and you’ll always be able to pick up your show where you left off. It’s everything you’d expect. 

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