HBO Max is the company’s latest foray into the streaming world. The service, which launched in late 2020, combines everything you love from the premium cable network, while offering hundreds of shows from other channels, plus a good amount of new and original content. HBO Max replaces the old HBO GO app, while retaining many of its features and expanding its catalog in exciting new directions.
With one of the most attractive libraries in the streaming market, it’s no surprise that HBO Max doesn’t come cheap. The ad-supported option is available for $10 per month, but it shoots up to $15 per month if you want everything it has to offer. The platform also doesn’t offer a free trial. That means you’ll want to be sure it fits your needs before signing up. If you’re curious to start subscribing to HBO Max, check out our in-depth HBO Max review to learn everything you need to know about the popular service.
What to watch on HBO Max?
HBO Max boasts one of the most impressive lineups of any streaming service. Both the ad-supported and free subscriptions give you access to over 10,000 hours of flagship movies and shows, with more original content always in development. There’s so much to watch with HBO Max that you may have a hard time deciding what to watch first. This is a good thing when you consider the price you’ll have to pay to access the service, but it becomes a bad thing when you think about the time you’ll likely spend on the couch bingeing on content from DC, Cartoon Network, Sesame Workshop, CrunchyRoll, TCM and more.
Currently, HBO Max’s lineup of TV shows features more than 30 original programs, from a wide variety of genres including reality, docuseries, children’s programming and more. Selena Gomez premiered the first season of her reality cooking show Selena + Chef on HBO Max in 2020, the spooky sci-fi drama Raised By Wolves is sure to catch the attention of Game of Thrones fans, and Kaley Cuoco’s thriller The Flight Attendant was a hit for those looking for an addictive mystery. Obviously, HBO Max features HBO’s extensive library, which means The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City and other series are just a click away. And if you’re a Matrix fan, you’ll be able to enjoy The Matrix Resurrection through HBO Max.
Throughout 2021, HBO Max has released several Warner Bros. movies on the same day they’re released in theaters. Unfortunately, that advantage will not return in 2022. Subscribers will have to wait 45 days after the theatrical release before HBO Max can add it to the service.
One surprising thing about HBO Max is its lack of additional content. The service won’t charge you for additional access or optional features, and once you’ve subscribed to the ad-free tier, you’ll be able to experience everything HBO Max has to offer.
Here are some of the most popular TV shows and movies that are exclusive to HBO Max:
Locked Down
The Infinity Train
It’s a Sin
Fake Famous
Doom Patrol
Love Life
The Witches of Roald Dahl
There’s No Self in the Trio
Search Party
Esme & Roy
HBO Max Features
HBO Max has a lot to like, but with so much content it’s easy to get lost looking for something to stream. Fortunately, navigating the mountains of programming the service has to offer is easy thanks to its interface. If you’re looking for a particular movie or show, all you have to do is launch the HBO Max app and head to one of the 10 content hubs and search for what you’re looking for.
You can also search for what you want to watch using the app’s drop-down menu, which sorts content based on genre, upcoming releases, series, etc. This menu also has a “Last Chance” section that organizes all the movies and shows that are coming soon to the service, a feature that most streamers don’t have. This is a useful category that will remind you to watch some of the upcoming Warner Bros. movies that will be released on HBO Max before they are removed from the service.
HBO Max allows up to three users to watch the service at a time in up to five user profiles. This is standard on any subscription plan with the service, but a major wake-up call for households with three or more people. Like most streaming services, HBO Max offers users the ability to assign certain restrictions and blocks to specific user profiles for children or younger family members. And if you opt for the ad-free version, you can download shows and movies to watch offline when you don’t have an Internet connection.
Finally, you should know that some HBO Max content can be streamed in 4K. Most of the Warner Bros. movies the service has released and several original HBO Max shows are 4K compatible, and the service has announced plans to expand its library in 4K. Remember that this 4K content is limited to the ad-free subscription ($15/month) and you’ll also need a device that supports 4K resolutions.
HBO Max Supported Devices
HBO Max recently arrived on Amazon Fire and Roku devices. Currently, the service is available on most streaming devices. Below is a list of devices you can use to watch HBO Max:
Amazon Fire tablets (4th generation or later).
Amazon Fire TV (with Fire OS 5.3.6 or later)
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon Fire TV Cube
Amazon Fire TV Edition smart TVs (Insignia HD, Insignia 4K UHD, Toshiba HD, Toshiba 4K UHD)
Android phones and tablets (Android OS 5+)
Android TV (OS 5+)
Apple TV (4th generation or later)
Chromebooks
Chromecast
iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (with iOS 12.2+)
LG Smart TV
PC and Mac computers
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
Roku streaming devices (with OS 9.3 and above)
Samsung TV (2016+)
Spectrum WorldBox (in some locations)
Vizio Smart TV (2018 and later models)
Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Xfinity X1 and Flex
Is HBO Max Worth It?
HBO Max is not cheap, but its wealth of content more than makes up for the expense. Whether you’re looking for exclusive movies, kids’ TV shows or original series you won’t find anywhere else, HBO Max has been building a catalog that is among the best in the industry. Expect to see some major changes in 2022, as live sports appear to be on the table and the service may be scrambling to replace the Warner Bros. live movie deal that expires at the end of 2021. In any case, HBO Max is a premium streaming service that will provide thousands of hours of entertainment for a relatively reasonable price. It’s a shame there’s no free trial for the platform, but most viewers are bound to get a lot of value out of an HBO Max subscription.
