I bit the bullet and walked-in to Maxis Centres the night right before CNY 1st Feb.

Maxis Centre Nu Sentral said I can get iPhone 13 Pro Max w/ zero upfront. But they only have 128GB version.

I immediately went to Maxis Centre KLCC the same night. They were fresh run out of 256GB. BUT, now I am told to fork RM3k+, not entitled to Zerolution.

bummer.

So on CNY 1st Feb, I went back to Nu Sentral. No longer give damn about bottom 128GB. Nu Sentral checked again I am entitled to zero downpayment.

Didn't wait for reverse in "fortune". Snapped the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Watch Series 7.

Just stay on the same 128 rate plan as the difference of each next-level +RM30 jump in rate plan is a miniscule -RM3 in installment amount.

Do note that during what I assume is eligibility checks, both asked for NRIC, but Maxis KLCC never asked for TAC, while Maxis Nu Sentral asked for TAC both times.
[Why plonk ~RM8k in lump sum when I can pay it slowly over 3 years? If the phone is loss/broken within the 3 years, it does not change the fact I still became poorer by RM8k regardless full upfront or over 3 years. I'm staying on Maxis anyway, so enjoy the benefit of slow-cooking.]