The iPhone 16 Pro is a compact alternative to the Pro Max, with almost identical specs. So if you want top-tier power, superb cameras and a great screen in a smaller size and at a lower price, this is an excellent choice. Just be aware that the battery life isn't quite as good.
For
- Cheaper than the Pro Max
- A compact powerhouse
- Camera Control functionality
Against
- Worse battery than Pro Max
- No AI at launch
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple's biggest phone ever, with a massive 6.9-inch screen, incredible battery life, and an unsurprisingly big price tag. It's the best iPhone you can buy, but it's only marginally better than the iPhone 16 Pro.
For
- Huge screen
- Superb battery life
- Camera Control functionality
Against
- Big and heavy
- Very expensive
The iPhone 16 series is composed of four phones, but if you want one of Apple’s very best handsets then there are really only two that you’ll be choosing between – the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
These are Apple’s most premium handsets, and they’re more similar than the Pro and Pro Max models are in some years. That said, they still have plenty of differences. So below, you’ll find details of all the key specs and features on these phones, and how they compare.
But if you’re looking for how we found these phones in use, check out our full iPhone 16 Pro review and our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: specs comparison
You’ll find a detailed look at the key specs of both these phones further down, but for a brief overview of their specs lists, check out the chart below:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display: | 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Resolution: | 1206 x 2622 | 1320 x 2868 |
| Refresh rate: | Adaptive 1-120hz | Adaptive 1-120hz |
| Chipset: | A18 Pro | A18 Pro |
| Rear cameras: | 48MP (main), 48MP (ultra-wide), 12MP (telephoto with 5x optical zoom) | 48MP (main), 48MP (ultra-wide), 12MP (telephoto with 5x optical zoom) |
| Front camera: | 12MP | 12MP |
| RAM: | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage: | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery: | 3,582mAh (unofficial) | 4,685mAh (unofficial) |
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: price and availability
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max were both announced on September 9, 2024, and shipped on September 20, and they’re now widely available across the world.
The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,799, for which you get 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. That makes the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max $200 / £200 / AU$350 higher.
However, you’re also getting twice as much storage. A comparable 256GB iPhone 16 Pro model costs $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,999, which is only $100 / £100 / AU$150 less than the starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
At the top end, an iPhone 16 Pro with 1TB of storage will set you back $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,699, while a 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,849. That again is a $100 / £100 / AU$150 price difference.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: design and display
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max largely share a design, as you might expect. They each have a flat screen with a Dynamic Island, tiny bezels, and a titanium frame. Flip them over and there’s a glass back with a large triple-lens camera block in the top left corner.
The two phones also both have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and they both have an Action button on the left edge, along with volume keys, and the new Camera Control button on the right edge, along with the power button.
They’re also both available in the same selection of colors, namely Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and Desert Titanium.
Where they do differ is in their dimensions and weights. The iPhone 16 Pro is 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.3mm and 199g, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 163 x 77.6 x 8.3mm and 227g. So they’re the same thickness, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max is bigger, wider, and heavier.
That’s no surprise, because the Pro Max also has a larger screen. On the iPhone 16 Pro you’re getting a 6.3-inch 1206 x 2622 OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 460 pixels per inch, and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. The iPhone 16 Pro Max on the other hand has a 6.9-inch 1320 x 2868 screen, however its remaining display specs are the same. So it’s simply a question of size.
In both our iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max reviews we praised these screens as excellent, sharp, and very bright, so either way you’ll be getting a terrific display.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: cameras
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have exactly the same cameras as each other, which is notable because that’s not always the case with Apple’s Pro phones.
Specifically, both phones have a 48MP f/1.8 main camera, a 48MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, a 12MP f/2.8 telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP f/1.9 front-facing camera. The ultra-wide additionally works as a macro lens, the main camera can also deliver optical quality shots at 2x zoom, and you can shoot video in up to 4K quality at 120fps. So it’s quite a versatile setup.
And of course, there’s also the Camera Control button, which gives you a convenient hardware key for launching the camera, adjusting settings, and snapping photos.
Our reviews praised the upgraded ultra-wide sensor on both phones and the move to a 5x zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro, with our iPhone 16 Pro Max review noting that “the Camera Control might be a game changer.”
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: performance
There should be no real difference between the performance of the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as both phones have an A18 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM.
The latter might not sound like much – and indeed it’s no better than what the iPhone 15 Pro has – but the combination makes these among the most powerful smartphones on the planet.
In our iPhone 16 Pro Max review we described the chipset as being “more power than most will need.” So whether you’re gaming, editing photos, multitasking, or whatever else, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max should both be perfectly capable of maintaining smooth performance.
The real test though will come with Apple Intelligence, which hasn’t yet launched at the time of writing. This suite of AI features could prove quite demanding, but regardless, there’s nothing to choose between these two phones when it comes to performance.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: battery
Apple doesn’t reveal battery capacities, but thanks to teardowns we know that the iPhone 16 Pro has a 3,582mAh battery while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a larger 4,685mAh one.
In practice, Apple claims you’ll get up to 27 hours of video playback or up to 85 hours of audio playback from the iPhone 16 Pro, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max can last for up to 33 hours of video or up to 105 hours of audio.
In our own Future Labs tests we found that the iPhone 16 Pro would last an average of 14 hours, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max would last an average of 16 hours. In both cases those are strong results, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a clear lead for battery life.
Both phones support the same charging speeds though. Apple has been a bit cagey on wired charging speeds, but says to expect them to go from zero to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20W charger or higher, with third-party tests suggesting faster chargers might yield better results. And they also support 25W MagSafe wireless charging.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: verdict
Ultimately, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are very similar phones, but with a number of key differences.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a bigger screen, better battery life, and a higher starting storage capacity of 256GB. However, it’s also a heavier phone that’s harder to use with one hand, and of course it costs more.
Both of these handsets rank among the best iPhones you can buy, and both achieved 4.5 star reviews, so you won’t go wrong with either. But if you want the ultimate iPhone it’s the iPhone 16 Pro Max – you’ll just need to be prepared to pay a lot for it.
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