Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?

2 weeks ago

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a monolithic 6.9-inch show and a caller A18 Pro spot designed to powerfulness its precocious AI capabilities. While this year’s upgrades mightiness look subtle astatine first glance, Apple is banking connected refined features for illustration nan innovative Camera Control fastener and a sleek caller Desert Titanium colour to entice users. But is it capable to warrant an upgrade from nan iPhone 15 Pro Max, a telephone that dominated income charts conscionable a fewer months ago?

If you’re an early adopter, a powerfulness personification craving nan latest technology, aliases a photography enthusiast intrigued by nan caller camera features, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max mightiness beryllium calling your name. Keep reference to spot a elaborate comparison of nan iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and determine if it’s clip to return nan plunge.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: specs

Specs iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max

Size	163 x 77.6 x 8.25mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches)	159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 inches)
Weight	227 grams (7.99 oz)	221 grams (7.80 oz)
Screen	6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 1320 x 2868 pixels ProMotion pinch 120Hz move refresh rate Dolby Vision, 2000 nits brightness	6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 1290 x 2796 pixels ProMotion pinch 120Hz move refresh rate Dolby Vision, 2000 nits brightness
Operating system	iOS 18	Upgradable to iOS 18
RAM & Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB 8GB RAM	256GB, 512GB, 1TB 8GB RAM
Processor	Apple A18 Pro Six-core CPU Six-core GPU 16-core NPU	Apple A17 Pro Six-core CPU (2×3.78 GHz + 4×2.11 GHz) Six-core GPU 16-core NPU
Camera	Rear: 48-megapixel primary, f/1.8, 1/1.28″, OIS 48MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 120° FOV 12MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom Front: 12MP, f/1.9, 1/3.6″	Rear: 48MP primary, f/1.8, 1/1.28″, OIS 12MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 120° FOV 12MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom Front: 12MP, f/1.9, 1/3.6″
Video	Rear: 4K, up to 120fps Front: 4K, up to 60fps	Rear: 4K, up to 60fps Front: 4K, up to 60fps
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, dual-band Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E, dual-band Bluetooth 5.3
Ports	USB-C Gen 3.2 DisplayPort	USB-C Gen 3.2 DisplayPort
Water resistance	IP68 (maximum extent of 6m up to 30 minutes)	IP68 (maximum extent of 6m up to 30 minutes)
Battery & charging	Details of artillery capacity to beryllium confirmed Wired via USB-C, velocity to beryllium confirmed 25W wireless charging via MagSafe 15W Qi2 wireless charging	4,441mAh battery Wired via USB-C, up to 27W 25W wireless charging via MagSafe 15W Qi2 wireless charging
Colors	Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium	Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium
Price	Starts astatine $1,199	Starts astatine $1,199
Review	iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: design

iPhone 16 Pro Max successful Desert Titanium.

On nan surface, you whitethorn request thief identifying galore differences betwixt nan iPhone 16 Pro Max and nan older 15 Pro Max. But location judge are some. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is marginally taller, much comprehensive, and heavier than past year’s Pro Max. This allows nan caller exemplary to accommodate a caller and expansive 6.9-inch OLED show — up from nan 6.7-inch show of past year.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max introduces a caller Camera Control button, a beingness summation that intends to revolutionize nan mobile photography experience. This innovative fastener offers a tactile and intuitive measurement to interact pinch nan camera, mimicking nan functionality of a accepted camera’s shutter button.

With a elemental tap, nan Camera app launches, fresh to seizure fleeting moments. A 2nd pat captures a photo, while a property and clasp initiates video recording. But nan Camera Control button’s capabilities widen acold beyond these basal functions. A double tap, accompanied by haptic feedback, reveals a scope of manual controls and zoom levels. Once a paper is activated, sliding your digit crossed nan fastener allows for seamless navigation and precise zoom adjustments.

Apple has eager plans for nan Camera Control button, pinch upcoming features for illustration a Google Lens-style ocular hunt promising to heighten its inferior further. While nan first belief of nan fastener is overwhelmingly positive, its placement could lead to accidental activation. Despite this insignificant drawback, nan Camera Control fastener represents a important measurement guardant successful mobile photography, offering a unsocial blend of tactile power and precocious functionality.

Apart from nan caller button, location are a fewer different noticeable changes, but those that instrumentality retired see nan latest and smoother finishes connected nan solid backmost and nan titanium frame. Although 3 of nan 4 disposable colors person nan aforesaid names arsenic past year, location is immoderate ocular distinction, pinch this year’s models appearing little matte than nan erstwhile twelvemonth — astatine slightest successful nan images.

In summation to these outward changes, Apple has now added 4 microphones to let you to sprout much spatially apt audio that tin beryllium utilized pinch AirPods, Vision Pro, aliases different sound systems tin of situation sound.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: display

Using Halide Process Zero Camera connected an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a sprawling 6.9-inch display, eclipsing moreover nan Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra successful size. While this expansive canvas mightiness consciousness unwieldy to some, those who crave surface existent property will undoubtedly admit nan immersive experience. Apple has further refined nan creation by slimming down nan bezels, resulting successful a much elegant artistic and perchance enhancing gesture-based navigation.

This larger show besides accommodates a higher resolution, providing a subtle betterment successful sharpness complete its predecessor. However, Apple hasn’t joined nan title for ever-increasing brightness figures. The iPhone 16 Pro Max maintains nan awesome highest brightness of its predecessor, reaching 1,600 nits typically and a dazzling 2,000 nits successful high-brightness mode. While different manufacturers boast inflated numbers, Apple prioritizes real-world performance, ensuring a vibrant and easy viewable show successful various lighting conditions. The consequence is simply a surface that is not only expansive and crisp but besides delivers a consistently fantabulous viewing experience.

You get nan point, though, and that is, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max show gets bare minimum improvements complete nan past year. The 120Hz move refresh complaint switching, acknowledgment to ProMotion and LTPO tech, remains nan same, and truthful does nan Dynamic Island up top.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: performance

Despite minimal changes connected nan surface, location are important upgrades nether nan hood, chiefly arsenic Apple looks to present capable powerfulness for on-device AI applications. Apple’s caller A18 Pro spot connected nan iPhone 16 Pro Max succeeds nan A17 Pro from past year. As portion of Apple’s 2nd procreation of 3nm iPhone chips, nan A18 Pro is fabricated connected TSMC’s N3E process, resulting successful amended ratio than nan erstwhile generation.

For its CPU, nan A18 Pro maintains a six-core creation (two capacity and 4 ratio core) but nan frequencies are expected to beryllium bumped up. While Apple doesn’t uncover nan circumstantial timepiece speeds, it claims a 15% capacity boost complete nan A17 Pro. The CPU besides has 2 dedicated sectors aliases Scalable Matrix Extension (SME) units for amended capacity successful AI aliases instrumentality learning tasks, while low-level tasks tin tally disconnected it without engaging nan dedicated neural engine.

Next, nan GPU connected nan A18 Pro besides comes pinch nan aforesaid six-core creation arsenic past year, but Apple claims nan “desktop-class architecture” enables 20% amended performance. The caller spot besides supports rendering of frames that’s doubly arsenic accelerated pinch hardware accelerated ray tracing.

The 16-core neural motor is tin of up to 35 tera operations per 2nd (TOPS). While Apple says it’s doubly arsenic accelerated arsenic nan “previous generation,” it is referring to nan A16 and not nan A17 Pro — suggesting location whitethorn not beryllium a beingness improvement.

What could lend to amended AI capacity is nan caller 17% faster representation connected nan iPhone 16 Pro Max. Besides AI applications, nan faster RAM could besides consequence successful an wide betterment successful performance.

While Apple Intelligence is simply a compelling logic to upgrade to nan iPhone 16 Pro Max, cognize that nan iPhone 15 Pro Max will besides beryllium tin of each nan AI-related functionality, and Apple hasn’t explicitly announced plans to limit thing to nan iPhone 16 Pro.

In position of connectivity, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max gets a caller Snapdragon X75 modem, and you should expect faster 5G speeds. It supports Wi-Fi 7, though support for nan 6GHz set is still missing. The iPhone 16 Pro Max besides gets outer connectivity pinch support for emergency SOS, calling, messages, and Find My via outer erstwhile a modular web isn’t available.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: artillery and charging

The iPhone 16 Pro Max houses a robust 4,685mAh battery, nan largest ever successful an iPhone. This powerhouse effortlessly delivers all-day artillery life, and past some, ensuring you tin enactment connected and productive without perpetually searching for a charger.

While nan artillery capacity has importantly improved, wired charging speeds stay unchanged. You tin still expect astir 27W-30W, translating to astir a 50% complaint successful 30 minutes. However, Apple has made strides successful wireless charging. MagSafe charging now offers a faster 25W speed, a notable upgrade from nan erstwhile 15W. Qi2 wireless charging comes successful astatine 15W, while reverse wireless charging provides 4.5W for powering up accessories.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: cameras

The iPhone 16 Pro Max whitethorn look virtually identical to its predecessor astatine first glance, but beneath nan aboveground lies a importantly upgraded camera system. While nan 5X telephoto and 12-megapixel selfie cameras stay unchanged, nan superior and ultrawide sensors person received important enhancements.

Apple has replaced nan 48MP superior sensor pinch a caller “Fusion” sensor. While nan solution remains nan same, this caller exertion promises faster seizure speeds, allowing you to frost action pinch unthinkable precision. The ultrawide camera has besides seen a awesome upgrade, jumping from 12MP to 48MP. This not only widens nan section of view, enabling you to seizure much expansive scenes, but besides unlocks nan expertise to sprout 48MP ProRAW photos for greater editing flexibility.

Beyond nan hardware improvements, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max introduces breathtaking caller features. Spatial photos, captured pinch an added magnitude of depth, tin now beryllium knowledgeable connected nan Apple Vision Pro headset. The powerful A18 Pro spot enables 4K video signaling astatine a cinematic 120 frames per 2nd (fps) pinch Dolby Vision. ProRes and Log signaling options are besides disposable for professional-grade workflows (external retention required). Furthermore, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max utilizes 4 microphones to seizure immersive spatial audio and isolate subjects by distance, intelligently filtering retired inheritance noise.

Apple has besides revitalized its Photographic Styles feature. These refined lux filters connection much nuanced power complete colour and tone, allowing you to personalize your images pinch subtle aliases melodramatic effects.

In practice, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers exceptional image quality. Photos grounds true-to-life colors, awesome detail, and singular sharpness. The upgraded 48MP ultrawide lens besides enhances macro photography, capturing intricate close-ups pinch stunning clarity.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: package and updates

The iPhone 16 Pro Max arrives pinch iOS 18 pre-installed, offering a glimpse into nan early of Apple’s mobile operating system. This latest iteration, showcased astatine WWDC and refined done beta testing, introduces a big of breathtaking features and enhancements. From expanded customization options for app icons and Control Center elements to redesigned Photos and Camera apps, iOS 18 delivers a much personalized and intuitive personification experience. Furthermore, a suite of intelligent features promises to streamline tasks and expect your needs. For a broad exploration of these advancements, mention to our dedicated iOS 18 article.

While nan iPhone 15 Pro Max will besides person nan iOS 18 update, including nan upcoming Apple Intelligence features, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max offers 1 cardinal advantage: longevity. With an other twelvemonth of guaranteed package support, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max will proceed to person nan latest features and information updates for a longer period. However, fixed Apple’s exemplary way grounds of providing extended package support for its devices, pinch simultaneous updates crossed models, moreover nan iPhone 15 Pro Max is improbable to consciousness outdated anytime soon.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: value and availability

The iPhone 16 Pro Max enters nan marketplace pinch a starting value of $1,199 for nan 256GB unlocked model.

As nan caller flagship takes halfway stage, nan iPhone 15 Pro Max is nary longer sold straight by Apple. However, those still willing successful nan erstwhile procreation exemplary whitethorn find it disposable done third-party retailers specified arsenic Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, aliases done prime carriers.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?

Apple has a history of refining its Pro iPhone models incrementally alternatively than revolutionizing them pinch each iteration. This attack avoids rendering older iPhones obsolete and minimizes nan fearfulness of missing retired for those who don’t upgrade annually. The iPhone 16 Pro Max follows this trend, building upon nan coagulated instauration of its predecessor pinch a bid of targeted enhancements.

So, is it worthy upgrading from nan iPhone 15 Pro Max to nan iPhone 16 Pro Max? The elemental reply is: it depends. The iPhone 15 Pro Max remains a highly tin instrumentality that will proceed to service you good for years to come.

However, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max offers compelling reasons to make nan leap. The innovative Camera Control fastener puts precocious photographic controls astatine your fingertips, empowering you to research your productivity and seizure stunning images pinch greater precision. This tactile power could moreover animate a resurgence of horizontally composed photos, a invited displacement successful nan property of vertical societal media feeds. The enhanced video capabilities, coupled pinch nan A18 Pro chip’s exceptional performance, make nan iPhone 16 Pro Max a formidable instrumentality for mobile filmmaking. And pinch nan emergence of on-device AI, nan A18 Pro’s processing powerfulness will guarantee your telephone remains astatine nan forefront of intelligent features.

Furthermore, Apple’s generous trade-in programme tin importantly trim nan upfront costs of nan iPhone 16 Pro Max, making it a much tempting proposition. Ultimately, nan determination to upgrade hinges connected your individual needs and priorities. If you crave nan latest camera technology, activity enhanced imaginative control, and worth nan longevity of extended package support, nan iPhone 16 Pro Max is simply a worthy investment.