Apple has once again set a high bar in mobile technology with the launch of its iPhone 16 series. This time, we will be discussing the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. We’ll explore everything these new models bring to the table. With faster performance, enhanced photography features, and sleek designs, the iPhone 16 Pro models build on past successes and take smartphone innovation to the next level.
If you are an Apple enthusiast or are looking for a high-end phone with all the latest features, look no further. This review covers the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max in-depth, highlighting their remarkable features and how they can transform your Mobile experience. Let's get into it!
Price
The iPhone 16 Pro, which comes with 128GB of storage, starts at $1449 with flexible payment plan options from Apple. Meanwhile, its 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB model costs $1,599, $1,899, and $2,199 respectively. The standard 256GB model of the iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $1,750, while the 512GB and 1TB models cost $2,049 and $2,349, respectively.
Size
Size comes first. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a huge smartphone that lives up to its name. It measures 6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro dimensions are 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches.
As the 16 Pro is somewhat heavier, 3 mm taller, and a mm broader than the previous model, it serves as a sort of safety net for people who are scared off by the size of the new Max but still don't want a small phone. However, with adequate context and justification, this one might still be suitable if you're searching for a small “Pro”.
There isn't much choice because the two phones are identical in terms of build, materials, and color selections. The third-generation Ceramic Shield display glass and stunning titanium design provide ample protection against scratches, shattering, and drops. In keeping with Apple's custom, both phones are IP68-rated and can go deeper than the regular 1.5 meters, with the potential to reach 6 meters (for 30 minutes, freshwater).
Design and Display
The iPhone 16 Pro remains a compact phone, but having a larger display size of 6.3 inches comes at a cost. As the size and weight of the phone have increased, it is now considered a mid-size phone. This phone weighs 7.03 ounces.
While the 16 pro-Max comes with a 6.9-inch screen, it has the largest iPhone display ever and weighs 8 ounces. Additionally, both displays include Dynamic Island and the same brightness of up to 2,000 nits and a customizable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The bezels surrounding the screens have also gotten thinner, creating the narrowest edges around iPhone screens to date.
The elegant OLED screen of both phones has ProMotion, which can operate at up to 120 Hz. OLED screens offer beautiful, deep, vibrant colors, great viewing angles, and outstanding contrast. The camera app may now be accessed at any time with the new Camera Control button.
Unlike last year's Action Button, this one is mechanical, features a capacitive pad on top, and can detect half-pressure, swipes, and full presses (which causes it to click in). You can quickly adjust exposure, focus, bokeh, and other camera settings by sliding over the button.
You can also browse through Photographic Styles, which is the modern equivalent of filters. Push and hold to record video, and push once to snap a picture. Both phones come in four titanium colors: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and Desert Titanium.
Aside from that, the two models are nearly identical. Apple has chosen 460ppi pixel density as the essential feature (Super Retina and others) and modifies the overall resolution based on the diagonal. When operating manually, the maximum brightness is 900 nits; however, it is about doubled when using auto brightness. Both support HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Performance
The most recent in-house design from Apple, the A18 Pro chipset, is used in both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This USD chip guarantees swift response times. There shouldn't be any noticeable differences in performance because they all have the same 8GB of RAM.
The base storage is one feature that distinguishes them; the Pro Max can't have less than 256GB, while the 16 Pro starts at a relatively unsatisfactory 128GB. Remember that while comparing costs. If you want to fit the Pro Max's basic storage on the Pro, the previously huge savings are reduced to $100/€120, making one of the Pro's primary advantages less relevant.
As expected, the benchmark scores for the two are incredibly similar. In addition to providing industry-leading performance, the 16 Pro will continue to feel sharp and fluid for many years to come.
Battery Life
The bigger the size, the better the battery. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 3582mAh capacity, while the 16 Pro Max has 4685mAh. Moreover, the Pro's battery capacity has increased by 9.4%, while the Pro Max's has increased by 5.5%. The 16 Pro Max is now virtually on pace with Androids of similar caliber.
Meanwhile, with an additional 1,100mAh on the 16 Pro, you'd expect it to have longer battery life, even with the larger panel. Indeed, we obtained a higher Active Use Score on the 16 Pro Max, with significantly higher figures across all tests. That's not to imply the 16 Pro is bad—quite the reverse. But if you frequently spend extended periods without power, the 16 Pro Max is a better choice.
Charging Speed
Apple's charging ratings set the benchmark for ambiguity, with a standard specification for all recent models stating ‘up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adaptor'. The 16 Pro charged slightly faster than claimed, unlike the 16 Pro Max, which underperformed. In any case, there is no clear winner in this race. In addition, both are painfully slow to achieve a ‘full' state, with the Pro Max being much slower.
Although we were expecting 45-watt wired charging for the entire series, all iPhone 16 phones can only charge up to 30 watts when using a MagSafe charger. The phones may also be charged wirelessly up to 25W using MagSafe and 15W with accessories that use the more widely used Qi2 protocol.
Camera
Apple debuted the iPhone 15 series with a new 5x telephoto camera, but it was only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The 5X telephoto is one of the identical camera systems that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max both got this year. Additionally, both phones have the same camera systems, which include an upgraded 48MP ultrawide-angle camera.
This can combine four pixels into one for brighter shots. Both phones also have a new 48MP primary camera that can now take pictures faster. The 12MP selfie camera hasn't changed since last year. Apple's new primary camera can record 4K HDR films at 120 frames per second, with the option to slow it down to 24 fps for more dramatic cinematic effects.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max's bigger body gives it an advantage in thermal performance, just like it does for other performance-intensive applications. With 10-bit image capture, phone users can enjoy more vivid, lifelike, and perfect photos.
The high-resolution front camera on iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max captures intricate facial features, perfect for Portrait mode selfies.
Furthermore, both phones now have four microphones, which enables more comprehensive sound recording, particularly when adjusting for spatial use scenarios. The microphone array can use machine learning to remove background noise, and record sounds at various distances.
With the same cameras, both phones perform great when shooting pictures. Still, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is clearly superior when it comes to videos, whether you consider its ability to withstand heat or its larger viewfinder.
Speaker Test
The hybrid stereo speaker configurations on both Pro iPhones have drivers on the top and bottom. However, the top one also works as an earpiece. Both produce excellent sound overall, with distinct vocals, treble power, and a pleasant low-end presence. Due to its slight advantage in the mid-high and vocal ranges, the Pro Max can potentially score higher for loudness. This gives the Pro Max a slight edge, but it's still a fantastic Pro.
Image Quality
When comparing the two phones, the produced photographs are nearly identical. They have the typical iPhone rendition, which includes a wide dynamic range and conservative color. The 2x zoom level is one of the better implementations available, and you can rely on reasonably crisp 50-mm images, as we've come to expect from iPhones.
The 5x zoom pictures are also captured by the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. When deciding between these two phones, you shouldn't consider the new Pro-grade ultrawide cameras. This is because they weren't significantly improved over the module from the previous year. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max excels in capturing natural scenes with its HDR capabilities and improved color accuracy.
Differences do not surface magically at night. Thus, the 16 Pro and Pro Max will take identical images with all of their cameras in the night mode. The phones take perfect and beautiful photos, and the 2x zoom level is still a feasible option even when the light drops. The parity remains at the telephoto level, so the 16 Pro can zoom as far as the 16 Pro Max. So this year, we don't have to choose between 3x and 5x.
Software and Updates
All of Apple's new iPhone 16 models come pre-installed with iOS 18. This means that the iOS 16 has now become an older version. The most recent version of iOS is centered on Apple Intelligence and personalization options similar to those of Android phones. You'll enjoy the raw experience on both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Additionally, iOS 18 adds a significant feature to Messages which is the RCS support.
The only benefits of the iPhone 16 Pro Max are its larger screen and easier access to the Control Center for editing app icons. We do not anticipate any limits with either of the models, though, given that Apple tightly regulates the experience across all of its phones. Device compatibility is a key advantage of iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, with seamless integration across Apple ecosystems. Once again, the different usability of screens on both smartphones is mainly determined by your choices more than anything else.
Conclusion
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are exceptional smartphones that elevate mobile experiences. They offer excellent performance, improved cameras, and stylish designs. Apple's latest flagships are perfect for those seeking power and convenience, whether you prefer a compact or larger device.
