Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Smartphone Review

Apple’s new iPhone 16 Pro Max review: Apple launched the new iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max in September 2024. The two smartphones will be available globally, but they won’t start shipping until September 20. You’ll be able to buy the new devices regardless of your region. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are based on the same design as their predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but with some notable additions that Apple believes will improve the user experience.

Just like all other iPhone releases, the two new Pro models have upgraded internals with more powerful chipsets, larger displays, better cameras, and even faster 5G connectivity, among other things. The company hopes that these changes will be enough to make the new iPhones more appealing to those looking for a new phone. The iPhone 16 Pro has almost the same specs and features as the iPhone 16 Pro Max. So, let’s get started with a detailed review of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max and see if these two smartphones are worth buying.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Smartphone Review

Highlights

1. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays with support for 120Hz refresh rate.
2. The new smartphones have a new Apple A18 Pro 5G chipset, which can reach clock speeds of up to 2×4.04GHz.
3. Both the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have the latest iOS 18.
4. The new smartphones feature the same 48MP triple rear camera system with a 12MP selfie camera.
5. Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have larger batteries than their predecessors. They also support the same 25W wired and wireless MagSafe fast charging capabilities.

Design and exhibition

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have nearly identical designs to their predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but with a few new changes. First off, both phones come in new colors — Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and Desert Titanium — which elevates the design language. The Titanium metal on the side frame has a slightly glossy finish this time around, which looks pretty cool.

There is also a new capacitive camera button that is touch-sensitive and has multiple built-in functionalities. The body of the new iPhones is completely flat except for the four corners, which are rounded. The side frame is made of grade 5 titanium, while the middle frame that gives the phone its structural integrity is made of aluminum. However, the back and front panels of the phone are composed of glass.

Let’s talk about the display. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED displays with support for a 120Hz refresh rate. This display has a 1.5K resolution, HDR10, and Dolby Vision technology, so movies and videos will look absolutely stunning. The display can also reach a brightness of up to 2,000 nits, so you’ll have no problem using the phone in direct sunlight. The display is protected by a second-generation ceramic glass that’s 50% more scratch-resistant. The display bezels are also slightly thinner now, which will provide an even more immersive experience. The phone is protected against dust and water with an IP68 certification.

Memory and internal

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have the new Apple A18 Pro 5G chipset, which is clocked at 2×4.04 GHz. This is the highest clock speed we’ve ever seen and should allow the chipset to perform 15% better than the Apple A17 Pro. Since this is the fastest processor at the time of writing, you’ll have no trouble running apps and games.

The Apple A18 Pro GPU is 20% faster than its predecessor and has twice the Ray Tracing capabilities. All your favorite games, including CODm, PUBG Mobile, Black Desert Mobile, Summoners War, and even Genshin Impact, will run at the highest graphical quality and high frame rates.

The new smartphones also have a better 5G modem inside, so even faster 5G connectivity with lower power consumption is expected. Both the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max run the latest iOS 18 out of the box, but the Apple Intelligence feature will arrive in December with an iOS update. As for memory and storage, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB of NVMe internal storage.

Camera

Both the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have the same 48MP triple camera setup this time around. The iPhone 16 Pro also has the Tetraprism telephoto camera that was previously only available on the iPhone 15 Pro Max model. The 48MP main camera can capture an incredible amount of detail with high dynamics, perfect white balance, and a natural color tone. Images from this camera really shine.

The 48MP Ultra Wide camera captures some of the most incredible shots without any distortion or color shift compared to the main camera. The latest 12MP periscopic telephoto camera can take photos at 5x zoom levels and the images it takes have plenty of detail. However, if you zoom in above 5x levels, some of its pristine details will start to fade away.

As for selfies, there’s a 12MP sensor on the front, which is capable of taking fantastic selfies, even in the dark. Speaking of the dark, the night photography on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max is also incredible. As far as video recording is concerned, the rear cameras can record videos at 4K at 120 FPS, while the selfie camera only records at 4K at 60 FPS at most. Both the rear and selfie cameras have support for OIS (sensor-shift technology) and gyro-EIS, so any video captured with these cameras will have stable footage.

Battery and others

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have a larger battery capacity than their predecessors, but the exact capacity has not been revealed yet. These high-capacity batteries in the new iPhones are expected to provide 2 to 4 hours of additional battery backup. So, you can expect the new iPhones to last around 2 days on a single charge with lighter usage, which includes watching movies and TV shows, texting, calling, using the camera, and more.

As far as charging is concerned, both the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max support 25W wired and wireless MagSafe fast charging capabilities. Apart from that, the smartphones have support for dual-band Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, Face ID facial recognition system, Apple Pay, Ultra Wideband Gen 2, and USB Type-C connector for charging. So, you can use any USB Type-C charger and you will be fine. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is available at a starting price of $1,725 ​​(Rs 1,44,900 in India) approximately.

Pros and cons of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Detailed specifications of Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Below you can see the Full specifications of Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max smartphone.

Conclusion

Apple’s new iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max come with a lot of new changes. The design of the phone now looks even better and has a dedicated camera button for quickly taking photos. The bezels around the display are thinner, providing an even better viewing experience. The chipset is now even faster and can run games at an even higher frame rate.

Even the camera, battery, and charging system have received some improvements. Not to mention that the 5G connectivity will be faster and consume less battery. Overall, it is a fantastic flagship phone. So, if you are looking for a new flagship smartphone, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are highly recommended.

However, if you already have an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, the new upgrades do not justify another purchase. We recommend that you stick with the iPhone 15 Pro for a few more years and upgrade straight to the iPhone 18 Pro or newer. The best alternative to these phones would be the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which will also receive an upgraded version early next year. The performance of the telephoto zoom camera on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is better, and it also costs a lot less now. However, the final decision is up to you, so it is better to choose a smartphone based on your requirements and needs.