At the “It's Glotime” event today, Apple finally unveiled the new iphone 16 lineup, which includes iPhone 16/16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max. The latest line of iPhones comes with all the new iOS 18 features, Apple intelligence, and improvements in system-on-chip, display, design, and cameras. If you are one of those who are interested in buying it iphone 16 pro max and wondering if it's an upgrade over last year's top-of-the-line model, you've come to the right place. In this iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison, we'll help you find out.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Specifications at a glance
You can check out the specifications chart below to see how the iPhone 16 Pro Max differs from the 15 Pro Max on paper.
| iphone 16 pro max | iphone 15 pro max | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, 2868 x 1320 pixels | 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, 2796 x 1290 pixels |
| DIMENSIONS | 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm |
| Processor | 3nm, Apple A18 Pro | 3nm, Apple A17 Pro |
| rear camera | 48MP wide, 12MP telephoto, 48MP ultra-wide, TOF 3D LiDAR | 48MP wide, 12MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide, TOF 3D LiDAR |
| Front Camera | 12MP wide | 12MP wide |
| Video | Max: 4K at 120fps | Max: 4K at 60fps |
| Battery | Up to 105 hours on audio playback, Up to 33 hours on video playback, Up to 29 hours on streaming video | Up to 95 hours on audio playback, Up to 29 hours on video playback, Up to 25 hours on streaming video |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C 3.2 Generation 2 | Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C 3.2 Generation 2 |
| software | iOS 18 preinstalled | Upgradable to iOS 18 |
| Security | Ceramic Shield (2024) | Ceramic Shield |
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Display
Talking about the display, the new Pro Max model has a larger 6.9-inch panel with a resolution of 2868 x 1320 pixels. Whereas, last year's iPhone has a 6.7-inch unit, the same as its cheaper Plus sibling, hence the resolution is slightly lower at 2796 x 1290 pixels.
on the bezels iphone 16 pro max Also, it has been trimmed down to fit a form factor that is not much different from its predecessor. It is not just the bezels that contribute to better screen real estate, as Apple has also shrunk the cutout at the top. So, the dynamic island you interact with will also be smaller than before.
Apart from these size differences, the display capabilities remain the same. Both models use Super Retina XDR LTPO OLED panels with a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate and support for HDR 10 and Dolby Vision. Maximum brightness for SDR (1,000 nits), HDR (1,600 nits) and outdoor (2,000 nits) is unchanged.
Construction and design
With the bigger display, the size of the iPhone 16 Pro Max has also increased. The new model measures 163mm in height and 77.6mm in width, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max measures 159.9mm in height and 76.7mm in width. However, the thickness remains the same at 8.3mm.
Both phones have matte-finish glass panels on the back, while the new model has a more shiny titanium frame thanks to new titanium processing technology. The new model has the same button layout as the 15 Pro Max, but with an additional button on the right side. This is the best option. Capture Button Which will be a dedicated mechanical key for accessing the camera app and clicking photos inside it. This button is also pressure-sensitive, so you can map different actions to different types of touch.
Last year's model came in Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, Black Titanium, and White Titanium, while the 16 Pro Max comes with a more established and solid color scheme. You can get it in Space Black, White, Gray, and our top pick, Desert Titanium.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Hardware
The iPhone 16 Pro Max replaces the Apple A17 Pro in last year's version with the all-new Apple A18 Pro, which is also built on the same 3nm N3E processing node. This is an improved version of TSMC's N3B process that is 15% more powerful and packs an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine to make the device perform Apple intelligence tasks faster. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also packed a 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks, but the latest unit can perform 35 trillion tasks per second.
Apple has also improved the internal thermal design with an upgraded metal casing for the battery and a new graphene heatsink replacing copper. The upgrade also brings changes on the connectivity front as it gets the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard as well as a new Snapdragon X75 5G modem for 4x faster data throughput speeds and 20% improvement in energy efficiency. The 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, came with the Snapdragon X70 and Wi-Fi 6E standard.
Software and AI
As is the case with any iPhone release, you get all the features Features available with iOS 18 as well as some new AI functions. With iOS 18, you get a redesigned and more customizable home screen, new Control Panel, Lock screen controlsA password app that replaces the password keychain section, game mode for improved gameplay, and much more. All of these features are available on both models, so this is one place where you won't notice much of a difference when upgrading.
With this year's iOS release, for the first time we are seeing Apple's version of AI in their lineup. The company is calling it Apple Intelligence And while both models support it, the 16 Pro Max has something special. This new system packs a bunch of meaningful AI features and experiences like a new and powerful Siri, ChatGPT-integration, writing tools, notification summaries, AI Zenmojis, and more.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Camera
Last year, Apple made major improvements to the cameras in its iPhone 15 lineup. That's because the primary sensor on all models, including the base iPhone 15, was changed to a 48 MP wide f/1.8, 24mm sensor.
This time around, the company has taken a more traditional route and retained this sensor along with the secondary 12 MP 120mm periscope telephoto lens in the same f/2.8 aperture configuration. The latter offers the same level of optical zoom ~5x and 3D sensor-shift OIS as its predecessor.
The only major change is the new 48 MP 0.7µm ultra-wide sensor. This is a significant improvement over the 12 MP ultra-wide sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and previous versions. Apart from this, you will also get to see the TOF 3D LiDAR scanner for depth, which remains the same as before.
With the change in display and the smaller dynamic island, you might expect a different camera configuration on the front. But that's not the case. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 12 MP wide f/1.9, 23mm sensor for selfies with HDR support. Similarly, there is no difference between the devices in terms of video recording. You can record 4K footage using the front and back cameras at 24/25/30/60 FPS.
Battery and charging
Apple is using stacked battery technology to power its latest Pro models. This ensures longer lifetime and better energy density compared to the single-layer battery in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The Cupertino giant doesn't promote battery life like other OEMs, but instead shares estimates of how long the phone can last for different usage scenarios. The 15 Pro Max is rated to last up to 95 hours on audio playback, up to 29 hours on video playback, and up to 25 hours on streaming video. With a slightly larger battery, the newer model should last you longer, thanks to the more efficient Apple A18 Pro chip.
The 16 Pro Max also gets an upgrade in terms of charging. You can now charge it with a 25W MagSafe charger, while the 15 Pro Max came with a 15W charger. There are no changes to wired charging and both models charge from 0-50% in 30 minutes.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?
Every year, when an iPhone is released, the Pro model probably gets the most improvements in the entire lineup. And that's the case with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. It gets a bigger display, better internals, a new capture button, and better charging support over its predecessor. While most of the camera setup remains unchanged, the new 48 MP ultrawide sensor is a welcome change.
But does upgrading from the iPhone 15 Pro Max carry all this warranty? Personally, no. I wouldn't recommend switching to the new model unless you get a really good trade-in value. That's because the 15 Pro Max can still do everything the latest iPhone does, thanks to the built-in iOS 18 software. It also has the same Apple Intelligence features as the 16 Pro Max, except for a handful of others.
However, if you have a much older device, it becomes easier to recommend the iPhone 16 Pro Max. With AI gaining prominence from Apple, you will definitely feel a sense of FOMO as you won't be able to try out Apple intelligence on older iPhones or even the non-Pro iPhone 15.
