If you’re planning to buy one of Apple’s latest smartphones, and you want a big phone, there are two options. We’re here to compare those two options, basically, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus. Both of these phones are quite compelling, and many people would say that Apple did a better job with a vanilla version of iPhones this year. Well, we’ll directly compare them to give you more information.
As per usual, we will first list the specifications of these two smartphones. Following that, comparisons across other categories will follow. We will compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Before we begin, do note that the ‘Pro Max’ model costs notably more. With that being said, let’s get down to business, shall we?
Specs
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus, respectively
– Screen size:
6.9-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED ( flat, 120Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED ( flat, 60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2868 x 1320
2796 x 1290
– SoC:
Apple A18 Pro (3nm)
Apple A18 (3nm)
– RAM:
8GB
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe)
128GB/256GB/512GB (NVMe)
– Rear cameras:
48MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.28-inch sensor, 1.22um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF), 12MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 1/3.06-inch sensor, 1.12um pixel size, 3D sensor-shift OIS, 5x optical zoom).
48MP (wide, f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 1.0um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/1.9 aperture, PDAF, 1/3.6-inch sensor size, OIS)
– Battery:
4,685mAh
4,674mAh
– Charging:
38W wired, 25W MagSafe, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included)
30W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm
160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm
– Weight:
227 grams
199 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3/5.4
– Security:
Face ID (3D facial scanning)
– OS:
iOS 18
– Price:
$1,199+
$899+
– Buy:
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (BestBuy)
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (BestBuy)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Design
These two smartphones do look rather similar, but there are differences. Starting with their build materials. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a frame made out of titanium, with some aluminum thrown into the mix. There’s glass on its back. The ‘Plus’ model’s frame is made out of aluminum, while there’s glass on its back. Both smartphones have the same corner curvature, and both of them have a pill-shaped cutout on the front. The bezels around the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s display are thinner, though.
On the right side, you’ll find a power/lock key, along with the Camera Control button. On the left, there are the volume up and down buttons, along with the Action Button. That goes for both of these smartphones, in case you were wondering. Things get visibly different when we flip them around, as their camera islands are considerably different. They’re both located in the top-left corner, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a squarish camera island with three cameras, while the iPhone 16 Plus has vertically-aligned cameras inside a pill-shaped camera module.
In regards to size, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is taller, and a bit thicker. They’re almost identical in terms of width. This difference is not surprising considering that the Pro Max model has a display that is 0.2 inches bigger. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is also a bit heavier in comparison, the difference is 28 grams. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. They’re both also quite slippery.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Display
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch 2868 x 1320 LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display. That panel offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and it’s flat. Dolby Vision is supported, as is HDR10 content. The peak brightness this display can provide is 2,000 nits, in theory. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 91%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The display is protected by the Ceramic Shield glass.
The iPhone 16 Plus, on the flip side, has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display on the front. This panel is also flat, but it doesn’t offer a high refresh rate. The refresh rate here is 60Hz. HDR10 content is supported, as is Dolby Vision. The peak brightness here is 2,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. This display is also protected by the Ceramic Shield glass.
Both of these displays are very good, actually. They’re more than sharp enough, while they’re also vivid, and have great viewing angles. They both get bright enough when you need them too as well. The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s display does have the advantage of offering a high refresh rate, though. If that’s something you’re used to, you’ll definitely be able to tell the difference. If you don’t care, either one of these two panels will serve you just fine.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Performance
The Apple A18 Pro SoC fuels the iPhone 16 Pro Max. That is a 3nm processor, and it’s paired up with 8GB of RAM here. NVMe storage is also in use. The iPhone 16 Plus, on the other hand, is fueled by the Apple A18 processor. That is also a 3nm processor, and Apple uses 8GB of RAM here as well. NVMe storage is in use inside this smartphone too. Neither phone offers storage expansion, though.
When it comes to actual day-to-day performance, they’re both outstanding. They’re on the same level, basically. The two phones feel snappy in every way. They can open apps real quick, jump between them without a problem, run basically any app with ease, and so on. You really won’t be able to tell the difference between them when it comes to daily use. Well, the same can be said for gaming too, actually.
Yes, the Apple A18 Pro is the more powerful chip of the two, but the Apple A18 is plenty powerful to run basically any game from the App Store. Even the most demanding games are not a problem for the iPhone 16 Plus, let alone the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Yes, there’s some heat coming out of both of them, but nothing that should worry you. Neither phone gets too hot to handle or anything of the sort, and the heat does not affect the gameplay.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Battery
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 4,685mAh battery on the inside. The ‘Plus’ model comes with a 4,674mAh battery. The difference is battery size is barely there. Considering the Plus’ lower refresh rate display, and a smaller display in general, it should offer superior battery life, right? Well, yes, and it does, but both are actually excellent in terms of battery life, and the difference is not that big.
If you need the very best iPhones when it comes to battery life, these two fit the bill, even though the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro also offer great battery life. Getting over 7 hours of screen-on-time is easily possible on these two phones, as long as you’re not a gamer or something of the sort. Your mileage may vary, though, of course, based on your usage, signal strength, and a number of other factors. The thing is, these two phones are capable of going the distance in terms of battery life and may end up being two-day phones for many people, as in charge them once in two days and be done with it. The standby time is great on both.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max supports 38W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. The iPhone 16 Plus has slightly slower wired charging, but the rest of what’s mentioned here is identical to the ‘Pro Max’ model. Do note that neither of these two phones comes with a charger in the box, though. You’ll need to get one on your own if you don’t already own it.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Cameras
There are three cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro Max and two on the iPhone 16 Plus. The ‘Pro Max’ comes with a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.28-inch sensor), a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto unit (1/3.06-inch sensor, 5x optical zoom). The iPhone 16 Plus has a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor), and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV).
Yes, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has better camera performance. That’s not in question here. It does a better job in basically every scenario, but the thing is, in most cases, most people won’t really notice the difference. In good lighting, for example, the images end up looking very similar. The two phones have a similar photographic style too. In low light, things will become a bit different, but still rather similar.
You’ll spot the most difference in the ultrawide camera performance, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is notably better in that regard. That goes for both daylight and night-time shots. Zoomed-in shots are miles better on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, though that’s not surprising as the iPhone 16 Plus does not have a telephoto camera. That difference is especially apparent at 5x zoom and zoom levels above it. The video recording is really good on both smartphones. The iPhone 16 Plus may offer inferior camera performance, but it’ll be more than good for most people.
Audio
Stereo speakers are a part of both of these smartphones. The ones on the iPhone 16 Pro Max are slightly louder, but the difference is really not that big, and most people won’t even notice it. Both sets of speakers are really good, and the audio output quality is also solid.
There is no audio jack on either one of these two smartphones. They do offer Type-C ports, so you can hook up your wired headphones that way. On top of that, both smartphones do support Bluetooth 5.3, in case you’d like to take advantage of wireless connectivity.
