Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone 16 and the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
VS
Head to head
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Battery | 3,561 mAh | 4,685 mAh |
| Wired charging | — | 20W |
| Storage (max) | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Screen size | 6.1 in | 6.9 in |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 170 g | 227 g |
| Released | Sep 2024 | Sep 2024 |
Summary: Apple iPhone 16 is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is ahead on our rating, battery, screen size.
Display
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR, True Tone, Wide color (P3), Haptic Touch | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion technology (1-120Hz), Always-On display, HDR |
| Size | 6.1 inches (6.12 inches diagonally) | 6.9 inches |
| Resolution | 2556 x 1179 pixels (~460 ppi density) | 2868 x 1320 pixels, 460 ppi |
| Brightness | 1000 nits (typical), 1600 nits (HDR peak), 2000 nits (outdoor peak) | 1000 nits (typical), 1600 nits (peak HDR), 2000 nits (peak outdoor) |
| Features | Dynamic Island, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating | Dynamic Island, True Tone, Wide color (P3), Haptic Touch |
| Protection | — | Ceramic Shield glass, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating |
Platform
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS 18 (upgradable to iOS 26.6.1 as of August 2026) | iOS 18 (upgradable to iOS 26.6.1 as of August 2026) |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| CPU | 6-core CPU (2 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores) | 6-core (2x P-cores @ 4.02 GHz + 4x E-cores @ 2.42 GHz) |
| GPU | 5-core GPU | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine | 16-core |
Memory
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR5X | 8GB LPDDR5X |
| Internal Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB NVMe | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB NVMe |
| Card Slot | No | No |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Modules | Advanced dual-camera system | — |
| Wide | 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm, sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm | — |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/1.6, 52mm (2x optical zoom equivalent via main sensor), sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels | — |
| Features | Photographic Styles, Spatial video capture, Smart HDR 5, Portrait mode with Focus and Depth Control, Night mode, Panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama), Cinematic mode, ProRes video, Spatial Video, Photographic Styles, Macro photography |
| Video | 4K Dolby Vision video up to 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Action mode | 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps (Fusion), 1080p@24/25/30/60/120/240fps, Dolby Vision HDR, ProRes, Cinematic mode, stereo sound rec. |
| Triple | — | 48 MP, f/1.78, 24mm (wide), 2nd-gen sensor-shift OIS, dual pixel PDAF; 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), Hybrid Focus Pixels, autofocus; 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 5x optical zoom, 3D sensor-shift OIS, PDAF |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Modules | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide) | — |
| Features | Autofocus, Smart HDR 5, Portrait mode with Focus and Depth Control, Cinematic video stabilization | HDR, Cinematic mode |
| Video | 4K video recording up to 60 fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@24/25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Single | — | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS |
Battery
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Li-ion, non-removable | Li-Ion 4685 mAh (18.17 Wh), non-removable |
| Capacity | 3561 mAh (13.84 Wh) | — |
| Charging | MagSafe wireless charging, Qi2 wireless charging, USB-C fast-charge | Fast charging (50% in 30 min with 20W adapter), 15W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless |
Body
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 in) | 163 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.325 in) |
| Weight | 170 g (6.0 oz) | 227 g (8.01 oz) |
| Build | Aluminum design, color-infused glass back, Ceramic Shield front | Titanium frame, Ceramic Shield front, Textured matte glass back |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) |
| SIM | — | Dual eSIM (US); Dual nano-SIM (Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China); nano-SIM and eSIM (elsewhere) |
Comms
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) tri-band, MIMO | Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes (reader mode, Express Cards) | Yes |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB-C | USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, up to 10Gbps) |
Launch
| Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | September 9, 2024 | 2024, September 09 |
| Status | Available | Available. Released 2024, September 20 |
| Released | September 20, 2024 | — |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone 16 or Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max?
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max — 3,561 mAh for the Apple iPhone 16 versus 4,685 mAh for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone 16 or Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max?
Apple iPhone 16 — 170 g for the Apple iPhone 16 versus 227 g for the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Is the Apple iPhone 16 or the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone 16 8/10 and the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 9/10.