iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Is the Price Increase Valid?

Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is available. While the new model isn't as advanced as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it still has enough new capabilities to maintain its title as the most advanced iPhone. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the flagship handset from the series with a faster new CPU, a more prominent display with fewer bezels, and a new Camera control button. Let's compare it to the flagship device from the previous year, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. With some professional-focused changes, the difference between the standard iPhone and its Pro siblings is smaller than ever. The new iPhone features a speedier chip, an ultra-wide camera, a larger screen with the tiniest bezels, and an all-new Camera Control button that will appeal to photographers. Apple is making significant improvements to the iPhone that it wants to sell you, including a bigger battery and much better video-capturing capabilities! Let's compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max here.

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Design

Using a titanium frame and a fully flat screen, the iPhone 16 Pro Max adheres to the same design language as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The upgraded new Ceramic Shield appears twice as durable as the standard Ceramic Shield. Size is the primary distinction between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The screen on the new model is 6.9 inches wide, a significant increase above the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple has achieved this substantial increase in display size by increasing the device's size and reducing its bezels. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is 163 mm tall and 77.6 mm wide, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is 159.9 mm and 76.7 mm, respectively. All in all, it is a little yet noteworthy alteration.

Both the USB Type-C port at the bottom and the Action Button, which replaced the mute switch on the original iPhone 15 Pro Max, will be included on the updated device. To keep things interesting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has added a new Camera Control button that offers an entirely new interface for using the iPhone camera.

Display Comparing Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

With its enormous 6.9-inch screen, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the largest display of any phone that isn't foldable. The difference between this phone and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max is rather significant, making the phone essentially two-handed. The display size is the primary distinction between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The 6.9-inch screen on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a minor improvement over the 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. You're receiving more display real estate on the most recent iPhone 16 Pro Max because Apple has reduced the bezels, with the border being less than 30%. The iPhone 16 Pro Max's minimum brightness has been improved to just 1 nit, so there won't be as much eye strain when using the display in low light. On both smartphones, the maximum brightness is limited to 2000 nits. Both smartphones support the refresh rate of 120Hz ProMotion. Other than the size increase, there are few other significant changes. The Liquid Retina XDR display is still available and unchanged, and it features an OLED panel that produces excellent colours, contrast, and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. However, the minimum brightness has been enhanced to just 1 nit. This is the fourth iPhone generation in a row that has this technology, and the screen supports a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, which makes navigating the UI and on-screen content smoother.

Camera of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduced several significant camera upgrades last year. The most notable is the new 120mm telephoto lens, which gives the iPhone camera an optical zoom of 5.0 times. The iPhone Pro Max's primary camera was updated to 48MP a year ago. This year, however, Apple upgraded the camera configuration with a brand-new 48MP ultra-wide camera. Because the camera can combine four sensor pixels into one for higher picture sensitivity, we anticipate better detail capture and image quality in low light.

A 48MP wide camera, a 12MP telephoto with a 5X optical zoom, and a 12MP selfie camera are included with both smartphones. Adding a 48MP ultrawide lens to the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 12MP ultrawide lens is the largest improvement to the phone's optics. Additionally, the 4K ProResolution video recording speed of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 120 frames per second (when using external storage), a notable improvement over the 4K at 60 frames per second of the iPhone 15 Pro. Slow motion in the exact resolution is now supported as well. Additionally, Apple has included a new Camera Control button to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which allows for several customizable features like instant photo capture, trackpad-like control, focus, exposure, zoom effects, and more. New Photographic Styles are also available on the iPhone 16 Pro Max; these are more customisable than the original native colour-grading filters for the iPhone camera, which were first available on the iPhone 13 series. These function somewhat like sophisticated filters, letting you adjust the brightness and tone of your images. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max are identical overall. In the PhoneArena Camera Score test, the previous iPhone 15 Pro Max comes out on top. That's primarily because the earlier phone's video quality was more reliable. The ultra-wide and selfie tests give the iPhone 16 Pro Max a minor edge over other smartphones in regular shots, but the zoom and standard camera both receive good marks.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Comparing the batteries

The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the biggest 4,685mAh battery ever installed on an iPhone. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a slightly smaller 4,422mAh battery. This doesn't bode well for the iPhone 15 Pro Max battery life, especially considering the device's less efficient SoC.

With a maximum power output of 25W, MagSafe wireless charging is now much faster on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. It is more than the 15W that the iPhone 15 Pro Max's MagSafe wireless charging enables. The latest Qi2 standard is also supported by the new phone. On the other hand, both smartphones' wired charging speeds remain the same. According to Apple, the iPhone 16 Pro Max can run on a single charge for 33 hours when playing videos, 29 hours when streaming videos, and 105 hours when playing audio—roughly four hours longer than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers 25W of MagSafe wireless charging, which is noticeably faster. That represents a significant improvement above the 15W that the iPhone 15 Pro Max's MagSafe wireless charging technology offers. The latest Qi2 standard is also supported by the new phone.

Performance Comparison of Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max

The A18 Pro SoC, Apple's most recent 3nm chip, is included in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. It promises significant improvements over the iPhone 15 Pro Max's Apple A17 Pro SoC. Better quad-efficiency cores and dual performance are highlights of this new chipset. In addition, a new neural engine unit and a hexacore GPU design are included to improve on-device Apple Intelligence processing. These devices will receive further updates in the future and support iOS 18, which has a strong AI framework and supports Apple Intelligence. The 3nm Apple A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro Max is slightly but significantly improved over the 3nm Apple A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The new chip has dual performance and quad efficiency cores, along with a significantly upgraded hexacore GPU and a new neural engine unit for faster on-device Apple Intelligence processing.

More significantly, Apple has enhanced the phone's internal architecture to provide more effective thermal management, increasing performance and reducing the chance of overheating when doing demanding tasks. The only issue is that iOS 18 still needs some Apple Intelligence capabilities. Apple plans to distribute those in phases. Some will be available in iOS 18.1 in October, while others will follow in 2024 and 2025. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also boasts two new features: an Audio Mix function that allows you to choose an audio mix while filming video and a studio-grade four-mic array that produces excellent audio quality with natural wind noise reduction.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Price

The base model of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which has 256GB of storage, costs Rs 1,44,900. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was initially priced at Rs 1,59,900, but its price has been reduced several times in recent months. Its initial price is Rs 1,40,999.

Should I buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

Specifically, upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a bad idea. While the phone offers some improvements in performance and battery life, the image quality remains largely the same, the increase in display size could be more revolutionary, and Apple Intelligence is still a myth. Lastly, the much-praised new Camera Control button is a less-than-ideal feature that could be more comfortable.