iPhone 16 Series: Comparing Models and Sizing Up the Differences

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Big Phones, Big Decision

Apple Is Missing Out on an Important Trend by Not Making a Foldable iPhone Quick LinksBoth Are Big, But the iPhone 16 Pro Max Is Larger The iPhone 16 Pro Max Display Is Still Superior The iPhone 16 Plus Has Improved Cameras But Still No Telephoto Both iPhones Have Great Battery Life The iPhone Pro Max Gets Slightly Better Performance Apple Intelligence Is Now a Common Feature The Pro Max Comes at a Premium Price You already know you want a big iPhone, but which of Apple's larger models is right for you? The newest releases come with some big differences in terms of features and price that you should consider before making a decision. Both Are Big, But the iPhone 16 Pro Max Is Larger Close Though the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are the bigger options of their own models respectively, the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a larger display than the Plus model, making it the largest display ever on an iPhone. The iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7" display, whereas the iPhone 16 Pro Max's display is a whopping 6.9". Though not a massive difference, if you are looking for the very biggest iPhone available, you'll want to pick up the Pro Max. Material and color options vary between these two models as well. The iPhone 16 Plus is made of aluminum, with a color-infused glass back. Conversely, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is made of Grade 5 titanium, with a textured matte glass back. The titanium build makes the Pro Max phone stronger while still remaining relatively lightweight. If you are someone looking for a more premium build, you'll likely appreciate the titanium used in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Color options differ between the two as well. The iPhone 16 Plus comes in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. The color of the iPhone 16 Pro Max's titanium finish comes in black, white, natural, and desert. If you are more interested in a vibrant, eye-catching color for your iPhone, the iPhone 16 Plus is the way to go. The iPhone 16 Pro Max Display Is Still Superior The iPhone 16 Pro Max's display is larger than the one on the iPhone 16 Plus, made even more apparent by slimmer bezels. Both phones have a Super Retina XDR display, plus a tougher Ceramic Shield for 2024 to protect them. Though these both feature excellent, bright displays, the iPhone 16 Pro Max does enjoy a few upgrades over the iPhone 16 Plus. Primarily, ProMotion technology on the Pro Max allows the screen to refresh up to 120 times per second, compared to 60 on the iPhone 16 Plus. This results in a smoother, cleaner feel whether you're swiping around the home screen or using more graphics-intensive situations. Furthermore, the iPhone 16 Plus lacks the Always-On Display support found on the iPhone Pro models. While a heavy iPhone user looking for a superior user experience will likely feel something is missing without ProMotion and larger bezels, for the average user, the iPhone 16 Plus's spectacular screen won't feel sub-par either. The iPhone 16 Plus Has Improved Cameras But Still No Telephoto Cameras got a lot of love with the release of the iPhone 16 lineup. In fact, one of this generation's stand-out features is the new Camera Control. This new button grants instant access to the camera, as well as acting as a dedicated shutter, and allows users to control camera settings by sliding up and down on the sensor. Both the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max come with this new feature, as well as the Action Button introduced last year, which previously only existed on the Pro models. The iPhone 16 Plus uses a dual-camera system, featuring the new 48MP Fusion lens as well as a 12MP Ultrawide, with six times optical zoom range. Camera upgrades from the previous generation allow this model to take macro photos, as well as spatial photos and videos, which are specialized for viewing on the Apple Vision Pro. This camera also supports improved Photographic Styles. The cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro Max are a pretty significant upgrade from non-Pro models. Not only do they include a third, telephoto lens, but the second Ultra Wide camera is 48MP, and the camera system is capable of up to 5x zoom range. This allows for higher-quality macro photography on iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone can also shoot in Dolby Vision, with 4K quality up to 120 fps. This is the best quality ever on an iPhone, and can make for truly cinematic slow-motion videos. For someone looking for the best of the best photos and videos, you'll probably want to go with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This isn't to say that the iPhone 16 Plus's camera system is bad by any means, as both phones have a 48MP main camera and can take truly incredible shots. But for the best of the best in iPhone photo and video, the Pro Max might be worth the extra investment. Both iPhones Have Great Battery Life Having a larger phone doesn't just come with the benefit of a larger screen, but leaves more room for a bigger battery, too. While the base iPhone 16 is stated to have up to 22 hours of video playback, both the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max take battery longevity to the next level. On iPhone 16 Plus, Apple states you can expect up to 27 hours of video playback. On the iPhone 16 Pro Max, this number goes up to 33 hours. There are plenty of situations where that extra juice could seriously come in handy, so if battery life is a big concern, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is worth considering. The iPhone Pro Max Gets Slightly Better Performance The iPhone 16 Plus comes with the new A18 chip, including a six-core CPU and five-core GPU. This chip also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, meaning that games which support the feature should run smoothly. Ultra-graphics mode, coming to iPhone 16 later this year, will make this chip's performance shine. The iPhone 16 Pro Max uses an A18 Pro chip and has an extra GPU core compared to the iPhone 16 Plus. Apple says this is the fastest CPU available on any smartphone and can run the same workload as an iPhone 15 while using 20 percent less power. The iPhone 16 Pro Max's advanced chip is the driving force behind technology like the Always-On Display, ProMotion, ProRes video, and USB 3 speeds. Both chips are lightning-fast, and most users will be just fine with the performance offered by the iPhone 16 Plus. If you're looking for that little bit of extra power, the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers. Apple Intelligence Is Now a Common Feature It's important to note that every iPhone 16 is built around the use of the Apple Intelligence framework, so no matter which choice you make, you'll be able to access those new features. Both chips have a 16-core Neural Engine specifically optimized for generative models. Though the iPhone 16 Pro Max is able to take advantage of some extra Apple Intelligence optimizations, such as within the Pro Camera System, key features are available on all iPhone 16 models. The Pro Max Comes at a Premium Price The iPhone 16 Pro Max does sport some significant improvements over the iPhone 16 Plus, but these upgrades do come at a cost. For the 256GB models, the iPhone 16 Plus comes at a cost of $999, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $1,199. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is not available in the 128GB configuration, but you can get an iPhone 16 Plus in this configuration for $899. All in all, the decision between the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro Max comes down to whether or not you feel that the Pro features justify the $200 increase in price. iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro Max 128GB $899 - 256GB $999 $1,199 512GB $1,199 $1,399 1TB - $1,599 Despite the larger display, upgraded camera, better chip, and other premium iPhone Pro Max features being notable, the iPhone 16 Plus doesn't come off too badly in comparison. If you have your heart set on the best of the best, and these upgrades would significantly improve your iPhone experience, the Pro Max might be worth it for a no-compromise experience. Apple iPhone 16 Apple's newest iPhone featuring a camera button, programmable action button, and artificial intelligence features. Apple iPhone 16 Pro A version of Apple's newest iPhone with a larger screen featuring a camera button, a programmable action button, and artificial intelligence features.

iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Which One Is Right Fit For You?

Apple just made the new iPhone 16 lineup official and, as expected, there are four new devices that replace last year's models. But let's be honest, it's the Pro models that get the best upgrades, like before. If you're wondering which of the two models is the right fit, then read along. This iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max comparison will help you decide which one you should buy. Before we get into the details on what the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max offer, let's first look at the specifications. A major factor in choosing a phone is its form factor and how large you want the display to be. So, it makes sense if we start our comparison with that first. The iPhone 16 Pro offers a 6.3 inch display, while its Max sibling comes in with a much bigger 6.9-inch panel. This size difference also translates to the resolutions, which are 2622 x 1206 pixels and 2868 x 1320 pixels respectively for the Pro and Pro Max models. Other than that, the rest of the aspects remain the same across both devices. They get Super Retina XDR LTPO OLED panels with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. The peak brightness is 2,000 nits outdoors, and SDR and HDR max brightness values remain the same. The Pro models get Dolby Vision and HDR 10 support, and Ceramic Shield glass protection for displays. Because of the bigger displays on both models compared to last year's siblings, the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max also have larger form factors. The standard Pro version measures 149.6mm in height and 71.5mm in width, in comparison to the 163mm height and 77.6mm of the Pro Max. Despite the dimensions, the placement of the buttons remain the same across both. These include the Power, Volume, and Action buttons that have been on last year's models. Speaking of buttons, you get a new Capture Button which is a mechanical key that makes clicking pictures easier on the new iPhones. Since this button is pressure-sensitive, it can be mapped to multiple actions depending on how you touch it. The new Pro lineups also have a glossier finish for the titanium edges. On that note, you'll be able to get your hands on them in these finishes - Space Black, White, Gray, and our best pick Desert Titanium. As you may have come to expect, there are literally no changes between the devices on the hardware front. With the iPhone 16 Pro models, the company has replaced the existing Apple A17 Pro chip with the Apple A18 Pro. Although it's built on the same 3nm process node, it's using TSMC's N3E architecture and thus is more efficient. It also offers more Neural Engine cores than the A17 Pro's 16-core Neural Engine. So the newer SoC will perform better and faster for AI intensive tasks. Both models will be available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage configurations. All of them have the same 8GB RAM. To prevent overheating, both the Pro models now equip a graphene heatsink and metal battery casing for better thermals. Alongside the new chipset, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max get the upgraded Snapdragon X75 modem for improved 5G connectivity. This unit is 20% energy efficient and 25% smaller than the previous modem. Connectivity-wise, the Pro models now support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and Ultra Wideband 2. Other than that, you can a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 port for charging and data and it also doubles up as the DisplayPort. Both the new iPhones come running iOS 18. So, they get all the new OS features we've seen until now like customizable home/lock screens, revamped Photos app, RCS support, and a new Control Center. They also get Apple Intelligence support thanks to a more powerful 16-core Neural Engine which unlocks features like writing tools, AI notification summaries, richer communication with Siri and more. In previous years, photography has been a main aspect when differentiating the regular Pro iPhone with its Pro Max counterpart. However, that's not the case this time around. To start with, both models pack the 48 MP wide f/1.78, 24mm sensor, a secondary 48 MP ultra-wide 0.7µm sensor, and a third 12 MP 120mm periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and 25x digital zoom. This means, you'll be able to capture the same level of details, lighting, and zoom regardless of whichever Pro model you opt for. The similarity also transitions to the front camera, with don't get any upgrades to speak. You get the same old 12MP wide sensor for selfies and Face ID. Another significant update is in the video recording department, as the new Pro models come with 4K at 120fps. This is where you may see the Pro Max as a clear winner. Apple claims the regular 16 Pro can last you up to 85 hours (audio), 27 hours (video), and 22 hours (streaming). Although they provide a slight improvement over last year's model, the 16 Pro Max absolutely destroys it with up to 105 hours (audio), 33 hours (video), and 29 hours (streaming). Coming to charging, both models retain the same wired charging speeds from their predecessors. However, MagSafe wireless charging has been bumped up to 25W from 15W on the iPhone 15 Pro. Since there isn't much to separate the iPhone 16 Pro models from each other, it all comes down to your preference and budget (obviously!). For $999, the standard Pro model almost everything its Max sibling does if you're okay with the limited backup and smaller screen. But if the largest iPhone is what you're after, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will feel like an upgrade for just $200 more.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 16 Plus: Is Bigger Better?

Apple Is Missing Out on an Important Trend by Not Making a Foldable iPhone Key Takeaways Display size and battery life make up the main difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, with the latter having a bigger 6.7" screen. The iPhone 16 Plus offers an Apple-quoted 27 hours of video playback compared to the iPhone 16's 22 hours, since a larger chassis means more room for a larger battery. The iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899, while the iPhone 16 starts at $799. The iPhone 16 is bringing exciting camera features and the Pro line's Action button to the flagship smartphone, while the iPhone 16 Plus offers this same feature set alongside a larger screen. If you're wondering which model best suits you, let's break down their similarities and differences. "Plus" Applies to Both Size and Weight The iPhone 16 retains the aluminum-banded design of its predecessor, available in a slate of both familiar and new color choices: black, white, pink, teal and ultramarine. These models also sport a programmable Action button and the brand-new Camera Control interface that makes accessing the camera and fine-tuning your photos easier. The main difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus comes down to size and weight. The standard 16 measures out to 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm), while the iPhone 16 Plus comes in at 6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 inches (160.9 x 77.8 x 7.80 mm). In other words, the iPhone 16 Plus is 0.52 inches longer and 0.24 inches wider, to accommodate its larger screen. It's for this same reason that the iPhone 16 Plus is roughly an ounce (28g) heavier than the iPhone 16. These are the same specifications as found on the previous iPhone 15 models, so if you've used that phone, you know what to expect. A Plus-Sized Display if You Need It The display is the core difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. Despite the screen size difference, both sport the same Super Retina XDR displays that utilize OLED technology and pack a respectable pixel density of 460ppi. The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch display that extends across the phone's entire surface area, with Apple's Dynamic Island housing its front-facing camera and Face ID sensors. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Plus gets its "Plus" moniker from its 6.7-inch display. The only functional difference between the screens, other than their size, comes down to how much surface area the Dynamic Island takes up proportionally to the screen size, though in practice it's something most users aren't likely to notice. The New Vertical Camera Design Offers Versatility Apple touts its latest and greatest camera innovations with every new iPhone, but it's warranted this year due to the introduction of Camera Control and new editing tools. Camera Control is a touch sensitive button on the side of the device that lets you slide your finger across the sensor to make photo adjustments or tap and double-tap lightly to access different functions. Both iPhone 16 models feature vertically aligned lenses that reduce the surface area they take up on the back of the phone. There's a 48MP wide main camera and a 12MP ultrawide on both, with support for spatial photos and videos (stereographic media that's ripe for viewing on a headset like the Vision Pro). Your photos will look better than ever with both phones, though one could argue that a bigger screen is preferable for setting up shot compositions. A Bigger Phone Means a Bigger Battery A bigger screen means more space to fit a higher capacity battery, giving the iPhone 16 Plus a juice boost. The iPhone 16 will provide a quoted 22 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 16 Plus offers 27 hours. This roughly 20% increase in the bigger model also bears out in the projected audio playbacks of 80 hours and 100 hours, respectively. This gap in battery sizes could be the difference between your phone surviving the day or blacking out, especially after a few years of use. Apple has also increased the iPhone's wireless charging capabilities, jumping from the 15W Qi2 standard to 25W. Charging at this higher wattage will result in the phone restoring half its charge in 30 minutes. However, do note that you'll need a 30W wireless charger to utilize this. Your current Qi2 wireless chargers will still charge the new iPhones at 15W. Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Sport an A18 Chip Apple is putting its new A18 chip into both iPhone 16 models, quite a leap from the A16 used in iPhone 15. To keep it simple, this provides an Apple-touted 30-40% performance increase and is meant to help power Camera Control and Apple Intelligence, while also allowing for more battery life through efficiency (though that increase isn't drastic when compared to iPhone 15). Software: Apple Goes All-In on AI Both phones will ship with iOS 18 and full support for Apple Intelligence, the marketing term used to describe Apple's take on artificial intelligence. With this wide-ranging feature set, you can expect a smarter Siri, text and image generation, and summaries of your emails (among many other things). This will launch in October in the US, December in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, and in a selection of other languages in 2025. There are plenty of other goodies in iOS 18, but the most important thing to note is that both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will receive them. You'll Pay $100 More for a Plus-Sized iPhone Pricing for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus pans out as follows: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Pro 128GB $799 $899 256GB $899 $999 512GB $1,099 $1,199 It's worth noting that if you're looking to purchase a 512GB model of either phone, you may also want to consider the iPhone 16 Pro line. The low end of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are $999 and $1,199 respectively. Bigger Is Only Better for Some People Aside from a few intangibles, the two things differentiating the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are screen size and battery life. The iPhone 16 Plus is a clear winner when it comes to battery life, but a bigger screen may not be suitable for everyone. The size and weight differences between the two will determine how these phones feel in your hand or if either will fit in your pocket. Plus, remember that you're paying a $100 premium for more screen space and battery. I'd recommend going to an Apple Store or another location with demo units to get hands-on time with both phones before making a purchasing decision. There's no clear-cut answer to which is better, only a preference regarding which is better for you. Apple iPhone 16 Apple's newest iPhone featuring a camera button, programmable action button, and artificial intelligence features.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Is It an Upgrade?

At "It's Glowtime" event today, Apple finally unveiled the new iPhone 16 lineup, comprising the iPhone 16/16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max. The latest line of iPhones come with all the new iOS 18 features, Apple Intelligence and improvements to system-on-chip, display, design, and cameras. If you're one of those who is interested in getting the iPhone 16 Pro Max and are wondering whether 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 figure that out. You can check out the specifications chart below to see how the iPhone 16 Pro Max differs from the 15 Pro Max on paper. Starting off with the display, the newer Pro Max model features a significantly bigger 6.9-inch panel with a resolution of 2868 x 1320 pixels. Whereas, the last year's iPhone has a 6.7-inch unit, the same as its cheaper Plus sibling, so the resolution is slightly lower at 2796 x 1290 pixels. The bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro Max have also been trimmed to fit into a form factor that's not much different to its predecessor. It's just not the bezels that contribute to the improved screen real estate, as Apple has shrunk the cutout at the top too. So, the Dynamic Island that you interact with will also be smaller than before. Besides these size differences, the capabilities of the displays remain the same. Both models use Super Retina XDR LTPO OLED panels with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate and support for HDR 10 and Dolby Vision. The max brightness for SDR (1,000 nits), HDR (1,600 nits) and outdoors (2,000 nits) are unchanged. With the larger display, the iPhone 16 Pro Max also gets a size bump. The newer model measures 163mm in height and 77.6mm in width, compared to the 159.9mm height and 76.7 width of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The thickness, however, remains the same at 8.3 mm. Both phones feature matte-finish glass panels on the rear, with the latest iteration getting a much glossier titanium frame, thanks to a new titanium processing technique. The newer model has the same button layout as the 15 Pro Max, but there's an additional button on the right. This is the Capture Button which will be a dedicated mechanical key to access the Camera app and click pictures inside it. This button is also pressure-sensitive, so you can map different actions to various kinds of touch. While the last year's model came in Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, Black Titanium, and White Titanium, the 16 Pro Max comes with a more established and solid color scheme. You can get it in Space Black, White, Gray, and our best pick Desert Titanium. The iPhone 16 Pro Max replaces the Apple A17 Pro on last year's version with a brand-new Apple A18 Pro, which is also built on the same 3nm N3E processing node. It's an enhanced version of TSMC's N3B process which is significantly 15% more powerful and packs upgraded 16-core Neural Engine to make the device perform Apple Intelligence actions faster. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also packed a 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks but the latest unit can do 35 trillion tasks per second. Apple has also upped the internal thermal design with upgraded metal casing for the battery and a new graphene heatsink instead of copper. The upgrade also transitions towards 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 a 20% improvement in energy efficiency. The 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, came with Snapdragon X70 and Wi-Fi 6E standard. As is the case with any iPhone release, you get all the 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 controls, a Passwords app that replaces the password keychain section, a Game mode for better gameplay, and much more. All of these features are accessible on both models, so this is somewhere you won't see many differences when upgrading. This year's iOS release also accompanies the first time we see Apple's version of AI on their lineup. The company calls it Apple Intelligence and while both the models support it, the 16 Pro Max has a few exclusive ones. 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 Genmojis, and more. Last year, Apple delivered major improvements to the cameras across its iPhone 15 lineup. That's because the primary sensor on all models, including the base iPhone 15 got bumped up to 48 MP wide f/1.8, 24mm sensor. This time, the company has taken a more conventional route and retained this sensor as well as 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 like its predecessor. The only major change is the new 48 MP 0.7µm ultra-wide sensor. That's a significant improvement over the 12 MP ultra-wide sensor which is present on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and previous versions. Other than that, you'll also see a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner for depth, the same as before. With changes to the display and a smaller Dynamic Island, you may have expected a different camera configuration on the front. But that's not the case. The iPhone 16 Pro Max keeps the 12 MP wide f/1.9, 23mm sensor for selfies with HDR support. Similarly, there are no differences between the device in terms of video recording. You can record 4K footage using the front and back cameras at 24/25/30/60 FPS. Apple is using a stacked battery technology to power the latest Pro model. This ensures increased lifespan and better energy density compared to the single-layer battery on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Cupertino giant doesn't market battery life as other OEMs do, and instead shares an estimate of how long the phone may 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 can last you much longer, thanks to the more efficient Apple A18 Pro chip. The 16 Pro Max also gets an upgrade on the charging front. You can now juice it up with 25W MagSafe charger, up from 15W on the 15 Pro Max. Wired charging remains unchanged, and both models are rated to charge from 0-50% in 30 minutes. Every year, when an iPhone releases, it's perhaps the Pro Models that get the most improvements throughout the lineup. And that's essentially the case with the iPhone 16 Pro Max as well. It gets a larger display, better internals, a new Capture button, and improved charging support over its predecessor. While most of the camera setup remains unchanged, the new 48 MP ultrawide sensor is indeed a welcome change. But does all of this warranty upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro Max? Personally, no. Unless you get really-good trade-in value, I won't recommend switching to the newer model. That's because the 15 Pro Max can still perform anything that the latest iPhone does, thanks to the underlying iOS 18 software. It even gets the Apple Intelligence features as the 16 Pro Max, barring a few handful ones. If you own a much older device, however, suggesting the iPhone 16 Pro Max becomes easy. With AI getting major traction from Apple, you'll certainly get a sense of FOMO since you won't be able to try out Apple Intelligence on older iPhones, or even the non-Pro iPhone 15 for that matter.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Battle of the Big iPhones

Expertise Smartphones | Smartwatches | Tablets | Telecom industry | Mobile semiconductors | Mobile gaming At Apple's Glowtime event, the company unveiled its latest lineup of iPhone 16 handsets. While the new phones share a lot of new features, there's an even bigger difference between the two big phones -- regular and premium -- this year. Here's the iPhone 16 Plus versus the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The most prominent distinction between the two bigger phones is size, as they're no longer tied for largest iPhone on record. The iPhone 16 Plus still has a 6.7-inch display, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display, giving it the crown for the biggest iPhone ever made. There are knock-on effects of that decision: Everything the iPhone 16 Plus is, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a little bit more. That comes at a literal price, with the iPhone 16 Plus with 128GB of storage starting at $899 (£899, AU$1,599) and the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 256GB of storage starting at $1,199 (£1,199, AU$2,149). That's a sizable price gulf between the two, but there are a handful of things the even bigger phone packs that its now-smaller sibling doesn't. The iPhone 16 Plus has a 48-megapixel fusion camera (with a neat new 12-megapixel 2x digital zoom feature) and 48-megapixel ultrawide camera; the iPhone 16 Pro Max has that and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Both phones have a 12-megapixel TrueDepth front-facing camera for selfies and FaceID. The Pro Max also has a higher video ceiling, recording 4K video at 120 frames per second, which is good for converting to slow motion; the Plus tops out at 4K video with 60 frames per second. Both phones can shoot Spatial Video, the depth-focused format of videos watchable only in Apple Vision Pro, at 1080p at 30 frames per second. What the Pro Max does have over its cheaper sibling is more sensitive audio recording thanks to its four microphones over the Plus's 3. Both phones get Audio Mix, a trio of professional toggles to direct the phone to record certain sound sources over others when recording a video: in-frame captures who's speaking in front of the camera (even if people nearby are speaking off-camera), studio is built for podcasters and vloggers to make them sound like they're nestled in the sound-damped walls of a studio and cinematic combines sounds toward the front of the screen (much like a standard movie mix). Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a more advanced A18 Pro chipset than the iPhone 16 Plus's A18 silicon, though both support Apple Intelligence. The bigger phone has more maximum storage with 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options, while the Plus has 128GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations. Apple has not released the RAM on each model. Where the Plus is 6.33x3.06x0.31 inches (160.9x77.8x7.8mm), the Pro Max is 6.42x3.06x0.32 inches (163x77.6x8.25mm). That also means the smaller phone is lighter at 199 grams (7.03 ounces), while the bigger handset is 227 grams (7.99 ounces). The Pro Max comes in a titanium frame with four colors: black, white, a silver-ish natural and a tan desert hue. The Plus has a more vibrant range of colors: black, white, pink, teal and ultramarine. Both phones are IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, and both pack USB-C ports. Both phones' displays have OLED Super Retina XDR and 460 pixels-per-inch resolution, so they're equally as sharp, though the larger Pro Max logically has more pixels in its screen (2,868x1,320-pixel resolution) than the relatively smaller Plus (2,796x1,290-pixel resolution). The phones max out at 2,000 nits of brightness in direct sunlight, but they can dip down to a single nit in darkness, which helps preserve battery. That extra space means more battery life (though in typical Apple fashion, we don't have rough hourly usage rather than exact capacity figures). The iPhone 16 Pro Max tops out at up to 33 hours of video playback (or up to 29 hours if streaming the video), while the iPhone 16 Plus has up to 27 hours of video playback (or up to 24 hours if streaming it). Both phones have the same wired charging (up to 20 watt) as the previous generation, though MagSafe wireless charging has been bumped up to 25 watts if using a 30-watt or faster charger. Both phones run iOS 18 out of the box, and both will get Apple Intelligence when it drops later in September. Apple didn't reveal much more about its AI capabilities than was shown off at WWDC back in June. The generative AI will supercharge Siri, offer suggestions for spiffing up the tone of a message, automatically arrange your photos and offer more accurate contextual searches among them. Apple's also added AI-generated emoji, which you can whip up by submitting prompts -- say, a cowboy frog on a diving board. The big reveal is Visual Intelligence, which sees Apple's AI applied to the camera. Visual Intelligence is able to search for whatever is in your viewfinder. This is summoned with a new hardware feature: the Camera Control button, which is found on both phones on the right side below the lock button. It's capacitive and physically clicky, so you'll be able to push in for Visual Intelligence or tap it to bring up its second functionality: acting as an extra camera setting toggle. For example, when your camera app is open, you can run your finger along it to zoom in and out or change the aperture -- and it'll work as an extra menu within third-party apps, too. The Apple presentation showed it functioning in Snap. Similarly, the Action Button is now on both the premium and standard phones, taking the place of the ringer-silent switch to act as a customizable app shortcut. It's no longer exclusive to the premium handsets. That shrinks the number of exclusives that the Pro Max holds over the Plus, making its $300 price differential harder to justify. True, it's larger, with a third rear camera (telephoto), titanium frame and bigger battery. But with Apple Intelligence coming to both phones (it's only drifting back to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models), the premium phones are harder to justify over their cheaper siblings.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Battle of the Heavyweights!

If you're in the market for the best of the best, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are bound to have appeared on your radar. While the former has just gone official and the latter went official earlier this year, they are still the best of both worlds. In this segment, even the slightest leverages are magnified and taken into consideration. So, I take a deep dive into the specs and features of both phones to determine which comes ahead. With that being said, allow me to share my findings with you right away here as we compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra are monster devices that together weigh as much as a regular pair of shoes. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a tad bit heavier at 233 grams, as compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 227-gram body. The Galaxy S24 Ultra also has a more chiseled personality, thanks to those sharp edges, which may pinch a bit. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a regular couch potato like me, with visibly curvier edges, which will most likely feel smoother in hand. These are top-of-the premium flagships we're talking about, and their titanium frames certainly make them stand out. However, this time, alongside the Action Button, the iPhone 16 Pro Max also features a Camera Control button. This is a capacitative button integrated into the body of the iPhone. The button acts as your focus assist when you swipe over it and as the shutter button when you press it, as seen on DSLRs and Sony Mark series phones. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has nothing special going on this front and doesn't utilize its large frame well. It stuffs the power button and volume rockers all on the right side of the frame, which I'm not fond of. However, while the S24 Ultra comes with an S-Pen, there is nothing much on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The camera module on both phones is not the most stable orientation, but I somehow prefer the iPhone 16 Pro Max's module design. Takes up less space at the back. Both the phones are IP68-rated though, bringing commendable dust and water resistance to the table. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers Gorilla Glass Armor protection at the rear panel as well, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max does not offer anything such as the back. As for colors, the iPhone 16 Pro Max gets a new Desert Titanium shade, which looks quite nice. Other iPhone 16 Pro Max colors include Black Titanium, White Titanium, and Natural Titanium. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers you a bunch of extra options, namely, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Violet, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange, and Titanium Green. When it comes to the display, the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a massive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2796‑by‑1290 pixels. In comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a slightly smaller 6.8-inch Quad HD Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, packed with more resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels. However, both phones offer a fast 120Hz refresh rate, which is good. Additionally, both panels are backed by LTPO technology. This year, you also get to see slimmer bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro Max this year. On paper, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a sharper panel though, thanks to a pixel density of 510 PPI. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers 460 PPI. While the difference may not be as apparent in daily usage, closer inspection of videos will most likely make it more evident. Talking about peak brightness, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max maxes out at 2000 nits, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers 2,600 nits. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra is brighter, you won't face any issues with the iPhone 16 Pro Max both indoors and outdoors. This is because the new iPhone 16 Pro Max uses Micro-Lens technology in its display, which reduces internal reflection by quite a bit. While it doesn't match up to the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Gorilla Glass Armor's anti-reflective properties, it's still good enough. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by the A18 Pro, which is a direct successor to last year's A17 Pro on the 15 Pro Max. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Apple's processor game has always been stronger. But, in recent years, we have seen that gap narrow down, as other processor makers evolve. While we don't have the devices yet and can't run proper benchmarks, some early benchmark leaks give us a good idea of the performance difference. For example, in Geekbench 6, the A18 Pro shines through through in single-core tests, racking up around 3678 points. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 scores 2193 points, which is 68% less in comparison. In the multi-core tests, the difference is not much, with the A18 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 managing to score 8974 and 7304 points, respectively. That's roughly a 23% difference. Even when in our A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 comparison, we noticed how the latter could not surpass the former in single-core tests. Meanwhile, in the multi-core tests, it barely surpassed it. Now, the A18 Pro has undoubtedly taken quite the lead. Alongside the processor, the iPhone 16 Pro Max features 8GB of LPDDR5 Micron D1β DRAM chipset, which was first seen in its predecessor. As for storage, the top-of-the-line iPhone features up to 1TB of NVMe storage. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra packs 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM with up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. It's always easier to compare the software experience on phones that belong to the same platform. I always steer clear of the Android vs iOS debate, because it's super subjective by the end of the day. So, I'm going to keep this bit as rational as possible. iOS 18 in iPhone 16 Pro Max brings a trove of features like the new Customizable Control Center and home screen and lock screen icons, hidden apps, the new Photos app interface, the Send Later feature in the Messages app, RCS Messaging, the new Passwords app and more. With Apple Intelligence features rolling out, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has also access to a slew of AI features. Galaxy AI is already a major part of OneUI with some highly useful features. At the moment, Apple is behind in terms of AI features due to a staggered rollout. That's not to say that the Galaxy S24 Ultra's One UI is bad. It's more feature-rich, having DeX, Good Lock, and a wide array of AI features like AI call summarization, Chat Assist, and whatnot up its arsenal, and easily one of the best Android skins out there. Besides, Samsung has really stepped up its ecosystem game and is the best at that in the Android world, hands down. Not to mention that just like the Pixel 8 and 9 series phones, Samsung's Galaxy S24 series of phones are backed by 7 years of major OS updates and security patches. Apple also offers timely updates and updates it older models. It is safe to say that when it comes to mobile phone cameras, the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra have some of the best camera setups in the world. Talking about the iPhone 16 Pro Max first, it features a 48MP primary sensor with f/1.78 aperture this year as well. Alongside, you get to see an upgraded 48MP ultra-wide with a 120-degree FOV. Additionally, the third sensor is a 12MP telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom capabilities and f/2.8 aperture. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 uses a 200MP ISOCELL HP2SX primary sensor at the helm. Accompanying the primary sensor is a secondary 12MP ultra-wide with a 120-degree FOV and a 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. The good thing is that both flagships offer OIS on all the sensors. So, you don't have to worry about either turning up shaky videos. However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's capture button is bound to bring a more exquisite videography and photography experience. Moreover, this year, you also get to see support for up to 4K 120FPS on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, lets you do up to 8K 30FPS. As for how the cameras perform, we'll update this section with samples as soon as we get our hands on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If you're like me who puts battery backup on a dedicated pedestal when buying phones, then neither of the two phones will disappoint you. It's safe to say that the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra are two of the longest-lasting phones in the market right now. The iPhone 16 Pro Max packs a bigger battery unit this year, according to Apple. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra brings a 5,000mAh unit to the table. On the Galaxy S24 Ultra that we have at the office, we have always gotten in between 7.5-9 hours of screen-on-time, depending on the usage. Moreover, the iPhone 15 Pro Max that we have delivers around the same SoT. Going by that, you can expect the iPhone 16 Pro Max to offer a similar backup, which is great. However, do keep in mind that we got a commendable backup like that from the S24 Ultra on the QHD+ resolution. Lowering the resolution will certainly squeeze more juice out of it. As for fast charging, the Galaxy S24 Ultra certainly has the upper hand here, thanks to a faster 45W charging. That tops the phone off in around 1 hour and 15 minutes. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 25W fast charging cap makes it take around 1 hour and 50 minutes to fully charge. However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max can also wirelessly charge at up to 25W speeds, thanks to upgraded MagSafe capabilities this year! If you ask me, the Galaxy S24 Ultra certainly has my heart, thanks to the QHD+ display and S Pen, which takes both multimedia experience and productivity to the next level. Not to mention that Samsung's ecosystem is solid now, and gives the Apple ecosystem tough competition. If Apple's advantage is its app ecosystem, Samsung's strength lies in its features and interface. Once you start using features like Samsung DeX or the slew of AI features that it offers, there's no going back. Not to mention that the Galaxy S24 Ultra also has fast charging and better primary rear camera sensor leverage. Most importantly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is backed by 7 years of software updates, making it exceed the iPhone 16 Pro Max's software support of 5 to 6 years. However, iOS animations and haptic integration are still more premium and unbeatable. Maybe Samsung will catch up a bit with One UI 7, but well, only time will tell. On the processor front though, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's Apple A18 Pro chipset is certainly the most powerful processor in the market right now. So, if power and stellar processing are what you need, you know which to go for. Moreover, if you're in the Apple ecosystem already though, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a no-brainer. On the other hand, if you're an Android user who's contemplating diving into the Apple ecosystem, I'd suggest getting the Galaxy S24 Ultra instead.

iPhone 16 vs Pixel 9: Battle of the Compact Titans!

The iPhone 16 is finally here with the all-new Apple A18, and ready to take down the competition. However, the Pixel 9 went official not too long ago with its Tensor G4 chip, and directly butts heads with the latest iPhone in the segment. So, if you're in the market for the latest and greatest compact flagships, which is the ideal choice? Let's find out in this detailed comparison where we have pitted the iPhone 16 vs Pixel 9. Apple doesn't like change, as is evident from the iPhone design we get every year. This year, the iPhone 16 is no exception. From the dimensions to the build quality, the iPhone 16 remains exactly the same as its previous generations and is equally premium. You get the same glass back paired with an aluminum frame and an IP68 rating. However, even now, the iPhone 16 doesn't have any protection of any sort at the back. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on its rear panel. However, the frame is aluminum on the Pixel 9 as well, and it's IP68-rated too. But, one thing about the Pixel 9 is that it's quite different from its predecessor, which I realized when reviewing the Pixel 9 (review). It's slightly bigger and bulkier now at 198 grams, making the iPhone 16 much lighter at around 171 grams. So, if you're looking for a lighter phone, the iPhone 16 may tickle your fancy more. If you prefer that heft though, the Pixel 9's in-hand feel may match your taste more. Moreover, this year's Pixel 9 certainly has more personality, special thanks to that oval camera module design. The iPhone 16 goes back to using a minimalistic and vertical camera module design as last seen on the iPhone X. While I prefer it over the square module we've been seeing on later iPhones, it's got nothing on the Pixel 9's module. Not only does the Pixel 9's camera module design look better, but is also more stable on a desk. For someone as lazy as me who desk-types a little too much, the slight elevation and zero wobble come in way too handy. The button placement is certainly better on the iPhone 16 though, for it equally divides the power button and volume rockers on each side of the frame. There's also a new Capture Button on iPhone 16. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 places them all on the right, which I don't prefer. However, what I really like is that both phones come in a variety of different colors. The iPhone 16, for example, comes in five different colors this year, with Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink being the new options on top of the classic White and Black. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 comes in the Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony, and Wintergreen colors. The iPhone 16 hasn't changed enough to be called a design upgrade of any sort, while the Pixel 9 is quite the refreshingly aesthetic successor that certainly wins takes the crown here. The iPhone 16 features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate this year as well. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 sports a bigger 6.3-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. While both are FHD+ displays, the faster refresh rate on the Pixel 9 certainly gives it the upper hand. Not to mention that the Pixel 9 uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the display as well, just like it does at the rear. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 uses Ceramic Shield. I have been using the Pixel 9 extensively without any tempered glass, and have been keeping it with quite a few phones in my bag, and it hasn't turned up any scratches. However, the Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 16 this year is, as Apple says, 50% tougher than the first-generation. So, you can expect to see some solid scratch and crack resistance, from the looks of it. As for peak brightness, on paper, the iPhone 16 sports 1600 nits. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 comes with 2,700 nits, making it much brighter. So, you can expect to get more visibility both outdoors and indoors with the Pixel 9. However, the iPhone 16 compensates with more pixel density at 460 PPI as compared to the Pixel 9's 422 PPI. Going by that, the iPhone 16's display should offer more sharpness. However, overall, the Pixel 9's display is certainly better. Apple has always been leaps and bounds ahead in the performance game, thanks to their powerful chipsets. This time, from the iPhone 15's A16 Bionic, we get to see a straight jump to A18 on the iPhone 16. This 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU is more than powerful to get you through anything and everything. According to Apple, this 5-core "desktop-class" GPU is 35% more energy efficient than the iPhone 15's A16 Bionic while being 40% faster. The CPU is 6-core (2 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores) like the A16, but 30% faster this time around. Besides, it features a new neural engine with 17% more memory bandwidth which gives room for Apple Intelligence to thrive. Talking about Google's Tensor series of chipsets, they never deliver optimum numbers in benchmarks, and this year is no different. However, while the 8-core Tensor G4 (1 prime core, 3 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores) does lag behind in synthetic benchmarks, it doesn't hold back on delivering good day-to-day performance. During my time with it, I never noticed a stutter or a lag, no matter how many apps I had open and running in the background. However, the Apple A18 is significantly more powerful and will certainly deliver a more premium experience than the Pixel 9's Tensor G4! The iPhone 16 runs on iOS 18 right out of the box, and this OS certainly does act as a catalyst in the Androidification of iPhones. From home screen personalization to lock screen customizations, RCS in Messages, and a completely redesigned Control Center, iOS 18 really does breathe new life into iPhones. Not to mention that iPhone's Shortcuts opens the door to an infinite set of features, which I've always been jealous of as an Android boy! On the other hand, the Android 14-based Pixel UI on the Pixel 9 is quite ahead in terms of features and aesthetics. Android users have been enjoying elementary features like placing apps anywhere on the home screen and a dedicated Game Mode for years now. Not to mention that Pixel's haptic integration is solid and more refined than the iPhones. Then come the AI features, where the Pixel 9 certainly is way more polished and complete. It's understandable since Google has been improving on its Gemini AI models for quite some time now. On the other hand, the iPhone 16's Apple Intelligence is a baby that needs quite a bit of growing to get somewhere. Right now, while Writing Tools and phone call recording can come in very handy, the Clean-Up tool in the Photos app doesn't perform nearly as well. The web page summarization is also a pretty basic AI feature that almost every other Android phone offers right now. In comparison, the Pixel 9 AI features like Pixel Screenshots, Add Me, Pixel Studio, Reimagine in Magic Editor, Gemini Live, Auto Frame, and more, are satisfyingly innovative. While the overall software experience can be subjective, the Pixel 9's seamlessness coupled with that fast refresh rate definitely is more satisfying to use. Besides, the Pixel 9 is also backed by 7 years of software update support, bringing it super close to the kind of support iPhones get. The iPhone 16 doesn't make any changes in the camera department and borrows it all from its predecessor. You get to see the same 48MP primary sensor with its 12MP ultra-wide. This new ultra-wide sensor also brings autofocus to the vanilla model, as it was only limited to the Pros previously. Most importantly, the new ultra-wide sensor also doubles down as a macro sensor, which was also limited to the top models previously. So, that's a nice addition. At the front though, there's the same 12MP selfie shooter. On the other hand, while the Pixel 9 features the same 50MP Octa PD primary sensor as the Pixel 8, it features a much better 48MP ultra-wide as opposed to a 12MP sensor. At the front though, there's the same 10.5MP selfie shooter. On paper, apart from the more megapixels on the Pixel 9's ultra-wide, there's not much of a difference between the two phones. Only a side-by-side shot comparison will reveal the winner here. But, don't worry, I'll update you right here with a nice and fair camera comparison between them as soon as I get my hands on the iPhone 16. However, the iPhone 16's new capture button will most likely take the camera experience to a whole new level. A light touch gets rid of all the other elements in the camera app UI and shifts the focus on the subject. In addition, as you swipe sideways, you can zoom in or zoom out into your frame. Year after year, Apple has been working towards introducing bigger batteries on its iPhones, and the iPhone 16 offers a bigger battery this year as well. And, as always, the rated battery capacity is not known, so I guess you will have to take Apple's word for it for now. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 brings a 4,700mAh battery, which is definitely bigger than the vanilla new iPhone's rated capacity. However, iOS has always been less power-hungry than Android and manages background activity better. As a result, despite offering a smaller battery, the iPhone 16 is expected to keep up with the Pixel 9, delivering a full day of backup with ease. Charging speeds have always been a major drawback in iPhones, and sadly, the iPhone 16 doesn't get any better in this regard. You still get a maximum of around 20W, which can fully charge the phone in roughly 1.5 hours. The Pixel 9 offers faster 27W fast charging support, which it tops off around the same time as the battery is bigger. However, the strangest good thing about the iPhone 16 this year is that it now supports 25W MagSafe charging speeds. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 is limited to 12W of wireless charging. The age-old raging Android vs iOS debate doesn't make sense to me anymore. It's about who can bring the most value for the money you shell out. And, in all honesty, you still don't get the best hardware on both these phones. You still don't get LTPO or faster charging on the two phones. Besides, the iPhone 16 still sticks to the outdated 60Hz refresh rate. However, if you favor performance over anything and the iPhone's famed videography experience, the iPhone 16 is a solid option. On the other hand, if a stellar multimedia experience is what you're looking for, the Pixel 9 is your pick. As for software experience, there's no clear winner here, for they both have their own set of strengths and weaknesses. If you want a better app ecosystem, nothing can beat the iPhone right now. Moreover, if you're already a part of the Apple ecosystem, it doesn't make sense for you to go out the door and get the Pixel 9. But, the Pixel 9 certainly has a better set of AI features and a more refreshingly aesthetic design. It all boils down to your priorities and expectations, by the end of the day. Bottomline is, both are excellent compact phones that can handle anything and everything for you, without breaking a sweat.