The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a true powerhouse, offering premium build quality, stellar performance, and top-tier cameras. Its battery life has also seen significant improvements, making it a dependable option for power users. However, the absence of Apple’s AI features, especially in markets like India, gives the phone a somewhat unfinished feel. It feels like a work in progress in some areas. And the new camera control button, far from being revolutionary, actually feels more like a gimmick. You have to press it hard enough that it often causes unnecessary shake and blur in your images, detracting from its intended convenience. Despite these drawbacks, the iPhone 16 Pro Max remains the best iPhone ever made.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s latest flagship, and after 10 days of testing, it’s clear that Apple is pushing the boundaries of hardware while refining its software experience. It boasts a larger 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, enhanced performance from the A18 Pro chip, and an improved battery with faster charging options. The camera system shines with a new 48MP ultrawide lens, alongside the 48MP main and 12MP telephoto sensors, offering impressive features like 4K 120 fps video capture and advanced audio mixing.
Running on iOS 18, the iPhone 16 Pro Max sets the stage for Apple Intelligence, but it feels somewhat unfinished since this feature is not available out of the box. So, does the iPhone 16 Pro Max truly live up to its Pro moniker, or does the absence of AI features diminish its appeal? Let’s find out in our detailed review where we pit it against competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (review), Pixel 9 Pro XL, iQOO 12 (review), and others.
iPhone 16 Pro Max Build and Design: Refined, not redefined
Apple continues its legacy of premium design with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The aerospace-grade titanium frame is lightweight, yet the device feels durable and substantial. While the flat-edged design retains the signature iPhone look, slightly rounded corners enhance comfort for extended use.
Apple’s meticulous attention to detail shines through every aspect of the phone’s build. The back features frosted glass that resists fingerprints more effectively than the glossy finishes of previous models. Additionally, the phone boasts an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, offering users peace of mind regarding its durability.
Equipped with the 2024 version of Ceramic Shield protection, Apple claims this is the toughest glass on the market. However, in my experience, it scratches more easily than Gorilla Glass Victus 2 or Armor. On the audio front, the iPhone 16 Pro Max now features studio-grade microphones that deliver sublime sound. They are loud and powerful enough to enhance phone calls and media playback.
One minor drawback is the sheer size of the device. The 6.9-inch display makes the iPhone 16 Pro Max a two-handed phone for many users. While the lighter titanium frame helps, it remains bulky, which may be cumbersome for some. The available colour options—Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and the new Desert Titanium—also feel somewhat bland compared to the vibrant array offered by the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
This year, Apple has introduced an additional button: Camera Control, located on the right side of the frame. However, this feature didn’t impress me. It’s too fiddly, especially in portrait mode, and the force required to press it can lead to shaky, blurry images. Surprisingly, this feels more like a gimmick than a functional enhancement from Apple.
iPhone 16 Pro Max Display: Impressive visuals
The 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is nothing short of stunning. Apple has further trimmed the bezels this year, resulting in an immersive viewing experience that is truly impressive. My only hope is that Apple can reduce the pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout even more next year to enhance that immersion even further.
With a ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, the iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts one of the brightest and most fluid displays on the market. Whether you’re scrolling through apps, watching HDR or Dolby Vision content, or playing games, everything appears incredibly smooth and vibrant. Apple has refined its OLED panels to perfection; colours pop with remarkable accuracy, while blacks are deep and inky, providing excellent contrast.
While the brightness levels are outstanding, the Pixel 9 Pro XL does have the edge when it comes to brightness under direct sunlight. I measured a maximum brightness of 1,662 nits on a sunny day—though not the highest reading we’ve encountered, it still ranks among the best.
A standout feature of the display is the Always-On Display, which now integrates more seamlessly with widgets and notifications. However, I did notice some battery drain with the Always-On Display activated, particularly when on standby. Thankfully, the display can dial back its refresh rate to as low as 1 Hz, which helps conserve battery life.
Performance: Power meets practicality
After hours of testing, it’s clear that the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a powerhouse. Performance is silky smooth across the board, with tasks handled effortlessly. Whether it’s gaming, multitasking, or demanding applications like on-the-go video editing, this chip excels. The 6-core CPU, paired with a 6-core GPU, delivers a significant leap in graphical performance, making the phone ideal for gamers and users seeking powerful mobile computing. Built on TSMC’s 3 nm process, the A18 Pro also features a new 16-core Neural Engine, designed to support the much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features—though those aren’t available just yet.
With 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the iPhone 16 Pro Max tackles multitasking with ease. App-switching is fluid, and apps open in an instant, making it a joy to use, especially for power users who demand seamless performance.
In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the phone scored a solid 74.40% in the stability test, which is commendable. However, while the first loop was impressive, the second loop saw some performance throttling, after which things levelled off. The phone’s surface temperature hit 39.1°C during this test, which is quite high. I also noticed some heating during simple tasks like taking photos, and it was more noticeable compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
That said, everyday gaming is still smooth. BGMI ran with minimal frame drops, and even demanding AAA titles like Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage performed well, with only occasional stutters. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn’t quite match the buttery smooth gaming experience of the iQOO 12, it does support AAA games, which the iQOO 12 lacks.
