The iPhone 16 Pro Max is terrific, but it’s also an incremental update to its predecessor with little in the way of useful new features. I find Camera Control and the latest pro camera features frustrating. The new 48 MP ultra-wide lens isn’t the leap forward I wanted, and the remaining updates are so minor that they don’t impact the user experience meaningfully. I do like the new desert titanium color, though.
With all that in mind, this differs from my usual reviews. After spending almost six weeks with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, my key takeaway is that it’s nearly identical to its predecessor. So please refer to my iPhone 15 Pro Max review for details. Here, I am focusing only on what’s new and different.
Design
The only notable change is the new Desert Titanium color I chose for my iPhone. It’s better looking in person than the rumors suggested but challenging to photograph accurately. To my eyes, the sides and camera lens surrounds are a pleasant bronze color and unique, while the back is so lightly tinted that it’s almost white. Last year, Apple added the Action button, altering the hardware button layout for the first time in years. I was excited about that change, but after a year of use, I’m sad to report that I use it like its slider predecessor to toggle between Silent and Ring modes.
Display
The iPhone 16 Pro Max uses the same terrific dynamic high refresh rate OLED display panel as its predecessor, which it calls Super Retina XDR because it does. There are some updates here, however. The panel is slightly bigger at 6.9 inches–vs. 6.7 inches–and has a correspondingly higher 2868 x 1320 resolution but at the same 460 PPI as last year. Apple says the Ceramic Shield protection on the front has been updated a bit since last year. For the first time, its adaptive refresh rate capabilities allow it to dim down to just 1 Hz (from a high of 120 Hz, as before), which should be a game changer at bedtime or in other dark environments. It certainly is on my Pixel.
Related stories:
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/apple-iphone-16-pro-max-review
https://markellisreviews.com/reviews/reviews-iphone-16-pro-max/
https://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2024/09/review-iphone-16-pro-max.html
https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-16-pro-and-iphone-16-pro-max/
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