With the iPhone 15 series, Apple introduced more noticeable differences between the Pro models. However, the gap has narrowed with the release of the iPhone 16 series.
Which Pro should you choose? This year, it’s been a tough decision, as Apple has reduced the technical distinctions between the models. Features that were exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max have now made their way into the standard iPhone 16 Pro model. Still, two key differences remain.
Display and Battery
The differences include one that’s visible from the outside and another that requires opening up the device to discover. The iPhone 16 Pro comes with a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch screen. Both displays have grown in size compared to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (which had 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively) and now have even thinner bezels. If you want an almost 7-inch screen on your Apple smartphone, go for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If a 6.3-inch screen is enough, the more compact iPhone 16 Pro will do the job.
The second difference is internal: the battery. Apple hasn’t yet provided specific details on battery capacity in watt-hours, but they have shared battery life estimates. The iPhone 16 Pro is capable of up to 27 hours of video playback (offline), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max can last up to 33 hours. For streaming, those numbers drop to 22 and 29 hours, respectively. As for audio playback, the Pro model can handle up to 85 hours, while the Pro Max extends that to 105 hours. While these numbers are Apple’s internal figures and should be taken with a grain of caution, they give a good indication of the performance differences. The iPhone 16 Pro Max likely houses the largest battery ever in an Apple smartphone.
Direct Comparison: A €120 Price Difference
As previously mentioned, aside from these differences, both models share the same features. They are powered by the A18 Pro SoC, and even the camera configurations are identical—a feature that had typically distinguished Pro from Pro Max. Both phones now feature a 5x optical zoom with a tetraprism design, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro only had a 3x zoom. Rumors that the iPhone 16 Pro Max would have an even greater zoom did not come to fruition. The rest of the camera specs are identical: a 48MP “Fusion” camera, a 12MP telephoto lens, and a 48MP ultra-wide camera. A slight difference can be found in storage options: the iPhone 16 Pro starts at 128GB, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at 256GB. Both can be configured up to 1TB, but hopes for a 2TB option were not realized.
Finally, there’s the matter of price. The iPhone 16 Pro starts at €1,199, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max begins at €1,449. However, when comparing models with the same storage capacity, the difference is smaller: the 256GB iPhone 16 Pro costs €1,329. The fully loaded 1TB versions are priced at €1,829 and €1,949, respectively, keeping both under €2,000. The new iPhones will be available for pre-order from Apple starting this Friday, and they will hit stores on September 20th