Between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 16e comes out ahead in weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on refresh rate and ram. Overall, the iPhone 16e scores 58.6 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.9 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 16e if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are refresh rate, ram, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16e wins
- ▲Weight — 60.00 g less. 167 vs 227.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 30 W vs 20 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 32.91% more. 2100000 vs 1580000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 16.98% more. 4685 mAh vs 4005 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 13.11% more. 6.9 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
- ▲Wireless charging: 25 W vs 0 W.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 167 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1200 nits | 2200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4005 mAh | 4685 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 30 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 0 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16e | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 6 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16e or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has 17.0% more battery — 4005 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16e or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 16e is 60g lighter — 167g vs 227g.
Is iPhone 16e waterproof?+
iPhone 16e has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16e or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16e or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 48 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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