Between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on refresh rate and wireless charging. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 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 10.1 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 16 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, wireless charging, ram, 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 16 wins
- ▲Weight — 57.00 g less. 170 vs 227.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 30 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 31.56% more. 4685 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 29.63% more. 2100000 vs 1620000.
- ▲Screen size — 13.11% more. 6.9 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | 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ⓘ | 2000 nits | 2200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | 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 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 4685 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 30 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 6 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has 31.6% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 16 is 57g lighter — 170g vs 227g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 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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