Between the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro comes out ahead in weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on ram and battery capacity. Overall, the iPhone 16 Pro scores 60.6 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (60.6 vs 67.5), but the 6.9-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16 Pro 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 your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are ram, battery capacity, antutu, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, refresh rate, 5g support, 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 Pro wins
- ▲Weight — 28.00 g less. 199 vs 227.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 30.79% more. 4685 mAh vs 3582 mAh.
- ▲AnTuTu — 20.00% more. 2100000 vs 1750000.
- ▲Wired charging — 11.11% more. 30 W vs 27 W.
- ▲Screen size — 9.52% more. 6.9 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 199 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 8.25 mmlead | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 2200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro | 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 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3582 mAh | 4685 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 27 W | 30 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 W | 25 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 6 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has 30.8% more battery — 3582 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 16 Pro is 28g lighter — 199g vs 227g.
Is iPhone 16 Pro waterproof?+
iPhone 16 Pro has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 Pro 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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