iPhone 16 Pro Max is here, Standing next to the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup and compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s previous flagship, at first glance not much appears to be different, save for the jump in size from 6.7-inches to 6.9-inches. Under the hood, however, Apple has introduced a host of upgrades that make the iPhone 16 Pro Max a more versatile device for users. Let’s compare the latest Max phones and see whether it’s worth upgrading from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Also read: iPhone 16 Debuts With ‘Camera Control’ And I Think This Is The Coolest Announcement Of Apple Event 2024: Here’s What’s New

iPhone 16 Pro Max costs less than iPhone 15 Pro Max in India

Surprisingly, Apple has launched the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro at a lower price than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at ₹1,44,900 for the base 256GB model— ₹9,100 cheaper than the revised MRP of the iPhone 15 Pro Max from ₹1,54,000 (as of July). If you’ve been waiting to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max, this price drop alone could be a good reason to opt for the iPhone 16 Pro Max instead.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Largest iPhone screen yet

The most notable change is the increase in screen size. As rumored, the iPhone 16 Pro Max now features a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR panel, up from the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR panel. Both panels support Apple’s ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate and can achieve a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. While the overall display technology remains largely the same, the increase in size is significant. If you found the iPhone 15 Pro Max too large, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will feel even larger, as it’s both wider and taller.

Also read: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 13, and more products discontinued after Apple 2024 event

iPhone 16 Pro Max has the second generation 3nm Apple chipset: the A18 Pro

This year, Apple introduced two A18 chipsets, based on 3nm architecture, for the iPhone 16 series: the A18 and the A18 Pro. While the A18 is powerful, the true successor to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s A17 Pro is the A18 Pro, which powers the iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to Apple, the A18 Pro makes the device 15% faster in CPU tasks and 20% faster in GPU performance. In practice, this means gaming experiences, such as playing Dead Strandingwill be smoother on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The new chipset also features a 16-core Neural Engine, which Apple claims is more efficient at driving its intelligence functions than before.

In everyday performance, you might not notice a significant difference between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as the A17 Pro is still one of the fastest mobile chipsets on the market.

Also read: iPhone 16 series, new AirPods and everything else announced at Apple’s 2024 event

iPhone 16 Pro Max features improved Ultra Wide camera and support for 4K 120FPS video

The iPhone 16 Pro Max doubles down on camera quality, introducing a new 48MP ultra-wide lens for more detail in landscape and macro shots. By comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 12MP ultra-wide lens, which is still impressive but not quite as detailed as the 48MP sensor. The new sensor should also improve low-light photography, thanks in particular to Apple’s machine learning-powered image processing.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max retains last year’s 5x 120mm tetraprism telephoto lens, allowing for digital zoom of up to 25x, just like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The main camera remains a 48MP sensor, with the ability to shoot 2x 12MP shots at “optical quality” by cropping the sensor.

The real difference, though, comes in the video recording capabilities. The iPhone 16 Pro Max edges out the iPhone 15 Pro Max with the ability to record 4K video at 120 fps in both standard and slo-mo modes, with the option to adjust the playback speed after capture. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, maxes out at 60 fps in 4K. This opens up a lot of creative possibilities for video shooters, allowing them to slow down footage without sacrificing resolution.

New camera control system in the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Another major addition to the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the Camera Control button, a dedicated button located below the power button. It lets you control various camera settings, such as launching the camera, zooming in and out, changing the aperture and adjusting the exposure. In the future, the button will even support a light press to lock the focus on a subject. The button includes several elements: a capacitive surface, a pressable button and a force sensor. In addition, Camera Control lets you activate Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature, which scans your surroundings and quickly retrieves information, similar to Google Lens.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max obviously doesn’t have this feature, but it does have an Action button, which can be programmed to activate the camera and perform a number of other functions via the Shortcuts app.