Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the cheaper of the two at $899 versus $1,199, a difference of about $300. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 16 Plus stands out for excellent battery life from large 4674 mah cell, while Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is praised for 48mp periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 16 Plus if…
- →Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- →A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- →New Camera Control button
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- →48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- →4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- →Up to 2TB storage
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Pros
- Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- New Camera Control button
- Bright 2000-nit display
- More affordable than Pro Max
Cons
- Still locked to 60Hz refresh rate
- No telephoto camera
- USB-C limited to USB 2.0 speeds
- No always-on display
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- 48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- 4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- Up to 2TB storage
- Ceramic Shield 2 front and back
- Spatial Video recording
Cons
- 227g is heavy
- Still 27W wired charging
- $1199 starting price
- Aluminum unibody less premium feel than titanium
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 Plus | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 18 | iOS 19 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199 g | 227 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 24 MP, f/1.9 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4674 mAh | 4823 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 27W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 25W MagSafe |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion |
| Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 1320 x 2868 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 2000 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | 6-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | 6-core GPU |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Apple A19 Pro |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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