Phones · 2024 · Apple

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is Apple’s largest phone of 2024. It has a 6.9-inch 120 Hz OLED screen, A18 Pro, 48 MP main and ultra-wide cameras, a 5x telephoto and the new Camera Control button. Notebookcheck’s test highlighted battery life and the display; charging speed and throttling under load were noted as weaker points.

iPhone 16 Pro Max (A3083/A3084); 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. The iPhone 16 Pro (6.3-inch) and iPhone 17 Pro Max are separate models. US models are eSIM-only; models sold outside the US have a SIM tray.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max — The iPhone 16 Pro Max from Apple’s tech specs page in Black, Natural, White and Desert Titanium.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max from Apple’s tech specs page in Black, Natural, White and Desert Titanium.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2868 × 1320, 460 ppi; ProMotion up to 120 Hz; Always-On

ProMotion varies the refresh rate with content: 120 Hz for smooth scrolling, lower rates on static screens to save battery. Because of the rounded corners, the screen measures 6.86 inches as a rectangle.

Brightness1000 nits typical, 1600 nits peak HDR, 2000 nits peak outdoor, 1 nit minimum; 2,000,000:1 contrast

The outdoor peak is used briefly in strong sunlight; the 1-nit minimum is meant to reduce eye strain in a dark room.

ProcessorA18 Pro; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 6-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB

Storage cannot be expanded later; ProRes uses a lot of space, so 4K 120 fps ProRes recording requires external storage.

Rear cameras48 MP Fusion (24 mm, ƒ/1.78, 2nd-gen sensor-shift OIS); 48 MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2, 120°); 12 MP 5x Telephoto (120 mm, ƒ/2.8, tetraprism)

The 12 MP 2x view (48 mm) is cropped from the main sensor rather than a separate lens. The total optical zoom range is 10x (5x in, 2x out); digital zoom goes up to 25x.

Video4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps; ProRes and Log recording; 4K 120 fps slo-mo; four studio-quality mics

100 and 120 fps are available only on the Fusion main camera. Log recording leaves more dynamic range for colour grading.

Front camera12 MP TrueDepth, ƒ/1.9, autofocus; 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps
ButtonsCamera Control (exposure, depth, zoom, styles and tone); Action button

Camera Control is a surface that detects presses and swipes; it opens the camera and changes settings with a slide. The Action button can be assigned to silent mode, flashlight, shortcuts and more.

Connectivity5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), 4x4 MIMO; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband; Thread; NFC

mmWave support and Ultra Wideband availability vary by region. Thread is a low-power mesh network for smart-home accessories.

Satellite and safetyEmergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite; Crash Detection

Satellite features work only in supported countries and where there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.

USB-CUSB 3 (up to 10 Gbit/s); charging and DisplayPort output

A USB 3 cable is required for 10 Gbit/s; the charge cable in the box does not provide that speed.

Battery and chargingVideo playback up to 33 hours; MagSafe up to 25 W (with a 30 W adapter), Qi2 15 W, Qi 7.5 W; about 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W adapter

No power adapter is included. The 25 W MagSafe rate needs the newer MagSafe Charger and an adapter of at least 30 W.

Durability and materialsIP68 (up to 6 metres for 30 minutes); latest-generation Ceramic Shield front; textured matte glass back; titanium design

IP68 is tested in fresh water under lab conditions and can decrease over time; liquid damage is not covered by warranty.

Size and weight163 × 77.6 × 8.25 mm; 227 g
SoftwareLaunched with iOS 18
ColoursBlack, White, Natural and Desert Titanium

From the manufacturer

Apple presents the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a titanium design, its longest iPhone battery life and 4K 120 fps Dolby Vision video recording. Apple Support

Strengths and limitations

  • In Notebookcheck’s test the screen reached about 1100 nits in the centre, 2357 nits on small white areas and 2600 nits in HDR video. At minimum brightness it showed 240 Hz PWM flicker, flagged for sensitive users. The battery lasted 20 h 49 min in the Wi-Fi browsing test and 33 h 10 min in the 1080p video test. With Apple’s 30 W adapter it reached 54% in 30 minutes and 80% in an hour; a full charge took over two hours. The SoC throttled in 3DMark stress tests, but less than the 16 Pro.

    Notebookcheck, Daniel Schmidt, 13 October 2024; iOS 18.0.1. Measurements are from a single test unit.

    Notebookcheck — Daniel Schmidt: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review - Lots of small improvements for the top smartphone

  • The same review measured about 499 MB/s copy speed from an external SSD over USB-C and confirmed 4K 60 Hz HDR video output. Listed weaknesses were the lack of 320 MHz channels on Wi-Fi 7, no high-resolution Bluetooth audio codec and a 12-month warranty. Camera Control was said to work well, though its value depends on personal preference.

    Notebookcheck, Daniel Schmidt, 13 October 2024. Warranty length reflects the review market.

    Notebookcheck — Daniel Schmidt: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review - Lots of small improvements for the top smartphone

Tags

2024APPLEIOSOLED120 Hz5GUSB-CMAGSAFE

Compare

Sources

  1. Apple Support: iPhone 16 Pro Max - Tech Specs
  2. Notebookcheck — Daniel Schmidt: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review - Lots of small improvements for the top smartphone