iPhone 15 Pro Max
A17 Pro · 6.7″ LTPO · Titanium
iPhone 16 Pro Max
A18 Pro · 6.9″ LTPO · Titanium
iPhone 16 Pro Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, iPhone 15 Pro Max lands at 92 and iPhone 16 Pro Max at 95. That puts iPhone 16 Pro Max ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPhone 15 Pro Max if…
- ✓Titanium chassis debut
- ✓Action Button replaces ring/silent
- ✓USB-C with Thunderbolt
Pick iPhone 16 Pro Max if…
- ✓Best-in-class A18 Pro silicon
- ✓Tetra-prism 5× zoom
- ✓Apple Intelligence Gen 1
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testPhotography
iPhone 16 Pro MaxStills and video quality across lenses
iPhone 16 Pro Max leads on camera (96 vs 94).
Battery life
iPhone 16 Pro MaxScreen-on time and charging
iPhone 16 Pro Max leads on battery (88 vs 86).
Performance
iPhone 16 Pro MaxChipset speed for gaming and heavy apps
iPhone 16 Pro Max leads on gpu (95 vs 90).
Display
iPhone 16 Pro MaxPanel quality, brightness, refresh rate
iPhone 16 Pro Max leads on display (95 vs 92).
Value for money
TieSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPhone 15 Pro Max | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2796×1290 | ▲ 6.9″ LTPO OLED, 120Hz, 2868×1320 |
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB | 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB |
| Rear camera | 48 MP + 12 MP UW + 12 MP 5× tele | 48 MP + 48 MP UW + 12 MP 5× tele |
| Battery | 4422 mAh | ▲ 4685 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired, 25W MagSafe | 27W wired, 25W MagSafe |
| OS | iOS 17 | iOS 18 |
| Weight | ▲ 221 g | 227 g |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
iPhone 15 Pro Max
- +Titanium chassis debut
- +Action Button replaces ring/silent
- +USB-C with Thunderbolt
- −A17 Pro thermals warm
- −Charging speed unchanged
- −Battery life behind newer Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max
- +Best-in-class A18 Pro silicon
- +Tetra-prism 5× zoom
- +Apple Intelligence Gen 1
- −Heavier than 15 Pro Max
- −No 8K video
- −Charging speed unchanged
FAQ: iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max
Which is better, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone 16 Pro Max? +
iPhone 16 Pro Max scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPhone 15 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in camera.
Is iPhone 16 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in cpu.
Does iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone 16 Pro Max last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for photography, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone 16 Pro Max? +
iPhone 16 Pro Max — leads on camera (96 vs 94). Stills and video quality across lenses.
Which is better for battery life, iPhone 15 Pro Max or iPhone 16 Pro Max? +
iPhone 16 Pro Max — leads on battery (88 vs 86). Screen-on time and charging.