iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)
A19 Pro · 1TB · Cosmic Orange
iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)
A18 Pro · iOS · 256GB · European
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) lands at 98 and iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) at 96. That puts iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) if…
- ✓Apple A19 Pro silicon
- ✓120 Hz ProMotion (Pro/Air)
- ✓Apple Intelligence Gen 2
Pick iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) if…
- ✓iOS ecosystem
- ✓Long update support
- ✓Polished hardware
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testPhotography
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)Stills and video quality across lenses
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) leads on camera (97 vs 95).
Battery life
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)Screen-on time and charging
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) leads on battery (92 vs 90).
Performance
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)Chipset speed for gaming and heavy apps
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) leads on gpu (98 vs 94).
Display
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)Panel quality, brightness, refresh rate
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) leads on display (96 vs 93).
Value for money
iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) more score per dollar ($1,299 vs $1,499).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) | iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | A19 Pro | A18 Pro |
| Storage | 1TB | ▲ 256GB |
| Color | Cosmic Orange | — |
| Release year | 2025 | 2024 |
| OS | iOS 19 | iOS 18 |
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange)
- +Apple A19 Pro silicon
- +120 Hz ProMotion (Pro/Air)
- +Apple Intelligence Gen 2
- −Still Lightning-free, USB-C only
- −Premium pricing
- −AI features require online offload for some tasks
iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)
- +iOS ecosystem
- +Long update support
- +Polished hardware
- −Premium pricing
- −Limited customization
- −Lightning/USB-C split across generations
FAQ: iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) vs iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)
Which is better, iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) or iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) worth the price? +
At $1,499, iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in cpu.
Is iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) worth the price? +
At $1,299, iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in cpu.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) or iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European) 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 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) or iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) — leads on camera (97 vs 95). Stills and video quality across lenses.
Which is better for battery life, iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) or iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB (European)? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB (Cosmic Orange) — leads on battery (92 vs 90). Screen-on time and charging.