iPhone 16 Pro Max

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Noticeable Jump

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Noticeable Jump

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Is It Worth Upgrading?

 

If you’re using the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you may wonder if upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro Max is worth it. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you decide.

 

Display: Slightly Larger and Brighter

 

iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6.7” Super Retina XDR OLED, vibrant and sharp.

iPhone 16 Pro Max: 6.9” Super Retina XDR OLED, offering better brightness and a larger viewing area. For those who love streaming or gaming, the slightly larger display will be a noticeable upgrade.

 

Performance: A17 Pro vs. A16 Bionic

 

iPhone 14 Pro Max: Powered by the A16 Bionic chip, still fast and efficient.

iPhone 16 Pro Max: Equipped with the A17 Pro chip, providing a 20% increase in performance, improved multitasking, and better power efficiency. Ideal for those who need top-tier performance for gaming, content creation, or future-proofing.

 

Camera: Incremental Improvements

 

iPhone 14 Pro Max: 48MP main camera with excellent low-light performance and Smart HDR 4.

iPhone 16 Pro Max: The same 48MP sensor, but with enhanced AI-driven photography, better zoom, and improved low-light performance. The improvements, while small, will be most noticeable in challenging lighting conditions.

 

Battery Life: Slight Boost

 

iPhone 14 Pro Max: Already offers solid battery life.

iPhone 16 Pro Max: Thanks to the A17 Pro chip, the battery life is slightly better, with improved efficiency during heavy use.

 

5G Connectivity

 

Both: Both devices support 5G connectivity, ensuring you have the best possible network performance. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has slightly more optimized 5G performance.

 

Recommendation: Stick with the iPhone 14 Pro Max

 

If you’re already using the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the improvements in the iPhone 16 Pro Max are incremental. While the A17 Pro chip and slight camera improvements are great, they may not justify the upgrade unless you’re after the latest tech. Instead, your iPhone 14 Pro Max remains a highly capable device for at least another year.

 

Need help deciding? Check out the Plug Find Your iPhone Tool for personalized recommendations!

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Compare Specs

iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max Sale price$9,999.99
iPhone 14 Pro Max (Unlocked)
iPhone 14 Pro Max (Unlocked) Sale priceFrom $699.99 Regular price$1,499.99
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max Sale price$9,999.99
iPhone 14 Pro Max (Unlocked)
iPhone 14 Pro Max (Unlocked) Sale priceFrom $699.99 Regular price$1,499.99
Color Options

Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, Black Titanium, White Titanium

Deep Purple, Space Black, Gold, Silver

Display

Super Retina XDR display
6.9-inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED display
Dynamic Island
ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
Always-On display

Super Retina XDR display
6.7-inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED display1
HDR display
Dynamic Island
ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
Always on display
2796-by-1290-pixel resolution at 460 ppi
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio

Camera

Pro camera system (48MP Fusion, 48MP Ultra Wide, and 12MP Telephoto)
Fusion: 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture
Ultra Wide: 48MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture
Telephoto: 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture
Second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization
.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x optical zoom options

Pro camera system (48MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, and 12MP Telephoto)
Main: ƒ/1.78 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.2 aperture
Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture
Second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization
.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x optical zoom options

Video Recording

4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion), or 120 fps (Fusion)

4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (up to 4K HDR at 30 fps)
Action mode
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB capacity)
Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse

Power and Battery

Video playback - Up to 22 hours
Audio playback - Up to 80 hours

Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging

5G Compatible

yes

yes