iPhone 16 Pro Max

Source

Snazzy Labs

Key Takeaways

• The new capacitive Camera Control button has too much click resistance and sits too far inwards, causing hand-shake blur.
• Wired charging peak speeds remain locked near 30W, taking nearly 105 minutes to fully top off the 4,685mAh cell.
• Severe green ghosting flare reflections persist in nighttime cityscapes, a lingering flaw Apple refuses to fix.
• Offers negligible real-world improvements over the 15 Pro Max beyond slightly larger screens and a frustrating button.

✅ Pros

• Spectacular expansive 6.9-inch thin-bezel screen
• A18 Pro offers benchmark-crushing power and efficiency
• Elite 4K 120fps slow-motion recording

❌ Cons

• Clunky and frustrating Camera Control key
• Embarrassingly slow 30W charging curve
• Unfixed green lens flare ghosting in night shots
• Yawn-inducing minor iterative generational leap

📝 Verdict

"iPhone 16 Pro Max is capable, but a gimmicky button and archaic charging speeds make it an easy pass for 15 Pro Max owners."

Source

• Video: iPhone 16 Pro Max Review - 6 Months Later
• Channel: 6 Months Later | Type: Long-term review | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• It was supposed to usher in the Apple Intelligence era, but six months on, Apple has walked back some major promises.
• Photo quality remains controversial, and it's questionable whether a $1,200 heavy titanium phone is worth it.
• Thinner bezels and an excellent display.
• Siri hasn't gotten any smarter, and turning off the ChatGPT integration actually helped; the Camera Control button is a new feature the author uses often.
• iMessages can be scheduled, but RCS messages still can't be sent later.

✅ Pros

• Great performance and battery life
• Excellent display
• Useful Camera Control button

❌ Cons

• Apple Intelligence promises not delivered
• Controversial photo processing
• Thick and heavy body

📝 Verdict

Still broadly recommends this iPhone, especially for people already in the Apple ecosystem.

📊 Score breakdown & rationale

The category scores below are editorial inferences based on the video; the overall 4.6/5 comes from the GSMArena written review linked in the video description (no numeric score is given in the narration).

• 📱 Design & display 4.5/5
  • 6.9" LTPO OLED, 3rd-gen Ceramic Shield, 120Hz ProMotion (down to 1Hz); measured ~900 nits (manual) / nearly 1,800 nits (auto), good enough outdoors. The look largely carries over the previous titanium + matte glass design, only slightly taller/heavier.
• 🔊 Speakers & storage 4.5/5
  • Loud speakers with good full-range output; 256GB / 512GB / 1TB, no microSD expansion.
• 🧠 Performance & thermals 5/5
  • A18 Pro is about +15% CPU and up to about +20% GPU over the previous Pro; very little throttling in long stress tests, handles heavy workloads and gaming with ease.
• 🔋 Battery & charging 4.5/5
  • 4,685 mAh battery; Active use score of 17h 18m, top of its class. Wired about 30W, 0→46% in 30 min, nearly 2 hours to full, practically the same as the previous Pro Max; supports wireless and reverse wireless charging.
• 📷 Camera & video 4.5/5
  • Excellent main camera / night shots / selfies / daytime video and stabilization; ultrawide upgraded to 48MP with macro; main camera can shoot 4K 120fps slow motion. The Camera Control hardware shutter is described as "solving a problem nobody complained about," and swiping is less precise than touch; 10x telephoto and telephoto/ultrawide night shots are not class-leading; night video shows internal reflection dots.
• 🤖 Software & AI 4/5
  • iOS 18 is familiar and customizable; at least about 5 years of software support; Apple Intelligence (Writing Tools, summaries, Genmoji, advanced Photos search, smarter Siri) had not fully rolled out at the time, and the EU timeline was uncertain.

✅ Pros

• Largest iPhone display ever (6.9"), with excellent brightness and ProMotion
• Powerful A18 Pro with good thermal management
• About 17.5 hours of Active use battery life, top of its class
• High-quality main camera day/night, selfies and daytime video; 4K on all lenses, 4K 120fps slow motion on the main camera, and upgraded mics
• IP68, Face ID / Dynamic Island, excellent stereo speakers

❌ Cons

• Design and camera layout barely changed; limited reason to upgrade from the 15 Pro Max
• Camera Control swiping is less precise than touch, and its usefulness is questioned
• Wired charging still about 30W, nearly 2 hours to full
• Telephoto can't focus up close; 10x and telephoto/ultrawide night shots trail some rivals
• Apple Intelligence not yet available at the time, with EU rollout in doubt

📝 Verdict

"Compared with last year you get a bigger screen and a shutter key, a slightly better chip and battery life, and 4K slow-motion recording; if you already own the 15 Pro Max it may not be worth upgrading, otherwise it's a well-rounded flagship worth considering." — Will / GSMArena Official

Source: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max full review | Channel: GSMArena Official | Uploaded: 2024-10-08 | Written review: GSMArena

📊 Score breakdown & rationale

Category scores below are editorial inferences grounded in the video. Overall 4.6/5 is from the GSMArena written review linked in the video description (no numeric score is spoken in the video).

• 📱 Design & display 4.5/5
  • 6.9" LTPO OLED, 3rd-gen Ceramic Shield, 120Hz ProMotion (down to 1Hz); ~900 nits manual / nearly 1,800 nits auto—fine outdoors. Same matte titanium + glass look as last year; only slightly taller/heavier.
• 🔊 Speakers & storage 4.5/5
  • Very good loudness and full-range output; 256GB / 512GB / 1TB, no microSD.
• 🧠 Performance & thermals 5/5
  • A18 Pro ~15% higher CPU and up to ~20% higher GPU vs prior Pro; minimal throttling under prolonged stress; handles heavy work and gaming easily.
• 🔋 Battery & charging 4.5/5
  • 4,685 mAh; Active use score 17h 18m—among the best. Wired ~30W: 0→46% in 30 min, full charge almost 2 hours (same as prior Pro Max); wireless + reverse wireless.
• 📷 Camera & video 4.5/5
  • Excellent main (day/night), selfies, daytime video, and stabilization; 48MP ultrawide with macro; 4K on all cams + 4K/120 slow-mo on main and upgraded mics. Camera Control feels like solving a non-problem—swipe less precise than touch. 10x / tele night / ultrawide night not class-leading; night video can show internal reflection dots.
• 🤖 Software & AI 4/5
  • Familiar iOS 18 with personalization; ~5+ years of updates; Apple Intelligence features were still pending via update, with EU status uncertain at the time.

✅ Pros

• Largest iPhone display yet (6.9"), strong brightness and ProMotion
• A18 Pro power with good thermal control
• Outstanding Active use battery life (~17.5 hours)
• Strong main/selfie stills and daytime video; 4K across lenses; 4K/120 slow-mo; better mics
• IP68, Face ID / Dynamic Island, impressive stereo speakers

❌ Cons

• Design barely changed; weak upgrade case from 15 Pro Max
• Camera Control swipe UX less precise than touchscreen
• Wired charging still ~30W; nearly 2 hours to full
• No tele close-focus; 10x and some night ultrawide/tele results trail rivals
• Apple Intelligence not fully available yet (EU uncertainty noted)

📝 Verdict

“Vs last year you get a bigger screen and a shutter key; battery and chipset are a bit better, plus 4K slow-mo. If you already have the 15 Pro Max it might not be worth upgrading—otherwise a great all-around flagship if you want the latest and greatest.” — Will / GSMArena Official

Source: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max full review · Channel: GSMArena Official · Uploaded: 2024-10-08 · Written review: GSMArena