iPhone 16 Pro Max long-term review

It’s been about three months since the iPhone 16 series launched, and while we did get Apple’s most powerful iPhones yet with some new changes, Apple Intelligence, the brand’s highlight feature was still missing.

Skip ahead around three months, and the first update with these AI features is now out and reaching all supported devices. That is precisely why we thought it’s the perfect time for a long-term review. Having used the new iPhone without and now with Apple Intelligence, here’s our long-term Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review.

iPhone 16 Pro Max design

There isn’t a lot new with the iPhone 16 Pro Max when it comes to design, except a new camera control switch, and the larger size. The larger size takes the already huge Pro Max and adds another 0.2-inches diagonally, making this phone slightly taller and broader than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

If you’re coming from an older Pro Max, the change is subtle and may not bother you as much. But those coming from a smaller iPhone will need more time than ever to get used to the new design. There are perks too – namely a larger battery and display, and we’ll get to those aspects in a bit.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max still features a premium glass sandwich design with Titanium coating on the edges. The phone is still thin and slippery, so throwing on a protective case or at least a skin is advisable.

Unlike the Action Button that was introduced last year, the camera control switch, didn’t feel like a game-changer. It does let you quickly get to the camera, switch between options and control them by sliding on the switch.

However, all this was already possible with on-screen buttons, and the new implementation doesn’t exactly speed up the process of zooming into a frame or changing the filter either, something the Action Button did.

The switch is also placed a little away from the corner, which is where you’d expect it to be. While this lets you use it in both landscape and portrait orientations, neither is very convenient, and most people will need some hand gymnastics to get to the switch.

iPhone 16 Pro max display

The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with a massive 6.9-inch display and if you can get behind the monstrous size, there is a lot to like here.

Watching YouTube or Netflix on the panel is a stunning experience, and games like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile now give you that extra space to now place your customised controls.

Just like last year, the screen is super-bright and can be easily used under direct sunlight, but thanks to a new LTPO panel it can also go all the way down to 1 nit, which also makes it a little easier to use at night.

Apple’s ProMotion, sadly still a Pro-Only feature in 2024, works wonders here and everything feels buttery smooth at 120Hz. If you want a phone with a good screen, there isn’t much to complain about here.

iPhone 16 Pro max camera performance

One of the key aspects that separate the ‘Pro’ iPhones from the base iPhones, is the camera hardware and performance, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is perhaps the best example of that in recent years.

The cameras are now even more powerful with a new 48MP ultrawide sensor that puts more detail in wider and macro shots. There’s also a new Cinematic Slow-Mo mode, which makes your slow-motion clips look great at 120 frames per second.

Photos, meanwhile, still have that ‘iPhone’ feel to them. The focusing is quick, the details are sharp, the colours are accurate, and everything still looks natural. In fact, the colours between the main and ultrawide camera are more consistent than ever.

The front camera is also good and while it is naturally inferior to the one on the back, it’s perfect for those selfies and FaceTime calls.

There are also these new tonal controls called ‘styles’ let you control how an image looks right when you take it, or later on during editing. It’s super handy if you’re someone who wants to take those creative shots every now and then.

iPhone 16 Pro Max performance and AI

Coming to performance, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is supposed to beat the powerhouse that was the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year with the new A18 Pro chipset.

While Apple claims there are some big changes compared to last year’s iPhones, you won’t notice a whole lot different during day-to-day usage. Compared to older iPhones though, the 16 Pro Max is a beast.

All apps run fast and smooth, every game on the App Store runs at the maximum settings and the phone gets warm at best, not hot. There are no hiccups anywhere and iOS 18.1 is as polished as ever on the device.

While all the Apple Intelligence features are still not here, you do have some handy ones to play around with. Writing Tools, for instance, works systemwide, and lets you proofread your text or change the tonality of anything you’ve written across any app.

ALSO READ: Apple Intelligence finally available: Features, supported devices and more

Meanwhile, notification summarisation makes it easy to understand what’s happening when you get a lot of texts or other notifications at once.  There is also the new cleanup feature that lets you remove unwanted objects from photos.

iPhone 16 Pro Max battery life

The iPhone 15 Pro Max offered stellar battery life. The 16 Pro Max battery is even bigger. Toss in the better efficiency figures of the A18 Pro and you have a winning formula for a phone that never sees the power plug in the middle of a day.

You can easily make the iPhone 16 Pro Max last over a day with moderate use, and unless you’re playing games or running heavy apps all day, this can even be a two-day phone for most people. Simple as that. With normal usage, you can expect screen-on times between 7-10 hours at the very least.

Unboxed Take: Who should buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

You don’t necessarily need the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you’re coming from the iPhone 15 Pro series. But anything older than that, and there are more than a few compelling reasons to get yourself the new 16 Pro Max.

With a Rs 1,44,900 price tag, the iPhone 16 Pro Max also costs a little less than last year’s Pro Max, and which means there’s more value on offer. Your other flagships in this range include the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which packs in the flexibility of Android and an S-pen, or the foldable OnePlus Open, which is a multitasking beast.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max however, combines the polish of iOS with the ecosystem features Apple excels at. All this is then put into a phone that sports great design, a stunning display, powerful performance and arguably segment-leading cameras for photos and videos.

If the large size is an issue, you can also check out the iPhone 16 Pro, which is basically the same phone in a smaller avatar. Depending on your preferences and budget, you can go with either and not go wrong – no matter what you primarily use the phone for – work, entertainment, photography or gaming.

For this reason, we rate the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 4.5/5. Stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma for more in-depth reviews, and all things tech.