iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you wait?

Confused if you should get the iPhone 15 Pro Max or wait for the iPhone 16 Pro Max? This direct comparison between the two will help you decide.

The new iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple’s best smartphone to date. It has an unmatched camera system, a top-notch display, and a lighter weight thanks to the Titanium chassis. And hey, there’s also a USB-C port.

But is it worth ditching your old iPhone for the 15 Pro Max, or should you hold off and see what the iPhone 16 Pro Max brings next year?

We are still many months away from the iPhone 16 Pro Max hitting the scene. But leaks and rumors have already painted a good picture of the phone. The new iPhone should bring upgrades in the display department as well as a more powerful chipset.

We compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max to help you decide whether to wait or get the current model.

Design and display

Apple

Physically, the iPhone 16 Pro Max and 15 Pro Max aren’t expected to look very different. Apple hasn’t changed the iPhone design much since the iPhone 13 series. Yes, the company introduced small changes here and there but nothing too big.

Apple did, however, step up the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s build quality by ditching the aluminum chassis in favor of a more robust Titanium one. Plus, it has replaced the traditional mute switch with an Action Button.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max will retain these features, but it might also bring some additional upgrades. For instance, the handset could bring a larger display than its predecessor. The 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch panel, whereas the 16 Pro Max could have a 6.86-inch display, which might get rounded off to 6.9 inches.

Reports suggest the iPhone will also get a new button called the “Capture Button”. It’s unknown what this extra button will do.

As for the display, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to use an OLED panel, the same as the 15 Pro Max. However, Apple is reported to be incorporating new micro-lens tech on the display, which could improve brightness and reduce power consumption.

Cameras

Apple

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max debuted with a triple camera setup, which managed to impress the users and reviewers alike. It has the same general setup as last year’s 14 Pro, featuring a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 48MP main camera, and a 12MP telephoto camera.

However, the telephoto shooter now has 5X zoom (up from 3X) and the main camera captures 24MP photos by default, up from 12MP.

The iPhone 16 Pro might feature the same triple camera setup but with a 48MP Ultrawide camera. This upgrade should translate into better low-light photos. Rumors of a ‘super telephoto periscope camera‘ have been making the rounds, suggesting that the phone would boast higher zoom capabilities.

Specifications

	Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (Rumored specs)	Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Processor	Apple A18 Pro (3nm)	Apple A17 Pro (3nm)
RAM	8GB LPDDR5 (max)	8GB LPDDR5 (max)
Battery	4441mAh	4441mAh
Charging	40W	25.5W
Display	6.9-inch OLED	6.7-inch OLED
Cameras	48+ 48 + 12. Triple camera system with 5x optical zoom.	48+ 12+ 12. Triple camera system with 5x optical zoom.
Price	Starting at $1,199 (expected price)	Starting at $1,199

With the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple introduced its latest and greatest A17 Pro chip. The Cupertino company claims the CPU performance cores of the A17 Pro are up to 10% faster than the A16 Bionic. It is also supposed to be the most efficient CPU out there, better than the competition.

Further, the GPU on the A17 Pro offers 20% faster graphics performance than the A16. It also brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing for smoother graphics at a high frame rate.

The A17 Pro is already quite impressive, but Apple will take things to a new level with the A18 Pro, which will power the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The new chip could offer even better performance and efficiency.

The new Pro Max could bring improved thermals as well. Apple is reportedly testing a graphene thermal system that will prevent the heating issues found on the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Elsewhere, the 16 Pro Max is reported to bring a brand-new generative AI-infused Siri to give you a better experience. The smartphone might also use new stacked battery technology that could improve battery life and offer greater longevity. The battery unit could be paired with 20W wireless and 40W wired charging support.

Storage options on both iPhone 16 Pro Max and 15 Pro Max could be the same— 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. 

Is the iPhone 16 Pro Max worth waiting?

If you have an iPhone 13 series or later and you think it can last you another year, then it might be worth waiting for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Sure, Apple made some significant changes with the 15 Pro Max, but they’re not that big of a deal unless you really need to have the latest and greatest.

That said, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great phone and you won’t be missing out on much if you get it right now. You might also want to check out the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is on sale for a lot less right now. Or you can wait until January 2024 to get the Galaxy S24 Ultra.