iPhone 16 Pro Max Screen brightness on 16 Pro/Max [MERGED]

[Alphazoid]

Thankfully my trade-in fell through. Instead of haggling, i just asked for my phone to be sent back. And luckily it arrived intact. Plus it's still running iOS 17 which is perfect.

In my testing, my 15Pro screen (Samsung) is more colour-consistent than my 16Pro (Samsung) which is greenish/yellow at the top and white at the bottom. Brightness is about the same, certainly not as egregious as some posts i've seen.

I called Apple about the issue, and they said i'd have to send the phone back before they can issue a replacement i.e. be phoneless. Alternatively, go to an Apple store (which is far away and i despise dealing with 'Geniuses')

I'm now erasing the 16Pro and sending it back for a refund. Will be skipping this generation.

 

[thatJohann]

It's been a lottery with screens for me this year. Here's my experience (these are multiple devices including for me, my work, family, etc).

• Launch 16 Pro Max - perfect display
• Launch 16 - perfect display
• 16 Pro - perfect display, exchanged due to wifi antenna issue
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, lots of blue shift when tilting screen, exchanged
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, blue shift, exchanged
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, blue shift, gave up and kept it.

I mentioned in another post but relevant here too. When I returned my last 16 Pro with the botched screen, the apple store employee mentioned to me they've had multiple returns due to display quality recently, which I found interesting.

 

[thadoggfather]

It's been a lottery with screens for me this year. Here's my experience (these are multiple devices including for me, my work, family, etc).

• Launch 16 Pro Max - perfect display
• Launch 16 - perfect display
• 16 Pro - perfect display, exchanged due to wifi antenna issue
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, lots of blue shift when tilting screen, exchanged
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, blue shift, exchanged
• 16 Pro - subpar display, uneven tint, blue shift, gave up and kept it.

I mentioned in another post but relevant here too. When I returned my last 16 Pro with the botched screen, the apple store employee mentioned to me they've had multiple returns due to display quality recently, which I found interesting.

what tint shift were the 'good' ones? because they all do shift when moved off axis ya?

uneven tint sucks. was it top to bottom, side to side, all around? curious for more details

that sucks. a 50% batting average.

 

[Unnamed1]

My daily devices are still the 13 Mini & 15 Pro Max. After visiting three Apple Stores and holding the devices up to the 16PM on display, both my old displays look better and brighter (True Tone and auto brightness off etc).

We also have a lot of devs and designers at work (some over from Europe & USA) who have 16 Pro Max's too - so even out of the Apple Store display environment we checked the phones and all noticed the displays of the 16 Pro Max were not as good when compared to various older test and personal iPhones we have in the office.

If they can fix this in a software update, amazing. But I just feel they have cheapened out on the displays (somehow) this year.

It's not just brightness (or a different brightness scale), they look dull too.

 

[Harthag]

Got lucky this year with my 16PM. Among the best OLED iPhone displays I've had. Prior years have all been Samsung and several had bad uniformity, green grays, and off axis shift issues. My 16PM has the LG screen. Supposedly LG is inferior to Samsung, not my phone at least. I can't really see any off-axis shift, it just gets a bit darker when I turn the phone. Maybe a slight red shift if I view the screen at very extreme angles at nearly 90 degrees, only slightly? The "white" viewing angle is pretty large. And I'm very sensitive and intolerant of off-axis shift and pink hues. Uniform and not yellow. LG has stepped up its game.

 

[Fred Zed]

Thankfully my trade-in fell through. Instead of haggling, i just asked for my phone to be sent back. And luckily it arrived intact. Plus it's still running iOS 17 which is perfect.

In my testing, my 15Pro screen is more colour-consistent than my 16Pro which is yellow at the top and white at the bottom. Brightness is about the same, certainly not as egregious as some posts i've seen.

I called Apple about the issue, and they said i'd have to send the phone back before they can issue a replacement i.e. be phoneless. Alternatively, go to an Apple store (which is far away and i despise dealing with 'Geniuses')

I'm now erasing the 16Pro and sending it back for a refund. Will be skipping this generation.

Makes sense. No point stressing and wasting time on one item that has a 12 month cycle until the next best thing.

 

[Frosty1]

I know this is 9 pages but it legit isn’t getting enough traction. No one else seems to be talking about this

The screen is legit way dimmer when your 50% or less or maybe even 70%. I’m not talking about full brightness, although there are others who say it’s still dimmer and I’ve seen screenshots.

I’m not sure what’s going on but it’s a big issue and I’m starting to think it’s a hardware defect and not because the screen can go to 1 nit so the slider is different. Vs a software bug

 

[archvile]

View attachment 2426509 This is my 15 pro max on the left next to my 16 pro max on the right at 100 brightness. Looks the same to me

In the words of Flossy Carter, "congratulations, you bought the same phone twice" 🤣

 

[Anotherperson90]

I have returned my 16 pro max and stuck with my 15 pro max. Absolutely a noticeable different on lower brightness dimming compared to my 15 pro max. Not really acceptable. Especially for the price.

 

[mfrank29]

I know this is 9 pages but it legit isn’t getting enough traction. No one else seems to be talking about this

The screen is legit way dimmer when your 50% or less or maybe even 70%. I’m not talking about full brightness, although there are others who say it’s still dimmer and I’ve seen screenshots.

I’m not sure what’s going on but it’s a big issue and I’m starting to think it’s a hardware defect and not because the screen can go to 1 nit so the slider is different. Vs a software bug

I think this is by design. You can’t compare 50% brightness on this years vs last years pros. The scale is different as the new phones can go down to 1 nit. The slider being don’t an issue. The real issue is less maximum brightness.

 

[fel10]

I don’t know if it’s just my eyes, but I feel like mine is a little more warm at the top than on the bottom. But I also don’t feel like going through the screen lottery.

 

[mfrank29]

I don’t know if it’s just my eyes, but I feel like mine is a little more warm at the top than on the bottom. But I also don’t feel like going through the screen lottery.

Oled is prone to uniformity issues. There is going to be sample variance, and all display types have pros and cons.

 

[bc 08]

Very happy with my 16PM screen coming from a 14PM.

Gets bright, neutral whites with True Tone disabled, slightly warm white with True Tone enabled, virtually non-existent color shift, excellent clarity.

Now if I could only fine a black border screen protector that fits it correctly

 

[Fred Zed]

If I don’t compare my 16PM to my 14PM then my eyes like it. Soon as I compare them side by side then a different story lol. I need to hurry and ship my 14PM back to Apple. Haha. 🤣

I forgot which iPhone it was , 12PM or 13PM which had a very aggressive truetone initially. When minimizing and switching apps on a white background I can clearly see truetone engaging.

 

[Hamsterhjulet]

For the first time since iPhone 12 Pro I’m satisfied with my screen. My iPhone 16 Pro has the best and most uniform screen yet. It’s pristine! Never thought the day would come. I’ve always had minor imperfections with the OLEDs on the iPhones so having one that’s perfect is amazing. It’s bright, white and uniform across the whole screen. Even in low light it’s uniform.

 

[Corgirat]

For the first time since iPhone 12 Pro I’m satisfied with my screen. My iPhone 16 Pro has the best and most uniform screen yet. It’s pristine! Never thought the day would come. I’ve always had minor imperfections with the OLEDs on the iPhones so having one that’s perfect is amazing. It’s bright, white and uniform across the whole screen. Even in low light it’s uniform.

I’m satisfied with my 16 pro’s screen also especially because I remember having issues with 12 pro max screen and exchanged a couple of times and gave up in the end. So this 16 pro’s screen feels almost too bright. I’m constantly turning on reduce white point.

 

[Whoops2474]

Just a heads-up: There's a High Brightness Mode that kicks in automatically under bright sunlight, but it can only work for a few minutes because it can damage the panel if used for too long. That's why users can't enable it manually. The display panel needs to cool down before HBM can kick in again.

To test the true max brightness, you'll need to simulate bright sunlight using a flashlight and point it at the sensor area (where the Face ID, front camera, etc. are).

GSM Arena uses this method to test the maximum screen brightness in their reviews.

They haven't released the results for the 16 Pros yet.

 

[UnifiedMelody]

I came from an 11 Pro Max, perfectly content with the 16 Pro Max's display at the moment [i sit around 40% or less in brightness and its enough for me even in broad daylight].

 

[Prabas]

All iPhones should be at least 2000 nits outdoors, if these tests are correct, there's like 300 nits missing.

 

[dgdosen]

I came here looking for nit discussion - because I'm using the 16 Pro (coming from a 13 mini) and I have to say:

This is the first (non-watch/non e-ink) screened device I can use in a blue sky/direct sunlight environment and easily read the screen without eye strain. I tried the sun in front, back, and side to side - and they were all pretty easy to see. I was able to attach a BT keyboard, keep the phone on a charging stand and easily write emails/notes without any squinting. Makes me wish I had gotten the Max for some Termius usage although I'll try it on the smaller Pro.

I was even using a glass table, and in some positions, the sun's reflection was right in my eyes if I didn't put something down on the table to block it.

Now I want 1200 nits SDR on a laptop/ipad - because the M pro/max laptops (1000 nit SDR?) still gives me eye strain.

 

[dgdosen]

This is from the Apple 16 Pro/Max tech specs:

1000 nits max brightness (typical); 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR); 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor); 1 nit minimum brightness

Am I seeing 2000 nits in sunlight?

 

[Corgirat]

Just a heads-up: There's a High Brightness Mode that kicks in automatically under bright sunlight, but it can only work for a few minutes because it can damage the panel if used for too long. That's why users can't enable it manually. The display panel needs to cool down before HBM can kick in again.

To test the true max brightness, you'll need to simulate bright sunlight using a flashlight and point it at the sensor area (where the Face ID, front camera, etc. are).

GSM Arena uses this method to test the maximum screen brightness in their reviews.

They haven't released the results for the 16 Pros yet.


View attachment 2430042

Anyone noticed the screen goes so bright when using Starbucks app?

 

[Whoops2474]

Anyone noticed the screen goes so bright when using Starbucks app?

Some apps may increase the screen brightness to 100% of the brightness slider, which makes it easier to scan QR codes for coupons and so on.

 

[Guacamole]

Has anyone tested the 16pro in direct sunlight? My 13Pro becomes useless under the sun, I can't see anything even if I have the right settings, I don't know if it's normal or my phone was faulty from the beginning

 

[Corgirat]

Some apps may increase the screen brightness to 100% of the brightness slider, which makes it easier to scan QR codes for coupons and so on.

Oh got it. I didn’t think about that.