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This Wi-Fi real-world test, though with unclear iOS versions ("the latest")

iPhone 16 Pro: 9h 6m
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 9h 26m

The 16P is behind the 15PM by 3%.

View attachment 2421806


Geekerwan, with confirmed iOS 18 on all devices:

iPhone 16 Pro: 8h 28m
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 9h 2m

The 16P is behind the 15PM by 6%.

I'd not be very surprised if margin of error might sometimes show the 16 Pro ahead of the 15 Pro Max. They seem close enough, with a slight edge to the 15 Pro Max.
I saw this test and I'm a little confused... why are all the phones so close to each other? Like 15 Pro is almost the same to 16 Pro or at least they very close. But same with the Max versions. They also pretty close to the normal Pro's. But 16 Pro's where supposed to be a lot better...?
 
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I saw this test and I'm a little confused... why are all the phones so close to each other? Like 15 Pro is almost the same to 16 Pro or at least they very close. But same with the Max versions. They also pretty close to the normal Pro's. But 16 Pro's where supposed to be a lot better...?

I think it depends on the tests. I think we need more tests (with confirmed iOS versions) to tease out: is perhaps the 16s are better in certain loads more than others.

Some tests have more gaming or video recording vs others like Tom's Guide are purely Safari.

I think the 16s are overall better, but you're right: the degree of how much better will depend on the test.
 
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Sure, but it does _not_ show a larger battery than the 15 Pro Max (25% smaller). The comparison being discussed is 15PM to 16P.

I did not say Engadget's test was "valid" either; only that the reviewer had anecdotally compared their real-world usage which may be more accurate than the cited test. As I already stated earlier, we will only know how these compare in real-world use once there are consumers using them in the real world. But the expectation that the 16P, with its 25% smaller battery, will exceed the 15PM reliably in real-world usage scenarios is... questionable.

I didn’t say the 16 Pro has a larger battery than the 15 Pro Max. I said Tom’s Guide review mentioned that the 16 Pro’s battery lasts about as long as the 15 Pro Max in their test.

Anyway, these tests aren’t always conclusive, and you can get different results depending on various factors. But the bottom line is that both the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have better battery life compared to the last generation.

In fact, a recent test shows the 16 Pro’s battery lasting only 20 minutes shorter than the 15 Pro Max, and less than 10 minutes shorter than the S24 Ultra, which is known for having great battery life.

 
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I was a small phone person, I got the XS Max one year but it was too big. So I kept with the smaller pro phone until the 15 pro max. Most days I didn't even realize it was a larger phone. It was just my normal phone. So I went with the 16 Pro Max, while its slightly bigger it feels the same.
 
I saw this test and I'm a little confused... why are all the phones so close to each other? Like 15 Pro is almost the same to 16 Pro or at least they very close. But same with the Max versions. They also pretty close to the normal Pro's. But 16 Pro's where supposed to be a lot better...?
That's because Apple advertises video and audio playback battery life.

As you can imagine, audio playback won't use a lot of energy. Similar story for the video playback: you can basically shut down 90% of the A18 chip, the frame rate is reduced by at least 75%... as movies and TV series are always 24-30 fps.

These battery tests by YouTubers often involve scrolling (requiring 120 fps), a little bit of gaming (requiring sustained performance of the A18 chip instead of reduced performance), usage of the more power-hungry 5G modem, higher screen brightness due to the phone being used outside, etc.

Compare that to Apple's test where they basically shut down half the phone and you get the reason for the 'not as big of an improvement as I thought it would be'-thoughts.
 
I went to the Apple Store and checked them out in person. I’ve decided I'm buying the Natural Titanium 16 Pro, but I’m still deciding between 128GB and 256GB.

If they add a built-in mini Apple Pencil to future Pro Max models (like the S Pen on the Samsung Ultra, which I loved) I’d totally go back to the Pro Max.
That stylus makes up for the hassle of a giant phone. Otherwise, I don’t see the point in having such a big phone ; it’s still not ideal for reading or watching stuff.
The 16 Pro is big enough without the downsides of the Max, in my opinion.
 
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I went to the Apple Store and checked them out in person. I’ve decided I'm buying the Natural Titanium 16 Pro, but I’m still deciding between 128GB and 256GB.

If they add a built-in mini Apple Pencil to future Pro Max models (like the S Pen on the Samsung Ultra, which I loved) I’d totally go back to the Pro Max.
That stylus makes up for the hassle of a giant phone. Otherwise, I don’t see the point in having such a big phone ; it’s still not ideal for reading or watching stuff.
The 16 Pro is big enough without the downsides of the Max, in my opinion.
I want to the Apple store and feel for me, the 16 pro is too heavy and felt the 16 pro Max was "balanced" better in the hand.

I still though prefer the 16 pro size although I didn't perceive much difference in the increase to 6.3. whereas I felt the increase to 6.9 gave the 16 Pro Max a more immersive feeling.

The 16 Pro's weight is more dense and maybe something I could perhaps get used to, if ordered. I'm currently on a SE gen 1.

I doubt Apple are going to add the stylus in the near future.
 
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I was a small phone person, I got the XS Max one year but it was too big. So I kept with the smaller pro phone until the 15 pro max. Most days I didn't even realize it was a larger phone. It was just my normal phone. So I went with the 16 Pro Max, while its slightly bigger it feels the same.
Yes agree, for the size, the 16 Pro Max "seems" the same as the 15 Pro Max - even though I know it'a slightly larger.

I preferred the larger 6.9-inch screen on the 16 Pro Max compared to the 6.7-inch screen on the 15 Pro Max - just seemed that bit more immersive with some apps eg Photos.
 
I want to the Apple store and feel for me, the 16 pro is too heavy and felt the 16 pro Max was "balanced" better in the hand.

I still though prefer the 16 pro size although I didn't perceive much difference in the increase to 6.3. whereas I felt the increase to 6.9 gave the 16 Pro Max a more immersive feeling.

The 16 Pro's weight is more dense and maybe something I could perhaps get used to, if ordered. I'm currently on a SE gen 1.

I doubt Apple are going to add the stylus in the near future.
Yeah, I’m 99.9% sure they’ll never add a stylus, which is a shame. I’ve owned a few Samsung Notes/Ultras and really enjoyed using the S-Pen on a large phone screen.
As for Pro vs. Pro Max, it’s definitely subjective, especially if you’re coming from the SE. For me, after using a Pro Max for 3 years, I didn’t find it immersive , just unnecessarily huge, hard to carry in jeans pockets, and clunky to use one-handed. And I’m not a small guy with tiny hands!
If it had extra features like a better camera, I might’ve overlooked the size, but since everything’s the same, I’m going for ergonomics.
 
Yeah, I’m 99.9% sure they’ll never add a stylus, which is a shame. I’ve owned a few Samsung Notes/Ultras and really enjoyed using the S-Pen on a large phone screen.
As for Pro vs. Pro Max, it’s definitely subjective, especially if you’re coming from the SE. For me, after using a Pro Max for 3 years, I didn’t find it immersive , just unnecessarily huge, hard to carry in jeans pockets, and clunky to use one-handed. And I’m not a small guy with tiny hands!
If it had extra features like a better camera, I might’ve overlooked the size, but since everything’s the same, I’m going for ergonomics.
I never used Samsung Notes/Ultras but they are largish phones, right ?

So do you also find the them "just unnecessarily huge, hard to carry in jeans pockets, and clunky to use one-handed?
 
My recent journey has been 7 Plus> 11> 16PM. I have to be honest and say the 16PM feels ridiculously big despite it being similar dimensions to my 2 previous phones. It's the box design, I'm already missing the smooth rounded edges. I will give it a few days but I'm already tempted to switch to the 16 Pro. I suckered myself into "bigger is better".

What makes the decision very tricky is I've been sensitive to all previous OLED iPhones and unable to use it keep them without eye strain and headaches. The 16PM hasn't had any negative effects so far so I really should just stick and count my blessings.
 
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I never used Samsung Notes/Ultras but they are largish phones, right ?

So do you also find the them "just unnecessarily huge, hard to carry in jeans pockets, and clunky to use one-handed?

They're not one-handed phones. The Maxes arena't either. You get used to the weight and size over time.

Although is anyone feeling the heft on this year's 16 Pro Max at all?
 
They're not one-handed phones. The Maxes arena't either. You get used to the weight and size over time.

Although is anyone feeling the heft on this year's 16 Pro Max at all?
For it's size, it doesn't feel that heavy. It's very well balanced.
 
I never used Samsung Notes/Ultras but they are largish phones, right ?

So do you also find the them "just unnecessarily huge, hard to carry in jeans pockets, and clunky to use one-handed?
Yeah, I do found them huge and uncomfortable to carry in my pocket or use one-handed too, BUT I can live with those ergonomic downsides because I see them as more than just a smartphone with a giant screen, more like a true productivity phablet and that's because of the built-in stylus. because it lets you really take advantage of the large screen in a meaningful way.
You can’t really use a stylus on a smaller screen and get a good experience, so the large size is justified. For example, editing photos or selecting text with the S-Pen, signing documents is WAY easier and much more precise than using your fingers.
On the other hand ,I’ve been using the 13 Pro Max for 3 years, and it’s just a huge iPhone. I can still do everything I need with the Pro and enjoy way better ergonomics.
 
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Yeah, I do found them huge and uncomfortable to carry in my pocket or use one-handed too, BUT I can live with those ergonomic downsides because I see them as more than just a smartphone with a giant screen, more like a true productivity phablet and that's because of the built-in stylus. because it lets you really take advantage of the large screen in a meaningful way.
You can’t really use a stylus on a smaller screen and get a good experience, so the large size is justified. For example, editing photos or selecting text with the S-Pen, signing documents is WAY easier and much more precise than using your fingers.
On the other hand ,I’ve been using the 13 Pro Max for 3 years, and it’s just a huge iPhone. I can still do everything I need with the Pro and enjoy way better ergonomics.
Really helpful thanks! 👍

I had actually never thought the stylus on the Samsung Ultras would be that useful. For sure I'll have to check it out in person.
 
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After having the 16 Pro now I can say for sure that I'll not go back to a Max / Plus ever again...

Originally I wanted to test the 16 Pro battery life and decide after that, because my 15 plus battery is just amazing. But I really really like this comfortable feeling of being able to hold a small phone. Wasn't expecting that it would make that much of a difference but it does.

So yeah until I got bigger hands, which probably will never happen 😂 I'll not get a Max phone ever again. 🥲
 
Probably not. I’ve had both regular and Pro Max models in the past. There isn’t anything that I could on the Max sized screen that I couldn’t do on the normal version. If I need a bigger screen for anything then I just grab my iPad.

Main advantage to the Pro Max series for me was battery life, at the expense of size/weight. With the improved battery life of the 16 Pro and the ability to limit the max charge (allowing me to keep the phone charged to 80% when at a desk), I went with the Pro this time.
 
Picked up the 16 PM on Friday morning. I have used Pro Max iPhones in the past. This might be my last one honestly.

No desire to go as small as a 16 Pro. But I think the iPhone Air next year is going to be very tempting. It should be large enough but also super light. I'm really tired of heavy slab iPhones.

And then in two years time I can get a book-style folding iPhone (hopefully).
 
I went from a 13 Pro Max to a 16 Pro. I have small hands and liked the new slightly larger 16 Pro. It's plenty of screen for me and much easier to carry around. Looking forward to getting it sometime in October lol
 
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