Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review: super-sized and underbaked

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max upgrades screen and camera processing, plus a new Action Button, but iOS is losing its shine

A photo of the iPhone 16 Pro Max
(Image: © Basil Kronfli)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The iPhone 16 Pro Max's fantastic battery life, large, stunning-looking display, and ample power within make it one of the best streaming and gaming gadgets around. The primary camera's video capture is excellent, though we wish Apple upgraded the ultra-wide, telephoto, and selfie cameras to make its imaging experience feel a bit more like a system. What really holds the phone back, though, is iOS 18 launching in a slightly buggy state, and without a key selling point: Apple Intelligence.

Pros

  • +

    Fantastic battery life

  • +

    Large, stunning display

  • +

    Excellent speaker quality

  • +

    Impressive video capture

Cons

  • -

    Underwhelming secondary cameras

  • -

    iOS 18 is a bit buggy

  • -

    Very expensive (especially in the UK)

  • -

    Action button position is awkward

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The iPhone 16 Pro Max feels like a very iterative phone out of the gate. It gets very similar camera specs as the 15 Pro Max, runs with shiny new software that the 15 Pro Max now also runs, and it doesn't deliver a fully realized version of Apple's new iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence, giving Google, Samsung, and other Android makers a big lead on smartphone AI.

There are a few ways you'll be able to spot the new iPhone 16 Pro Max in a crowd. A new Action Button on the bottom right side adds welcome quick access to the camera, as well as touch control for zoom and in-camera tools. The phone's screen is also more immersive, shrinking the bezel and making for the most edge-to-edge big iPhone experience around.

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Basil Kronfli

Basil Kronfli is a freelance technology journalist, consultant, and content creator. He trained in graphic design and started his career at Canon Europe before moving into journalism. Basil is also experienced in video production, independently running the YouTube channel TechEdit, and during his time at Future, he worked alongside the Digital Camera World team as a senior video producer.