The Truth About iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max (Review!)

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are here, and Apple’s making some big claims. Bigger screens, faster chips, and a new era of artificial intelligence. But here’s the question: are these upgrades going to transform your daily experience, or are they just nice-to-have features that won’t make a huge difference? I’ve spent the last week with both devices, putting everything to the test to figure out what stands out, what falls short, and what might be more hype than reality.

Let’s start with the displays. The iPhone 16 Pro packs a 6.3-inch screen, and the Pro Max stretches to 6.9 inches, making it Apple’s largest iPhone display ever. But does that really matter? In day-to-day use, the difference feels more incremental than transformative. It’s great for multitasking and watching videos, but unless you’re coming from a much smaller phone, it won’t drastically change how you use the device. The thin borders do give the phones a sleeker look, but again, it’s more of an aesthetic update than anything else.

Performance is where things get interesting. The A18 Pro chip is a beast, and if you’re into gaming, video editing, or just pushing your phone to the limit, you’ll appreciate the power. It even outperforms Apple’s M1 chip in some benchmarks. But the big story this year is Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI push that’s supposed to reshape how we use the iPhone. Problem is, it’s not ready yet. These features will roll out in stages, with some arriving months after launch, and they’re limited to the U.S. at first. So for now, we’re left with a powerful chip, but not the full AI experience.

The cameras, of course, got their usual upgrades. Apple’s pushing boundaries with better low-light performance, sharper ultra-wide shots, and that 5x telephoto lens. The new “don’t call it a button” camera control is a nice touch, but it’s not without its quirks. It’s great for launching the camera fast, but the swipe controls need a bit more precision. Overall, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are powerful, feature-packed devices. Whether those features are worth the upgrade depends on how much you need that extra zoom, larger screen, or AI promise that’s still on the horizon.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max Review
00:33 - iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max Displays
02:30 - iPhone 16 Pro Performance & A18 Pro Chip
03:35 - Apple Intelligence on iPhone 16 Pro
05:48 - iPhone 16 Pro Camera Control Button
07:34 - iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max Camera Review
11:25 - OWC Envoy Pro Mini
11:57 - iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max Video Features
13:23 - iPhone 16 Pro Audio Mix
15:00 - iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max Battery Life
16:55 - Should You Upgrade to iPhone 16 Pro?

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[shahermia]

Upgrading from iPhone 5 to iPhone 16 Pro so every feature that was introduced since iPhone 6 to iPhone 16 is new to me!

[nikokoko]

Going from iPhone X to 16 Pro. Looking forward to not having to charge my phone 3 times a day

[fwboiz]

Upgrading from an iPhone 13 pro is so tough, I really want the teal of the 16, but im too used to the high frame rates of a pro phone

[Donaschlag]

Upgrading from Samsung A10 to IPhone 16 pro. It’s going be a whole new experience. My first IPhone 📱

[DWAYNEGRAY]

Amazing video open honest, not opinion based you’ve taken the rain as my new favorite reviewer/content creator amazing job

[josebalan]

I always change my iPhone every year but this year I don’t feel like I need to change, I don’t see big changes to change, I have the iPhone 15 PM 1T, and I’m happy,

[RemaG]

Wow what a perfect review Andru ❤
Goin from the iPhone 12 PRO Max to iPhone 16 pro Max so i could not be more excited
Happy IPhone 16s launch everyone 🥳

[NKVermaa]

This time 16 pro make more sense ❤ so upgrading from 13 pro max to 16 pro ❤

[pward]

My smart phone journey:

Small net 10 phone with plastic buttons -> Palm pre -> LG Optimum. —> iPhone 6 PLUS —> iPhone 8 PLUS —> iPhone 11 Pro Max —-> iPhone 14 Pro Max

[criticalshot]

It’s easier than ever to get the developer beta. Currently it’s at 18.1 and you can get a fair amount of the new features. I have not had any issues with the developer beta thus far.

[RudyBloor]

thanks for the review. do the 16 pros happen to have better speakers than the 15 pros?

[yeshuasuperstar]

All i got from this video is you were at the smackdown debut on the USA network lol.

[emilm]

I bet apple is letting the AI learn your routines and habits in the background so when it rolls out in a few weeks it will work better.

[Slashandgash]

Thinking of upgrading from my 14 plus to a 16 pro. No cost to me upgrade would cover it all what do ya think?

[CarsandTechInfo]

I'm going to upgrade from my 13 Pro Max to the 16 Pro Max. I already use my 13 Pro Max as my primary camera for my car content creation across Instagram, TikTok, & here on YouTube, so I would use the cameras & studio quality mics for more in-depth reviews of different cars

[YaBoyDave]

First person I've seen not over complain about the camera button being new. I think its a reasonable and fun new addition.
I'm going from a 14 pro max to a 16 pro max (Which should be delivered tomorrow)

[wantingasecondchance]

I’ve got the 1tb 14pro max..and the reasons I’m upgrading is for the usb from lighting, better battery, Apple intelligence, more camera features (got kids so video content is a must with them), upgrades with 5g, WiFi 7, faster charging and the slightly bigger screen. Now for the those with the 15 pro I’d say wait for next year. I usually if necessary upgrade every two years anyway. I know next year it’s going to be different. If they come out with an ultra iPhone then that’d be cool and all. I’ll wait for the revamp and improve version of that in 2026. Also it’s suck that I can’t even use the AI with the 14 series anyway.

[MRandomClips]

All the others say it doesnt do 45 wired charging even with a more powerfull charger. So he just repeats some internet reumor leak without actually testing

[IanNubbit]

13pm to 16p. Very excited. Longest I've ever kept a phone before. I'm kind of sold on the AI features coming, along with going with 256GB. Hopefully I can keep this one in for 5+ years

[therealboogie]

Also for the record to appeal to a broader audience when you bring up spatial video and photos it's good to mention you can also view the material on the Oculus 3 as well.