It’s been two years since Apple launched the iPhone 14 Professional Max, which ushered in a brand new period for Apple with the revamped Dynamic Island and the addition of an At all times-On show (AOD). Within the two years since, Apple has pushed on the Professional Max vary to incorporate not solely these options, but in addition a variety of recent hybrid experiences. These embrace the Motion Button — which changed the Mute swap — and new for the iPhone 16 sequence, the Digicam Management button, which helps unlock a few of the new and upcoming options of the digicam.
Then there’s the push for AI. Within the two years since Apple launched the iPhone 14 Professional Max, the AI period has descended upon us, and the iPhone 16 Professional Max is among the first iPhones constructed with Apple Intelligence in thoughts. In case you’ve bought an iPhone 14 Professional Max, is now the time to improve? Is the iPhone 16 Professional Max value upgrading to? Let’s dive into the main points.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: specs
Specs
iPhone 16 Professional Max
iPhone 14 Professional Max
Dimension
163 x 77.6 x 8.25 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches)
160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
227 grams (7.99 oz)
240 grams (8.47 oz)
Display screen
6.9-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED
1320 x 2868 pixels
ProMotion with 120Hz dynamic refresh price
Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 2000 nits peak brightness
6.7-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED
1290 x 2796 pixels
19.5:9 facet ratio (460 pixels per inch density)
ProMotion with 120Hz dynamic refresh price
Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 2000 nits peak brightness
Working system
iOS 18
Upgradable to iOS 18
RAM & Storage
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
8GB RAM
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
6GB RAM
Processor
Apple A18 Professional
Six-core CPU
Six-core GPU
16-core NPU
Apple A16 Bionic
Six-core CPU (2×3.46 GHz + 4×2.02 GHz)
5-core GPU
16-core NPU
Digicam
Rear:
48-megapixel major, f/1.8, 1/1.28″, OIS
48MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 120° FOV
12MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom
Entrance:
12MP, f/1.9, 1/3.6″
Rear:
48MP major, f/1.8, 1/1.28″, OIS
12MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 120° FOV
12MP telephoto, f/2.8, 3x optical zoom
Entrance:
12MP, f/1.9, 1/3.6″
Video
Rear:
4K, as much as 120fps
Entrance:
4K, as much as 60fps
Rear:
4K, as much as 60fps
Entrance:
4K, as much as 60fps
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi 6, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.3
Ports
USB-C Gen 3.2
DisplayPort
USB-C Gen 3.2
Water resistance
IP68 (most depth of 6m as much as half-hour)
IP68 (most depth of 6m as much as half-hour)
Battery & charging
Particulars of battery capability to be confirmed
Wired through USB-C, as much as 30W
25W wi-fi charging through MagSafe
15W Qi2 wi-fi charging
4,323mAh battery
Wired through USB-C, as much as 15W
15W wi-fi charging through MagSafe
Colours
Black Titanium, White Titanium, Pure Titanium, Desert Titanium
House Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
Worth
Begins at $1,199
Begins at $1,099
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: design and show
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Tendencies
Look in the back of these two telephones at a distance and also you’ll be hard-pressed to identify the variations. Nevertheless, get nearer and also you’ll start to understand that they’re not the identical.
That is most evident with the titanium construct; the iPhone 16 Professional Max retains the titanium construct launched final 12 months, whereas the iPhone 14 Professional Max makes use of an older stainless-steel physique Consequently, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is 13 grams lighter than the iPhone 14 Professional Max. There are additionally a lot slimmer bezels, with these across the show measuring simply 1.15mm. This has enabled Apple so as to add a 0.2-inch bigger show in a similar-size physique.
Joe Maring / Digital Tendencies
There’s a pronounced distinction within the thickness as effectively, and in the event you improve to the iPhone 16 Professional Max, it’s possible you’ll discover it’s a tiny bit thicker. It doesn’t make a giant distinction in day-to-day use, however it’s noticeable when evaluating the 2. Alongside the body on each units, you’ll discover the shortage of a SIM card tray: in the event you have been irritated by the swap to eSIM solely with the iPhone 14 Professional Max, the iPhone 16 Professional Max received’t fare any higher in your estimation.
One of many advantages of the Apple ecosystem has been the big selection of equipment, and their compatibility with future variations of the iPhone. The iPhone 14 Professional Max makes use of the Lightning connector, and any equipment you might have on your telephone received’t work with the iPhone 16 Professional Max. It’s because it makes use of the USB-C customary, which all iPhones for the reason that iPhone 15 sequence have used.
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Tendencies
On the perimeters of the telephones are the place you’ll additionally discover some huge variations. The iPhone 16 Professional Max has the Digicam Management button, which was launched this 12 months, and the Motion Button that debuted final 12 months with the iPhone 15. The previous is hit-and-miss, however the latter transforms a easy mute swap into a straightforward technique to open apps, run shortcuts, or rapidly launch the flashlight or digicam. In fact, it may well additionally nonetheless perform as a Mute swap.
These two telephones appear and feel very comparable, and that’s as a result of the iPhone expertise is basically the identical. Nevertheless, the iPhone 16 Professional Max has sufficient adjustments — the Motion Button, Digicam Management button, the titanium construct, and the USB-C port — to make the improve worthwhile.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: efficiency and battery
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The iPhone 14 Professional Max is powered by the A16 Bionic processor, which is constructed on TSMC’s 4nm course of, whereas the iPhone 16 Professional Max runs the newest A18 Professional chipset, constructed on the second-generation 3nm course of. These could appear to be simply numbers, however they make a distinction in two key areas: gaming and AI.
Throughout many benchmarks, the A18 Professional chipset commonly achieves a 20% benefit over the A16 Bionic chipset. In case you’re a gamer, you’ll discover the improve worthwhile because the iPhone 16 Professional Max can run AAA video games like Murderer’s Creed and Resident Evil 4. Apple stepped up the gaming efficiency with final 12 months’s iPhone 15 Professional Max — powered by the primary Professional chipset for the iPhone — and the iPhone 16 Professional Max continues this development.
Joe Maring / Digital Tendencies
The iPhone 14 Professional Max has a smaller battery than the iPhone 16 Professional Max, and you may anticipate battery life to be improved with the newer telephone. Nevertheless, the iPhone 15 Professional Max was a step again from the 14 Professional Max, and it stays to be seen how the iPhone 16 Professional Max battery develops over time. Primarily based on restricted testing up to now, you’ll be able to anticipate round two hours of additional battery life.
Regardless of the change from Lightning to USB-C, each batteries cost at comparable speeds, requiring round an hour and a half to cost to full when plugged in. Nevertheless, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is way quicker at charging wirelessly and helps the newest MagSafe and Qi2 charging requirements.
This can be a a lot nearer battle, however the iPhone 16 Professional Max is extra future-proofed than the iPhone 14 Professional Max. The A18 Professional chipset permits the AI-powered way forward for the iPhone, and the A16 Bionic can’t sustain. It’s additionally already lacking out on Apple Intelligence.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: software program and updates
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Tendencies
Except you’ve been dwelling underneath a rock, you’ll know Apple has unveiled its tackle AI. Dubbed Apple Intelligence — see what they did with the initials? — it’s the way forward for the Apple ecosystem, and the iPhone 14 Professional Max received’t get it. If you’d like AI in your iPhone, you’ll must improve.
Do you want Apple Intelligence? Whereas a few of the generative options will probably lose their enchantment rapidly, most of the private options have sensible makes use of at work or residence. Specifically, AI-powered summaries of Notes, Emails, webpages, group chats, and notifications from any app will make it simpler to learn, digest, and react to something that occurs in your day by day life.
Then there are Writing Instruments to assist enhance your writing, summarize info, and make you seem extra skilled or personable in your tone. In case you battle with written communication, Apple Intelligence — and subsequently the iPhone 16 Professional Max — may show a worthwhile improve.
Notification Summaries in Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 sequence. Nirave Gondhia / Digital Tendencies
The remainder of the iOS 18 characteristic set is offered on each units, so that you received’t discover a marked distinction with the iPhone 16 Professional Max, apart from Apple Intelligence. Which means you’ll nonetheless get the identical residence display customization and theming, reactions and tapbacks in iMessage, a customizable management heart, and rather more. These are simply a few of the high causes to replace to iOS 18.
Apple has dedicated to a minimal of 5 years of updates for each telephones, which means the iPhone 14 Professional Max will probably be supported till not less than 2027, and the iPhone 16 Professional Max until not less than 2029. The latter launches on iOS 18, when you can replace the iPhone 14 Professional Max to the most recent OS proper now.
Newer is often higher, and on this case, the power to run AI makes the iPhone 16 Professional Max a worthwhile improve.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: cameras
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Tendencies
The iPhone 16 Professional Max digicam is just like that of the iPhone 14 Professional Max, apart from enhancements in three areas: the addition of the Digicam Management button, a bigger 5x zoom, and a greater Ultrawide digicam. Collectively, these allow a variety of improved digicam experiences for the iPhone.
Each telephones characteristic a 48MP fundamental digicam, though the iPhone 16 Professional Max makes use of a Fusion digicam that makes use of pixel binning to seize 24MP high-resolution photos and a sensor crop to allow a 2x cropped-zoom. The ultrawide digicam has additionally been improved from 12MP on the iPhone 14 Professional Max to 48MP on the iPhone 16 Professional Max. The latter has a smaller pixel measurement at 0.7 micrometers (versus 1.4µm), however the increased decision and higher gentle seize ought to imply barely improved general ultrawide pictures.
The most important distinction within the digicam is within the third lens. The iPhone 14 Professional Max encompasses a 12MP telephoto digicam that provides 3x optical zoom, whereas the iPhone 16 Professional Max makes use of the identical periscope digicam with 5x optical zoom that launched on the iPhone 15 Professional Max. Functionally, the iPhone 16 Professional Max has sturdy zoom functionality all through the 1x to 5x zoom ranges, whereas the iPhone 14 Professional Max is extra restricted above 3x.
In case you swap to the iPhone 16 Professional Max from the iPhone 14 Professional Max, it’s possible you’ll discover the Digicam Management button perplexing. It’s a bodily button with a capacitive sensor beneath that permits you to swipe, press, or use gestures to regulate totally different facets of the digicam, such because the zoom, digicam mode, and professional controls. It’s not probably the most intuitive, but it surely’s a singular digicam expertise contemplating solely Sony additionally places a digicam shutter button on its telephones.
That is one other pretty shut class. Whereas the enhancements within the iPhone 16 Professional Max aren’t intensive, they do enhance the general digicam expertise. Specifically, the periscope lens on the iPhone 16 Professional Max is considerably higher because it additionally makes use of 3D sensor-shift OIS for improved stabilization when taking pictures and movies.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: worth and availability
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Tendencies
The iPhone 14 Professional Max and iPhone 16 Professional Max share one widespread trait: at launch, they have been the most costly iPhone you possibly can purchase. The iPhone 14 Professional Max launched at $1,099 for 128GB of storage — with the 256GB costing $1,199 — whereas the iPhone 16 Professional Max begins with 256GB of storage on the identical $1,199 price ticket. One huge distinction is the utmost storage: the iPhone 14 Professional Max is restricted to 512GB, whereas the iPhone 16 Professional Max is offered in a 1TB mannequin.
The iPhone 14 Professional Max is available in 4 colours: Silver, House Black, Gold, and Deep Purple, all with a chrome steel body. In the meantime, the iPhone 16 Professional Max makes use of a Titanium construct and is offered in Pure Titanium, Black Titanium, White Titanium, and the brand new Desert Titanium shade.
Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max vs iPhone 14 Professional Max: verdict
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Tendencies
It’s solely been two years for the reason that iPhone 14 Professional Max was launched, however the iPhone 16 Professional Max has been upgraded in some ways.
It’s greater and thinner, has smaller bezels, and boasts a more recent processor that delivers good points in CPU, GPU, and neural processing unit (NPU) efficiency for higher gaming and AI efficiency. The digicam has been improved all through, particularly within the zoom class, whereas the battery life must be barely improved as effectively.
The iPhone 14 Professional Max remains to be a really succesful telephone, nonetheless. Though two years previous, it nonetheless delivers a flagship expertise. The iOS 18 replace delivers all the identical advantages, but it surely received’t run Apple Intelligence, so it’s already missing by way of future-proofing.
In the end, in the event you’re upgrading from the iPhone 14 Professional Max to the iPhone 16 Professional Max, you’ll get a much more customizable expertise that’s additionally extraordinarily acquainted. You’ll additionally get the newest and best that Apple has to supply within the iPhone, however with many Apple Intelligence options not launching till subsequent 12 months, you might also wish to wait till the iPhone 17 subsequent 12 months.
