iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Which one to Pick?

9th September. The day when all our speculations, doubts and rumors were answered as Apple finally revealed their newest iPhone 17 series lineup. You skipped out on the 16 series as you wanted to use your 13 Pro Max to end but now the need for an upgrade is becoming more and more evident.

The iPhone 17 Pro is very flashy with new color schemes and new plateau which is very eye catchy. You are almost sure that you are going to get the 17 Pro, however. You find out that the price for the 16 Pro Max has dropped significantly and now you are confused on which one to get.

Do you pick the older phone which has a similar size to your current phone or do you go with the newer 17 Pro but with a smaller screen?

Believe it or not, you are not alone. Lot’s of people face the same dilemma and often ask, “which one to buy?” but honestly the answer is not that simple. It’s not the price or the latest flashy specs that determine which one you should pocket. Rather it’s more based on your lifestyle, your needs.

Which is why today we are going to go through all your needs and compare these two iPhones to find out which one suits you the most. So let’s not wait further and dive straight into it.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max at a Quick Glance

Feature	iPhone 17 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro Max
Display Size	6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED	6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution	2622 x 1206 pixels, 460 ppi	2868 x 1320 pixels, 460 ppi
Refresh Rate	ProMotion, adaptive up to 120Hz	ProMotion, adaptive up to 120Hz
Brightness (Peak Outdoor)	3000 nits	2000 nits
Weight	206 grams	227 grams
Dimensions (W x H x D)	71.9 x 150.0 x 8.75 mm	77.6 x 163 x 8.25 mm
Storage Options	256GB, 512GB, 1TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Main Camera	48 MP (wide) | 48 MP (periscope telephoto) | | 48 MP (ultrawide) | TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) | up to 4K	48 MP (wide) | 12 MP (periscope telephoto) | 48 MP (ultrawide) | TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) | 4K
Front Camera	18 MP multi-aspect, f/1.9, (wide), PDAF, OIS	12MP (Wide) | 4K
Chipset	A19 Pro	A18 Pro

This table should provide you with a general understanding of what are the key differences between the two devices. There is still that generational gap which is evident with the chipset. The camera upgrade is also very surprising with the 17 Pro. So, let’s not wait any further and dive straight on the nerdy details.

Read More: iPhone 17 VS iPhone Air

Design & Build

Let’s begin with the most obvious difference, size. The size of the 17 Pro is smaller than the 16 Pro Max. The screen size being just 6.3 inches diagonally whereas the 16 Pro Max has a large 6.9 inch display. Aside from the size difference itself there is also the major change from Apple shifting from their titanium frame in the 16 Pro Max back to their aluminium in the 17 Pro.

This was apparently made to accommodate better heat transfer since the titanium frame albeit being more durable had a tough time conducting heat. On the other hand you have the aluminium frame which is much more heat conductive and is even lighter!

Speaking of weight, as mentioned earlier the iPhone 17 Pro is lighter than the 16 Pro Max sitting just 206g while the 16 Pro Max sits at a hefty 227g. So in terms of hand feel with just the weight, 17 Pro should be easier to hold.

For protection, the ceramic shield 2 does wonders for the 17 Pro and can easily take a lot of scratches. This really shows that Apple put a lot of effort into their iPhone’s durability making sure that you can use them for a longer time now.

Now if we add in the sizes as well, if you have smaller hands and have a difficult time gripping larger phones, the 16 Pro Max might become a bit too much. Color wise, this year’s 17 Pro has some gorgeous color variants and wins easily against 16 Pro Max’s plain vanilla colors.

Key takeaway:

• iPhone 17 Pro: Smaller, lighter, easier to hold, stronger protection and has gorgeous color variants
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Heavier, larger, bigger screen, titanium frame which is very durable.

iPhone 17 Pro

• Display: Super Retina XDR OLED for vivid visuals and immersive viewing
• System: Latest iOS with advanced features and multitasking power
• Charging: Supports fast wired, wireless, and reverse power sharing
• Camera: Triple-lens setup (wide, telephoto, ultrawide) for pro shots
• Build: Dustproof, water-resistant durable frame for daily reliability
• Audio: Stereo speakers + advanced wireless connectivity options

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Display & Visual Experience

Moving on, in the display and visual experience section aside from the evident display size difference the display is mostly similar. The peak brightness of the 17 Pro is significantly higher than the 16 Pro Max which can only reach up to 2000 nits.

Pixel density and aspect ratio is the same between the two devices but the 16 Pro Max has a higher resolution. The color accuracy and HDR of both the devices are fabulous and they provide an amazing experience whether you are gaming or watching movies.

Personally, I think that the 16 Pro Max’s bigger screen wins in terms of the visual experience as the bigger screen is truly something to experience. You get more screen real estate which is very helpful. This is not to say that the 17 Pro is any worse just that it has a smaller screen.

Key takeaway:

• iPhone 17 Pro: Smaller screen but the same amazing display with a higher peak brightness
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Lower peak brightness but has a bigger screen perfect for gaming or media consumption

Read More: Apple AirPods 4 or Apple AirPods Pro 2

Camera System

The camera system has seen drastic improvements over just a year. Apple improved upon its previous fusion camera system to a 3x 48MP fusion camera. You also get Apple Log 2—an advanced video profile improved on the original Apple Log—which uses a new color space called Apple Wide Gamut, allowing it to capture a wider range of colors.

Apple has gone out of its way and this time upgraded its periscopic lens from 12MP on the 16 Pro Max to a 48MP one. Although you now get 4X optical zoom with the 17 Pro; the new fusion camera system introduces “optical quality” 2x and 8x focal lengths. It is not a true optical zoom, but rather Apple’s term for a high-quality computational crop.

This new larger sensor, for the tele lens, also provides really good low light performance as the phone changes to the periscopic lens sooner to avoid relying on cropped images from the main camera. This is why if you use a 16 Pro Max in a low light environment you will notice when zoomed in, they appear a bit grainy.

The selfie camera is also included with those drastic changes. From the 12MP ultrawide lens, the 17 Pro now has an 18MP ultrawide lens with a square sensor. Now you might be thinking; what’s the big deal with a square sensor? Trust me this is a huge change.

With the square sensor in the selfie camera, you no longer need to hold your phone in an awkward position for landscape group photos, which often feels shaky and uncomfortable. No matter the orientation of the phone in your hand you can fit in everyone now.

Key takeaway:

• iPhone 17 Pro: Improved fusion camera system, better low light performance, overall best package
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Camera lags behind in low light environments but is still state of the art

iPhone 16 Pro Max

• Display: Larger screen with enhanced outdoor brightness & accuracy
• Design: Durable titanium build with elegant new color options
• Performance: Upgraded Bionic Pro chip for extraordinary power
• Camera: Triple-lens system with advanced creative video modes
• Content Creation: Multiple action modes to elevate your videos

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Performance & Battery

Let’s now talk about performance between the two iPhones. The Apple 17 Pro has a brand new A19 Pro chipset installed whereas the 16 Pro Max has the A18 Pro. And to be honest, for day to day tasks either of these chipsets are more than enough. Whether you are doom scrolling, communicating or watching media; these devices will excel at it.

Now for actual performance, let’s say while gaming or if you are editing videos, iPhone 17 Pro really shines. The new A19 Pro chip has improved power management and is much more efficient than the A18 Pro. Added to that is the frame material change which improved its heat dissipation as well. So overall you get improved performance which is much higher than the 16 Pro Max.

In terms of battery life, I have to hand it to the 16 Pro Max here. Being the bigger iPhone here; it has more space inside its body. Thus it can hold a larger battery inside which lets the 16 Pro Max squeeze out an extra 30-40 minutes of battery life against the 17 Pro.

Key takeaway:

• iPhone 17 Pro: Newer chipset with aluminium chassis provides better performance
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Still powerful chipset with great performance and better battery life

Read More: iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Pro Max

Software & Features

The last section that we are going to discuss is software and some features. Let’s start with the operating system or OS. Both of these phones run the latest iOS26. Yes the very controversial but now critically liked liquid glass one. And to be real, I really like the liquid glass UI. Although you can do similar stuff with android phones, we don’t talk about that here.

So yeah, they both have the same OS but what’s different you might ask? Well remember Apple Log 2 which uses a wider color space? The 16 Pro Max only has Apple Log and if you’re into video editing or color grading, this is actually a big deal.

Key takeaway:

• iPhone 17 Pro: Same OS but better chipset for Apple Intelligence and photography
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Same as 17 Pro but lacks Apple Log 2 and may feel slightly slower

Conclusion

So there you have it. The iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max all laid out for you, so you can finally stop pestering your tech-savvy friend on which one to get. You have all of your facts and now it all depends on you.

Based on your use case you will now have to pick one. If photography is your focus; you should without a doubt get the 17 Pro. But if you want the bigger screen, better battery backup, and overall want a bigger phone while still not missing out on premium stuff, 16 Pro Max is your answer.

Hopefully this blog answers all your doubts and if you are unsure on where to buy these phones you can check out Apple Gadgets. With outlets in every major location in Dhaka you can visit and check out these phones as much as you can. Moreover, with EMI support with 30+ banks financing these phones won’t be an issue at all.