Apple iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max review: Should you buy it over the iPhone 16?

It’s a slightly different proposition for iPhone this year compared to previous years. As with the other flagship phones, artificial intelligence is writing their story. All the iPhone 16 models including the iPhone 16e, support Apple Intelligence and the company has said these devices have been built from the ground up to support this new era of intelligence.

When I first reviewed these devices, Apple Intelligence was only available in beta, so I chose to review the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max for what they were: Apple’s latest flagship phones. Apple Intelligence has now arrived so I’ve updated this review with reference to the experience, but there’s plenty beyond Apple’s version of AI here. With that in mind, let’s talk about the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max as smartphones and what difference the Camera Control button and larger displays make.

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The Disconnekt Downlow

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are superb phones with plenty on offer, and that applied even without Apple Intelligence. You get a premium design, stunning display with reduced bezels and a buttery smooth performance all round. There aren’t huge changes over the iPhone 15 Pro, not to mention low base storage for the smaller Pro and the Action Button still having potential for more. All that said, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are still excellent phones regardless of their competition, with great camera performance, superb battery life (especially in the 16 Pro Max model) and a lovely build quality that makes them every bit as premium as you would hope for. 

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The reasons you should choose the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max

Last year was an exciting year for the iPhone Pro line when it switched to a titanium build over stainless steel, making a noticeable difference to the weight and feel of the devices. It also added the Action Button in place of the silent toggle that had been around since the original iPhone.

The iPhone 16 Pro models retain the titanium build (it’s a slightly different finish this year), but they both expand their screen sizes by 0.2-inches and reduce the bezels around the stunning OLED displays, making for a better overall viewing experience. The iPhone 16 Pro Max now has a 6.9-inch screen, making it larger than both the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Is it too big? I personally don’t think so but I came from the iPhone 15 Pro Max and we’re talking about a matter of millimetres taller for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, rather than a change in the width so you don’t notice when holding it. For the smaller 16 Pro, the jump to 6.3-inches is welcomed and the same applies – it’s the height that’s changed more than width.

The performance is slick, with everything running smoothly and seamlessly switching between various apps and tasks. It’s something you expect at this level and price but let’s not take things for granted, hey. The battery life of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is impressive this year too. Even after heavy use, I finished the day on over 40 per cent and that was taking it off charge at 6AM and putting it back on charge at midnight. The standard Pro offers a little less but neither of these are red lining before the end of your night.

It’s good news for the camera too, which has improved this year, but in all honesty, it’s long been an area iPhone has performed well, offering a point-and-shoot approach that makes it easy to get a decent snap using just the default settings. You can play around with depth of field and use the various Photographic Styles for a different look, but the 16 Pro models are good at just standard shots too and there’s a lot to be said for that. The colours are true to life and while they are less punchy than you might get from a Samsung phone, there’s also something nice about being more realistic, especially when there’s plenty of detail, good zoom and fun macro options too. 

The Camera Control button is handy but I did find it took a little bit of time to get used to – both for remembering it’s there to launch the camera and the gestures for controlling it. It’s perfect for when you’re shooting pictures in landscape and you’re taking your time over your shot, though I did find the press and hold for shooting video awkward. You also can’t change the video default from 4K 60fps so you can’t make use of the new 4K 120fps capabilities for example, while having to keep holding to record is a bit awkward. That said, I loved that I could switch between the camera tools like the different lenses quickly, as well as zoom options – which are now the same across both 16 Pro models with the Max not getting special treatment this year.

I did find myself pressing the bottom right of my screen to launch the camera out of habit – I’ve now switched that icon to Voice Notes (iOS 18 now allows more customisation) so it wasn’t helpful that I kept pressing it when I first reviewed these devices. Several months on though and I am now fully involved with the Camera Control button. Like Dynamic Island and the Action Button, it’s a new way of interacting with your iPhone and it takes a bit of time to break previous patterns. Old habits die hard, as they say. But, I use both Dynamic Island and the Action Button hundreds of times a day, and I can now say the same about the Camera Control button.

What Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could do better

There’s very little to complain about on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, except to say that they aren’t all that different to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. If you’re wondering if you need to upgrade from last year’s models, the answer is no. Similarly, you might even consider hunting down the 2023 Pro models if you’re coming from an older iPhone given they will too support Apple Intelligence. 

There’s also the small factor of how compelling the standard iPhone 16 models are this year to go against the 16 Pro. Not only coming in brighter and more exciting colour options – even though the Desert Titanium of the Pro models is delightful – the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus also offer many of the same features as the Pros making them the bigger story.

The standard iPhone 16 also get Apple Intelligence, as well as offering the new Camera Control button and the Action Button. The only thing that really lets them down is the 60Hz display and lack of Always-On Display, but when the starting price is £200 cheaper, that can be forgiven.

Of course none of those things are really a criticism of the iPhone 16 Pro models and more an indication of the strong competition surrounding them from Apple’s own line up, let alone the Android contenders that too offer AI in their packages alongside solid camera offerings and smooth performance. I think 128GB as the base storage for the 16 Pro is mean for the price and I would like to have seen extra functionality for the Action Button, such as double and triple press options.

A little bit about iOS 18

The iPhone 16 Pro models run on iOS 18, with the software also available to compatible older iPhones. A lot of what iOS 18 has to offer lies within Apple Intelligence, and some of the features on offer from Apple’s AI are handy. I like Clean Up for removing unwanted objects from images, Priority Inbox in Mail is something I use regularly and I like Notification Summaries too, though I have to say, it’s not always 100 per cent on the money. That’s not to say there aren’t also some notable changes with iOS 18 even without artificial intelligence sticking its oar in, though.

Being able to customise the lock screen icons at the bottom is a big deal people – they have forever been torch and camera and now you can choose various options from accessibility features to setting up a Siri Shortcut to open an app. I mentioned that I have changed the camera option to Voice Notes but you could have WhatsApp if you wanted, or anything else that tickles your pickle.

The Control Centre changes are good too, offering much more customisation and swiping for more controls. I also like that I can overlay my home screens with one colour. It’s something that’s been available on Android for years but it’s new for iPhone and it makes for a nice change. If you look for apps rather than using the search bar then it might be a little frustrating to find them, but I’m a search bar girl so it works for me. On the subject of apps, you can hide apps with iOS 18 (there’s a hidden app folder whether you choose to do this or not), there’s a new Passwords app that makes accessing the passwords that autofill a lot easier than diving into settings, and automatic transcription on Voice Notes is a dream.

The Photos app has had a reshuffle for iOS 18 too and while it takes a bit of getting used to, it’s a good change overall in my experience. Everything is on one screen (similar to what Sonos did with its main app in 2024 but thankfully Apple didn’t mess this one up). Just scroll and you’ll see access to your albums, wallpaper suggestions (no AI wizardry needed here) and important people and furry friends.

Should you buy the Apple iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max?

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are superb phones with plenty on offer, and that applied even without Apple Intelligence. I think AI enhances an already decent experience rather than makes it, but I also don’t see that as a bad thing – that’s actually what you want. You get premium designs, stunning displays with reduced bezels and a buttery smooth performance all round. 

The standard iPhone 16 models offer a lot so whether you need the iPhone 16 Pro models this year is questionable, and there aren’t huge changes over the iPhone 15 Pro models either, meaning there’s an argument to try and find those models cheaper, especially as they too support Apple Intelligence. I’d also like to have seen more base storage in the 16 Pro, and more action from the Action Button.

But, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are still excellent phones regardless of their competition, with great camera performance, superb battery life (especially in the 16 Pro Max model) and a lovely build quality that makes them every bit as premium as you would hope for.

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