You know the drill: new year, new iPhones. In this article, I’ll be sharing my initial impressions of the top-end variant in this year’s line-up, the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
So, what’s new? As outlined by Apple during its keynote earlier this month, this model offers improvements in performance and battery life, new quality-of-life features, and the all-new Camera Control. Not to mention the newly introduced Desert Titanium colourway, which gives the phone’s frames and camera rims an almost bronze-like premium finish.
Camera Control aside, the Pro Max looks almost identical to its predecessor at first glance. However, the phone is actually 0.2 inches larger than last year’s model, and it features a slightly larger camera island on the back. It also has significantly thinner bezels surrounding its massive display, providing even more screen estate for app usage, media consumption, and more.
Interestingly, what sets the iPhone 16 Pro Max apart from the base Pro variant is relatively minor. Both phones feature the same A18 Pro chipset and even the same camera configuration, so the few reasons to opt for the top-end variant are its larger screen and superior battery life.
Throughout my time with it, the Pro Max feels very smooth and responsive, and the increased performance delivered by Apple’s latest mobile silicon is evident. As usual, I’ll save my thoughts on that for a more in-depth review, where I’ll also touch on the battery and other aspects after conducting a series of tests.
While I won’t go into detail about the cameras just yet, I can share that they’re pretty fun and satisfying to use. Photos look good, especially those taken in daylight, and Apple’s Portrait mode continues to impress.
Regarding Camera Control, this newly added feature makes the photography experience on the iPhone 16 series feel more involved. Its capacitive sensor detects light taps and swipe gestures, allowing users to switch between different camera modes and adjust settings such as depth and zoom without interacting with the phone’s screen. While intuitive, it’s not perfect.
That’s all for now, so stay tuned for my full review of the Pro Max, coming soon. Just to recap, Apple’s new iPhone 16 line-up is now available in Malaysia, with this variant priced at RM5,999 for the 256GB configuration, RM6,999 for 512GB, and RM7,999 for 1TB.
