iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone XS
69.5Performance30
60.4Display29.7
59.3Camera35.3
61.3Battery21.3
89.3Features73.3
15 spec wins — iPhone 16 Pro Max2 spec wins — iPhone XS
InnoReviews verdict
iPhone 16 Pro Max wins this phone face-off, 66 to 33.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+40) and performance (+40). iPhone XS still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Stronger performance score: 70 vs 30
- Stronger display score: 60 vs 30
- Stronger camera score: 59 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 61 vs 21
- Stronger features score: 89 vs 73
Reasons to pick the iPhone XS
- 22% lower weight: 177 g vs 227 g
- Lower launch price: $999 vs $1,199
Display
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.9 ″+19% | 5.8 ″ |
| Panel type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | OLED |
| Resolution | 1320x2868 | 2436x1125 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 458 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 2,000 nits+220% | 625 nits |
| Screen-to-body | 91.4 % | — |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A18 Pro | Apple A12 Bionic |
| AnTuTu 10 | 1,720,000+139%Top 20% | 720,000Top 68% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,400+209%Top 4% | 1,100Top 63% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 8,450+202%Top 9% | 2,800Top 67% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB+100% | 4 GB |
| Storage options | 256/512GB/1TB | 64GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | NVMe |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48 MP+300% | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.78 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 48 MP | — |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical zoom | 5 x+150% | 2 x |
| Max video | 4K@120fps | 4K@60fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP+71% | 7 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,685 mAh+76% | 2,658 mAh |
| Wired charging | 30 W+100% | 15 W |
| Wireless charging | 25 W+233% | 8 W |
| Active use endurance | 13 h | — |
Design
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 227 g | 177 g+22% |
| Thickness | 8.3 mm | 7.7 mm+7% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Titanium | Stainless steel |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | No |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | Lightning |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 18 | iOS 12 |
| OS update pledge | 6 years | 6 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone XS |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |