iPhone 17 Pro Max vs 16 Pro Max vs 15 Pro Max: What’s New and Different

Apple’s Pro Max line has long represented the pinnacle of its smartphone technology. The iPhone 15 Pro Max set a high bar with its powerful hardware and premium design, the 16 Pro Max expanded on that foundation, and the newest 17 Pro Max brings further refinements. Here’s how they differ across display, design, camera, performance, battery, connectivity, and more.

Display & Design

Screen Size & Resolution

• All three models feature the 6.9‑inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion (up to 120 Hz refresh rate) and Dynamic Island, delivering immersive, fluid visuals.
• They each share the same pixel density (~460 ppi), making subtle differences in size nearly imperceptible in terms of sharpness.

Always‑On Display & Brightness

• All support Always‑On display and high brightness levels—notably up to 2000 nits outdoors (peak) and high HDR brightness (1600–2000 nits typical).

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Materials & Durability

• iPhone 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max: feature a titanium frame and Ceramic Shield front (with Ceramic Shield back on 17 Pro Max), offering significantly improved scratch resistance (up to 3× better).
• 15 Pro Max: uses a stainless‑steel frame and the original Ceramic Shield front (no Ceramic Shield back).
• All three are water resistant up to a depth of 6 meters for 30 minutes.

Buttons & Controls

• The Pro Max models from iPhone 15 onward include Apple’s Action button, replacing the traditional Ring/Silent switch.

Performance (Processor & Neural Engine)

• iPhone 17 Pro Max is powered by the new A19 Pro chip, a 6‑core CPU with 6‑core GPU and the 16‑core Neural Engine — with support for hardware‑accelerated ray tracing.
• iPhone 16 Pro Max uses the A18 Pro chip, with similar CPU/GPU/Neural Engine core counts and ray tracing support.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max is equipped with the A17 Pro chip, also featuring a 6‑core CPU, 6‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine (but earlier in generation).

Camera System

Main Rear Cameras

• All three models boast a 48 MP Fusion main camera, Ultra Wide, and Telephoto lenses.
• Both 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max feature the 48 MP Pro Fusion camera system with enhanced image processing. The 15 Pro Max introduced the 48 MP Fusion camera system, but without the “Pro” designation.

Photographic Capabilities

• The 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max support the 48 MP Fusion Main, Ultra Wide, Telephoto triple-camera system, offering wide optical zoom range (up to 8× optical zoom).
• The 15 Pro Max offers a Pro camera system with 48 MP Main, Ultra Wide, Telephoto, but likely fewer zoom steps (traditionally up to 5× optical zoom).
• All have Super‑high‑resolution photo modes (24 MP and 48 MP), next‑generation Portraits with Focus & Depth Control, Macro photography, and capture in Dolby Vision up to 4K at 120 fps.

Front Camera

• iPhone 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max: Carry an 18 MP Center Stage front camera, offering Ultra‑stabilized video and better framing in calls.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: Retains the 12 MP TrueDepth front camera.

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Battery & Charging

• Battery Life (Video Playback):
  • 17 Pro Max: Up to 39 hours.
  • 16 Pro Max: Up to 33 hours.
  • 15 Pro Max: Up to 30 hours.
• MagSafe Charging:
  • The 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max support MagSafe wireless charging up to 25 W with a 30 W or higher adapter.
  • The 15 Pro Max caps at approximately 20 W via MagSafe.

Connectivity

• All three use USB‑C ports, but:
  • 17 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max support USB 3 for up to 20× faster transfers.
  • 15 Pro Max offers only USB 2 speeds.

Storage Options

• 15 Pro Max: Available in 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. The base 128 GB has been dropped.
• 16 Pro Max: Offers the same tiering: 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB.
• 17 Pro Max: Expands further by adding a 2 TB option at the top end.

Safety & Emergency Features

All three support key safety features: Emergency SOS, Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, and Roadside Assistance via satellite.

Summary Table

Final Thoughts

Each iteration of the Pro Max brings meaningful upgrades:

• iPhone 16 Pro Max improved materials, front camera resolution, transfer speeds, and battery life over the 15 Pro Max.
• iPhone 17 Pro Max further extends these gains, especially with battery life, storage capacity, and durability (Ceramic Shield back) improvements.
• Photographers and professionals benefit from bigger improvements in camera flexibility and performance with each model, especially in zoom range and processing power.
• For those focused on raw performance, future-proofing, and top-tier battery life, the 17 Pro Max represents Apple’s most advanced Pro Max yet.
• If cost is a concern, earlier models still offer premium experience albeit with modest downgrades.

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