As a computing writer, I review the best laptops , the best MacBooks and the best iPads . So naturally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s hardware features drew my attention the most. This includes things introduced since the iPhone 13 launched, including the Action Button , Camera Control , the titanium chassis, and, of course, the USB-C port. But I've also enjoyed some software features, such as StandBy mode and the Dynamic Island — which is both a hardware and software feature.
If you’re switching from an older iPhone, the iPhone 16 will feel both familiar and strange. If you can get a good trade-in offer, I say making the switch is worth it. Despite some drawbacks, the 16 Pro Max is definitely one of the best iPhones ever. Here are the biggest features that make getting the new iPhone worth it for anyone with an older model.
I said I almost got an iPhone 15 Pro. The main reason was that it ditched the old lighting port for a USB-C port . The iPhone 16 line also has USB-C charging, and it’s the first thing that stood out when I got my hands on the Pro Max. It’s a small design change that makes a huge difference if you don’t want to deal with Lighting cables.
In the interest of fairness, I should note that even with my iPhone 13 Pro, I rarely have to fuss with a Lightning cable since I tend to charge the phone with a MagSafe charger. Still, having a USB-C port means I won’t have to fumble around for a Lightning cable or even pack one when I travel.
Action Button
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Introduced with the iPhone 15, the Action Button has more functionality beyond just muting your phone. You can program this button to perform different actions, such as activating a focus, launching the flashlight and more. There is practically no end to all the cool ways to use the iPhone 15 Pro's Action Button.
Apple Podcasts is my go-to form of entertainment when I'm on the go. Because of that, I’ve set that app to launch when I press down on the Action Button. It only saves me a couple of seconds, but the fact I can launch the Apple Podcast app without unlocking my phone and scrolling to find it is pretty awesome.
Dynamic Island
(Image credit: Apple)
I don’t hate the iPhone’s notch as much as others, but I’m also not the biggest fan. Thankfully, Apple ditched the notch (sort of) for the Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Pro . For some, it was a big letdown , for others, it was their favorite feature . I tend to agree with the latter viewpoint. The Dynamic Island is pretty damn cool.
Dynamic Island exists to deliver alerts, notifications and live activities on the fly. It grows and shrinks depending on what you’re doing, which is both practical and fun looking. In fact, seeing the Dynamic Island changing shape is the reason I like it so much. Yes, it’s super helpful for alerting me to calls or giving me turn-by-turn navigation — and I like the way it animates.
A titanium chassis not only makes the phone more durable but also makes it lighter. That’s good since it prevents the giant phone from feeling like a heavy brick. The titanium chassis also gives the phone a nice shine and texture.
Always-On Display
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Always-On Display is an iPhone 14 Pro feature I wish my iPhone 13 Pro had, but now I can take full advantage of it with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
This StandBy mode feature lets me (among other things) turn the phone into a desk or bedside clock when I’m using a MagSafe charging stand. The fact the screen just stays on and doesn’t shut off like it does when I use StandBy on the iPhone 13 Pro is a game changer.
Camera Control
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Camera Control is a new capacitive button introduced with the iPhone 16 that sits below the Power button and is flush with the surface of the side rail. Pressing it opens the camera, and also takes a photo or quick video with another press or press-and-hold. A light tap gives you a UI-free preview of your shot, with a swipe side-to-side adjusting your zoom level. Your other controls are all available here too, with a double-tap opening the menu you can then scroll through with further swipes and taps.
Outside of press events, I don’t tend to snap many photos. I certainly won't be taking 200 photos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max . However, the new Camera Control button might unleash my inner photographer since it makes taking photos much easier.
Pro Max size
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
This last one isn’t specific to the iPhone 16 since we’ve had Pro Max phones since the iPhone 11 Pro Max , but I wanted to bring it up in case you were hesitant about getting Apple’s largest phone.
I opted for the iPhone 13 Pro instead of the Pro Max because I felt the latter would be too big and bulky to comfortably use and carry around. Thankfully, that’s not the case with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Thanks to the titanium chassis, the phone feels extremely light in my hands. And though it’s large, I don’t have a problem slipping it into my jeans pocket. Yes, it’s a big phone but it’s not cumbersome.
A larger phone also means a larger screen. Typing on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is easier thanks to the additional screen space, and videos also look great on the bigger display.
Thanks to my experience with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I can’t go back to a smaller iPhone size.
One more thing: Apple Intelligence
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
I mostly focused on hardware in this piece, but I wanted to briefly discuss Apple Intelligence on iPhone 16.
I’m still not sold on the AI future the tech industry says is around the corner, but I have to admit that Apple Intelligence features like notification summarization, Writing Tools , and a smarter Siri are very useful. Apple Intelligence should also become handier when features like image generation finally arrive.
This is a topic I want to revisit once Apple Intelligence is fully up and running for iPhones. We're still waiting for the iOS 18.1 update to role out.
Outlook
I would’ve been more than happy with my iPhone 13 Pro, but after a few short days with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it’ll be difficult to return to that older model. The titanium chassis, USB-C charging, Always-On Display and everything else I outlined above are simply too good to abandon.
If you were considering upgrading from an older iPhone — or even an Android phone — you can’t go wrong with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Check out our Apple discount codes page for the latest ways to save.
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