iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?

The iPhone 16 series is finally here, and if you’re thinking about upgrading from one of the best iPhones to Apple’s newest flagship, there’s a lot to consider. Breaking down the biggest iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max differences and upgrades is important for those of you out there with a 13 Pro Max who may be coming to the end of a two-year contract. And we here at Tom’s Guide are here to help you find answers.

Is the iPhone 16 Pro Max worth upgrading to? Here’s how the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 Pro Max compare. 

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Specs

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Price and availability 

While Apple no longer sells the iPhone 13 Pro Max (refurbished models excluded), you can still snag one from various third-party retailers and carriers. The iPhone 16 Pro Max was released on September 20, but like the rest of the iPhone 16 series, it’s been hit with shipping delays. Most major retailers are estimating orders won’t arrive until the middle or end of October.   

Even if you bought the iPhone 13 Pro Max at its launch price of $1,099, you’ll likely have bought it for less than the price tag of a brand-new iPhone 16 Pro Max. The starting price for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is $1,199, about $100 more, and that cost only goes up if you spring for a model with more storage or AppleCare Plus. Granted, it’s worth noting that the base storage capacity for the iPhone 16 Pro Max has been bumped up to 256GB from the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 128GB, which combined with the big upgrades it comes with should help take the sting out of the extra cost a bit.  

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Design and display 

It’s surprising how much of a difference three years makes on iPhone designs. The iPhone 16 Pro Max got a small bump in screen size, up to 6.9 inches from the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 6.7 inches. And since Apple accomplished this by shaving down the bezels on the 16 Pro Max to its thinnest yet, this jump doesn’t dramatically increase the handset’s footprint.  It’s a win-win! 

As for dimensions, compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is slightly taller (163mm vs. 160.8 mm) and thicker (8.3mm vs 7.7mm), but Apple’s shaved down the weight significantly (to 227g from 240g). 

The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s design is definitely starting to look dated at this point, with it still featuring many hallmarks of older iPhone models like the Lightning port, traditional notch, classic ring switch, and stainless-steel frame that’s flat on all sides. 

By comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a much sleeker, almost futuristic-looking design with its titanium body, dynamic island, USB-C port, and slightly curved frame, which was introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In addition to having a titanium band, Apple claims the improved Ceramic Shield display is 50% tougher than the last generation, so you shouldn’t have to worry as much about screen cracks. 

Apple’s also added some new buttons since the iPhone 13 series: the customizable Action Button (which was also introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro line) and the new Camera Control button, a recessed capacitive button that can launch your camera app, take photos/videos, and use haptics to give you feedback. 

While neither the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max displays got any upgrades in terms of brightness or refresh rate compared to the last generation, they still boast some of the best OLED panels you’ll find on a handset. Especially when compared to older models. The 16 Pro Max’s maximum brightness of 2,000 nits dwarves the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s maximum brightness of up to 1,200 nits in HDR mode. 

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Cameras 

At launch, the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 12MP sensors across its main, ultrawide, 3x telephoto and selfie cameras were fantastic. But in the years since, Apple has made some serious improvements in the iPhone’s camera loadout. 

As for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it got a slew of camera upgrades, starting with a new 48MP Fusion Camera for the main shooter that more quickly reads data to speed up focusing and cut shutter lag down to zero. It packs a new 48MP ultrawide camera, up from 12MP on its predecessor, that can upgrade your macro shots to a higher resolution to achieve some truly stunning shots. And like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it packs a tetraprism zoom lens capable of up to 5x optical zoom. 

The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s video capabilities can’t be overstated either, with this generation getting 4K video capture that lets you shoot stunning footage at up to 120 frames per second. One of the coolest new iPhone 16 Pro Max video features is Audio Mix, which employs a combination of spatial audio capture and AI to help minimize background noise in your videos. 

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Performance

The iPhone 16 Pro Max packs 8GB of RAM and Apple’s new A18 Pro chip built on second-generation 3-nanometer tech. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has an A15 Bionic chip, just like the standard iPhone 13 used, and 6GB of RAM. That’s significant, as Apple says 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum needed on a device to run Apple Intelligence, so if you have an older phone you’re interested in testing out all of Apple’s AI-powered features, you’re going to want to upgrade. 

With support for Wi-Fi 7 and a Snapdragon X75 5G modem, the iPhone 16 Pro Max features faster connection speeds than the 13 Pro Max, which is saddled with an older Snapdragon X60 5G modem and support for Wi-Fi 6. 

Both phones currently run iOS 18, but again, if you’re looking to try out the major selling point of Apple’s latest update, Apple Intelligence, once it arrives, then you’re SOL unless you have an iPhone 15 series or newer.   

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Battery and charging

Apple claims the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the best iPhone battery life ever, and we’re inclined to agree based on the results of our testing. With its 14,685mAh battery, we were able to get over 18 hours of continuous web surfing over 5G at 150 nits of screen brightness. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, with its smaller 4,352 mAh, only eked out 12 hours and 16 minutes of battery life under the same conditions. 

Charging wise, both phones charge at about the same rate, reaching 100% capacity in about an hour and forty minutes. The iPhone 16 Pro Max gets the added bonus of support for Qi2 and MagSafe up to 25W, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is stuck with regular MagSafe and 20W wired charging. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also switches out the Lightning port found on the iPhone 13 Pro Max for a USB-C port. 

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Outlook 

At this point, the iPhone 13 series almost feels like it’s from another era with how many hardware improvements and upgrades Apple’s brought to its handsets. While there’s still some value to be wrung out of these Pro phones, there are compelling reasons to upgrade aplenty. 

With the iPhone 16 Pro Max, you get a bigger display, better performance, longer-lasting battery, an upgraded camera setup, and, most importantly, access to Apple’s AI-powered features once the company finally starts rolling out Apple Intelligence. 

Granted, Apple Intelligence isn’t fully here yet, so forking over your hard-earned cash for the promise of a stellar new feature is a pretty hard sell. And the iPhone 13 Pro Max, while undeniably showing its age, is still alive and kicking. So it could be worth holding out until next year when the iPhone 17 series starts to come into focus. 

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