As the title says. I always had smaller phones, never pro max, thought it was to big. Decided this time to go with the max and after 1.5 weeks got the pro thinking that it would be better one handed. Well turns out that one handed use is like 40% worse vs max and I still used the pro mostly two handed which was way worse than pro max due to smaller keys, but oh man did I miss the max screen and battery! So long story short, this is my first max and I am loving it! Anyone else couldn’t decide but stayed with the max?
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iPhone 16 Pro Max Went from 16PM to 16P and back to 16PM
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How long did you have the Pro for? And how was the battery life on the Pro? I’m thinking going from a Max to a Pro but everything you said is what’s keeping me from going smaller
Exactly this!
I don't know which to get
I was going to get the Pro due to being easier to use and less bulky, but I keep hearing about the bad battery of the Pro and smaller screen...
I used the regular Pro for two days, didn’t need more time to confirm that pro max was better for me. Battery was not even close, and you just feel crammed coming from larger screen. It’s hard to tell in the Apple Store, but a few days will definitely make it clear. To me the most eye opening part was that 6.3 isn’t one handed phone either
It’s easier to use but not so much easier, you basically still use two hands. But you very much notice smaller screen and battery, especially coming down from the max. If you gonna go pro just got pro, don’t try the max lol
I have had the Max...I was just going to downgrade to the Pro due to the ease of using a smaller phone. Sometimes the Pro Max can be annoying to type and take calls with due to the weight. My hands get tired for example when holding the pro Max to my ear when on a phone call after a period of time.
I went from 15 pro max to 16 Pro and had no problem going down to a smaller screen and I have no regrets. Battery life is great on my 16 pro. In fact, I get better battery life on my 16 pro then my 15 pro max. After a while the pro max is too big.
The only time I hold my phone up to my ear for a phone call is when I'm receiving an unexpected call ... and even then, only long enough for me to say "let my get my AirPods in". I don't recall the last time I held a phone call of any length with the phone up to my ear... but it's safe to say it's been years.
You’re exactly right! You absolutely cannot get a “real feel” for the phones in the stores. The problem is, I don’t want to pay a restocking fee, plus anything I put out towards a case and screen protector if it return it. So I’d like to be happy and in love from the get go, not disappointed
I was at Best Buy again today and honestly the Pro isn’t a bad size. But the screen on the Max is fantastic
Honestly I can’t imagine how people use even 6,1 inch iPhone with one hand let alone 6,3 or bigger. Even iPhone 6 form factor (current SE) is cumbersome. Only form factor iPhone that was truly comfortable to use with one hand without stretching it was iPhone 5s (or 1st SE) or older. And no, I don’t have small hands.
For me it’s not about one handed use, more about fit in the hand without feeling cumbersome, fit in the pocket and not being as heavy (although the Pro isn’t much lighter) as a Max.
This. The max is just too cumbersome, agree totally, and would be the main point for me I would say. 16 pro feel more manageable and less like a burden, still fairly good size screen and battery life definitely ok after having it for about a week. Actually even better today with 18.0.1.
I upgraded from the 15 PM, which I thought was the perfect size and weight. Always, had the smaller Pro size before and only went with the 15 PM for the better camera functions. Battery was a big improvement over my previous Pro models and I ended up liking the larger screen too.
Have both the 16 Pro Max and the 16 Pro now and still can’t decide which to keep. Thought it would be easy to go back to the 16 Pro, but at times I do miss the larger screen. I do wish Apple would have kept the PM size/weight same as last year, as the new Pro Max just seems too big/heavy now. (I know not a big difference, but feels like it).
I got the 16 Pro yesterday and have had the 16 Pro Max just over a week now. Have been using them side by side all day and what is interesting after being charged 100% at the beginning of the day, they are both at 80% battery life. Not sure how the smaller can be the same at the PM.
Not sure what I will do. Already sold my 15 PM, so can’t go back to that. Haha.
Have both the 16 Pro Max and the 16 Pro now and still can’t decide which to keep. Thought it would be easy to go back to the 16 Pro, but at times I do miss the larger screen. I do wish Apple would have kept the PM size/weight same as last year, as the new Pro Max just seems too big/heavy now. (I know not a big difference, but feels like it).
I got the 16 Pro yesterday and have had the 16 Pro Max just over a week now. Have been using them side by side all day and what is interesting after being charged 100% at the beginning of the day, they are both at 80% battery life. Not sure how the smaller can be the same at the PM.
Not sure what I will do. Already sold my 15 PM, so can’t go back to that. Haha.
I did exactly this. Originally upgraded from the 15 Pro because I hated the battery life and its poor thermal envelope. Admittedly I am a heavy user so I was charging the 15P halfway through the day. Great phone on paper but it was my least favorite iPhone since the 6 Plus.
Anyway, I originally pre-ordered the 16 Pro Max and used it for a day or so but for some reason, got scared by its larger size and weight over the 15P. Then I impulsively exchanged for a 16 Pro and while I enjoyed it mostly, thought that if I am going to upgrade after only a year, it might as well be "worth it". Yes, the 16P's battery life was an improvement over the 15P, but I realized I made a knew-jerk decision and actually missed the massive screen and battery life of the 16 Pro Max.
Yes, the PM is bigger and heavier (especially in an Apple Silicone Case), but it's not that bad. Without a heavy case, it's not bad at all. Battery anxiety is gone and I've stopped carrying battery packs or chargers with me, so effectively it's lighter for me, day to day. I may get one of those "barely there" thin Totallee or Peel Case, so weight will be reduced further.
Plus, I really appreciate the larger screen as I scroll through the Web wherever I am. After using the PM for a few more days, I don't even notice its size, but what I do notice is the incredible battery life and what I think is the best mobile web browsing on a phone- keeps me from buying an iPad. In fact, I now set the charging limit to 85% and still make it through a day of CarPlay and heavy use, from 6:30 AM to 11:30 PM above 40%.
General comment on the 16 Pro series- this is what the 15 Pro series should have been. This is all around a much better phone in terms of UX. Call it an "S" year, sure, but that was the beauty of those phones- they were just that much more polished. I may actually keep the 16 PM two or more years, whereas I couldn't wait to get rid of the 15P after 6 months or so.
TL;DR: Go for 16 PM- you'll appreciate its battery life, screen, and will get used to the size.
Anyway, I originally pre-ordered the 16 Pro Max and used it for a day or so but for some reason, got scared by its larger size and weight over the 15P. Then I impulsively exchanged for a 16 Pro and while I enjoyed it mostly, thought that if I am going to upgrade after only a year, it might as well be "worth it". Yes, the 16P's battery life was an improvement over the 15P, but I realized I made a knew-jerk decision and actually missed the massive screen and battery life of the 16 Pro Max.
Yes, the PM is bigger and heavier (especially in an Apple Silicone Case), but it's not that bad. Without a heavy case, it's not bad at all. Battery anxiety is gone and I've stopped carrying battery packs or chargers with me, so effectively it's lighter for me, day to day. I may get one of those "barely there" thin Totallee or Peel Case, so weight will be reduced further.
Plus, I really appreciate the larger screen as I scroll through the Web wherever I am. After using the PM for a few more days, I don't even notice its size, but what I do notice is the incredible battery life and what I think is the best mobile web browsing on a phone- keeps me from buying an iPad. In fact, I now set the charging limit to 85% and still make it through a day of CarPlay and heavy use, from 6:30 AM to 11:30 PM above 40%.
General comment on the 16 Pro series- this is what the 15 Pro series should have been. This is all around a much better phone in terms of UX. Call it an "S" year, sure, but that was the beauty of those phones- they were just that much more polished. I may actually keep the 16 PM two or more years, whereas I couldn't wait to get rid of the 15P after 6 months or so.
TL;DR: Go for 16 PM- you'll appreciate its battery life, screen, and will get used to the size.
Honestly, after a couple of weeks with this phone now, I’d still go with the Max. At least until, they magically find a way to stuff the same battery life in the Pro chassis. Even still, I’m enjoying the screen size- just a more immersive experience with any sort of media consumption and so on.
But to each their own, that’s just my thought.
I've used those, but you might also want to take a look at the Torras Magnetic Slim Fit cases on Amazon. They're very slightly heavier and larger than the Peel case, but not as bulky as Apple's cases. They're rigid enough to provide some drop protection (which I know from personal experience). I've used one on my 15PM and am also doing so with the 16P.
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I have been flip flopping as well. Have always been on the smaller Pro, but have had an inkling to give the Max a shot the past couple of years after it always felt great to use, and especially type two-handed, whenever I would play around with it in a store.
Ordered the 16 Max for this year’s IUP upgrade, but caved and ordered a 16 Pro after 4 or so days of giving it a shot. 16 Pro is undoubtedly more comfortable to handle in many scenarios, but I am still having FOMO on the roominess of the Max screen size and extra battery life. It did also have a more solid feel in-hand in many orientations.
If Safari’s back button wasn’t aligned to the left and X’s home button was a little bit bigger/on the right, I’d be clung to the Pro far less. But those two actions are ones that I‘ll do dozens of times a day, and each time I notice just enough strain with my right thumb to make it annoying. If the Max had any exclusive features this year that might sway me enough too, but I am torn at the moment.
Max users - was 4 days enough time for me to get acclimated to one-handed use of the Max, or is that a lost cause anyway and something you willingly sacrifice for the other battery/screen benefits?
Definitely have to give it a week or two with max then it’ll feel normal.
100% agree in wishing the size bump didn’t occur this year. With rumors about the next Air/Ultra model coming in-between the Pro and Max size, I do wonder if that will be the “just-right” spot for me at around 6.6”. Depending on feature set compared to the Pro line though, that may just become yet another hard decision to make 😂
Then again, could just be grass is always greener.
I’d say give a week or two. It will be hard to go back down tho…6.3 is not worlds more comfortable