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March 19, 2026

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Should you upgrade? | usagoldmines.com

The iPhone 16 sequence is lastly right here, and when you’re desirous about upgrading from one among the best iPhones to Apple’s latest flagship, there’s lots to contemplate. Breaking down the largest iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max variations and upgrades is essential for these of you on the market with a 13 Professional Max who could also be coming to the tip of a two-year contract. And we right here at Tom’s Information are right here that will help you discover solutions.

Is the iPhone 16 Professional Max value upgrading to? This is how the iPhone 16 Professional Max and the iPhone 13 Professional Max examine. 

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

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Row 0 – Cell 0
iPhone 16 Professional Max
iPhone 13 Professional Max

Show
6.9 inches with 120Hz refresh charge
6.7 inches with 120Hz refresh charge

Chipset
A18 Professional
A15 Bionic

Storage choices
256GB, 512GB or 1TB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Rear cameras
48MP fundamental, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto
12MP fundamental, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (3x optical zoom)

Entrance digital camera
12MP
12MP

Battery
4,685 mAh
4,352 mAh

Colours
Black, White, Desert and Pure Titanium
Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue

iPhone 16 Professional Max vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: Worth and availability 

Whereas Apple not sells the iPhone 13 Professional Max (refurbished fashions excluded), you possibly can nonetheless snag one from numerous third-party retailers and carriers. The iPhone 16 Professional Max was launched on September 20, however like the remainder of the iPhone 16 series, it’s been hit with shipping delays. Most main retailers are estimating orders will not arrive till the center or finish of October.   

Even when you purchased the iPhone 13 Professional Max at its launch value of $1,099, you may doubtless have purchased it for lower than the value tag of a brand-new iPhone 16 Professional Max. The beginning value for the iPhone 16 Professional Max is $1,199, about $100 extra, and that value solely goes up when you spring for a mannequin with extra storage or AppleCare Plus. Granted, it is value noting that the bottom storage capability for the iPhone 16 Professional Max has been bumped as much as 256GB from the iPhone 13 Professional Max’s 128GB, which mixed with the massive upgrades it comes with ought to assist take the sting out of the additional value a bit.  

iPhone 16 Professional Max vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: Design and show 

(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)

It is shocking how a lot of a distinction three years makes on iPhone designs. The iPhone 16 Professional Max acquired a small bump in display screen dimension, as much as 6.9 inches from the iPhone 13 Professional Max’s 6.7 inches. And since Apple achieved this by shaving down the bezels on the 16 Professional Max to its thinnest but, this leap would not dramatically improve the handset’s footprint.  It is a win-win! 

As for dimensions, in comparison with the iPhone 13 Professional Max, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is barely taller (163mm vs. 160.8 mm) and thicker (8.3mm vs 7.7mm), however Apple’s shaved down the load considerably (to 227g from 240g). 

The iPhone 13 Professional Max’s design is certainly beginning to look dated at this level, with it nonetheless that includes many hallmarks of older iPhone fashions just like the Lightning port, conventional notch, basic ring change, and stainless-steel body that is flat on all sides. 

By comparability, the iPhone 16 Professional Max has a a lot sleeker, nearly futuristic-looking design with its titanium physique, dynamic island, USB-C port, and barely curved body, which was launched with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Along with having a titanium band, Apple claims the improved Ceramic Protect show is 50% more durable than the final technology, so that you should not have to fret as a lot about display screen cracks. 

Apple’s additionally added some new buttons for the reason that iPhone 13 sequence: the customizable Action Button (which was additionally launched with the iPhone 15 Professional line) and the brand new Camera Control button, a recessed capacitive button that may launch your digital camera app, take pictures/movies, and use haptics to offer you suggestions. 

Whereas neither the iPhone 16 Professional and Professional Max shows acquired any upgrades when it comes to brightness or refresh charge in comparison with the final technology, they nonetheless boast a few of the finest OLED panels you may discover on a handset. Particularly when in comparison with older fashions. The 16 Professional Max’s most brightness of two,000 nits dwarves the iPhone 13 Professional Max’s most brightness of as much as 1,200 nits in HDR mode. 

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

(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)

At launch, the iPhone 13 Professional Max’s 12MP sensors throughout its fundamental, ultrawide, 3x telephoto and selfie cameras have been incredible. However within the years since, Apple has made some severe enhancements within the iPhone’s digital camera loadout. 

As for the iPhone 16 Professional Max, it acquired a slew of digital camera upgrades, beginning with a brand new 48MP Fusion Digital camera for the primary shooter that extra shortly reads knowledge to hurry up focusing and reduce shutter lag all the way down to zero. It packs a brand new 48MP ultrawide digital camera, up from 12MP on its predecessor, that may improve your macro photographs to the next decision to attain some actually beautiful photographs. And just like the iPhone 15 Professional Max, it packs a tetraprism zoom lens able to as much as 5x optical zoom. 

The iPhone 16 Professional Max’s video capabilities cannot be overstated both, with this technology getting 4K video seize that allows you to shoot beautiful footage at as much as 120 frames per second. One of many coolest new iPhone 16 Professional Max video options is Audio Combine, which employs a mix of spatial audio seize and AI to assist reduce background noise in your movies. 

iPhone 16 Professional Max vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: Efficiency

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The iPhone 16 Professional Max packs 8GB of RAM and Apple’s new A18 Professional chip constructed on second-generation 3-nanometer tech. By comparability, the iPhone 13 Professional Max has an A15 Bionic chip, similar to the usual iPhone 13 used, and 6GB of RAM. That is important, as Apple says 8GB of RAM is the naked minimal wanted on a tool to run Apple Intelligence, so in case you have an older cellphone you are serious about testing out all of Apple’s AI-powered options, you are going to need to improve. 

With assist for Wi-Fi 7 and a Snapdragon X75 5G modem, the iPhone 16 Professional Max options quicker connection speeds than the 13 Professional Max, which is saddled with an older Snapdragon X60 5G modem and assist for Wi-Fi 6. 

Each telephones at the moment run iOS 18, however once more, when you’re trying to check out the key promoting level of Apple’s newest replace, Apple Intelligence, as soon as it arrives, then you definately’re SOL until you’ve an iPhone 15 sequence or newer.   

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

Apple claims the iPhone 16 Professional Max has the very best iPhone battery life ever, and we’re inclined to agree primarily based on the outcomes of our testing. With its 14,685mAh battery, we have been capable of recover from 18 hours of steady internet browsing over 5G at 150 nits of display screen brightness. By comparability, the iPhone 13 Professional Max, with its smaller 4,352 mAh, solely eked out 12 hours and 16 minutes of battery life beneath the identical circumstances. 

Charging sensible, each telephones cost at about the identical charge, reaching 100% capability in about an hour and forty minutes. The iPhone 16 Professional Max will get the added bonus of assist for Qi2 and MagSafe as much as 25W, whereas the iPhone 13 Professional Max is caught with common MagSafe and 20W wired charging. The iPhone 16 Professional Max additionally switches out the Lightning port discovered on the iPhone 13 Professional Max for a USB-C port. 

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

At this level, the iPhone 13 sequence nearly feels prefer it’s from one other period with what number of {hardware} enhancements and upgrades Apple’s dropped at its handsets. Whereas there’s nonetheless some worth to be wrung out of those Professional telephones, there are compelling causes to improve aplenty. 

With the iPhone 16 Professional Max, you get a much bigger show, higher efficiency, longer-lasting battery, an upgraded digital camera setup, and, most significantly, entry to Apple’s AI-powered options as soon as the corporate lastly begins rolling out Apple Intelligence. 

Granted, Apple Intelligence is not absolutely right here but, so forking over your hard-earned money for the promise of a stellar new characteristic is a reasonably arduous promote. And the iPhone 13 Professional Max, whereas undeniably exhibiting its age, continues to be alive and kicking. So it might be value holding out till subsequent yr when the iPhone 17 series begins to come back into focus. 

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