Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs (Vivo) IQOO 16
Verdict
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max scores higher on the OH Rank (82 vs 81), winning 3 of 10 categories including Main Camera and Selfie. Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is 1.1mm wider than (Vivo) IQOO 16. (Vivo) IQOO 16 is the more recent release, from Sep 29, 2026.
Score Breakdown
Performance /15
Battery /15
Screen /15
IP Protection /15
Main Camera /15
Selfie /5
Video /5
SD Memory /5
Software /5
Desktop Replacement /5
TOTAL
82
81
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
78mm (3.07in) · Sep 18, 2026 · Rank #7
15+14+11+12+15+5+5+0+5+0 = 82
SUPERIOR* BEST Video* TOP Performance* TOP Battery Endurance* TOP PHOTO/VIDEO* TOP Selfie* TOP Camera* TOP Software
EDITORIAL: In search of greater profits (as there's no such thing as "enough") Apple is back to incremental improvments. This time: black color is back, new processor, variable aperture on one of the lenses, smaller selfie camera cutout and improved charging speed... that, and a $100 higher price.
PROs
tank-like build, new A20 Pro (2nm) chip with NVMe performance, ~42hr endurance with 60min ~50W (25W wireless) charging, very good 460ppi 120Hz LTPO OLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP68 protection, excellent 48MP 24mm f/1.5-4.0 OIS main + 48MP 100mm OIS periscope telephoto + 48MP 13mm ultrawide (all 3 with PDAF) setup, great 18MP 20mm PDAF selfie, best video recording, improved Siri AI (by Google) OS with 6 years of updates, fast USB-C 3.2 port with Display Port tech, global availability
CONs
250g heavy, big and difficult to use one-hand, small (for a huge phone) 5400mAh (5500mAh on eSIM-only model) old-tech lithium battery, sub-1000nits (!) screen brightness, no expandable memory, no desktop replacement feature despite Display Port tech, very expensive, overall lack of innovation and excellence Apple products used to be known for
(Vivo) IQOO 16
76.9mm (3.03in) · Sep 29, 2026 · Rank #9
15+14+15+12+12+4+4+0+5+0 = 81
* TOP Performance* TOP Battery Endurance* TOP Gaming* TOP Software* TOP Screen
EDITORIAL: (this is a pre-test listing based on reasonable expectation of battery and imaging performance) Vivo decided to adjust to tough market conditions by sacrificing LTPO tech while adding a massive battery. Despite "big and heavy", this is one of the best gaming phone options out there.
PROs
blazing SD 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2nm) with UFS 4.1 performance, >42hr endurance from a 8400mAh Si-C battery with sub-60min 100W (40W wireless) charging, excellent >1300nits 508ppi 165Hz AMOLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP69 protection, good overall 50MP main + 50MP periscope telephoto (both OIS PDAF) + 50MP AF ultrawide setup, average 32MP 21mm non-AF selfie, average video recording, feature rich OriginOS with 5 years of OS updates, fast USB-C 3.2 with OTG
CONs
big & heavy, no LTPO drains battery faster, non-AF selfie, no memory expansion slot, no desktop replacement functionality provided by Android 17, limited market availability
Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.
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