For the first time in my life, I returned an iPhone. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a great phone, after spending a few days with it, I realized that it’s not for me.

So I did the unthinkable and returned an iPhone during the launch week.

Why I Returned The iPhone 16 Pro Max

Since Apple split the iPhone into a regular and a Pro version, I have always opted for the Pro. I have also erred on the side of the largest iPhone most of the time.

I spent the last two years on an iPhone 14 Pro Max and enjoyed the size. When pre-orders for the iPhone 16 started, I felt conflicted. The baseline iPhone had more features that brought it in line with the Pro models, so it was tempting to get it to save money and get some color.

Ultimately, I chose the Pro Max. It was the device that felt the most familiar. It had all the things I wanted in a new phone: the best screen, the best cameras, and the best battery life. Plus, its screen had grown a little more, which I thought would help with those moments when I wrote on my phone.

When I need to write and can’t get to my iPad or Mac, I use Ulysses on my iPhone. It works in a pinch, but my hands start to cramp as I hold it and type with my thumbs. I thought the bigger device would help solve that.

When my iPhone 16 Pro Max was delivered, I tore into the box. I pulled it out and admired its sleek new feel and lighter weight.

But the thing felt giant.

I thought I just needed to get used to it, so I continued to use it for a few days. I’m sure I would have gotten used to it, but it just felt too large to wield. It was funny because it barely looked bigger when I put it up next to my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but my mind couldn’t wrap around the size for some reason.

With the limited time I had to type on it, it felt better for long sessions. However, the rest of the time, it just felt like using a longboard.

It didn’t help that the iPhone 16 Pro Max cost so much. If I didn’t feel comfortable with the size of the Pro Max, could I drop down in size and save some money? Would the iPhone 16 Plus feel better in the hand and offer enough to replace my 14 Pro Max?

I packed things up and headed to the Apple Store.

The Apple Store

Upon entering the Apple Store, I headed for a display with every iPhone 16 model. I went right to the iPhone 16 Plus. It felt better in my hand, more like my previous phone. It felt normal.

I had hesitations about dropping down to the iPhone 16 Plus:

• would I miss the telephoto lens from the Pro/Pro Max line
• Would I notice the lack of Pro Motion?

So I fired up the camera—using camera control—and tested how far I could zoom across the store. While I know it is a digital zoom, I could zoom in up to 10x. I doubted I would even use it that much, but I felt good about having that much zoom.

I then just swiped through the iPhone for a little while. I noticed the lack of ProMotion. Things felt less snappy on the iPhone 16 Plus, but I wasn’t sure it was enough to pay the extra money.

I debated whether to go even smaller. I could get the iPhone 16 Pro, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go smaller than the Plus—maybe the next upgrade. In addition, I felt like it might make better content to write about going from the Pro line to the standard iPhone.

With the help of a friendly Apple employee, I exchanged my iPhone 16 Pro Max for an iPhone 16 Plus in Ultramarine.

My Time With The iPhone 16 Plus So Far

After a day of use, I feel good about this new phone. It feels comfortable in my hand and I saved some money.

The lack of Pro Motion hasn’t been as big a deal as I thought it might be, but I would still like to see it in the next iPhone model.

Regardless, I have two weeks to try it out and determine if this is the one for me. I want to put this phone through my everyday life and see if something is missing or if I must move back to the Pro. For now, I think I’m good.

Only time will tell if I will miss the Pro line, but something tells me I won’t.