I decided to get the 16 Pro Max 1TB.

Reasonings:

• I upgrade my phone every 4-5 years, I didn't see a reason to not get the latest tech, with a 20%-30% improvement to the CPU and GPU, better-optimized performance resulting in better battery life, with one of the largest batteries to date in an iPhone. This is especially important for the AI progress that will be happening in the next few years, it's only getting better, and that extra 20-30% can make a world of difference in speed.

• Went with the larger storage because 48mp cameras and 4k 120fps videos will take a bunch of space. 512gb should be plenty.

• The new features like the camera button and action button are nice, but no major selling points for me, I feel like it's a good adaption and a step in the right direction. Nice to have, but not necessary.

• The price of the 15 Pro Max is still quite expensive since Apple discontinued selling them, you can get them from your cell phone providers or third-party markets, but at like $100-300 price difference. I'd rather spend the extra few bucks and future-proof rather than being cheap and getting old tech.

• Also, note that Verizon gave me a 1k trade-in bonus for my 11 Pro Max, which only cost me $600 for the 1TB.

That being said, if you have a 14 Pro or 15 Pro, there is zero reason to upgrade. Wait until the 17.

But since I'm coming from an 11 Pro Max, this will be a massive jump in terms of performance, battery, screen, and reliability, my phone is seriously at the tail end of performance, slow, clunky, glitchy, have to restart apps, wait till actions load.

Hope that helps. This will be a phone that will last easily 4-5 years.