Apple finally unveiled the new iPhone 16 series and it turns out that teh company has revamped the key experience offered by the non-Pro Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. While the Pro series has traditionally been significantly better than the non-Pro, this year the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are more closely aligned.
With both having the latest generation of processors, as well as very similar camera experiences and even the same Action Button and Camera Control buttons, there are fewer differences separating these two devices. It makes the decision on which to buy much harder.
Do you need the few additional features that the Apple iPhone 16 Pro offers? Or is the iPhone 16 the best iPhone to buy this year? Let’s break it down and dive into the differences.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: specs
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Pro | |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches) | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm (5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches) |
| Weight | 6.00 ounces (199 grams) | 7.03 ounces (199 grams) |
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display 2566 x 1179 pixels 460 ppi pixel density 60Hz refresh rate 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio 1000 nits max brightness (typical); 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR); 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) Ceramic Shield |
6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display 2622 x 1206 pixels 460 ppi pixel density 1-120Hz refresh rate 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio 1000 nits max brightness (typical); 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR); 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) Ceramic Shield Always-On display |
| Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) |
IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) |
| Colors | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine |
| Processor | A18 2 performance + 4 efficiency cores 5-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine |
A18 Pro 2 performance + 4 efficiency cores 6-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Software | iOS 18 | iOS 18 |
| Updates | Seven years of expected upgrades | Seven years of expected upgrades |
| Rear cameras | Fusion: 48megapixel, f/1.6 aperture Ultra Wide: 12MP, f/2.2 aperture, 120° field of view |
Fusion: 48MP, f/1.78 aperture Ultra Wide: 48MP, f/2.2 aperture Telephoto: 12MP, f/2.8 aperture (5x optical zoom) |
| Front camera | 12MP, f/1.9 aperture | 12MP, f/1.9 aperture |
| New camera features | Anti-reflective lens coating
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps |
Anti-reflective lens coating
4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps ProRes video recording at up to 4K at 120fps Log video recording Studio-quality four-mic array |
| Battery | Up to 22 hours of video playback | Up to 27 hours of video playback |
| Charging | Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter 25W with MagSafe ChargerMagSafe, Qi2 and Qi wireless charging support |
Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter 25W with MagSafe ChargerMagSafe, Qi2 and Qi wireless charging support |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.3, VoLTE, NFC | 5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.3, VoLTE, NFC |
| Price | Starting at $799 | Starting at $999 |
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: design
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro look very similar in design, but unlike last year, when the Pro phone was significantly different, the changes are much smaller this year. Instead of the iPhone 16 missing several features that the iPhone 16 Pro has, this year, you get a virtually identical experience from both phones.
The iPhone 16 gains the Action Button that the non-Pro phones were missing last year, and both phones also feature the new Camera Control button that will enable a range of new camera experiences. This button is located on the bottom-right side of the frame and features a physical button with an integrated touch sensor that sits flush with the frame and enables swipe, press, and half-press gestures.
The iPhone 15 Pro series saw Apple move to a Titanium frame for its Pro phones, and the iPhone 16 Pro continues this trend. The iPhone 16 Pro is available in three of the same titanium colors found on the iPhone 15 Pro Max — Black Titanium, White Titanium, and Natural Titanium — while the Blue Titanium option has been replaced with a new, more neutral Desert Titanium option.
The non-Pro iPhone has always been Apple’s most colorful smartphone range, and this year is no different. The iPhone 16 uses the same aluminum frame found in last year’s non-Pro phones and comes in a range of colors: White, Black, Pink, Teal, and a blue-like Ultramarine. If you want a colorful iPhone, the iPhone 16 is the one to get.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: display
Last year, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro shared the same screen size, but Apple has made the Pro phones 0.2 inches larger this year. This means the iPhone 16 Pro is slightly taller at 5.89 inches (versus 5.81 inches), but just 0.01 inch narrower and thicker than the iPhone 16. It also features narrower bezels, which Apple says are the thinnest bezels of any Apple product.
If you’ve been waiting for a slightly larger iPhone displa,y but find the iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16 Pro Max too large, the iPhone 16 Pro could be just right for you. This also means the iPhone 16 Pro has the same 6.3-inch display size as the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.
Both displays have 1,000 nits typical brightness, 1,600 nits for HDR content, and 2,000 nits peak brightness for outdoor use. They can also dim down to just 1 nit invery dark conditions, which will help prevent them from blinding you in a dark room.
Beyond the size differences, these displays share many of the same characteristics. They both use Apple’s Super Retina XDR OLED display, but the iPhone 16 Pro has ProMotion features, which means an adaptable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz based on the displayed content. The iPhone 16 Pro also comes with the Always On Display – enabled by the ProMotion display – that is lacking from the iPhone 16.
Both displays are protected by Ceramic Shield, which Apple claims is the strongest glass on any iPhone. Based on the previous generation, it will protect against drops, but scratch protection may differ.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: cameras
Apple spent a lot of time at its event discussing the cameras on the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro. Both have been updated, but like years past, the iPhone Pro models have a higher-grade camera for photos and videos.
On the rear, the iPhone 16 features a 48-megapixel fusion camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The fusion camera sports pixel binning to capture high-resolution 24MP images, and the 2x optical zoom that Apple touts on product listings is enabled by cropping the middle 12MP of the sensor. The cropped telephoto also has a faster aperture than any previous dedicated 2x telephoto camera on an iPhone that lets in more light and will be better for lowlight photos. The upgraded 12MP ultrawide sensor also adds autofocus and enables macro photography for the first time.
With the iPhone 16 Pro, you get the same 48MP Fusion camera, but an upgraded 48MP ultrawide sensor and the 5x telephoto lens previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The ultrawide sensor will take better photos and enable 48MP macro photography, while the upgraded telephoto lens is ideal if you like to zoom in before capturing pictures.
Both cameras come with a range of new software tricks that take advantage of the latest cameras, and the iPhone 16 Pro gains a few more exclusive ones. Both feature Audio Mix, which lets users adjust the sound with different effects after capturing a video. They can both also capture spatial photos and videos for use with the Apple Vision Pro, while the iPhone 16 Pro also gains Dolby Vision and 4k recording at 120 frames per second (fps).
Unlike previous years, the iPhone 16 camera has many of the same capabilities as the iPhone 16 Pro. Unless you need the telephoto lens or the better ultrawide camera, you can still get the same experience and save yourself $200.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: software and performance
To quote Apple, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are designed from the ground up with Apple Intelligence in mind. In practice, they feature the latest 3nm processors, which offer big increases in memory bandwidth and much better gaming and AI performance.
This year’s iPhone 16 is the first non-Pro iPhone powered by the same technology standard as its Pro siblings. It is powered by the A18 processor, which features a six-core CPU with two performance and four efficiency cores. The processor is designed to be up to twice as fast for on-device machine learning as the iPhone 15, is up to 30% faster in general tasks, and has a desktop-class five-core GPU that’s up to 40% faster than the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 16 Pro features the A18 Pro chipset, which offers many of the same benefits and has one more core in its GPU. With the same number of CPU and Neural Engine cores in both chipsets, performance is likely very similar, especially for everyday tasks and Apple Intelligence. Hardware-based ray tracing is present in both chipsets, which means the non-Pro iPhone can also run desktop-class games like Assassin’s Creed and Resident Evil 7 for the first time.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro run iOS 18 out of the box, and Apple Intelligence features will roll out over the coming weeks and months. In a software update later this year, the Camera Control button will gain new Vision Intelligence features similar to those offered by Google in Gemini AI.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: battery life and charging
Apple doesn’t reveal individual battery capacities for its iPhones, but based on the specs provided, the iPhone 16 Pro should have a slightly better overall battery life. The iPhone 16 offers up to 22 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 16 Pro is rated at up to 27 hours.
The lack of ProMotion display and a slightly larger battery are likely the primary reasons for this difference, but both are improved over last year’s models.
This year’s biggest difference is in charging, with both models offering much faster charging. Regardless of which iPhone 16 model you buy, you’ll get improved wired, wireless, and MagSafe charging.
MagSafe wireless charging has been boosted to 25 watts with a 30W adapter or higher, but you’ll need to get Apple’s latest MagSafe charger. If you bought one before the iPhone 16 event, you’ll be limited to the same 15W charging speeds as non-MagSafe Qi2 chargers. If you plug in to charge, you’ll be able to charge both phones up to 50% in around 30 minutes.
Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: verdict
For the first time, the non-Pro iPhone 16 could be the best iPhone for most users. Previous years have seen Apple cut back in one area or another, but this year, the iPhone 16 offers most of the iPhone 16 Pro experience for $200 less. The iPhone 16 starts at $799 for 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 16 Pro is $999 for the same storage option.
If you really want a telephoto lens, a slightly larger display (with the ProMotion adaptive refresh rate), and a better ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16 Pro is the one to buy. Although both devices have the same Ceramic Shield protection, the titanium finish should make the iPhone 16 more durable.
However, if these features aren’t as important or you want a more colorful iPhone, look no further than the iPhone 16. For once, you won’t need to buy a Pro iPhone to get a Pro-like experience. Regardless of which you decide to buy, the best iPhone 16 deals will help snag you a great deal on Apple’s latest smartphones.
