Apple (Apple)
At Apple’s event on Monday, the company unveiled its latest iPhone series, including the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. If you’re thinking about upgrading to the latest model but aren’t sure what the differences are between the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (besides price), we’re here to help you decide which one is right for you.
Now that the iPhone 16 lineup has been officially announced and its extra features have been revealed, we know that all versions will run iOS 18 and will have access to Apple Intelligence features when they become available in October. But paying a few hundred dollars more for the iPhone 16 Pro will get you some extra perks, like better camera capabilities and a slightly larger display.
We’ll explain the differences between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro below, and for more details, check out how the iPhone 16 Pro compares to the competition. If you’re set on buying one, note that pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series will open on September 13. Prices for the iPhone 16 start at $799 and the iPhone 16 Pro at $999, with prices increasing by $100 for each size and storage capacity from the 128GB baseline.
Screen Size and Technology
In terms of screen size, the iPhone 16 Pro has a display that’s only slightly larger than the iPhone 16. The 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch ProMotion technology and Always-On Display (the same as last year’s iPhone 15 Pro), while the iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch display. This means the Pro model offers a faster refresh rate of up to 120Hz, resulting in smoother video than the standard iPhone 16, which is capped at 120Hz.
Otherwise, the screen tech between the two models is very comparable: they both have Super Retina XDR displays with the same HDR, brightness, P3 color gamut, and True Tone specs.
In terms of the actual size of the phones, there isn’t much difference between the two: the iPhone 16 is 5.81 inches tall, 2.82 inches wide, and weighs 6 ounces, while the 16 Pro is 5.89 inches tall, 2.81 inches wide, and weighs just over 7 ounces.
The resolutions are also slightly different, with the iPhone 16 coming in at 2,556 x 1,179 pixels, while the 16 Pro is at 2,622 x 1,206 pixels.
Both phones feature the latest-generation Ceramic Shield screen for better protection against drops and scratches, and both also feature Dynamic Islands (first introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro), which replaces the notch found on older iPhones.
The difference between a camera and a microphone
Like previous models, the iPhone 16 has two cameras on the back: a 48MP Fusion main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. This combination lets you “zoom out” for wide-angle shots (0.5x) and zoom in up to 2x.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a sleeker triple-camera array: a 48-megapixel Fusion main camera and a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens, plus a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. The third lens on the 16 Pro allows for up to 5x zoom in and up to 0.5x zoom out. The Pro phone has “second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization,” while the baseline iPhone 16 will likely only have the first-generation version of that feature. The Pro can also shoot in the Apple ProRAW file format, and it also offers night mode portrait shots that aren’t available on the baseline model.
As for video, both iPhone 16 models can shoot 4K Dolby Vision video, but the Pro models can capture up to 120 frames per second, which allows for better slow-motion video. The Pro also lives up to its name, offering the Academy Color Encoding System, log video recording, and ProRes video recording on the rear and front cameras. (If you have to ask what those are, don’t ask.)
Otherwise, the camera features of the two models are largely the same. This includes photo styles and camera control buttons, which are new for 2024. Photo styles are similar to old-school Instagram filters, but with a big twist: you can revert or change the style after taking a particular photo. Meanwhile, a new camera control button is also featured on the bottom-right side of both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models. This gives you one-click access to taking photos and videos, and includes touch-sensitive controls for changing modes, framing shots, and more.
New camera button on iPhone 16 models. (Apple) (Apple)
Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro now has a “studio-quality” four-microphone array that provides better audio capture during video sessions and enables new multi-track recording options in the Notes app. (No, that feature isn’t available on the baseline iPhone 16 model.)
Internals: CPU and RAM
The iPhone 16 is equipped with the A18 chip, which has a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, new for 2024. The iPhone 16 Pro is equipped with the equally new A18 Pro chip, which has a 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine.
Both A18 chips offer performance and power advantages over their counterparts coming in the 2023 iPhone 15 models. According to Macrumors, all iPhone 16 models will come with 8GB of RAM, the same as last year’s iPhone 15 Pro models. The combination of processing power and onboard memory will ensure that all iPhone 16 models can run upcoming Apple Intelligence features.
USB Speed
Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro have USB-C ports, but the 16 Pro supports USB 3, which offers up to 20 times faster transfer speeds. (For reference, the iPhone 16 supports USB 2.) This faster speed will be useful for creatives transferring video, audio, and photos from the iPhone Pro.
They charge at the same speed, with a 20W adapter with a USB-C cord giving you a 50% charge in just 30 minutes.
Color options and design differences
As usual, the iPhone 16 models come in vibrant new colors, while the iPhone 16 Pro comes in more neutral colors. The iPhone 16 is made from aluminum with a glass back and comes in new colors like ultramarine (periwinkle), teal, and pink (a darker shade than last year’s pink), or the standard white and black.
The iPhone 16 Pro is made of titanium with a textured matte glass back and comes in desert (gold), natural (silver), white and black color options.
Both phones also have an action button — currently only the iPhone 15 Pro has this feature — that can be used to assign different functions, including ringtone, flashlight, voice memo, and more. (Don’t forget, the camera now has its own dedicated button.)
Apple (Apple)
Battery life
If you’re looking for a smartphone with all-day battery life, the iPhone 16 should be a great choice, provided it meets Apple’s advertised specs: the iPhone 16 is good for up to 22 hours of video playback, up to 18 hours of streaming, and up to 80 hours of audio playback.
The 16 Pro delivers up to 27 hours of video playback, up to 22 hours of streaming, and up to 85 hours of audio playback.
What about the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max?
The iPhone 16 Plus is a larger version of the iPhone 16 with better battery life, as is the 16 Pro Max. Both have all the same features as their smaller counterparts, but differ in battery life and size.
iPhone 16 Plus
Battery: Offers up to 27 hours of video playback, up to 24 hours of streaming, and up to 100 hours of audio playback. It’s actually better than the 16 Pro’s battery life.
Size: It has a 6.7-inch display, is 6.33 inches tall, 3.06 inches wide, and weighs just over 7 ounces.
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Battery: Get up to 33 hours of video playback, up to 29 hours of streaming, and up to 105 hours of audio playback.
Size: It has a 6.9-inch display, is 6.42 inches tall, 3.06 inches wide, and weighs about 8 ounces.
But how do the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro actually perform?
A full review of the new iPhones is still to come, but our Cherlynn Low spent some time playing with the new iPhones in the demo area at Apple Park on launch day. Check out our first impressions of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
none
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
price
From $799
From $899
From $999
From $1,199
size
5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches
6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 inches
5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches
6.422 x 3.06 x 0.32 inches
Weight
6 ounces
7.03 oz.
7.03 oz.
7.99 oz.
Screen size
6.1 inches
6.7 inches
6.3 inches
6.9 inches
Storage options
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Colors and Finishes
Aluminum, glass back, ultramarine, teal, pink, black
Aluminum, glass back, ultramarine, teal, pink, black
Made from titanium with a textured matte glass back, available in desert, natural, white and black.
Made from titanium with a textured matte glass back, available in desert, natural, white and black.
battery
Up to 22 hours video playback
Up to 27 hours of video playback
Up to 27 hours of video playback
Up to 33 hours of video playback
Solution
2,556 x 1,179 (460 ppi)
2,796 x 1,290 (460 ppi)
2,622 x 1,206 (460 ppi)
2,868 x 1,320 (460 ppi)
