Original release date: September 20, 2024 | Storage capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Screen size: 6.3 inches | Features: A18 Pro chip, always-on 120Hz ProMotion display, USB-C port (USB 3), Titanium frame, camera control buttons, action buttons, 25W MagSafe charging | Camera: 48MP wide, 48MP Ultrawide, 12MP 5x Telephoto, 12MP Front | Color Options: Natural Titanium, Desert, White, Black | Dimensions: 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches | Weight: 7.03 oz
Read our full review of iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro is the iPhone we recommend for most people. Sure, the starting price of $999 may be steep, but a smartphone is a long-term investment. If the question is, “Which iPhone is most likely to make you happy for the next 3-5 years?”, the benefits of the iPhone 16 Pro over the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus cost an additional $100-200. We think it’s meaningful enough to be worth it. Even if the difference isn’t as big as in past years.
First, the iPhone 16 Pro’s blasted titanium frame feels higher quality than the base iPhone 16’s aluminum frame. It’s a little heavier than the standard iPhone 16 or last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, but it’s far from anchored and its slightly curved edges are fun to hold. It runs on the slightly faster A18 Pro chip. There’s not much difference in day-to-day tasks, but it’s more promising, especially if you’re into gaming or content creation. And while all iPhone 16s come with a USB-C charging port, Pro models support faster data transfer speeds (if you use the right cable).
The most noticeable upgrade is the display. The OLED panels on the iPhone 16 Pro and the standard iPhone 16 are equally crisp and bright, but the former is taller (6.1 inches) despite the phone itself being 0.08 inches taller and only 0.02 inches thicker. ) is more spacious at 6.3 inches. This is largely due to the Pro’s thinner bezels, which give you more real estate to stream videos and read web pages on a device that doesn’t feel awkward to hold.
On top of that, the Pro’s screen features an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which makes scrolling web pages, gaming, and streaming video noticeably smoother. The average person might say this is not necessary, and it’s true that not everything plays at 120Hz. However, when using a smartphone, there is no point in using a small screen without operating it. Once you see the fast refresh rate in action, it’s hard to put it down.
This is a frustrating situation. Low-cost Android phones with 120Hz displays can be had for about $300, but Apple continues to use ProMotion as a way to upsell hundreds of already expensive devices. Nevertheless, our job is to tell you what’s best. And the Pro’s display is simply more modern. And unlike the screen on your iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus, it’s always on, so you can see your notifications at a glance without having to physically touch your device.
Another step up is the camera system. The iPhone 16 Pro has a trio of rear cameras: a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide shooter, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. That last point is important because the regular iPhone 16 doesn’t have a dedicated telephoto lens at all. Additionally, the Pro’s main camera has a larger sensor, which makes it a bit better in low-light environments, and it even supports night portrait mode. It allows for sharper macro shots for close-ups, as well as geeky features like the ability to shoot ProRAW and record 4K Dolby Vision and ProRes video at up to 120 frames per second. Even if this terminology means nothing to you, know that the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are still excellent point-and-shoot cameras. These devices can now also take macro photos. These have similarly upgraded photo styling features that can help you fix shots that seem over-processed. It also shares a new camera control button for quickly (if sometimes awkwardly) accessing the camera app, adjusting settings, and taking photos. That said, the 16 Pro is better, especially if you’re a bit more dedicated to photography.
The Pro should also have longer battery life, but it’s not the longest-lasting of the smartphones we tested. Apple rates up to 27 hours of video playback, up from 22 hours on the standard iPhone 16, but both devices may need a top-up before bed. The base model’s battery is easy to replace, but given the high price tag, it’s a pain for Pro owners.
Apple is very blatant in touting how well each iPhone 16 works with its new AI feature, Apple Intelligence, but you shouldn’t base your purchasing decisions on those at this point. As of this writing, the tricks include a slightly more robust Siri, ChatGPT integration, email and notification overview, writing assistance and image generation tools, and a cleanup feature that lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos (Google’s Magic (much like Eraser), and “. Genmoji” custom emoji maker and more. More updates will be provided over time.
Some of these AI features may be useful at some point. Other times…not so much. These are unlikely to really change the way we use smartphones today. It’s also debatable (charitably speaking) whether anyone needs help writing paragraph-long emails or reading short articles. For now, it might be best to think of Apple Intelligence as an interesting step toward a future that may or may not come to fruition.
While we think the iPhone 16 Pro is a great flagship, our next pick should be for those who don’t mind a larger device and want a truly all-day phone.