Apple iPhone 16 vs. Apple iPhone 16 Plus

So, you are on the lookout for a shiny new iPhone? The iPhone 16 is actually a really well-rounded machine. After all, a Professional mannequin will probably be even higher, however until you really want the additional digicam or the excessive refresh charge, you’re most likely higher off sticking to one of many two vanilla fashions.

If there may be one factor Apple excels at (and it is undoubtedly multiple factor), it have to be consistency. Therefore, it’s hardly a secret, nor a shock, that there’s little or no distinction between the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16. The Plus is solely greater, with a much bigger show and a bigger battery pack. In any other case, the {hardware} and expertise are equivalent.

So how significantly better is the Apple iPhone 16 Plus to deserve its worth premium? Let’s look into it.

Desk of Contents:

For starters, you may evaluate the whole specs sheets or straight proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the following textual content.

Dimension comparability

Let’s tackle the elephant within the room first – dimension. The 16 Plus is considerably greater than the vanilla iPhone 16. The one dimension the 2 units share is thickness, which is a pleasant contact. Aside from that, the Plus is taller and wider. Is smart, on condition that it has a 6.7-inch show diagonal, in comparison with 6.1 inches on the iPhone 16.

By at this time’s normal, we’d really name the Plus the extra “mainstream” type issue. Larger telephones have simply been the norm for a while now. The Plus feels good within the hand and could be very snug to carry, even when a bit slippery with out a case.

The common iPhone 16 is positioned as a “compact” telephone. It is rather pocketable and very simple to deal with with one hand. That being mentioned, you’ll want to go and take a look at each telephones in individual. We doubt that you’ll discover the iPhone 16 Plus too large, however you would possibly discover the vanilla iPhone 16 a bit too small. That is simply our two cents on the matter.

Show comparability

As talked about, the iPhone 16 Plus has a considerably bigger show than the iPhone 16. Not essentially giant by fashionable requirements, however undoubtedly bigger. Technically, the Plus additionally has the next show decision. Nevertheless, Apple has all the time aimed for a constant pixel density throughout fashions with out caring an excessive amount of about decision. That is the case right here since each telephones have a really crisp 460 ppi.

Apple makes use of very premium panels, even on its non-Professional units. Each telephones are good and brilliant, with very related brightness figures. OLED know-how means good blacks, excessive distinction, and punchy colours. Apple provides HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient assist on each iPhones and has a really versatile HDR implementation, permitting HDR video to play in a window, not simply your entire show.

The large situation with the shows of the non-Professional iPhones is the truth that they’re nonetheless 60Hz. Sadly, springing for a Professional mannequin is the one solution to get round that.

Battery life

Apple has used the additional inside area contained in the iPhone 16 Plus to suit a bigger battery. To cite Cupertino’s unnecessarily particular numbers, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 4674 mAh pack, whereas the common iPhone 16 will get a 3561 mAh pack.

This interprets to roughly 30% distinction in battery capability, which leads to a really tangible distinction in battery endurance in favor of the iPhone 16 Plus. As per our proprietary testing mechanism, the 16 Plus will get three hours or so of additional Lively Use Rating.

That being mentioned, the vanilla iPhone 16 nonetheless does nice within the battery division. It manages very spectacular endurance for such a compact telephone.

Charging pace

Apple is extremely constant on the subject of charging. Each the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus formally promote a wired charging charge of round 50% energy in thirty minutes, and each telephones handle to exceed mentioned charge handily, which is sweet to see. Whereas there are slight variations within the charging curves of each telephones, as anticipated, the pair find yourself getting a full cost in roughly the identical complete time.

You additionally get the identical charging capabilities on each telephones, together with wired PD 2.0 charging, 25W wi-fi MagSafe, 15W wi-fi Qi2 charging, and 4.5W reverse wired charging.

Speaker take a look at

Cupertino engineers are wizards on the subject of tuning audio system, they usually’ve utilized an equal stage of care and a focus to each the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16. Each telephones have a hybrid stereo speaker system with the amplified earpiece performing because the second channel.

Each telephones are equally tuned and achieved an excellent loudness rating in our testing. Maybe the Plus is only a hair louder, most likely as a consequence of having a bit extra room to work with, however the distinction is insignificant. High quality-wise, each telephones are on the identical stage of excellence.

Efficiency

Apple made a two-generation chipset soar for the non-Professional iPhones this 12 months, going from the A16 to the A18. That is a fairly vital increase in energy and efficiency. Additionally it is vital to notice that, not like final 12 months, the iPhone 16 fashions this 12 months all have 8GB of RAM (each the non-Professional and the Professional fashions).

Apple is making an enormous push for AI, which stands for Apple Intelligence on this explicit case. Presumably, Cupertino engineers want the additional RAM to run native AI fashions higher, and the truth that this consideration has reached non-Professional iPhones makes us fairly joyful as a result of it ought to assist in the every day use of the telephones too.

Benchmark efficiency

Naturally, because the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 use the identical Apple A18 chip, it solely is smart that they’d have the identical peak burst efficiency. The benchmark scores paint precisely that image.

That being mentioned, it’s maybe price noting that presumably as a consequence of its greater dimension, the iPhone 16 Plus handles thermal-throttling a bit higher than the iPhone 16. It loses a bit much less of its efficiency after a protracted stress take a look at. Nonetheless, the distinction between the 2 shouldn’t be main, and no real-world apps or video games will stress the {hardware} in such a way, making this kind of a scientific focal point quite than a sensible one.

Digicam comparability

The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 have the very same digicam setup. Yet one more level of consistency. The primary 48MP digicam is borrowed from the iPhone 15. It’s fairly potent nonetheless, with a 1/1.56″ dimension, 1.0µm particular person pixels and sensor-shift OIS. There’s a brilliant f/1.6 lens in entrance of it.

The selfie is borrowed from the iPhone 15 as effectively. The 12MP shooter has already confirmed its salt and is provided with part detection autofocus as effectively.

The actual improve is with the brand new ultrawide digicam. It’s nonetheless a 12MP unit. Nevertheless, this 12 months, there’s a brighter lens with an f/2.2 aperture. Plus, most likely better of all, there may be now part detection autofocus on the ultrawide, which permits it to double as a macro digicam for close-ups.

A couple of phrases on the brand new Digicam Management button. It is a bodily button with precise journey, but it surely additionally integrates a high-precision pressure sensor that allows the sunshine press gesture and a capacitive sensor that permits for contact and swipe interactions. The button is current on each the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 and allows the identical options inside the digicam app – primarily fast controls by way of gestures. The 2-stage shutter performance is coming with a future replace.

Picture high quality

We’re taking a look at two telephones with equivalent digicam {hardware}, equivalent chipsets and ISPs and equivalent processing. Therefore, the photographs are equivalent as effectively. You’ll be able to take a look at the samples for your self. The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 seize glorious 12MP stills. There isn’t any query about it. The body has loads of element, and all the things is clear and sharp. Dynamic vary is superb, and shadows, specifically, are properly boosted and developed. Foliage and grass look very convincing.

Apple iPhone 16: ultrawide • predominant • 2x • portrait

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: ultrawide • predominant • 2x • portrait

The low-light efficiency can also be equivalent throughout the 2 telephones. Surprising, we all know.

Apple iPhone 16: ultrawide • predominant • 2x

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: ultrawide • predominant • 2x

Autofocus is nice on each telephones’ selfie cameras. The standard is nice.

Apple iPhone 16: selfie

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: selfie

Video high quality

All in all, the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 stay as much as Apple’s status for industry-leading video seize. The primary cameras on each telephones output clear, sharp movies with a large dynamic vary and loads of particulars, even within the shadows.

Under we now have a number of framegrabs from the movies taken by the 2 telephones at every focal size so it is simpler to match to at least one one other.

Apple iPhone 16: ultrawide • predominant • 2x • low-light

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: ultrawide • predominant • 2x • low-light

Verdict

Apple is nothing if not per its lineup. Would you like a compact telephone with out spending an excessive amount of? Get the vanilla iPhone 16. May you make {that a} bit greater, please? Certain, there’s the iPhone 16 Plus. The identical precise telephone, simply greater. Easy and straight ahead.

Both means, you’re getting a superb premium telephone. Certain, we’d have cherished to see a excessive refresh charge lastly come to non-Professional iPhones and that Apple telephoto digicam is trying simply as cool as ever, if not cooler. Nonetheless, when you do not want both of these issues, you may’t go unsuitable with an iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16.