Apple released the latest iteration of the iPhone on the 20th of September 2024 with four different configurations to choose from, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
With so many configurations and options to choose from, it can be a challenge to know what phone is right for you. This blog will explore the features and break down the technical jargon to help you make the right decision.
Physical Dimensions
Looking first at the physical differences between the iPhone 16 models, Apple has decided to go for a 6.1 inch display on the entry model iPhone 16, increasing to 6.7 inches on the Plus model.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a slightly larger display at 6.3 inches when compared to the iPhone 16, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the largest display in the lineup at 6.9 inches.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| Display: 6.1 inches | Display: 6.7 inches | Display: 6.3 inches | Display: 6.9 inches |
| Height: 147.6mm (5.81 inches) | Height: 160.9.mm (6.33 inches) | Height: 149.6mm (5.89 inches) | Height: 163mm (6.42 inches) |
| Width 71.6mm (2.82 inches) | Width 77.8mm (3.06 inches) | Width 71.5mm (2.81 inches) | Width 77.6mm (3.06 inches) |
| Depth 7.80mm (0.31 inches) | Depth 7.80mm (0.31 inches) | Depth 8.25mm (0.32 inches) | Depth 8.25mm (0.32 inches) |
Colours
Apple has provided a range of colour options for the latest iPhone models. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus come with an aluminium design in Black, White, Pink, Teal and Ultramarine. As part of the design, it also comes with a colour-infused ceramic shield glass back in the same colour as the device.
As for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max the colour palette is far more conservative with the choice of Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium and Desert Titanium. These models also feature a ceramic shield front textured matt glass back.
The aluminium models are certainly more vibrant in their colour choice compared to the more traditional muted tones you get from the Titanium designed Pro models, which is something to consider if you are someone who prefers a colourful phone design.
Left: iPhone 16/Plus: Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine - Right: iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
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| x | x | ||
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| x | x | ||
| x | x | ||
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| x | x | ||
| x | x | ||
| x | x |
Storage Configurtion
The iPhone 16 starts with 128GB of storage, and can be configured up to 512GB. This is the same for both the iPhone 16 Plus. As for the iPhone 16 Pro you have the added option to upgrade to 1TB.
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max you have the option to go for 256GB up to 1TB. If you are looking to take a lot of high quality photos or videos, you would definitely benefit from the added storage options in the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
Processor and benchmarks
Apple has included the A18 chip in all four of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus variants and the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. The A18 Pro chip has the same number of CPU cores and the same Neural Engine as the A18, but has an extra GPU core for enhanced graphics capabilities.
The best way to measure the performance of the devices is through their Geekbench scores. Geekbench refers to a benchmarking software that is used to measure the efficiency of a device's CPU and GPU, providing a score based on how well it can process different computer related tasks.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone Pro Max |
| A18 chip | A18 chip | A18 Pro chip | A18 Pro chip |
| 6-core CPU | 6-core CPU | 6-core CPU | 6-core CPU |
| 5-core GPU | 5-core GPU | 6-core GPU | 6-core GPU |
| 16-core Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-core - 7997 | Geekbench 6 Multi-core - 7997 | Geekbench 6 Multi-core - 8397 | Geekbench 6 Multi-core - 8397 |
Display Technology
Always on display
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max model feature an always-on display. First featured on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, this feature enables you to look at the time, view notifications and lock screen widgets without needing to unlock the phone. As for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, the screen turns off when you press the power button.
Dynamic island
Located at the top of all the iPhone 16 variants next to the front facing camera is the Dynamic Island. It can be used to check alerts and activity in progress, such as how long your voice memo has been recording for. It can also be used to check direction from the Maps app and if someone is trying to airdrop to you.
ProMotion
A significant benefit you get from choosing the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max is Apple’s ProMotion technology. This refers to the adaptive technology in the refresh rate of the screen. With ProMotion, you can expect up to 120Hz refresh rate which is beneficial for watching videos, playing games and the responsiveness of your screen.
You also get the added benefit of increased battery efficiency, as the refresh rate can also drop down to 1Hz if the screen is idle or on a page that doesn’t have a lot of movement, like when reading an e-book for example. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 plus are not equipped with ProMotion technology, and use a 60Hz display.
Other features present in all four models include
- Haptic Touch
- Wide Colour (P3)
- 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
- 1,000 nits Brightness; 1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR); 2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
- Fingerprint resistant Oleophobic coating
- Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| 2556x1179-pixel resolution | 2796x1290-pixel resolution | 2622x1206-pixel resolution | 2868x1320-pixel resolution |
| Dynamic Island | Dynamic Island | Dynamic Island | Dynamic Island |
| HDR | HDR | HDR | HDR |
| True Tone | True Tone | True Tone | True Tone |
| Wide colour (P3) | Wide colour (P3) | Wide colour (P3) | Wide colour (P3) |
| Haptic Touch | Haptic Touch | Haptic Touch | Haptic Touch |
| x | x | Always-On Display | Always-On Display |
Camera
Apple has always impressed with their camera technology, and they have certainly improved on their cameras for the iPhone 16’s when you compare it to previous models such as the iPhone 15.
There is a significant difference in the quality of the lenses from the base spec model to the Pro’s which is most evident in the camera system and Ultra wide angle lens. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus use an advanced dual-camera system with a 48 megapixel fusion lens and a 12 megapixel ultra wide. With this specification you can get four optical zoom options from .5 up to 2x.
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max use a Pro camera system with a 48 megapixel fusion lens, paired with a 48 megapixel Ultra Wide. They also benefit from a 12 megapixel Telephoto lens which helps maintain clarity and detail when using optical zoom. With the Pro and Pro Max you get an expanded optical zoom from .5 to 5x.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| Advanced dual-camera system | Advanced dual-camera system | Pro camera system | Pro camera system |
| Fusion: 48MP/ƒ/1.6 aperture | Fusion: 48MP/ƒ/1.6 aperture | Fusion: 48MP/ƒ/1.78 aperture | Fusion: 48MP/ƒ/1.78 aperture |
| Ultra Wide: 48MP/ƒ/2.2 aperture | Ultra Wide: 48MP/ƒ/2.2 aperture | Ultra Wide: 48MP/ƒ/2.2 aperture | Ultra Wide: 48MP/ƒ/2.2 aperture |
| x | x | Telephoto: 12MP/ƒ/2.8 aperture | Telephoto: 12MP/ƒ/2.8 aperture |
| 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 4x optical zoom range | 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 4x optical zoom range | 5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 10x optical zoom range | 5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 10x optical zoom range |
| Digital zoom up to 10x | Digital zoom up to 10x | Digital zoom up to 25x | Digital zoom up to 25x |
| Camera Control | Camera Control | Camera Control | Camera Control |
| x | x | Customisable default lens (Fusion) | Customisable default lens (Fusion) |
| True Tone flash | True Tone flash | Adaptive True Tone flash | Adaptive True Tone flash |
| Photonic Engine | Photonic Engine | Photonic Engine | Photonic Engine |
| Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control | Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control | Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control | Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control |
| Night mode | Night mode | Night mode | Night mode |
| Panorama (up to 63MP) | Panorama (up to 63MP) | Panorama (up to 63MP) | Panorama (up to 63MP) |
| x | x | Night mode portraits enabled by LiDAR scanner | Night mode portraits enabled by LiDAR scanner |
| Spatial photos | Spatial photos | Spatial photos | Spatial photos |
| Macro Photography | Macro Photography | 48MP Macro Photography | 48MP Macro Photography |
| x | x | Apple ProRAW | Apple ProRaw |
| Wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos | Wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos | Wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos | Wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos |
| Auto image stabilisation | Auto image stabilisation | Auto image stabilisation | Auto image stabilisation |
| Burst Mode | Burst Mode | Burst Mode | Burst Mode |
| Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG | Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG | Image formats captured: HEIF, JPEG and DNG | Image formats captured: HEIF, JPEG and DNG |
Video
Apple is well known for producing phones with incredible video quality. With both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro you can record videos up to 4K in 60fps using Dolby Vision video recording.
If you want to use the Cinematic mode, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus can record videos with shallow depth of field in 4K up to 30fps.
The iPhone 16 Pro pushes further, with the ability to record 4k videos in Cinematic mode up to 120 fps in both video mode and slo-mo. You even have the ability to adjust the playback speed after the video is captured from the photo app.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps | 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps | 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion) or 120 fps (Fusion) | 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion) or 120 fps (Fusion) |
| 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps | 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps | 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps or 120 fps (Fusion) | 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps or 120 fps (Fusion) |
| 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps | 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps | 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps | 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps |
| Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps |
| Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
| Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse | Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse | Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse | Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse |
| Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps | Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps | Slo‑mo video support up to 4K at 120 fps (Fusion) and up to 1080p at 240 fps (Ultra Wide and Telephoto) | Slo‑mo video support up to 4K at 120 fps (Fusion) and up to 1080p at 240 fps (Ultra Wide and Telephoto) |
| Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps | Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps | Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps | Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps |
| Time-lapse video with stabilisation | Time-lapse video with stabilisation | Time-lapse video with stabilisation | Time-lapse video with stabilisation |
| x | x | ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording | ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording |
| x | x | Log video recording | Log video recording |
| x | x | Academy Color Encoding System | Academy Color Encoding System |
| QuickTake video up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | QuickTake video up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | QuickTake video up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | QuickTake video up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision |
| Sensor-shift optical image stabilisation for video (Fusion) | Sensor-shift optical image stabilisation for video (Fusion) | Second‑generation sensor‑shift optical image stabilisation for video (Fusion) | Second‑generation sensor‑shift optical image stabilisation for video (Fusion) |
| x | x | 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilisation and autofocus for video (Telephoto) | 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilisation and autofocus for video (Telephoto) |
| Digital zoom up to 6x | Digital zoom up to 6x | Digital zoom up to 25x | Digital zoom up to 25x |
| True Tone flash | True Tone flash | True Tone flash | True Tone flash |
| Cinematic video stabilisation (4K, 1080p and 720p) | Cinematic video stabilisation (4K, 1080p and 720p) | Cinematic video stabilisation (4K, 1080p and 720p) | Cinematic video stabilisation (4K, 1080p and 720p) |
| Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264 | Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264 | Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264 and ProRes | Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264 and ProRes |
| Spatial Audio and stereo recording | Spatial Audio and stereo recording | Spatial Audio and stereo recording | Spatial Audio and stereo recording |
| x | x | Four studio-quality mics | Four studio-quality mics |
Battery Life and Charging
When comparing all four devices from Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup, the battery is one of the main differences to look out for. When undertaking tasks like video playback, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will last considerably longer than the other three models, up to 33 hours or 29 hours if you are watching a streaming service.
That being said, all of the devices hold an impressive length of charge even when being used on power intensive tasks like video playback. Even if you find your phone runs out of battery, you can fast charge up to 50% in 35 minutes.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 16 Plus | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| 13.84-watt-hour lithium-ion battery | 18.11-watt-hour lithium-ion battery | 13.94-watt-hour lithium-ion battery | 18.17-watt-hour lithium-ion battery |
| Battery Capacity 3561 mAh | Battery Capacity 4674 mAh | Battery Capacity 3582 mAh | Battery Capacity 4685 mAh |
| MagSafe wirless charging | MagSafe wirless charging | MagSafe wirless charging | MagSafe wirless charging |
| Fast-charge capable | Fast-charge capable | Fast-charge capable | Fast-charge capable |
| Video playback: Up to 22 hours* | Video playback: Up to 27 hours* | Video playback: Up to 27 hours* | Video playback: Up to 33 hours* |
| Audio playback: Up to 80 hours* | Audio playback: Up to 100 hours* | Audio playback: Up to 85 hours* | Audio playback: Up to 105 hours* |
*These figures are provided by Apple. In our experience, actual battery life can vary considerable during real-world use.
Final Thoughts
There are subtle differences that separate the four iPhone 16 variants, they all have the same powerful A18 Apple chipset, with a slight increase in performance from the added GPU core you get from the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are the perfect devices for the majority of users, with more than sufficient battery life, speed and performance and camera quality. The biggest selling point of the upgraded Pro models are the improved camera, battery life, and the convenience of the always on display.
If you're looking to buy a refurbished iPhone 16, explore our full range here.
