Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs. Apple iPhone 16

So, you are on the lookout for a shiny new iPhone? The iPhone 16 is definitely a really well-rounded system. After all, a Professional mannequin might be even higher, however except you really want the additional digital camera or the excessive refresh charge, you’re in all probability higher off sticking to one of many two vanilla fashions.

If there may be one factor Apple excels at (and it is positively a couple of 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 larger, with a much bigger show and a bigger battery pack. In any other case, the {hardware} and expertise are similar.

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

Desk of Contents:

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

Measurement comparability

Let’s handle the elephant within the room first – dimension. The 16 Plus is considerably larger 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 sensible, on condition that it has a 6.7-inch show diagonal, in comparison with 6.1 inches on the iPhone 16.

By at the moment’s normal, we’d truly name the Plus the extra “mainstream” type issue. Greater 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 no case.

The common iPhone 16 is positioned as a “compact” cellphone. It is extremely pocketable and intensely straightforward to deal with with one hand. That being stated, remember to go and take a look at each telephones in individual. We doubt that you’ll discover the iPhone 16 Plus too massive, 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 massive by trendy requirements, however positively bigger. Technically, the Plus additionally has the next show decision. Nonetheless, Apple has at all times 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 excellent blacks, excessive distinction, and punchy colours. Apple affords 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 the whole show.

The massive challenge 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 option 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 ends up in 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 Energetic Use Rating.

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

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 stated 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 whole 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, and so they’ve utilized an equal degree 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 appearing 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, in all probability attributable to having a bit extra room to work with, however the distinction is insignificant. High quality-wise, each telephones are on the identical degree of excellence.

Efficiency

Apple made a two-generation chipset bounce for the non-Professional iPhones this yr, going from the A16 to the A18. That is a fairly vital increase in energy and efficiency. Additionally it is necessary to notice that, not like final yr, the iPhone 16 fashions this yr 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 specific 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 glad 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 stated, it’s maybe value noting that presumably attributable to its larger 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 chronic stress take a look at. Nonetheless, the distinction between the 2 is just not main, and no real-world apps or video games will stress the {hardware} in such a way, making this type of a scientific focal point quite than a sensible one.

Digicam comparability

The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 have the very same digital camera setup. Yet one more level of consistency. The principle 48MP digital camera 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 nicely. The 12MP shooter has already confirmed its salt and is supplied with section detection autofocus as nicely.

The true improve is with the brand new ultrawide digital camera. It’s nonetheless a 12MP unit. Nonetheless, this yr, there’s a brighter lens with an f/2.2 aperture. Plus, in all probability better of all, there may be now section detection autofocus on the ultrawide, which permits it to double as a macro digital camera for close-ups.

A number of phrases on the brand new Digicam Management button. It is a bodily button with precise journey, nevertheless it additionally integrates a high-precision drive sensor that permits the sunshine press gesture and a capacitive sensor that enables 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 digital camera app – primarily fast controls by means of gestures. The 2-stage shutter performance is coming with a future replace.

Picture high quality

We’re two telephones with similar digital camera {hardware}, similar chipsets and ISPs and similar processing. Therefore, the photographs are similar as nicely. You may try the samples for your self. The iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 seize wonderful 12MP stills. There isn’t any query about it. The body has loads of element, and every part is clear and sharp. Dynamic vary is great, and shadows, particularly, are properly boosted and developed. Foliage and grass look very convincing.

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

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

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

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: ultrawide • principal • 2x

Apple iPhone 16: ultrawide • principal • 2x

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

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: selfie

Apple iPhone 16: selfie

Video high quality

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

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

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

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

Verdict

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

Both approach, you’re getting a superb premium cellphone. Certain, we’d have liked to see a excessive refresh charge lastly come to non-Professional iPhones and that Apple telephoto digital camera is wanting simply as cool as ever, if not cooler. Nonetheless, in the event you do not want both of these issues, you may’t go incorrect with an iPhone 16 Plus or iPhone 16.