It’s that time of the year! Applelaunched the latest iPhone 16 series devices worldwide at the Glowtime Event. The latest models are the first-ever iPhones to get Apple Intelligence and a dedicated Camera Control button. This year, the Pro model no longer shares the same display size. Instead, it comes with a bigger display and several performance upgrades. If you plan to upgrade your iPhone this year, you must be confused between the vanilla iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro. Here’s a detailed spec-based comparison of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro to help you decide.
Considering their specifications and features, there’s a massive price disparity between the iPhone 16 and the 16 Pro. The iPhone 16 is almost half a lakh cheaper than the Pro model and is ideal for those looking for an affordable iPhone, whether as a new iPhone user or upgrading from an older model.
However, if budget is no bar and you are looking for the best an iPhone offers, the 16 Pro is the one to get. It offers everything the high-end Pro Max model has but in a more manageable form factor.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Design
The iPhone 16 features an aluminium construct with the latest Ceramic Shield front and colour-infused back panel. It’s available in Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine colours. Apple has also switched to a stacked camera arrangement similar to the iPhone 11 but with a much smaller module. The iPhone 16 is 7.8mm thick and weighs 170 grams. The base iPhone model comes with an IP68 rating, which means it can survive underwater for up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
The iPhone 16 Pro retains the same design as last year’s model but is slightly bigger. Available in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium colour, the iPhone 16 Pro is made from grade 5 Titanium and features a textured matte glass back. The iPhone 16 Pro is also IP68 rated but is 8.25mm thick and weighs 199 grams.
iPhone 16 series colours
The iPhone 16 has a more refreshing design and is lighter, smaller, and thinner than the Pro variant. It will also appeal to those who prefer peppy and vibrant colours.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a more premium hand feel with its titanium build and classy colour options. However, the Pro variant is chunkier and heavier than the vanilla iPhone 16 and might not appeal to those who want a lightweight handset.
Both devices have a customisable Action Button and Camera Control button on either side.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Display
The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with an OLED panel and Dynamic Island. It offers a 2556 x 1179-pixel resolution at 460 ppi pixel density. Other features include HDR, True Tone, P3 wide colour gamut, 20,00,000:1 contrast ratio, and 2,000 nits peak brightness.
The iPhone 16 Pro features a bigger 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with an Always-On OLED panel. The screen offers 2622 x 1206-pixel resolution at 460 ppi and ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz. Other features of the display are the same as the vanilla iPhone 16.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
The iPhone 16 Pro wins here and offers a much better visual experience, thanks to the bigger always-on display and ProMotion technology offering refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Processor and Software
The iPhone 16 is powered by Apple’s latest A18 chipset, built on the second-generation 3nm fabrication process. The processor features a 6-core CPU (2 performance and four efficiency cores), 5-core GPU, and 16-core neural engine. Apple has also bumped the RAM from 6GB on the iPhone 15 to 8GB on the iPhone 16 to enable Apple Intelligence. It will come with iOS 18 out of the box.
Apple has distinguished between the vanilla and Pro models by equipping the latter with the A18 Pro chipset. It’s identical to the A18 but has a 6-core GPU. The A18 Pro offers exclusive features like a new video encoder to facilitate 120fps 4K video and cinema-quality colour grading at 120fps in Dolby Vision. The iPhone 16 Pro has 8GB RAM and up to 1TB of storage. It also comes with iOS 18 out of the box.
When it comes to performance, both iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are almost neck to neck. Moreover, both smartphones come with Apple Intelligence AI features. However, those who want an extra boost in graphic performance and cinema-grade videography will like the Pro model.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Cameras
The iPhone 16 has a dual camera system on the back with a 48MP Fusion primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The main camera offers a 26mm focal length, ƒ/1.6 aperture, sensor‑shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, and support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). It also enables 12MP 2x telephoto photography. The 12MP ultra-wide lens has ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120° field of view. The wide-angle lens can click 2x optical zoom-in and 2x optical zoom-out shots. On the front, there is a 12MP TrueDepth camera.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a Pro Camera System with a primary 48MP Fusion Camera similar to the iPhone 16. It also has a 48MP ultra-wide f/2.2 lens and a 12MP 5x telephoto lens. On the front, it has the same 12MP TrueDepth Camera for selfies.
The iPhone 16 Pro is the more advanced and versatile camera system of these two. It also offers 4K video recording at 120fps, enabling slow-motion cinematic recording and 1080p spatial video at 30 frames per second. The iPhone 16 can be a great pick if you don’t care much about zoom and cinematic slow-motion video recording.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Battery and Charging
Apple didn’t reveal the iPhone 16’s battery capacity but it is claimed to offer up to 22 hours of video playback and up to 80 hours of audio playback. The smartphone supports 20W fast charging, up to 25W MagSafe wireless charging, up to 15W Qi2 wireless charging, and up to 7.5W Qi wireless charging.
The iPhone 16 Pro offers up to 27 hours of video playback and 85 hours of audio playback. The charging speeds and standards are the same as the iPhone 16.
If you want a new iPhone with a robust battery life, the iPhone 16 Pro has a slight edge over the vanilla variant.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro: Verdict
The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are both the latest smartphones from Apple and have separate target users. Those who want an iPhone within budget with a good display, powerful performance, Apple Intelligence, great cameras, and decent battery life will be happy with the iPhone 16.
However, if you plan to game professionally on your iPhone or create professional-grade videos, the iPhone 16 Pro is for you. In the end, it boils down to the budget and requirements of the end user.
