iPhone 16 vs 15: Worth upgrading? Here’s what different

iPhone 16 is Apple’s newest and most capable non-pro smartphone. While the iPhone 15 is a fantastic device, iPhone 16 has gained pro features this year, separating itself from its predecessor more than usual. Read on for a detailed look at iPhone 16 vs 15 for everything new and advice on which to buy.

For a detailed comparison of the standard and pro models, check out our full guide, otherwise read on below.

• iPhone 16 vs 16 Pro: Everything different and buyer’s guide

iPhone 16 vs 15

Screens

While the iPhone 16 Pro models feature larger 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have 6.1 and 6.7-inch screens, just like the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

Screen brightness, resolution, PPI, and other display features all remain identical between iPhone 16/Plus and iPhone 15/Plus.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
Size	6.1-inches	6.1-inches	6.7-inches	6.7-inches
Resolution	2556 x 1179 pixels	2556 x 1179 pixels	2796 x 1290 pixels	2796 x 1290 pixels
PPI	460 ppi	460 ppi	460 ppi	460 ppi
Super Retina XDR OLED	✅	✅	✅	✅
Dynamic Island	✅	✅	✅	✅
ProMotion – adaptive refresh up to 120Hz	❌	❌	❌	❌
Always-On display	❌	❌	❌	❌
Typical max brightness	1000 nits max	1000 nits max	1000 nits max	1000 nits max
HDR max brightness	1600 nits max	1600 nits max	1600 nits max	1600 nits max
Outdoor max brightness	2000 nits max	2000 nits max	2000 nits max	2000 nits max
True Tone	✅	✅	✅	✅
Haptic Touch	✅	✅	✅	✅
Wide color (P3)	✅	✅	✅	✅

Size, weight, design

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus design remains almost identical to its predecessor(s), but Apple has included the new physical Camera Control button/sensor.

iPhone 16 also gets the physical Action button which was originally launched on iPhone 15 Pro. And the rear camera layout has been updated with the 16 and 16 Plus.

For size, weight, and materials, here’s iPhone 16 vs 15:

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
Height	5.81-inches (147.6 mm)	5.81-inches (147.6 mm)	6.33-inches (160.9 mm)	6.33-inches (160.9 mm)
Width	2.82-inches (71.6 mm)	2.82-inches (71.6 mm)	3.06-inches (77.8 mm)	3.06-inches (77.8 mm)
Thickness	0.31-inches (7.80 mm)	0.31-inches (7.80 mm)	0.31-inches (7.80 mm)	0.31-inches (7.80 mm)
Weight	6.00-ounces  (170 grams)	6.02-ounces (171 grams)	7.03-ounces (199 grams)	7.09-ounces (201 grams)
Durability	IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes	IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes	IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes	IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes
Ceramic Shield front	✅	✅	✅	✅
Back material	Color-infused glass	Color-infused glass	Color-infused glass	Color-infused glass
Frame/edges	Aluminum	Aluminum	Aluminum	Aluminum

Naturally, the new iPhones also come in new colors, we’ll cover that in detail below.

Performance – A18 vs A16

With iPhone 14 and 15, Apple used the latest A-series chip in the Pro models and the previous year’s chip in the standard models.

That changes this year with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus getting the new A18 chip – a jump from the A16 Bionic in iPhone 15/Plus.

With the only previous iPhones to support Apple Intelligence being the 15 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get Apple Intelligence while iPhone 15 and 15 Plus do not.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
SoC	A18	A 16 Bionic	A18	A 16 Bionic
CPU	6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency	6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency	6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency	6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency
GPU	5-core	5-core	5-core	5-core
Neural Engine	16-core	16-core	16-core	16-core
RAM	8GB	6GB	8GB	6GB
Apple Intelligence support	✅	❌	✅	❌

Both the A18 and A16 are more than powerful enough for almost everyone. But here are some stats from Apple:

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• A18 CPU is up to 30% faster than A16 Bionic
• A18 GPU is up to 40% faster than A16 Bionic
• A18 CPU uses up to 30% less power than A16 Bionic
• A18 GPU uses up to 35% less power than A16 Bionic

Also, A18 is the first chip in a non-pro iPhone to offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing. That will deliver improved gaming on iPhone 16 and 16 Plus.

We’ll update this comparison when we have real-world data on how A18 vs A16 Bionic compare directly.

Battery life

For battery life, the iPhone 16 has received a very slight improvement over the iPhone 15 devices for video playback:

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
Video playback	22 hours	20 hours	27 hours	26 hours
Audio playback	80 hours	80 hours	100 hours	100 hours

For how that compares to iPhone 15, 14, and 13, check out our full post on iPhone 16 battery life:

• iPhone 16 battery life: How much better is it?

Cameras

Rear cameras

iPhone 16/Plus come with a 48MP main rear camera like iPhone 15/Plus. New additions include the all-new Camera Control button/sensor, latest-gen Photographic Styles, and the ability to capture spatial photos and video.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
Camera Control	✅	❌	✅	❌
Main lens	48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture	48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture	48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture	48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture
Main lens sensor	2 µm quad pixel	2 µm quad pixel	2 µm quad pixel	2 µm quad pixel
Main lens focal length	26 mm	26 mm	26 mm	26 mm
Ultra Wide lens	12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture	12MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture	12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture	12MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture
Telephoto lens	❌ (but main lens can do 2x zoom)	❌ (but main lens can do 2x zoom)	❌ (but main lens can do 2x zoom)	❌ (but main lens can do 2x zoom)
Stabilization	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
Optical zoom	0.5x, 1x, and 2x	0.5x, 1x, and 2x	0.5x, 1x, and 2x	0.5x, 1x, and 2x
Digital zoom	Up to 10x	Up to 10x	Up to 10x	Up to 10x
Flash	True Tone flash	True Tone flash	True Tone flash	True Tone flash
Photonic Engine	✅	✅	✅	✅
Deep Fusion	✅	✅	✅	✅
Smart HDR 5	✅	✅	✅	✅
Next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control	✅	✅	✅	✅
Portrait Lighting with six effects	✅	✅	✅	✅
Night mode	✅	✅	✅	✅
Night mode portraits	❌	❌	❌	❌
Latest-gen Photographic Styles	✅	❌	✅	❌
Spatial photos	✅	❌	✅	❌
Macro photography	✅	❌	✅	❌
Apple ProRAW	❌	❌	❌	❌

Video recording

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
4K Dolby Vision/HDR recording	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps
1080p recording	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps
Cinematic mode	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Action mode	✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps	✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps	✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps	✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps
ProRes recording	❌	❌	❌	❌
Log video recording	❌	❌	❌	❌
Macro video recording	✅	❌	✅	❌
Spatial video recording	✅ – at 1080p at 30 fps	❌	✅ – at 1080p at 30 fps	❌
Slo-mo recording	✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
Time-lapse with stabilization	✅	✅	✅	✅
Night mode Time-lapse	✅	✅	✅	✅
QuickTake video	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision
Stabilization	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video	Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video
Cinematic video stabilization	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p
Audio zoom	✅	✅	✅	✅
Stereo recording	✅	✅	✅	✅
True tone flash	✅	✅	✅	✅
Wind noise reduction	✅	❌	✅	❌
Audio Mix	✅	❌	✅	❌
Continuous autofocus video	✅	✅	✅	✅
Playback zoom	✅	✅	✅	✅

Selfie camera

Apple’s TrueDepth front camera on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus gets the latest gen Photographic Styles and support to record spatial audio.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
TrueDepth front camera	12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture	12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture	12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture	12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture
Autofocus with Focus Pixels	✅	✅	✅	✅
Retina Flash	✅	✅	✅	✅
Photonic Engine	✅	✅	✅	✅
Deep Fusion	✅	✅	✅	✅
Smart HDR 5 for photos	✅	✅	✅	✅
Next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control	✅	✅	✅	✅
Portrait Lighting with six effects	✅	✅	✅	✅
Animoji and Memoji	✅	✅	✅	✅
Night mode	✅	✅	✅	✅
Night mode time-lapse	✅	✅	✅	✅
Latest-gen Photographic Styles	✅	❌	✅	❌
Lens correction	✅	✅	✅	✅
Auto image stabilization	✅	✅	✅	✅
Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos	✅	✅	✅	✅
4K Dolby Vision/HDR recording	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps
1080p recording	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps	✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps
Cinematic mode	✅ – up to 4K Dolby Vision HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K Dolby Vision HDR at 30 fps	✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Apple ProRAW	❌	❌	❌	❌
ProRes recording	❌	❌	❌	❌
Log video recording	❌	❌	❌	❌
Slo-mo recording	✅ –1080p at 120 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps	✅ –1080p at 120 fps
QuickTake video	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision	✅	✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision	✅
Cinematic video stabilization	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p	✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p
Spatial Audio and stereo recording	✅	❌	✅	❌

iPhone 16 vs 15 I/O

After the big switch to USB-C with the iPhone 15 lineup, iPhone 16 devices don’t bring as much of a shift with I/O.

The biggest I/O update may be the new Camera Control, but there are some other upgrades like WiFi 7 support, MagSafe supporting up to 25W or wireless power, Thread, and more.

iPhone 16 uses the slower USB 2 like the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 15	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 15 Plus
USB-C	✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps	✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps	✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps	✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps
WiFi	7	6	7	6
Bluetooth	5.3	5.3	5.3	5.3
UWB Gen 2	✅	✅	✅	✅
NFC with reader mode	✅	✅	✅	✅
Thread	✅	❌	✅	❌
Cellular	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA
5G	Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA	Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO	GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA
4G	Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA	Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA	Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA	Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Audio playback	Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos	Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos	Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos	Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos
Video playback	HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG	HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG	HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG	HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG
SIM	Dual eSIM in US	Dual eSIM in US	Dual eSIM in US	Dual eSIM in US
MagSafe	✅ with 25W charging	✅ with 15W charging	✅ with 25W charging	✅ with 15W charging
Qi and Qi2	✅	✅	✅	✅

iPhone 16 colors

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus come in these five colors:

• Black
• White
• Pink
• Teal
• Ultramarine

Storage and pricing

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus come in these storage options:

• 128GB – $799 / $899
• 256GB – $899 / $999
• 512GB – $1,099 / $1,199

What’s in the box?

All of the iPhone 16 devices just come with the iPhone and a USB-C cable in the box.

If you need a power adapter, go with at least a 20W so you get fast charging for your iPhone. Good options include:

• Anker 20W Nano Pro (super compact)
• Nomad 20W power adapter (black finish and compact)
• Apple’s official 20W adapter

iPhone 16 vs 15: Which should you buy?

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are powerful and capable devices, but which one is best for you will come down to how you want to use your iPhone and what features you value.

Reasons to buy iPhone 16 or 16 Plus

• Camera Control button/sensor
• Action button
• Apple Intelligence support
• Faster A18 chip
• Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
• WiFi 7 and Thread

Reasons to keep or buy iPhone 15 or earlier

• If the 6 features above aren’t a big deal, save your money and grab the iPhone 15 which includes most of the other features (or keep your older iPhone 😁).
• You could also consider grabbing an iPhone 15 Pro if you’d like Apple Intelligence support but don’t want/need the latest 16/16 Pro features like Camera Control.

You can pre-order iPhone 16 and 16 Plus from 9/13 from Apple, your carrier, and more.

What are you planning to do? Upgrade? Keep your current iPhone? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading our guide on iPhone 16 vs 15!