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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 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 vs 15 screens
iPhone 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
Size6.1-inches6.1-inches6.7-inches6.7-inches
Resolution2556 x 1179 pixels2556 x 1179 pixels2796 x 1290 pixels2796 x 1290 pixels
PPI460 ppi460 ppi460 ppi460 ppi
Super Retina XDR OLED
Dynamic Island
ProMotionadaptive refresh up to 120Hz
Always-On display
Typical max brightness1000 nits max1000 nits max1000 nits max1000 nits max
HDR max brightness1600 nits max1600 nits max1600 nits max1600 nits max
Outdoor max brightness2000 nits max2000 nits max2000 nits max2000 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.

iPhone 16 vs 15 design

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

iPhone 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
Height5.81-inches (147.6 mm)5.81-inches (147.6 mm)6.33-inches
(160.9 mm)
6.33-inches
(160.9 mm)
Width2.82-inches
(71.6 mm)
2.82-inches
(71.6 mm)
3.06-inches (77.8 mm)3.06-inches (77.8 mm)
Thickness0.31-inches (7.80 mm)0.31-inches (7.80 mm)0.31-inches
(7.80 mm)
0.31-inches
(7.80 mm)
Weight6.00-ounces 
(170 grams)
6.02-ounces
(171 grams)
7.03-ounces
(199 grams)
7.09-ounces
(201 grams)
DurabilityIP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutesIP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutesIP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutesIP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes
Ceramic Shield front
Back materialColor-infused glassColor-infused glassColor-infused glassColor-infused glass
Frame/edgesAluminumAluminumAluminumAluminum

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.

iPhone 16 vs 15 performance

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 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
SoCA18A 16 BionicA18A 16 Bionic
CPU6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency
GPU5-core5-core5-core5-core
Neural Engine16-core16-core16-core16-core
RAM8GB6GB8GB6GB
Apple Intelligence support

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


  • 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
iPhone 16 vs 15 performance 2

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

iPhone 16 vs 15 comparison battery life

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

iPhone 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
Video playback22 hours20 hours27 hours26 hours
Audio playback80 hours80 hours100 hours100 hours

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

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 vs 15 comparison cameras
iPhone 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
Camera Control
Main lens48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture
Main lens sensor2 µm quad pixel2 µm quad pixel2 µm quad pixel2 µm quad pixel
Main lens focal length26 mm26 mm26 mm26 mm
Ultra Wide lens12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture12MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture12MP, 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)
StabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilization
Optical zoom0.5x, 1x, and 2x0.5x, 1x, and 2x0.5x, 1x, and 2x0.5x, 1x, and 2x
Digital zoomUp to 10xUp to 10xUp to 10xUp to 10x
FlashTrue Tone flashTrue Tone flashTrue Tone flashTrue 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 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 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
StabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilization for videoSensor-shift optical image stabilization for videoSensor-shift optical image stabilization for videoSensor-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 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
TrueDepth front camera12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture12MP, 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

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 16iPhone 15iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 15 Plus
USB-C✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps✅ – USB 2 up to 480Mbps
WiFi7676
Bluetooth5.35.35.35.3
UWB Gen 2
NFC with reader mode
Thread
CellularGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPAGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPAGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPAGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA
5GSub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMOGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPASub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMOGSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA
4GGigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAAGigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAAGigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAAGigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA
GPSGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDouGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDouGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDouGPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
Audio playbackSpatial audio/Dolby AtmosSpatial audio/Dolby AtmosSpatial audio/Dolby AtmosSpatial audio/Dolby Atmos
Video playbackHDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLGHDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLGHDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLGHDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG
SIMDual eSIM in USDual eSIM in USDual eSIM in USDual 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:

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!

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