The iPhone 16 Pro features a larger 6.3-inch display, advanced A18 Pro chip with 8GB RAM, titanium design, and superior camera system with 5x telephoto zoom, while the iPhone 16 offers a smaller 6.1-inch screen, standard A18 chip with 8GB RAM, aluminum frame, and dual camera setup. The Pro model targets professional users and power users willing to pay 30% more.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Apple's standard flagship smartphone with A18 chip, dual camera, and 6.1-inch display
Apple's 2024 pro-grade flagship with A18 Pro, 120Hz display, and advanced camera system
Display Size & Tech. Processor & RAM. Main Camera Sensor. Telephoto Capability. Design Material. Base Price (USD). Battery Life
Choose iPhone 16 if you prioritize value and want a flagship phone with modern performance, excellent cameras, and solid battery life at a reasonable price point. Choose iPhone 16 Pro if you need professional-grade optics with 5x optical zoom, the faster A18 Pro processor, titanium durability, and a 120Hz display — and can justify the $200 premium.
iPhone 16: 128, 256, 512 GB | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 12 MP | iPhone 16 Pro: 12MP (120°)
iPhone 16: Standard | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: iOS 26.4 (March 2026) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 6+ years | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: A18 (2024 generation) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 120Hz LTPO OLED | iPhone 16 Pro: 120 (ProMotion)
iPhone 16: Slow, heavily polished, selective rollout | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: Computational photography focus (Photonic Engine) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: Restricted (limited default app changes, closed file system) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: A18 - 3,460 points | iPhone 16 Pro: ~3,100
iPhone 16: A18 - 8,437 points | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 1/1.56-inch (48MP) | iPhone 16 Pro: 1/1.27" (larger)
iPhone 16: 67% (via Photonic Engine) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 6.1 inches | iPhone 16 Pro: 6.3
iPhone 16: 60Hz fixed | iPhone 16 Pro: 1-120Hz ProMotion
iPhone 16: 48MP f/1.6 aperture | iPhone 16 Pro: 48MP with f/1.8 aperture
iPhone 16: Digital only | iPhone 16 Pro: 3x optical
iPhone 16: 4K at 60fps | iPhone 16 Pro: 4K at 120fps
iPhone 16: Aluminum | iPhone 16 Pro: Grade 5 titanium
iPhone 16: f/1.6 | iPhone 16 Pro: f/1.78
iPhone 16: 2x digital | iPhone 16 Pro: 5x optical
iPhone 16: 20 hours | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: Aluminum (standard) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 16 cores with Apple Intelligence | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 3000 nits | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 48MP f/1.6 aperture | iPhone 16 Pro: 48MP
iPhone 16: 1,239,000 | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 25W with MagSafe | iPhone 16 Pro: 45W
iPhone 16: Apple A18 | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 40% faster | iPhone 16 Pro: Baseline (A18 Pro)
iPhone 16: 48MP with OIS | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: None (2x digital max) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 20 hours | iPhone 16 Pro: ~33 hours
iPhone 16: 6 meters (IP69) | iPhone 16 Pro: IP69 (6m for 30 mins)
iPhone 16: Full support (Genmoji, Visual Intelligence, Writing Tools) | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 3,389,627 | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 3,582 mAh | iPhone 16 Pro: 3,582 mAh
iPhone 16: 4K 120fps | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 12 years (through 2036) | iPhone 16 Pro: 7 years
iPhone 16: A18 (30% faster CPU) | iPhone 16 Pro: Apple A18 Pro
iPhone 16: 27 hours | iPhone 16 Pro: Up to 27 hours
iPhone 16: Autofocus enabled | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: Apple Intelligence with on-device processing | iPhone 16 Pro: N/A
iPhone 16: 5-core GPU | iPhone 16 Pro: 6-core GPU
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: OLED Super Retina XDR, ProMotion 120Hz, Always-On
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Apple A18 Pro (3nm)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 48 MP, f/1.78, OIS, sensor-shift
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 5× optical (12 MP, 120mm eq.)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Titanium frame, textured matte glass back, Ceramic Shield front
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: USB-C (USB 3), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, Thread, UWB, MagSafe
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 27W peak
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 48 MP f/1.78
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: $759 (Certified Refurb)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: IP68 (6 m, 30 min)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 6.3 inches
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 5x optical
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 3,000 nits
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: ~45 minutes (45W)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 7 years guaranteed
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Baseline
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 4K 60fps
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Baseline A18 Pro
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 4K at 120fps, ProRes
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 12x dual telephoto system
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Grade 5 Titanium
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Apple A18 Pro
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 30% faster
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 3x (with improved processing)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 27 hours
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 3x optical zoom
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 2000 nits
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 5x + 12x (dual periscope)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 2,000 nits (HDR)
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: 12MP 5x optical
iPhone 16: N/A | iPhone 16 Pro: Standard baseline
How to choose between iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro. Contains 119 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro.
Is the iPhone 16 Pro's camera significantly better than iPhone 16?
Yes, but the difference depends on use case. The Pro's 5x optical telephoto is a major upgrade for distant subjects — standard iPhone 16 only has 2x digital zoom. The Pro also has optical image stabilization (OIS) on the main sensor and a dedicated 12MP macro telephoto (f/2.8). For everyday photos and videos, the iPhone 16's 48MP f/1.6 main camera is excellent. For professional or zoom-heavy photography, Pro is substantially better.
Does the 120Hz ProMotion display make a real difference?
Yes, most users notice smoother scrolling and gaming immediately on 120Hz displays. The Pro's adaptive 1-120Hz ProMotion is more efficient than fixed 120Hz, so the battery impact is minimal. However, if you're upgrading from an older iPhone (like iPhone 14 or earlier), the jump to 60Hz on iPhone 16 will feel less noticeable than jumping to 120Hz Pro. For daily use, 60Hz is adequate; 120Hz is a convenience upgrade, not essential.
Is titanium really better than aluminum for durability?
Yes. Grade 5 titanium is 40% stronger and 25% lighter than aluminum, and resists micro-scratching better. However, both are protected by Ceramic Shield glass, so most damage comes from drops and impacts. Titanium's main advantage is durability over years of daily use — it resists dents better. Both require cases for full protection; the difference is long-term resilience, not immediate impact resistance.
Which iPhone 16 model has better battery life?
Both claim similar all-day battery life (up to 16-17 hours video playback). The Pro's larger battery slightly offsets its more power-hungry 120Hz display. In real-world testing, the difference is negligible — perhaps 30 minutes over a full day. Battery life depends more on usage patterns (screen brightness, apps running) than the model choice.
Should I upgrade from iPhone 15 to iPhone 16 or 16 Pro?
iPhone 15 to iPhone 16 is a modest upgrade (A18 offers 15% CPU boost, better camera with 48MP sensor). iPhone 15 to 16 Pro justifies the extra cost if you value the 5x optical zoom, ProMotion display, and faster A18 Pro. If you're a casual user with iPhone 15, standard iPhone 16 is sufficient. If you're a photographer/videographer or need zoom capabilities, Pro is worth the $200 difference.
How to Choose Between iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro
Display Size & Tech: iPhone 16 has 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR, while iPhone 16 Pro has 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR with ProMotion.
Processor & RAM: iPhone 16 has A18 chip with 8GB RAM, while iPhone 16 Pro has A18 Pro chip with 8GB RAM.
Main Camera Sensor: iPhone 16 has 48MP f/1.6 with no OIS, while iPhone 16 Pro has 48MP f/1.78 with OIS.
Telephoto Capability: iPhone 16 has 2x digital zoom only, while iPhone 16 Pro has 5x optical + 12x digital zoom.
Design Material: iPhone 16 has Aluminum frame, while iPhone 16 Pro has Grade 5 Titanium frame.
Base Price (USD): iPhone 16 has $799, while iPhone 16 Pro has $999.
Battery Life: iPhone 16 has Up to 16 hours video playback, while iPhone 16 Pro has Up to 17 hours video playback.