iPhone 16 (Plus) review: (almost) as good as the iPhone 15 Pro

Were you planning to buy an iPhone 15 Pro? Then you might also consider the iPhone 16 (Plus) – read our review to find out what we think of the new iPhone!

iPhone 16 (Plus) review

On September 9, Apple presented the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus during the ‘It’s Glowtime’ event. The new top models iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max also appeared during this keynote. However, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have taken a bigger step compared to their predecessors than the new Pro models.

Size and screen

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are still the same size as their counterparts from the 15 series, namely 6.1 and 6.7 inches. In terms of dimensions, there are no differences to be found and in terms of weight, there is only a gram difference. This is in contrast to the iPhone 16 Pro models, which are both larger and heavier than their predecessors. However, the new iPhone is slightly less stable on the table. This is because the camera island has become narrower and is therefore located a bit more on the edge.

Given that the weight and dimensions have remained the same, it is obvious that the new iPhones are made of the same material, namely glass and aluminum. The Ceramic Shield glass on the front is of a new generation and therefore stronger, but otherwise there are no differences. The size, the resolution (1179 x 2556 pixels and 1290 x 2796 pixels) and the pixel density (460 ppi) have all remained the same. That was already fine on the iPhone 15 (Plus) and that applies to the new iPhones as well. In our opinion, the iPhone 16 (Plus) has a beautiful screen.

The iPhone 16 (Plus) unfortunately still doesn’t have an always-on screen, something the Pro models do have. That’s a shame, but Apple has saved a ProMotion screen with always-on for the iPhone 17 (Plus). Such a screen can reduce the refresh rate if there is room for it, so that displaying certain information that doesn’t change quickly hardly costs any extra energy. For example, you can always see the date and time on the screen at a glance, without having to tap it first. The always-on screen would have really completed the iPhone 16 (Plus) in our opinion.

Chip and memory

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus no longer have an A17 chip and 6 GB of RAM like their predecessors. The iPhones have received a major upgrade. Both new devices have an A18 chip and no less than 8 GB of RAM. The main reason for this is that Apple wants to make the iPhones suitable for Apple Intelligence in this way. Whether this actually works well in practice, we unfortunately cannot yet test.

It will come as no surprise that both iPhone 16 devices are blazing fast. Everything works extremely smoothly and in that respect there is nothing left to be desired. But that is actually how we experience the two iPhone 15 devices. We only notice a difference when we really start performing many tasks at the same time, something that the average user will probably do very little in practice. As far as we are concerned, 6 GB is sufficient, but apparently Apple Intelligence requires more working memory.

In terms of storage space, there are no innovations. You can still choose from 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB. For us, that was more than enough, especially in combination with an iCloud Plus subscription. If you need more, it is probably because you record a lot of videos. There is a good chance that you will already choose a Pro model for that reason, which also gives you more storage space.

Action button

We know the action button from the iPhone 15 Pro models and it is now also available on the iPhone 16 (Plus). This action button has replaced the silent switch. You can still use the button as a silent switch, but you can also assign other actions to it. Unlike the ‘old’ silent switch, you have to press the action button and not switch it. We noticed that unintentional activation happened a little more often because of this, but that was not annoying. To perform the action, you have to press the button for a longer period of time.

You can use the action button to activate a Focus, or turn on the flashlight. But you can also use it to launch Shazam to identify a song. Other options include opening the magnifying glass or the Translate app to quickly translate text. In any case, it is useful that you can choose from a whole range of different functions. That is a big advantage in our opinion, because we noticed that we use the button much more often than the mute-knob.

Cameras and camera controller

The iPhone 16 (Plus) cameras haven’t changed much, but they have changed a little. The lenses are now vertical rather than diagonal, with the flash outside the camera island (which is why cases now have an extra hole). This allows you to shoot Spatial videos that you can view with a Visio Pro.

It also has a disadvantage in our opinion: with the iPhone 15 (Plus) you only use the top camera when you are shooting at 0.5x or less. You then have to be most careful not to keep your own fingers in the frame. If you are shooting at 1x or higher (which is more often the case in practice), then you use the bottom camera and you hardly have that problem. With the iPhone 16 (Plus) the most used camera is also high up, which means that you have to pay much more attention to where you keep your fingers.

The ultra-wide camera has a slightly larger aperture (f/2.2 vs. f/2.4), which is beneficial in poor lighting conditions. You can now also do macro photography for the first time on a regular iPhone. Until now, this was reserved for the Pro models. This mode is very useful in practice. It is automatically activated as soon as you hold the camera close to a subject, which you can see from the icon with a flower in a yellow ball.

Furthermore, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have the new camera control, below the lock button. This allows you to open the Camera app with one press of the button. If you press it again, you can take a photo immediately. However, if you press it gently (so not all the way), the zoom control is opened by default. You can then zoom in and out by swiping left or right over the button. Although this is useful in principle, it takes some getting used to in practice. It takes a while before we got the hang of the controls. The idea is that you no longer have to touch the screen to take a photo. Apart from that, it doesn’t really add any new functions.

Battery

The iPhone 16 has a 3,561 mAh battery, up 6.3 percent from its predecessor (3,349 mAh), while the iPhone 16 Plus has a 4,674 mAh battery, up 6.6 percent from 4,383 mAh. Apple says the iPhone 16 can last up to 22 hours of video playback, up to 18 hours of video streaming, or up to 80 hours of audio playback on a full charge, compared to the iPhone 16 Plus’s ratings of up to 27 hours, up to 24 hours, and up to 100 hours.

In practice, the battery life is definitely fine and everyone will get through the day with it. Many people probably even a lot longer. In addition, you charge the battery of the iPhone 16 much faster. The device supports up to 45 W wired fast charging via the USB-C connection. In comparison: the iPhone 15 models are stuck at 27-29 W. Of course, you need a charger that is powerful enough. A nice addition, because we only needed a little time to charge the iPhone 16.

To colour

The new colours of the iPhone 16 (Plus) are one of the most striking features. Especially the colours ultramarine and pink, which are really quite bright. As you can see in the pictures, we have the Pink iPhone 16 (Plus) here and it really looks like a candy cane in terms of colour. The case that we got with it makes it even worse! If you don’t like that, you can also opt for the less striking colours blue-green, white and black.

Conclusion

The new iPhone is without a doubt a top device and therefore gets an 8.5 from us! The iPhone 16 (Plus) and the iPhone 15 (Plus) look very similar with the exception of the colours, the action button and the camera control. The action button is especially useful if you do not need a silent switch. You can then assign it a function that you do use. The camera control may be useful once you get used to it, but it does not really add any new functions. In addition, with the narrow camera island you have to be more careful not to photograph your own fingers.

Most of the improvements are on the inside. The faster chip and the expansion of the working memory make the device faster, but in practice you will hardly notice any difference with its predecessor. When Apple Intelligence becomes available in the Netherlands, its usefulness will probably become clearer. The improved battery life compared to its predecessor is also something that most people will not immediately notice in practice. It is an improvement of something that was already quite good and especially useful if you are on the road a lot. What you will immediately notice are the new ultra-wide-angle camera, the macro mode and the faster charging (provided you have a suitable charger).

When you compare the iPhone 16 to the iPhone 15 Pro, you will see that many features are the same. Of course, you miss the zoom lens with a 3x optical zoom (5x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max) and you do not have an always-on display. But maybe a bright color, faster charging, and longer battery life are more important to you, and the new iPhone is therefore a better fit. In addition, you pay a lot less for the iPhone 16, but get almost the same features. That makes the iPhone 16 (almost) as good as the iPhone 15 Pro.

Buy iPhone 16 (Plus)

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are available with a storage capacity of 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB. The lowest price in our iPhone 16 price comparison is € 949, -. In addition, the device is of course also available in combination with a subscription. Check the subscriptions tab below for the lowest monthly prices or the iPhone 16 subscription comparison for all deals.

The iPhone 16 Plus is available from € 1,119, – in our price comparison. Check the best iPhone 16 Plus deals below.

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