iPhone 15 Pro vs. 16 Pro: What’s the Difference?

If you’re considering buying a new iPhone, it may be hard to know whether you should get an iPhone 16 Pro or an iPhone 15 Pro. The 16 may be newer, but the 15 is cheaper and—at first glance, at least—the phones seem nearly identical.

While the two phones are very similar, they have a few key differences. This article pits iPhone 16 vs 15 to help you make the right choice.

Overall Findings

When you compare the iPhone 16 Pro to the 15 Pro, you’ll find that many of their specs are identical or very similar. That stands to reason: the phones were released only one year apart, and year-to-year improvements are usually incremental.

Still, they have a few key differences. The iPhone 16 Pro series has some key hardware differences, including its A18 Pro processor which is 15-20% faster than the iPhone 15 Pro, its Camera Control button, and screens that are about 0.2″ inches bigger.

They also differ at the cash register: Every 16 Pro model is $100 more than the equivalent 15 Pro.

Screens: Both Are Excellent, but the iPhone 16 Pro’s Is Bigger

The screens on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are virtually identical. And that’s good news because they’re impressive. Both offer a Super Retina XDR Display with True Tone color, HDR support, ProMotion refresh for smooth scrolling, Dynamic Island, and Always-On support.

However, both iPhone 16 Pro models have screens that are 0.2 inches bigger than the equivalent 15 Pro. The 16 Pro’s screen is 6.3 inches vs. 6.1 on the 15 Pro, while the 16 Pro Max offers a 6.9-inch screen compared to the 15 Pro Max’s 6.7 inches. It’s a noticeable difference, but not a major one.

Camera: Virtually Identical Cameras with Small Video Differences

As with many aspects, the differences between the cameras on the two models are pretty small and may only matter to real enthusiasts and professionals.

Both phones offer impressive cameras on the front and back. The back cameras can take photos up to 48 megapixels, apply Portrait Lighting, capture Spatial and macro images, and record video up to 4K HD. The user-facing cameras take 12-megapixel photos and 4K HD video.

So what’s different? The 16 Pro offers up to 5x optical zoom for photos compared to the 3x zoom on the 15 Pro. The 16 Pro’s video options include support for Fusion, which combines multiple different resolutions for the best possible image, improved audio options, and Dolby Vision support on the user-facing camera.

Lastly, only the 16 Pro offers the new Camera Control button. This haptic button offers a one-touch shortcut to open the Camera app and control settings without needing to hunt and peck through a bunch of menus.

Size and Weight: The 16 Pro Is Slightly Bigger and Heavier

When it comes to their shapes, the iPhone 15 Pro is both smaller and lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro, but not by a lot.

Thanks to the 16 Pro’s larger screens, both models are slightly taller (around 0.15 inches) and slightly wider (around 0.04 inches) than the 15 Pros, but all models have the same thickness.

Not surprisingly, the 16 Pro is also heavier. The 16 Pro Max is only 0.18 ounces heavier, though the 16 Pro weighs 0.43 ounces more than the 15 Pro.

Overall, you’ll notice the height difference, but the width and weight aren’t likely to be major factors. Still, it pays to hold each model to find out how it feels in your hand.

Internals: iPhone 16 Pro Is Faster with a Longer-Lasting Battery

When considering how the phones’ hardware differs, there are two notable comparisons: processor speed and battery life. In both cases, the iPhone 16 Pro series beats out the 15, but not by a ton.

The 16 Pro series uses Apple’s latest smartphone chip, the A18 Pro, which is about 15-20% faster than the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro. That’s a nice, but not major, bump in performance; it’s unlikely that the average user will notice it for most uses.

The other internal difference that almost all users will notice is battery life. The iPhone 16 Pro series has a bigger battery than the 15 Pro and, when combined with the A18 Pro chip’s energy efficiency, the 16 Pro’s battery lasts longer than the 15 Pro’s. Again, it’s not a huge difference—maybe 10-15%—but since that can translate to hours more use before recharging, the 16 Pro has an edge here.

Other Features: Not Many Other Differences

You can look at many other minor details when comparing iPhone 16 and 15 Pros, but in most areas, the phones are the same. They both offer 4 color options (though the exact colors slightly differ), they each have the same emergency features like crash detection and satellite calls, and both can run Apple’s new AI platform, Apple Intelligence.

So, while you can find a few small differences (the 16 Pro supports the WI-Fi 7 standard, while the 15 Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E, for instance), they’re truly so small as not to matter very much.

Final Verdict: Buy the iPhone 16 Pro; It’s Worth the Extra Cost

When it comes to deciding between the iPhone 15 or 16 Pro, to us, the choice is clear: Get the 16 Pro. Sure, the two models aren’t that different, and the 16 Pro costs $100 more, but that’s our recommendation.

Here’s why: When it comes to buying a technology product, it almost always makes sense to buy the latest model. By doing that, you get the best battery life, processor, screen, and more. Keeping current means you’ll get the longest usable life out of your phone and won’t need to buy another one quite so soon. Spend the extra $100 and enjoy the iPhone 16 Pro for years to come.

Still not convinced? Buy the iPhone 15 Pro here:

iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16: Side by Side Comparison

	iPhone 15 Pro	iPhone 15 Pro Max	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro Max
Screen	6.1″ Retina Display w/ Dynamic Island	6.7″ Retina Display w/ Dynamic Island	6.3″ Retina Display w/ Dynamic Island	6.9″ Retina Display w/ Dynamic Island
Processor	A17 Pro	A17 Pro	A18 Pro	A18 Pro
Back Camera	48 megapixel, Night Mode, Flash, 3x zoom	48 megapixel, Night Mode, Flash, 3x zoom	48 megapixel, Night Mode, Flash, 5x zoom	48 megapixel, Night Mode, Flash, 5x zoom
User-Facing Camera	12 megapixel, Retina Flash, Night Mode, 4K video	12 megapixel, Retina Flash, Night Mode, 4K video	12 megapixel, Retina Flash, Night Mode, 4K video	12 megapixel, Retina Flash, Night Mode, 4K video
Video	4K HD, 1080p slo-mo	4K HD, 1080p slo-mo	4K HD, 1080p slo-mo	4K HD, 1080p slo-mo
Battery	up to 75 hours audio	up to 95 hours audio	up to 85 hours audio	up to 105 hours audio
Size	5.77″ x 2.78″ x 0.32″	6.29″ x 3.02″ x 0.32	5.89″ x 2.81″ x 0.32″	6.42″ x 3.06″ x 0.32″
Weight	6.60 ounces	7.81 ounces	7.03 ounces	7.99 ounces
Camera Control	No	No	Yes	Yes
Apple Intelligence	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Price	$899-$1,399	$1,099-$1,499	$999-$1,499	$1199-$1,599

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