Apple iPhone 16 Plus review: Better than the Pro?

The iPhone 16 Plus represents a significant leap in design and functionality, offering one of the most similar experiences to its premium counterpart, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, in years.

With a high-quality 6.7-inch display, it brings a large-screen experience without the added weight or cost of the Pro Max. Notable design changes include the introduction of the Action Button, a feature that was previously exclusive to the Pro models, and the new Camera Control button, which transforms the photography experience by allowing real-time customisation of zoom, exposure, and more.

While the iPhone 16 Plus doesn’t carry the Pro Max’s 120Hz display or telephoto lens, it’s the closest Apple has come to narrowing the gap between its standard and Pro models. This iteration of the Plus offers the same 48Mp Fusion main camera and advanced image processing, making it an excellent choice for users who want the latest features but don’t need the full power of the Pro Max.

From the updated design or the impressive A18 chipset, the iPhone 16 Plus delivers an experience that feels much closer to Apple’s high-end offerings than ever before.

Design & Build

• Vibrant colours make a comeback
• 199g – one of the lighter big iPhones
• Action Button and Camera Control both useful

The iPhone 16 Plus keeps to Apple’s sleek design language while refining some key aspects.

With flat edges, the design is clean and modern, and very much in line with Apple’s minimalist approach. Overall, the design manages to stand out in a market where many phones start to look the same. You’ll notice that the camera design has reverted to the vertical pill style from the iPhone X, replacing the camera bump with diagonal lenses.

Apple decided to make this year’s device lighter – down from 201g on the iPhone 15 Plus to 199g here. It’s a minor but notable change that makes handling the 6.7-inch device much more comfortable, especially over extended use. Ergonomically, it feels well-balanced, even though it’s still a two-handed phone due to the screen size.

The Action Button, a feature first introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro, has now made its way to the iPhone 16 Plus.

This button replaces the old mute switch, offering more customisability. You can assign it to various tasks, from launching the camera to activating shortcuts, making it a versatile addition for users who crave a bit more personal control over their phone’s hardware. Whether you want it to unlock your Tesla or access your music playlists quickly, it’s a feature that integrates well into daily workflows.

One new addition I appreciate is the Camera Control button, which Apple insists isn’t quite a button – but it is. It sits recessed, offering gesture control and a quick launch to the camera, much like the Action button introduced last year. The button provides tactile feedback using Apple’s Taptic Engine, ensuring that each interaction is precise and responsive, enhancing its usability when held in landscape mode.

With flat edges, the design is clean and modern, very much in line with Apple’s minimalist approach.

I’ll talk more about the Camera Control later, but can share some early thoughts now. While I found the Camera Control useful for photography, it sometimes competes with the Action button for relevance. Apple may need to rethink the function of the older Action button in future iterations, as it feels underused compared to this newer control.

From a colour perspective, the Ultramarine variant stands out, and is my personal favourite. However, I bought the device in Pink at the request of my other half.

Whichever you decide to go for, you’ll notice a depth of colour, with lighter tones contrasting against the glossy camera bump and adding a premium feel to the device. The Pink and Teal variants also provide vibrant choices, offering a rich visual experience that doesn’t feel overdone.

Screen & Speakers

• Bright 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
• Still no 120Hz refresh rate
• Stereo speakers provide clear, loud sound with decent bass

The iPhone 16 Plus maintains its 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2796 x 1290 pixels, delivering a crisp, bright, and immersive experience. This display shines in most scenarios, from gaming to watching movies, and handles everyday tasks with aplomb.

However, the lack of ‘ProMotion’ high refresh rate is perhaps the most notable difference from its pricier siblings, and very frustrating in 2024. The 60Hz refresh rate feels dated compared to other flagship models that offer smoother scrolling and animations.

This omission is felt most while playing games or switching between apps, where a 120Hz display would make things feel more fluid. That said, the iPhone 16 Plus still provides a sharp, colour-accurate visual experience, but users upgrading from recent Pro models may notice the difference.

However, the screen can reach impressive levels of brightness, making it usable in direct sunlight or brightly lit rooms. According to Apple, the screen can reach up to 1000 nits typically, with 1600 nits for HDR content and 2000 nits in peak brightness, meaning it is more than capable of handling harsh lighting conditions.

With 2000 nits peak brightness outdoors and a new 1 nit low setting for nighttime use, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best displays on the market. The new low brightness comes in particularly handy when using my phone in bed at night.

However, the 1 nit support still doesn’t allow the Always-on display to make an appearance, so you can’t quickly check notifications, time, or other widgets without fully unlocking the phone. However, it can dim intelligently to save power when not in use.

The iPhone 16 Plus’ lack of 120Hz ProMotion is perhaps the most notable difference from its pricier siblings, and very frustrating in 2024

The Dynamic Island feature continues to impress, especially with more apps integrating its functionality in iOS 18. It’s particularly useful for managing notifications, live activities, and certain app functions without taking up significant screen real estate.

From tracking your Uber to managing notifications for sports scores or flight information, Dynamic Island provides a functional, less obtrusive way to keep updated.

Then we get to the stereo speakers, with audio coming from the top speaker and bottom speakers. While not dramatically improved from the previous model, the iPhone 16 Plus still offers loud, crisp sound with decent bass. For a phone this size, it’s a surprisingly capable audio device.

Specs & Performance

• Powered by the A18 Bionic chipset – which outperforms most Android devices
• Great for gaming and multitasking
• 8GB RAM is a significant boost from the previous generation

The iPhone 16 Plus is powered by the latest A18 Bionic chipset, Apple’s most advanced mobile processor to date. This 6-core CPU is made up of two performance cores and four efficiency cores, working in tandem to deliver exceptional multitasking performance.

Whether you’re browsing multiple apps, editing photos or videos, or engaging in AAA mobile gaming, the iPhone 16 Plus handles it all without a hitch. The 5-core GPU ensures buttery-smooth graphics performance in demanding games like Asphalt 9 or simpler titles like Plants vs. Zombies.

The upgrade to 8GB of RAM – a notable increase compared to 6GB on the iPhone 15 Plus – ensures the device can handle intensive tasks without slowing down. Apps load faster, multitasking is seamless, and you can work with more apps open simultaneously without noticing any slowdowns. This amount of RAM is particularly advantageous for heavy users who switch between multiple apps or games regularly.

Performance-wise, it’s hard to fault the iPhone 16 Plus for any slowdown or lag, even during the most intensive tasks. Whether you’re streaming 4K video, playing demanding games, or editing high-resolution images, the phone delivers consistent, top-tier performance.

In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. While it offers stronger memory performance with its 12GB of RAM, it falls behind in raw CPU power and efficiency compared to the iPhone. The Pixel 9 is powered by Google’s latest Tensor G4 chip, which delivers even lower performance due to Google’s focus on AI and machine learning tasks rather than brute performance.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus benchmarks

In terms of benchmarks, the A18 chipset has proven itself as a powerhouse. In Geekbench tests, the iPhone 16 Plus achieved a single-core score of 3377 and a multi-core score of 8371, outperforming comparable flagship Android smartphones like the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S24+, which struggle to match this level of performance.

For example, the Galaxy S24+ managed a single-core score of around 2036 and a multi-core score of 6018. Elsewhere, the Pixel 9, powered by Google’s latest Tensor G3 chip, achieved a single-core score of 1712 and a multi-core score of 3920.

I was impressed with how snappy and responsive everything felt, from multitasking to gaming and watching content. It takes an awful lot of multitasking or heavy usage to cause this device to freeze up, slow down, or even begin to drop frames.

Performance-wise, it’s hard to fault the iPhone 16 Plus for any slowdown or lag, even during the most intensive tasks

Cameras

• 48Mp main camera delivers versatile performance
• 12Mp ultra-wide lens offers improved macro shots
• 4K 60fps video recording, plus new AI audio features

The iPhone 16 Plus embodies Apple’s focus on photography with its 48Mp ‘Fusion’ main camera, which offers dynamic adjustments through the new Camera Control feature. This allows you to fine-tune zoom, exposure, and photographic styles directly while shooting.

Apple has upgraded the sensor behind the main camera, enabling faster autofocus and improved low-light performance. Even in challenging lighting conditions, the iPhone 16 Plus captures impressive detail without oversaturating colours or introducing noise.

The ultrawide camera is still stuck at 12Mp, unlike the upgraded 48Mp version on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. So you’re getting the same ultrawide performance as the past few years. It’s reliable and the photos look great overall. But when you start to zoom in, sharpness starts to drop and details can become fuzzy.

As you might know, the ultrawide lens doubles as a macro camera, making it ideal for close-up shots. With iPhone 16 Plus, Apple changed things up a little improving low-light performance dramatically compared to the iPhone 15 Plus. This gives users the ability to shoot in various environments without sacrificing clarity.

You’ve got plenty of other modes to pick from as well. Portrait shots come out looking exceptionally natural and sharp, with detail and sharpness being retained even when you zoom in. This is true for both the rear camera and selfie snapper. The night mode is downright exceptional, with the image processing usually opting for more realistic colour in substitution for extra sharpness.

If you’re hoping to just point and shoot your photos, the iPhone’s camera app is arguably the best for this. And with faster apertures on all of the cameras, taking shots is quicker than ever – something you can really notice if you’re trying to capture something that’s moving or want to take lots of back-to-back snaps.

Apple has upgraded the sensor behind the main camera, enabling faster autofocus and improved low-light performance

One of the most exciting additions is the Camera Control button. This touch-sensitive control lets you access various camera modes with gestures. While it took some getting used to, I found it incredibly useful when shooting on the go – especially when I was out and about or only had one hand free. You can adjust zoom and depth of field, or even switch lenses, without ever tapping the screen.

Of course, you can still do all this from the screen. And when you’re taking photos ordinarily, it might actually be easier to not use Camera Control. My other big gripe with this is that when the phone is switched off, you’ll have to press the button twice to launch the camera. Pressing it once will switch your device on first.

Visual Intelligence looks compelling as a Google Lens alternative, but this isn’t available at the time of writing (even on the beta software I was running).

Video recording sees a notable upgrade with 4K at 60fps in Dolby Vision, bringing cinematic-quality filming to everyday users. The iPhone 16 Plus also introduces the ability to slow down videos post-capture, letting you achieve smooth slow-motion effects without having to switch camera modes. This feature is fast and easily accessible within the Photos app, making it a great tool for content creators.

Apple has even introduced AI-powered Audio Mix tools, which are especially useful when editing on the fly. Whether I was editing clips for social media or more professional use, the mix of cinematic video and studio-quality audio tools made the iPhone 16 Plus a better video recorder than ever before.

In fact, these features are almost identical to the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The noise reduction doesn’t work quite as well as I’d have hoped, but it’s definitely better than not being there at all.

Battery Life & Charging

• Long-lasting battery life of 14-16 hours with typical use
• 50% charge in 30 minutes with fast-charging
• Faster MagSafe charging and Qi2 support

The iPhone 16 Plus is strong when it comes to battery life. While it doesn’t take the crown for the longest-lasting iPhone (that honour goes to the iPhone 16 Pro Max), the iPhone 16 Plus easily delivers over 16 hours of battery life during general use.

This includes tasks like browsing the web, streaming videos, FaceTiming, and engaging in light gaming. More demanding tasks, such as prolonged gaming or extensive camera use, will cause the battery to drain faster, but it still comfortably lasts through a full day on a single charge. In fact, when trying to run down the battery to test the charging speeds, I actually found it difficult to get this phone to 0%.

Of course, Apple won’t tell us the exact mAh figure of the battery, though GSMArena estimates it to be 4675mAh. However, the brand does claim that this is the biggest battery ever seen in this iPhone model. So far, that seems true, and my results line up with Apple’s estimates.

This all-day battery performance is primarily due to the power efficiency of the A18 Bionic chip, which optimises power consumption during less demanding tasks. Whether I was streaming video, using GPS for navigation, or taking photos throughout the day, the phone easily made it to the evening with battery to spare.

The USB-C charging port is a welcome change, supporting 20W fast charging. This allows the device to charge from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes when paired with the right adapter, making it convenient for quick top-ups during the day.

Apple has also enhanced MagSafe charging, which is now faster than ever before. Apple claims the phone can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W charger, which is impressive for a battery of this size. In my testing, it beat that, getting from 0-50% in 28 minutes. Also, this year the USB-C port has been bumped up to Thunderbolt 4, enabling faster data transfer.

It also supports Qi2 wireless charging, making it future-proofed as more third-party charging pads adopt this new standard. Though USB-C is now standard for charging, the iPhone 16 Pro Max can also be used to charge other devices, like AirPods or an Apple Watch, through reverse wireless charging.

The iPhone 16 Plus is strong contender when it comes to battery life, easily delivering over 16 hours of battery life during general use

Software & Apps

• Apple Intelligence shows huge potential but isn’t available at launch
• New iOS 18 features like Math Notes and AI Writing Tools are useful
• Impressive seven years of software support

The iPhone 16 Plus ships with iOS 18 out of the box. And while Apple is leaning heavily into AI with its Apple Intelligence features, you don’t get these out of the box.

The first of these be coming in iOS 18.1 – software that’s currently available for the public to download in beta ahead of an October launch. However, many of the most anticipated AI features won’t be fully available until future updates even further down the line, making the software experience feel like it’s in transition.

For this review, I did install the iOS 18.1 beta to test Apple Intelligence, as anyone can do the same. Ordinarily, I’d say you can’t review what’s not on the device. But, since anybody can technically get Apple Intelligence, I will include it in the review.

The advertisement of Apple Intelligence but exclusion of the features out of the box is disappointing to see from Apple.

Just note that you won’t get any Apple Intelligence features out of the box, while only the features I mentioned below are confirmed for an October release. Rumours suggest the rest of the features should have finished rolling out by February/March next year, but Apple has not confirmed this.

The advertisement of Apple Intelligence but exclusion of the features out of the box is disappointing to see from Apple. The company is known for releasing features a little later than the competition, but often does things even better than rivals. Apple Intelligence is hailed as the iPhone 16 line-up’s core feature, but it’s not here yet, which makes the marketing feel disjointed.

For example, in the Apple store, demo iPhone 16 models show the new Siri UI in promotional reels. But if you actually use Siri, the old interface appears. Things feel rushed, and that’s not like Apple.

Siri has received a significant overhaul, becoming more responsive and conversational. In beta, the new design takes over the entire screen when activated, providing a more immersive experience.

Siri is now better at handling multi-step requests and retaining context between interactions, which makes it feel more like a true assistant rather than just a voice command system. This context will get even deeper in later updates, which will also include ChatGPT integration.

Elsewhere, writing tools within apps like Mail and Messages use AI to help improve the tone and clarity of your writing, offering suggestions on making your text more professional or concise.

You also get notification summaries, which pick the key points out of notifications from any app so you don’t have to read the full thing. These work surprisingly well, and might be the best implementation of AI on a phone. There’s also a ‘Reduced Interruptions’ focus mode, which restricts notifications to only the ones Apple thinks are most important.

Features like Genmoji, the Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, and the full Siri upgrade are unavailable. But there’s plenty new in iOS 18 beyond Apple Intelligence.

iOS 18 introduces useful features like Math Notes, which lets you solve equations directly in the Notes app by writing them out. There’s also the ability to further customise your app icons, including the option to leave blank spaces in your home screen’s app grid for more personalized layouts, something iPhone users have been asking for.

Apple doesn’t explicitly say how long the iPhone 16 Plus will be supported for, but if previous models are anything to go by, it’ll probably continue receiving updates for at least seven full years. That matches the very best on any Android phone, and might even be extended when we get closer to the time.

Price & Availability

The 16 Plus is the second cheapest phone in Apple’s iPhone 16 range. Since it offers more Pro-level features than ever and delivers longer battery, it’s very good value for money.

Starting at £899/$899 for the base model with 128GB of storage, it’s the same price as last year’s 15 Plus, but with added features. The 256GB version costs £999/$999, while you’ll pay £1,099/$1,099 for 1TB of storage (which is the same price as the 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max).

The phones are available outright from Apple UK and Apple US, but also via a range of third-party retailers such as Amazon. See the full range of options in our guide on where to buy the iPhone 16 series.

That article includes contract options, but many of the most affordable options are included in the widgets below.

The iPhone 16 Plus is an excellent device for users who want a big-screen iPhone experience without the higher cost of the Pro models. From the A18 chipset to the new Camera Control and improved battery life, this phone hits the mark for performance, photography, and daily use.

While it misses out on some of the Pro-exclusive features like the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate and a telephoto lens, the iPhone 16 Plus offers plenty to be excited about. Also, the full potential of Apple’s AI features is not yet available, and with many features not launching until later in the year, some users may want to wait.

Overall, the iPhone 16 Plus offers superb value for money. It offers an almost identical experience to the iPhone 16 Pro Max for most, while still delivering the larger screen and 16 hours of battery life. In all honesty, for most, this might be a better buy.

Specs

• Operating System: iOS 18
• Display: 6.9-inch 2868×1320 460ppi Super Retina XDR display
• Chipset: A18 Pro chipset
• RAM: 8GB RAM
• Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
• Rear Cameras: 48Mp f/1.8 main camera, 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawide camera
• Front camera: 12Mp f/1.9
• Battery: 4675mAh (reported)
• Charging: USB-C fast PD 2.0 charging, 25W wireless MagSafe charging, 15W wireless Qi 2 charging, 4.5W reverse wireless charging
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G
• Water Resistance: IP68 water and dust resistance
• Dimensions: 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm
• Weight: 227g
• Colours: Ultramarine, Pink, Teal, Black, White