iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro vs 14 Pro vs 13 Pro: Should you upgrade this year?
The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are Apple’s latest high-end phones, offering a slightly new design over last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max that could make a noticeable difference in the way you use the phone. Both this year’s Pro devices have larger screens, with the smaller Pro getting a larger 6.3-inch screen (up from 6.1 inches on the 15 Pro) and the Pro Max going even bigger with a 6.9-inch inch screen (compared to last year’s 6.7-inch). -inch display).
But while Apple maintains its basic level iPhone The Pro model is on sale for two years after initial launch (last year’s iPhone 15 is now $100 less and the 2022 iPhone 14 is $599), but is usually discontinued after a year. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy last year’s iPhone 15 Pro – it’s likely still in stock in physical stories while supplies last or available as a refurbished model – but the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will otherwise be the pro of 2023 displace iPhone models.
Read more: The iPhone 16 Pro’s high-resolution slow-motion video is the best Apple feature in years
iPhone 13 Pro vs 14 Pro vs 15 Pro vs 16 Pro
| iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 14 Pro | iPhone 15Pro | iPhone 16 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size, technology, resolution, refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED; 2,532 x 1,170 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED; 120Hz; 2,556 x 1,179 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED; 2,556 x 1,179 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.3 inches | 5.81 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches. | 2.78 x 5.77 x 0.32 inches | 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 147 x 72 x 7.65mm | 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm | 70.6 x 146.6 x 8.25mm | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25mm |
| Weight (gram, ounce) | 204g | 206g | 187g (6.6oz) | 199g (7.03oz) |
| Mobile software | iOS 15 | iOS 16 | iOS 17 | iOS 18 |
| Camera | 12 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultra-wide), 12 megapixel (3x telephoto) | 48 megapixel (wide-angle), 12 megapixel (ultra-wide), 12 megapixel (3x telephoto) | 48 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultra-wide), 12 megapixel (3x telephoto) | 48 megapixel (wide), 48 megapixel (ultra-wide) 12 megapixel (5x telephoto) |
| Front camera | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Video recording | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A15 Bionic | Apple A16 Bionic | Apple A17 Pro | Apple A18Pro |
| RAM/storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | RAM NA; 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | No | No |
| Battery | Not made public; Apple claims 22 hours of video playback | Not made public; Apple claims 23 hours of video playback | Not made public; Apple claims up to 23 hours of video playback | Not made public; Apple claims up to 27 hours of video playback |
| Fingerprint sensor | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) |
| Connector | Lightning (USB 2.0) | Lightning (USB 2.0) | USB-C (USB 3.0) | USB-C (USB 3.0) |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No | No |
| Special features | ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz; lidar scanner; 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; Dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM) | Dynamic island; Always-on display; 5G enabled; MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; Dual-SIM capabilities (e-SIM) | 5G (mmw/Sub6), action button, Always-On display, IP68 rating, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equivalent), satellite connectivity, eSIM, Thread network technology | Apple Intelligence, Action button, Camera control button, 4x audio microphones, Dynamic Island, Screen brightness range from 1 to 2,000 nits, IP68 resistance. Colors: black titanium, white titanium, natural titanium, desert titanium. |
| US price starts at | $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB) | $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB) | $999 (128GB, $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB) | $999 (128GB), $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB) |
iPhone 16 Pro cameras and AI
The iPhone 16 Pro has three lenses on the back: wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle and 5x telephoto.
The 16 Pro now has an identical camera to the corresponding Pro Max model, while the Pro Max would typically get a smaller improvement. This includes a 5x optical zoom, which wasn’t available on last year’s 15 Pro (it had a 3x telephoto lens), but is on the 15 Pro Max. All iPhone 16 devices, including the base and Plus models, get a new Camera Control button that provides quick access to photo and video modes.
The iPhone 16 Pro gains access to several AI features from Apple Intelligence, including a Visual Intelligence feature, which uses the camera and AI to identify objects and places around you. While the iPhone 15 Pro will also gain access to some of these features, the iPhone 14 Pro and previous Pro models will not. These features also include note summarization, an improved Siri assistant, and Genmoji – a method of generating new emoji using a prompt.
Read more: iOS 18 gives you more control over how your iPhone looks and works
iPhone 16 Pro design
From the back, the iPhone 16 Pro looks almost identical to previous Apple pro models.
In addition to AI-enabled hardware, the iPhone 16 Pro also shares features with the iPhone 15 Pro that are not available on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro. These premium iPhones have a titanium finish introduced last year, making the phones lighter than most previous models despite their larger screen size. Both the 15 Pro and 16 Pro have USB-C ports with USB 3.0 data rates instead of Lightning connectors with USB 2.0 data rates, and both can record spatial video, a type of 3D video you can watch on the Apple Vision Pro headphones. An always-on display, a Dynamic Island camera cutout and satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS are features available on all these Pro models with the exception of the iPhone 13 Pro.
Should you buy an iPhone 16 Pro?
In recent years, upgrading from year to year usually offers small differences. If you have an iPhone 12 Pro or older, we think an upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro makes a lot of sense. If you have an iPhone 13 Pro and the battery health is still good, wait another year before upgrading. And if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or 15 Pro, you don’t have to buy an iPhone 16 Pro.
Check out the cameras, display and colors of the iPhone 16 Pro Max
View all photos
Check this out: Review: Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro is an impressive upgrade
