The hole between the “regular” iPhones and the Professional fashions appears smaller than ever this yr, which makes an iPhone 16 Professional versus iPhone 16 comparability harder than regular.
Whereas the iPhone 16 Professional packs a superior construct high quality, an even bigger show, longer battery life and the predictably higher digicam, the iPhone 16 stands by itself with some significant upgrades.
So, must you save your cash and go for the iPhone 16? Or is the iPhone 16 Professional a greater purchase regardless of its larger price ticket? Discover out on this comparability.
iPhone 16 Professional vs. iPhone 16: Evaluating Apple’s 2024 fashions
True to its identify, the iPhone 16 Professional packs loads of professional options. However that doesn’t make the iPhone 16 a slouch. With a brand new A18 chip and longer battery life, Apple’s cheaper iPhone provides its costlier sibling a run for its cash this yr.
No matter which iPhone you purchase, they received’t disappoint you. However which is the higher purchase: iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Professional? Undergo our detailed comparability under to seek out out. Be aware that every one the factors under apply to the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Professional Max in addition to the 2 smaller variations. They solely differ of their dimension and battery life.
Desk of contents: iPhone 16 Professional vs. iPhone 16 comparability
Design: iPhone 16 will get all of the enjoyable colours
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 16 Professional: 149.6mm x 71.5mm x 8.25mm; 199 grams; IP68, aerospace-grade titanium with matte glass again, 2nd gen Ceramic Defend (entrance), Motion button, Digicam Management
- iPhone 16: 147.6mm x 71.6mm x 7.80mm; 171 grams; IP68, aerospace-grade aluminum with color-infused glass again, 2nd gen Ceramic Defend (entrance), Motion button, Digicam Management
For the reason that iPhone 16 Professional packs an even bigger 6.3-inch show, additionally it is taller than the iPhone 16. Regardless of a 0.2-inch bounce in display dimension, Apple’s engineering staff ensured the cellphone’s dimensions didn’t enhance proportionally by decreasing the bezels.
The iPhone 16 Professional trumps its common sibling with its titanium chassis. However whereas the iPhone 16 Professional may provide a greater construct high quality, the iPhone 16 stands out with its color-infused glass again. Its shade choices — black, white, pink, teal and ultramint — look much more snazzy and engaging. The iPhone 16 Professional is available in a brand new desert titanium shade, however the different colours don’t appear that spectacular.
Each iPhones sport a customizable Motion button and Digicam Management, so that you don’t want to choose one primarily based on that.
Show: Professional is larger than ever
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 16 Professional: 6.3-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show, 2,622 x 1,206 pixels, 120Hz ProMotion, Haptic Contact, True Tone, always-on show, Dynamic Island, HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,000 nits typical brightness, 2,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimal brightness
- iPhone 16: 6.1-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show, 2,556 x 1,179 pixels, 60Hz refresh price, Haptic Contact, True Tone, Dynamic Island, HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,000 nits typical brightness, 2,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimal brightness
The iPhone 16 sports activities a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a 2,000-nit peak brightness. The iPhone 16 Professional packs an even bigger 6.3-inch panel that may hit the identical quantity. It will get different good additions, too, like a 120Hz refresh price and an always-on show. Barring these benefits and a smaller bezel, there’s no different main visible distinction between the screens of the 2 iPhones.
Processor and storage: Professional will get A18 Professional
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 16 Professional: A18 Professional, 3nm fab, 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, second-gen Extremely Wideband chip, as much as 1TB storage
- iPhone 16: A18, 3nm fab, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, second-gen Extremely Wideband chip, as much as 512GB storage
Each mannequin within the iPhone 16 lineup runs on a brand new A18 sequence SoC fabricated on TSMC’s new 3nm node. The iPhone 16 makes use of an A18 SoC that includes a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. Apple says it’s 30% sooner than the iPhone 15‘s A16 Bionic chip, whereas the GPU is 40% sooner. Regardless of these efficiency enhancements, the CPU and GPU are 30% and 35% extra environment friendly than the A16 Bionic. The 16-core Neural Engine is as much as 2x sooner in AI and ML duties.
The Professional fashions get a fair beefier A18 Professional SoC, with a sooner 6-core GPU. Coupled with a 17% larger bandwidth, the SoC can course of on-device Apple Intelligence duties extra shortly. It additionally packs devoted encoders and decoders for ProRes and 4K120fps video recording. The improved ISP and video encoders ought to assist velocity up enhancing workflows.
Apple makes use of a brand new thermal system on the 2 new iPhone fashions. This helps with warmth dissipation and delivers a claimed 30% higher efficiency in sustained hundreds. Except you’re closely into taking movies, the iPhone 16’s A18 chip will simply fulfill all of your wants.
As for storage, the bottom storage of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional stays unchanged at 128GB. (The iPhone 16 Professional Max begins at 256GB.) Whereas you will get the Professional mannequin with as much as 1TB storage, iPhone 16 upgrades solely embody 256GB and 512GB configurations.
Digicam: Extra flexibility on the Professional
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 16 Professional: 48MP f/1.78 Fusion digicam with a bigger sensor, second-gen sensor-shift stabilization, 12MP f/2.8 telephoto digicam, 5x optical zoom; 48MP f/2.2 Extremely Vast, macro images; LiDAR Scanner, Sensible HDR 5, Adaptive True Tone flash, Cinematic mode (4K HDR@30fps), Motion mode, ProRAW and ProRes help, Log video recording, spatial video recording, wind noise discount, Audio Combine; Entrance: 12MP digicam with f/1.9 aperture, autofocus
- iPhone 16: 48MP f/1.6 Fusion digicam, sensor-shift stabilization; 12MP f/2.2 Extremely Vast; macro images, Sensible HDR 5, True Tone flash, Cinematic mode (4K HDR@30fps), Motion mode, spatial video recording, wind noise discount, Audio Combine; Entrance: 12MP digicam with f/1.9 aperture, autofocus
As regular, the digicam is an space the place the iPhone 16 Professional packs notable enhancements over the less-expensive mannequin. On paper, it’d seem to be the iPhone 16 sports activities a greater 48MP Fusion digicam with a wider f/1.6 aperture. However that’s not the case, because the iPhone 16 Professional makes use of an even bigger major sensor. You should utilize it to shoot in ProRAW, permitting for higher enhancing flexibility.
The iPhone 16 Professional additionally packs a superior ultrawide digicam with 48MP decision versus the iPhone 16’s 12MP digicam. Plus, the Professional mannequin will get a 3rd 12MP 5x telephoto shooter for added versatility, a focal size that the iPhone 16 can not match with its dual-camera setup.
Precise professional digicam options
To make professional customers completely happy, the iPhone 16 Professional helps ProRes video recording at as much as 4K 120fps decision. It will probably additionally file Log movies utilizing the industry-standard Academy Shade Encoding System. Different notable options embody recording 4K 120fps movies in Dolby Imaginative and prescient. Apple equips the iPhone 16 Professional with a “studio-quality four-mic array” for superior audio seize.
If you’d like your iPhone to have the perfect cameras and camera-related options, the iPhone 16 Professional ticks all of the packing containers. But when the digicam will not be your principal precedence, the common iPhone 16 received’t disappoint you.
Connectivity: Nearly the identical
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 16 Professional: Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc, Roadside Help by way of satellite tv for pc, Thread networking, excessive dynamic vary gyro, Crash Detection, twin eSIM slots, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, precision dual-frequency GPS, USB-C (as much as 10Gbps)
- iPhone 16: Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc, Roadside Help by way of satellite tv for pc, Thread networking, excessive dynamic vary gyro, Crash Detection, twin eSIM slots, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, USB-C (USB 2 at 480Mbps)
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional provide almost similar connectivity and security options. They use Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon X75 modem for sooner 5G speeds. Different options embody help for Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc, Apple’s Crash Detection characteristic for emergency alerts, and Wi-Fi 7. Not like with the iPhone 15, Apple added Thread help to the iPhone 16. This ensures it may act as a Thread router in your close by good residence units.
Whereas each telephones characteristic USB-C, the iPhone 16 Professional’s can switch information at as much as 10Gbps speeds. The common iPhone 16 is proscribed to USB 2 speeds of 480Mbps.
Battery life: Improved from their predecessors
- iPhone 16 Professional: As much as 27 hours of video playback, as much as 85 hours of audio playback; 25W MagSafe and Qi2 wi-fi charging help
- iPhone 16: As much as 22 hours of video playback, as much as 80 hours of audio playback; 25W MagSafe and Qi2 wi-fi charging help
All of the fashions in Apple’s 2024 iPhone lineup present considerably longer battery life than their predecessors. Nevertheless, the Professional fashions trump the entry-level fashions with an extended runtime. Apple says the iPhone 16 Professional can present as much as 27 hours of video playback. In the identical check, the iPhone 16 lasts simply 22 hours. If you’re a heavy consumer, you’ll recognize the iPhone 16 Professional’s longer battery life.
The 2 iPhones additionally help 25W MagSafe wi-fi quick charging and 20W wired quick charging. With common Qi2 wi-fi chargers, the telephones will cost at 15W speeds. Apple apparently even bumped the brand new iPhones’ wired charging speeds to 45W. So, regardless of which mannequin you choose, the charging instances needs to be comparable.
Value: Pay extra to get extra
- iPhone 16 Professional: Begins at $999 for 128GB storage
- iPhone 16: Begins at $799 for 128GB storage
Regardless of all of the enhancements, the iPhone 16 and 16 Professional value the identical as their predecessors. The bottom storage additionally stays unchanged at 128GB. So, there’s a $200 worth distinction between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Professional. The additional cash will get you longer battery life, an even bigger show with a 120Hz refresh price, a greater digicam system, and a premium design.
Conclusion: Which iPhone 16 mannequin is best for you?
Photograph: Apple
In comparison with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 lineups, the hole between the common and Professional fashions will not be that important this yr. That makes the iPhone 16 versus iPhone 16 Professional tougher than ever.
Except you care concerning the little further options like an always-on show or longer battery life, choosing the common iPhone 16 makes extra sense. However if you would like a cellphone that’s the finest in all the pieces — digicam, efficiency and battery life — choose the iPhone 16 Professional.
If you happen to just like the iPhone 16 however need a fair larger show and longer battery life, get the iPhone 16 Plus. Equally, if in case you have made up your thoughts about getting the iPhone 16 Professional however desire a larger display and even longer battery life, go for the Professional Max.
Purchase now
iPhone 16 Professional: Apple
iPhone 16: Apple