Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Pro

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.1-inch Apple iPhone 16 (with Apple A18) that was released on September 9, 2024, against the Apple iPhone 15 Pro, which is powered by Apple A17 Pro and came out 1 year before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Price Comparison

Device	Launch / Base Price (USA, 128 GB)	Recent / Street Price	Difference
iPhone 16 (128 GB)	$729.99 official full retail at Verizon AT&T etc. (AT&T)	Usually around $700-$780 depending on retailer and deals (AT&T)	Core price ~ same or slightly lower in deals
iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB)	$999 at launch (Barron’s)	Discounts have brought it down; e.g. ~$849 for some “new condition/unlocked” models recently (Forbes)	Savings of ~$150-$200 off launch price, but still more expensive than iPhone 16 base model

Key Differences

Category	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Battery life	20% longer battery life (29:45 vs 24:47 hours) – better endurance for daily use	Shorter battery life compared to iPhone 16
Connectivity	Compatible with the latest Wi-Fi 7 wireless networks – future-proof	Wi-Fi 6E support only
Release	1 year newer – latest generation	Older by one year
Weight	Weighs 17 g less – easier to handle	Slightly heavier
Performance	12% faster in GeekBench 6 single-core (3283 vs 2920 points)	Lower single-core score
Camera	Standard improvements	3x optical zoom – better telephoto shots
Display	Standard refresh rate	120 Hz ProMotion – smoother scrolling and animations

Tests and specifications

Comparison table of technical specifications and tests

Display Comparison

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Type	OLED – vibrant colors and deep blacks	OLED – equally rich visuals
Size	6.1 inches	6.1 inches
Resolution	1179 × 2556 pixels – sharp and detailed	1179 × 2556 pixels – same clarity
Aspect Ratio	19.5:9 – cinematic viewing	19.5:9 – cinematic viewing
Pixel Density (PPI)	460 ppi – crisp text and images	460 ppi – same pixel sharpness
Refresh Rate	60 Hz – standard smoothness	120 Hz – ultra-smooth scrolling and animations
Adaptive Refresh Rate	No – fixed at 60 Hz	Yes, 1–120 Hz – efficient battery use
Max Brightness (typical)	2000 nits – excellent outdoor visibility	2000 nits – equally bright
Max Brightness in HDR	1600 nits – vivid HDR experience	1600 nits – same HDR brightness
HDR Support	Yes, Dolby Vision – rich contrast	Yes, Dolby Vision – same HDR quality
Screen-to-Body Ratio	86.4% – slim bezels	88.2% – slightly slimmer bezels
Display Features	DCI-P3 wide color	DCI-P3 + Always-On Display
RGB Color Space	99.7% – near-perfect color accuracy	99.9% – even closer to true colors
PWM (flicker)	60 Hz – more noticeable flicker for sensitive eyes	242 Hz – smoother, less eye strain
Response Time	3 ms – quick response	1 ms – faster response for smoother motion
Contrast	∞ (infinite) – perfect OLED blacks	∞ (infinite) – same OLED deep blacks
Peak Brightness Test (auto)	1697 nits – very bright outdoors	1784 nits (+5%) – slightly brighter outdoors

Memory & Software

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
RAM Size	8 GB – smooth multitasking	8 GB – same capacity
Memory Type	LPDDR5X – faster, more efficient	LPDDR5 – older generation
Memory Clock	Not specified	3200 MHz
Memory Channels	4 – wide bandwidth	4 – same bandwidth
Storage Size	128 GB – base model	128 GB – base model
Storage Type	NVMe – ultra-fast read/write	NVMe – same performance
Memory Card Support	No expansion	No expansion
Operating System	iOS 18 (upgradable to iOS 18.6) – latest version pre-installed	iOS 17 (upgradable to iOS 18.6) – needs update
OS Size	16 GB – system footprint	16 GB – same system size

Performance

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Chipset (SoC)	Apple A18 – newer and faster	Apple A17 Pro – previous-gen
Max Clock Speed	4040 MHz – higher performance ceiling	3780 MHz – slightly lower clock
CPU Cores	6 cores (2 Everest + 4 Sawtooth)	6 cores (2 Everest + 4 Sawtooth)
Architecture	2× Everest @ 4.05 GHz, 4× Sawtooth @ 2.42 GHz	2× Everest @ 3.78 GHz, 4× Sawtooth @ 2.11 GHz
Manufacturing	TSMC 3 nm process	TSMC 3 nm process
Neural Processor (NPU)	Apple Neural Engine – advanced AI tasks	Apple Neural Engine – earlier version
Graphics (GPU)	Apple A18 GPU	Apple A17 GPU
GPU Shading Units	640 units	768 units (more cores, but older)
GPU Clock	1490 MHz – slightly faster	1398 MHz – slightly slower
FLOPS	~1907 GFLOPS	~2147.2 GFLOPS (higher raw GPU power)
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)	3283 (+12%) – stronger per-core speed	2920
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)	8094 (+9%) – better multi-threading	7447
Geekbench Compute (GPU)	28,055 – strong graphics benchmark	Not available

Design & Build

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Height	147.6 mm (5.81″) – slightly taller	146.6 mm (5.77″) – a bit more compact
Width	71.6 mm (2.82″) – slightly wider	70.6 mm (2.78″) – narrower frame
Thickness	7.8 mm (0.31″) – thinner profile	8.25 mm (0.32″) – a little thicker
Weight	170 g (6 oz) – lighter, easier to handle	187 g (6.6 oz) – sturdier but heavier
Waterproofing	IP68 – dust & water resistant	IP68 – same protection
Rear Material	Glass – premium feel	Glass – premium feel
Frame Material	Metal – durable build	Metal – durable build
Colors	White, Black, Blue, Green, Pink	White, Black, Silver, Blue
Fingerprint Scanner	Not available (Face ID only)	Not available (Face ID only)
Screen-to-Body Ratio	86.4% – slim bezels	88.2% (+2%) – slightly better bezel-to-screen ratio

Battery: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Pro

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Capacity	3561 mAh – larger battery	3274 mAh – smaller capacity
Max Charge Power	30 W – faster charging	23 W – slower charging
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless Charging	Yes, up to 15 W	Yes, up to 7.5 W
Reverse Charging	Yes – supports accessories	Yes – supports accessories
Fast Charging	59% in 30 min	57% in 30 min
Full Charging Time	1:42 hr – slightly longer	1:33 hr – slightly shorter
Web Browsing Test	13:44 hr – strong endurance	9:28 hr – shorter runtime
Video Playback Test	18:09 hr – longer viewing	17:33 hr – slightly shorter
Gaming Test	5:56 hr – better stamina	5:41 hr – a bit less
Standby	130 hr – improved standby time	111 hr – shorter standby
General Battery Life	29:45 hr (+20%) – significantly better overall	24:47 hr – good but weaker

Main Camera: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Pro

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Main Matrix	48 MP – high resolution	48 MP – high resolution
Image Resolution	8064 × 6048 pixels	8064 × 6048 pixels
Zoom	Digital only	3x Optical Zoom – sharper telephoto shots
Flash	Dual LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K Video	Not supported	Not supported
4K Video	Up to 60 FPS	Up to 60 FPS
1080p Video	Up to 60 FPS	Up to 60 FPS
Slow Motion	240 FPS (1080p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Wide Angle	120° – ultrawide shots	120° – ultrawide shots
Lenses	– Standard: 48 MP – Ultrawide: 12 MP	– Standard: 48 MP – Telephoto: 12 MP – Ultrawide: 12 MP – Depth sensor
Camera Features	Bokeh mode, Pro mode	Bokeh mode, Pro mode, RAW support
Standard Lens	48 MP, f/1.6 aperture, 26 mm focal length	48 MP, f/1.8 aperture, 24 mm focal length
Standard Sensor	Size 1/1.56″, 1 µm pixels	Sony IMX803, Size 1/1.28″, 1.22 µm pixels
Autofocus	Dual Pixel Phase AF	Dual Pixel Phase AF
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Telephoto Lens	Not available	12 MP, f/2.8, 77 mm, Sony IMX713, 1/3.5″, 1 µm, Optical OIS
Ultrawide Lens	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 0.7 µm pixels, Digital stabilization	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, Sony IMX633, 1/2.55″, 1.4 µm pixels, Digital stabilization
DxOMark Photo	149 points	153 (+3%)
DxOMark Video	154 points	158 (+3%)
Generic Camera Score	147 points	154 (+5%)
Bokeh	80	80
Preview	84	85
Zoom	116 (digital only)	139 (stronger telephoto)
Samples	DxOMark iPhone 16 photo samples	DxOMark iPhone 15 Pro photo samples

Selfie Camera: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Pro

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Megapixels	12 MP	12 MP
Image Resolution	4032 × 3024 pixels	4032 × 3024 pixels
Aperture	f/1.9 – good for low light	f/1.9 – same performance
Focal Length	23 mm	23 mm
Sensor	CMOS	Sony IMX714
Sensor Size	1/3.6″	1/3.6″
Pixel Size	1.12 µm	1.12 µm
Autofocus	Phase autofocus	Phase autofocus
Stabilization	Digital – basic stabilization	Optical – steadier videos
Video Resolution	4K (2160p) @ 60 FPS	4K (2160p) @ 60 FPS
Depth Sensor (TOF 3D)	Yes	Yes
DxOMark Selfie Score	Not tested	149 (Photo: 145 / Video: 156)

Connectivity & Network

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Wi-Fi Standard	Wi-Fi 7 – faster, future-proof	Wi-Fi 6E – high-speed but older
Wi-Fi Features	Dual Band, MiMO, Direct, Hotspot, Display	Dual Band, MiMO, Direct, Hotspot, Display
Bluetooth	v5.3 (LE support)	v5.3 (LE support)
USB Type	USB-C	USB-C
USB Version	2.0 – slower data transfer	3.2 – much faster transfer
USB Features	Charging, Storage mode, OTG	Charging, Storage mode, OTG
DisplayPort	Yes	Yes
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, NAVIC
NFC	Yes	Yes
Infrared Port	No	No
SIM	Nano SIM + eSIM (Intl) / eSIM-only (US)	eSIM only
Hybrid Slot	No	No
LTE Category	Not specified	Cat 20
5G Support	Yes	Yes

Sound

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone Jack	No	No
FM Radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
Speaker Loudness	90.4 dB (+14%) – louder	79.4 dB

Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Pro Other Details

Feature	Apple iPhone 16	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Category	Flagship (2024)	Flagship (2023)
Announced	September 2024	September 2023
Release Date	September 2024	September 2023
Launch Price (MSRP)	$799 – more affordable	$999
SAR (Head)	1.24 W/kg	0.98 W/kg
SAR (Body)	1.41 W/kg	0.98 W/kg
Sensors	Proximity, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient light, Compass, Face recognition	Barometer, Proximity, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient light, Compass, Face recognition
Bundled Charger	Not included	Not included
Notes	US model = eSIM only; International model = Nano SIM + eSIM	eSIM only

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which phone has better overall performance, the iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 Pro?

The iPhone 16 wins in CPU performance with its new A18 chip (+12% single-core, +9% multi-core). However, the iPhone 15 Pro still has slightly stronger raw GPU power, which may benefit certain graphics-heavy apps.

2. Which model has the better battery life?

The iPhone 16. It has a larger 3561 mAh battery and lasts about 20% longer (29:45 hrs vs 24:47 hrs). It also supports faster 30W charging and stronger wireless charging (15W vs 7.5W).

3. Is the camera system better on the iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 Pro?

The iPhone 15 Pro is superior overall. It has an extra 3x telephoto lens, larger main sensor (better low light), and higher DxOMark scores for photo, video, and zoom. The iPhone 16 still performs well, especially in video, but lacks optical zoom.

4. Which device has the better display?

Both use a 6.1″ OLED screen with the same resolution and brightness, but the iPhone 15 Pro supports 120 Hz ProMotion with adaptive refresh (1–120 Hz), making it smoother and more efficient. The iPhone 16 is stuck at 60 Hz.

5. What are the main reasons to choose iPhone 16 over iPhone 15 Pro?

Key advantages of the iPhone 16:

• Longer battery life (+20%)
• Newer A18 chipset with faster CPU performance
• Wi-Fi 7 support (future-proof)
• Lighter and thinner design
• Louder stereo speakers (+14%)
• Lower launch price ($799 vs $999