Should you go Pro, Max, Plus or ‘e’? And 16 or 15? Choices, choices!
In the beginning, there was just iPhone – Apple’s revolutionary mobile phone, widescreen iPod with touch controls, and breakthrough internet communications device. Now, there are so many iPhones available to buy, it makes your head spin.
This guide aims to help you decide which is the right iPhone for you, with a no-nonsense rundown of each model’s standout features – for good or ill.
iPhone 16 Pro/16 Pro Max
From $999/£999 • 6.3in/6.9in display • A18 Pro chip • 128GB (Pro only)/256GB/512GB or 1TB • Face ID • USB-C (USB 3 speeds) • three-camera system
Best for: a cutting-edge smartphone and/or the best iPhone camera
We’re not sure what makes a smartphone ‘Pro’. But the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max both deserve that part of the name more than any other. They retain what was great about their predecessors – amazing displays; raw power; high-speed USB-C; the Action button – and ramp up yet more things that matter.
Smaller bezels mean this year’s displays are even bigger, despite neither device’s footprint increasing. The screens can also drop down to 1 nit minimum brightness – ideal for use in dark rooms. As you’d expect, the chip is faster and the camera is better. Both Pro and Pro Max get improved Ultra Wide and spatial photo capabilities. And the Pro gets 5x zoom, a boost from last year’s 3x. Battery life is up, charging time is down, and the new Camera Control provides a dedicated camera shutter with gestural smarts.
All this comes at a high price, and a Pro (or Pro Max) will be overkill for many. But if you want the best iPhone – or hanker after the best iPhone camera – one of Apple’s flagships is still the right choice.
Pros: 5x telephoto zoom; powerful; fast; superb always-on display
Cons: Drab colors; expensive; Pro Max can feel unwieldy
iPhone 16/16 Plus
From $799/£799 • 6.1in/6.7in display • A18 chip • 128GB/256GB/512GB • Face ID • USB-C (USB 2 speeds) • dual-camera system
Best for: providing many ‘iPhone Pro’ good bits (and better colors) at a more affordable price
Elements that differentiate the iPhone Pro are absent from its cheaper sibling: the always-on 120Hz ProMotion display; a 5x zoom; the fastest A18 Pro chip. Yet the iPhone 16 still feels quite ‘pro’.
The camera system improves further on last year’s iPhone 15, with a bump to the UltraWide camera and the addition of macro mode and spatial photos. It also gets the Camera Control button, rather than that being a Pro-only feature. The Action button comes along for the ride too.
In terms of raw power, there’s less of a gulf between this iPhone and the Pro model than last year, because Apple needs its entire 2024 range to support Apple Intelligence. That likely makes this year’s standard iPhone a bargain. Don’t be surprised if next year the iPhone 17 Pro has an A19 Pro chip, while the iPhone 17 sticks with the A18.
Roll in fast charging and the gorgeous ultramarine color option, and you’ve a device that’s recommended if you don’t need – or can’t afford – Apple’s flagship. Although if you’re tempted by the Plus’s bigger screen, try it in the hand first to see if you’re OK with its size and heft.
Pros: Camera Control and Action button; quality cameras; nice colors
Cons: USB-C is USB 2 speeds; no ProMotion; getting pricey
iPhone 16e
From $599/£599 • 6.1 in display • A18 chip • 128GB/256GB/512GB • Face ID • USB-C (USB 2 speeds) • single-camera system
Best for: when you’re on a budget and want an iPhone that will last
The iPhone 16e is an oddball. It replaced both the iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 in the line-up, albeit at the price of the latter. Apple describes it as part of the iPhone 16 family, but that whiffs of marketing spin. The device is every inch the spit of the iPhone 14, given that it has a notch instead of Dynamic Island. But it also retains compromises found in the iPhone SE.
Most egregious is the lack of MagSafe – astonishing, given that you need to head back to 2019 and the iPhone 11(!) for the most recent ‘numbered’ iPhone without that feature. It also omits macro photography and Camera Control. So what are the positives? An A18 chip, battery life that rivals the iPhone 16 Pro, and the Action button.
It’s not a bad deal if you prize longevity over the latest features and don’t care about MagSafe. But we’d have been a whole lot happier if the 16e was 80 bucks cheaper.
Pros: Plenty of power; great battery life
Cons: No Dynamic Island; no MagSafe; looks dated
iPhone 15/15 Plus
From $699/£699 • 6.1in/6.7in display • A16 Bionic chip • 128/256/512GB • Face ID • USB-C (USB 2 speeds) • dual-camera system
Best for: someone who wants a modern iPhone but not Apple Intelligence
The arrival of the iPhone 16e has complicated things. Apple’s oldest iPhone is no longer its cheapest, so why would you spend 100 bucks more on this than the 16e – or not pay 100 bucks extra for an iPhone 16?
The first of those is easier to answer. The lower end of the iPhone line is now all about compromises, and it’s down to you which compromises are preferable. The iPhone 15 has no Action button and does not support Apple Intelligence (due to the older chip), but it has Dynamic Island, macro photography and MagSafe. So if you care about what it does have more than what it hasn’t got, that might be worth the extra outlay.
Honestly, we’re not so sure. The iPhone 15 feels awkward in the current line-up. If you’re on a budget, the 16e offers better value. If not, much as we hate upsell, spring for the 16 if you can, because it jumps you ahead two generations of chips and nets you two extra buttons – Camera Control and Action.
Pros: Dynamic Island; 48MP main camera and macro; MagSafe
Cons: No Action button; does not support Apple Intelligence; older A16 chip
TL;DR
Still undecided? Here’s a lightning-fast comparison for when to upgrade to the next model up:
- Get the iPhone 16e if you want the cheapest iPhone and don’t mind the compromises.
- Go for the iPhone 15 for a better camera, Dynamic Island and MagSafe, being mindful it has an older chip, lacks an Action button and cannot run Apple Intelligence.
- (Or the Plus if you want a bigger screen.)
- Buy an iPhone 16 when you want a current-gen iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence and that doesn’t break the bank (or if you just like ultramarine).
- (And, again, the Plus if you want a bigger screen.)
- And pick the iPhone 16 Pro if you have to have the best and most powerful iPhone Apple’s ever made.
- (Or the Max if you want the best and most powerful iPhone with the biggest display that Apple’s ever made!)