Specs Appeal: What is the difference between iPhone 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16, and 16 Plus?

Apple's 2024 iPhone lineup continues the tradition of four models of different sizes and price tags. This year, buyers have to choose between the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro, the iPhone 16 Plus, and the iPhone 16. Here is how each model compares to its siblings.

You may also want to check out our other Specs Appeal articles:

• iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 14
• iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro

Although this year's lineup shares more new features, the regular iPhone 16 differs from its Pro variant in the same four categories: materials, displays, cameras, and processors.

The entry-level iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are still made of aluminum, while the more premium titanium is only available in Pro models. However, to make up for that, you get to choose from much more eye-catching colors, while the iPhone 16 Pro still comes in quite muted colors.

What is not different are buttons and controls. The iPhone 16 now has the same Action Button (so long, Mute Switch) and the Camera Control. The latter is a special button with a touch-sensitive surface that lets you control various camera settings.

Despite similar looks, the displays in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have night and day differences. Apple still thinks it is okay to sell a $799+ smartphone with a 60Hz display, so the iPhone 16 Pro is your only option if you cannot stand low-refresh rate screens. Also, the baseline iPhone does not support the always-on display feature. On the bright side, all four iPhones have a maximum brightness of 2000 nits and a minimum brightness of just 1 nit. Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have slightly larger displays (0.2-inch increase).

This year's iPhone Pro models have fewer differences in their cameras than before. All four models have a primary 48MP Fusion camera with new focus and depth controls. However, the Pro iPhone has a higher-resolution ultra-wide camera—48MP versus 12MP. It can also record Dolby Vision, Log, and ProRes video at up to 4K 120 fps. Finally, both iPhone 16 Pro models feature four "studio-quality" microphones for better audio recording.

Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are powered by the A18 Pro chip, while the iPhone 16 and Plus have the slightly cut-down A18 chip with five GPU cores instead of six. Both processors, however, are paired with 8GB of RAM, so there are no differences in terms of memory.

Here are the key differences between the iPhone 16 Pro, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16, and the iPhone 16 Plus:

• Chassis material difference: titanium in Pro and aluminum in entry-level models.
• A slightly better processor with more powerful graphics.
• Faster and bigger screens with adaptive refresh rate and always-on display support.
• Better cameras with a dedicated telephoto camera, a higher-res ultra-wide camera, and a LiDAR sensor.
• 1TB storage option.
• USB-C 3.0 instead of the slower USB-C 2.0.
• Longer battery life.

All four iPhone 16 models will be available for pre-order on Friday, September13. Shipments begin September 20, 2024.