iPhone 16 vs 16 Pro - REAL Differences After 2 Weeks!

Summary

This comparison of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro highlights ten key differences after two weeks of testing. The regular iPhone 16 offers fresh design changes like a new camera bump and unique colors, while the 16 Pro feels more premium due to its slimmer bezels, enhanced 5x telephoto camera, and 120Hz ProMotion display. Additional distinctions include faster transfer speeds, better camera performance in low light, always-on display, and titanium build on the 16 Pro. Both phones have similar CPU performance, but the 16 Pro excels in gaming and professional-level features.

Takeaways

• 📱 The iPhone 16 feels fresh with a redesigned camera bump and new colors, while the 16 Pro looks similar to previous models.
• 📏 The iPhone 16 has thicker bezels, whereas the 16 Pro offers a more immersive experience with super slim bezels.
• 📸 The 16 Pro features an upgraded 5x telephoto lens, offering improved portrait modes, zoom, and stabilization.
• 🖥️ The 16 Pro has a smoother 120Hz ProMotion display compared to the 60Hz display on the iPhone 16, making animations and scrolling more fluid.
• 🌙 The 16 Pro’s main camera performs better in low light due to a larger sensor and LiDAR scanner, enhancing portrait and autofocus features.
• 🔌 Both models have USB-C ports, but the 16 Pro has significantly faster transfer speeds (10Gbps vs 480Mbps on the iPhone 16).
• 🎮 The 16 Pro is better for gaming with its extra GPU core and improved thermal system, offering smoother gameplay at 120Hz.
• 🌄 The 16 Pro’s ultra-wide camera delivers better detail and low-light performance, but macro mode still downgrades the resolution.
• ⌚ The 16 Pro has an always-on display, allowing users to view time and notifications without turning the phone on.
• 🦾 The 16 Pro feels more premium with a titanium chassis, which adds weight and a solid feel, whereas the iPhone 16 feels lighter and less premium.

Q & A

What makes the iPhone 16 a more compelling upgrade compared to previous models?

The iPhone 16 includes new features like camera control, 25W max MagSafe charging, and a fresh design with a new camera bump, making it a standout upgrade.

How does the design of the iPhone 16 compare to the iPhone 16 Pro?

The iPhone 16 feels fresher with its redesigned camera bump and new colors like ultramarine and teal, while the iPhone 16 Pro looks almost identical to the 15 Pro, especially in the white titanium finish.

Why are the bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro considered a significant difference?

The iPhone 16 Pro has much slimmer bezels, which provide a more immersive, premium feel. In contrast, the thicker bezels on the iPhone 16 give it a less modern look.

What are the advantages of the 5x telephoto camera on the iPhone 16 Pro?

The iPhone 16 Pro’s 5x telephoto camera offers better portrait mode with natural background compression, superior video stabilization, and more detailed zoom photos.

How does the 120Hz ProMotion display of the iPhone 16 Pro compare to the iPhone 16’s display?

The iPhone 16 Pro's 120Hz ProMotion display offers smoother scrolling, sharper text during movement, and more fluid animations, while the iPhone 16 still has a 60Hz display, which feels outdated.

What are the differences in camera performance between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro?

The iPhone 16 Pro has a larger main camera sensor, better low-light performance, and advanced features like Night Mode portrait and faster autofocus, thanks to its LiDAR scanner.

How do the USB-C ports differ between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro?

The iPhone 16 has a slower USB-C transfer speed of 480Mbps, while the iPhone 16 Pro supports much faster speeds of 10Gbps, ideal for tasks like transferring large video files quickly.

Is there a major difference in performance between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro?

Both phones share the same 6-core CPU layout, but the iPhone 16 Pro has a faster GPU, making it about 20% better for gaming, especially with its 120Hz display.

Does the iPhone 16 Pro have better video recording capabilities?

Yes, the iPhone 16 Pro supports 4K 120fps slow-motion recording and ProRes video, making it ideal for professionals or users seeking higher-quality video content.

What features make the iPhone 16 Pro feel more premium than the iPhone 16?

The iPhone 16 Pro's titanium chassis, always-on display, and overall heavier, more solid build give it a more premium and professional feel compared to the lighter and cheaper-feeling iPhone 16.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Fresh Design of iPhone 16 vs Familiar Look of 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 offers a fresh design this year, including a redesigned camera bump and new colors like ultramarine and teal, making it feel new and exciting. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro looks nearly identical to previous models, especially in the white titanium finish, which can detract from the feeling of a fresh device. While the regular iPhone 16 feels like a unique product, the 16 Pro struggles to stand out in terms of its design.

05:02

👀 Slim Bezels on iPhone 16 Pro Enhance Immersion

The iPhone 16 Pro boasts super slim bezels, which makes the screen feel more immersive and premium, whereas the regular iPhone 16 has noticeably thicker bezels that give it a dated appearance. While this may not bother everyone, especially those upgrading from older models with even thicker bezels, it is a significant factor for those who prioritize a sleek, modern look.

10:05

📸 Enhanced 5x Telephoto Lens on iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 Pro features an upgraded 5x telephoto lens with Apple's Tetra prism technology, offering better portrait shots, more natural-looking subjects, and improved video stabilization. This lens allows for detailed zoom photos and high-quality video recordings, making it ideal for capturing moments like sports events. The regular iPhone 16 lacks this telephoto feature, making the 16 Pro superior in camera performance.

🛡️ High-Quality Vegan Leather Cases from MOF

Apple’s decision to ditch leather cases is offset by MOF’s new lineup of premium vegan leather cases, which offer drop protection, clicky buttons, and built-in magnets for Max safe accessories. These cases come in 18 colors, including those that perfectly match the new iPhone 16 models, and MOF’s snap-on wallet stand is highlighted as an excellent addition for users looking for a functional and stylish case solution.

💨 iPhone 16 Pro's 120Hz Display Outshines 60Hz on iPhone 16

While both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro have excellent display quality, the 16 Pro’s 120Hz ProMotion technology provides a much smoother experience compared to the 60Hz display on the iPhone 16. The higher refresh rate on the 16 Pro makes scrolling, swiping, and animations feel more fluid and premium, particularly noticeable in tasks like reading text and using dynamic island animations.

🌙 Better Night Mode and Autofocus on iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 Pro’s main camera sensor offers better low-light performance, reduced noise, and improved autofocus, especially in night mode and portrait mode. Thanks to the LiDAR scanner, the 16 Pro delivers sharper images and faster autofocus. Additionally, the Pro allows for 4K 120fps slow-motion video recording, further distinguishing its capabilities from the regular iPhone 16.

🔌 Faster Data Transfers on iPhone 16 Pro

Both the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro come with USB-C ports, but the 16 Pro offers significantly faster data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps compared to the slow 480Mbps on the regular iPhone 16. This is a huge benefit for professionals who need to transfer large video files quickly, making the 16 Pro much more suitable for heavy media users.

🎮 iPhone 16 Pro’s Enhanced Gaming Performance

The iPhone 16 Pro offers superior gaming performance, thanks to its extra GPU core, 20% faster graphics, and support for 120Hz ProMotion, which enables smoother gameplay at 120fps. While the performance difference in the CPU is minimal, the Pro’s improved thermal system and GPU give it a noticeable advantage for gamers, especially compared to the regular iPhone 16.

📷 iPhone 16 Pro’s 48MP Ultra-Wide Lens Offers Greater Detail

The 48MP ultra-wide lens on the iPhone 16 Pro captures significantly more detail than the regular iPhone 16, particularly when zoomed in. The 16 Pro also performs better at night, though the video recording improvements are minor. However, the macro mode still drops resolution to 12MP, limiting the full potential of the 48MP sensor in some scenarios.

⌚ Always-On Display Adds Premium Feel to iPhone 16 Pro

The always-on display of the iPhone 16 Pro provides a premium feel, allowing users to see the time, date, and notifications without waking the phone. This feature is especially helpful for staying on top of important messages and adds to the overall polished experience of the 16 Pro, giving it a significant edge over the regular iPhone 16.

🏆 iPhone 16 Pro’s Titanium Chassis Feels More Premium

The iPhone 16 Pro’s titanium chassis adds weight and a sense of durability, making the phone feel more premium compared to the regular iPhone 16, which feels lighter and less substantial. This adds to the 16 Pro’s overall appeal as a more professional and polished device, making it a better option for those who value a high-end design.

Keywords

💡iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 is the latest regular model from Apple, highlighted as a compelling upgrade due to features like the new camera control, 25W Max Safe charging, and a fresh design. It represents a significant leap for those upgrading from older iPhones. The design updates, such as the new camera bump and vibrant color options like ultramarine, make the iPhone 16 feel unique and modern.

💡iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 Pro is the advanced version of the iPhone 16, featuring premium upgrades such as a 120Hz ProMotion display, a titanium metal chassis, and improved camera systems like a 5x telephoto lens. While it looks similar to the previous Pro models, its technical advancements, like the A18 Pro chip and faster USB-C transfer speeds, are aimed at users seeking high-end performance.

💡Camera bump redesign

The camera bump redesign on the iPhone 16 is a major aesthetic and functional change. It gives the device a fresh look compared to the 16 Pro, which closely resembles its predecessor. This redesign not only updates the phone’s appearance but also reflects its improved camera capabilities, enhancing the user's daily experience of the device.

💡ProMotion technology

ProMotion technology refers to the 120Hz refresh rate available on the iPhone 16 Pro, which significantly enhances the smoothness of animations, scrolling, and general interactions. The regular iPhone 16, by contrast, still has a 60Hz display, making this feature one of the key differentiators between the two models. Users will particularly notice the benefits in gaming and video playback.

💡5x Telephoto lens

The 5x telephoto lens is a standout feature on the iPhone 16 Pro, offering enhanced zoom capabilities over previous models. This lens allows for better portrait mode shots, 5x video recording with stabilization, and more detailed zoom photos. The telephoto upgrade is especially useful for capturing distant subjects, like in the example of the user recording his son playing soccer.

💡Titanium chassis

The titanium chassis is a key feature of the iPhone 16 Pro, giving the device a more solid and premium feel compared to the lighter, plastic-like feel of the regular iPhone 16. Titanium adds to the phone's durability and weight, contributing to its overall premium experience. This material also distinguishes the Pro model from previous versions and other current iPhones.

💡A18 Pro chip

The A18 Pro chip is Apple's latest processor, featured in the iPhone 16 Pro. It delivers significant improvements in performance, particularly in graphics, where it offers nearly 20% faster performance compared to the regular iPhone 16. While both devices use the A18 architecture, the Pro chip has an extra GPU core, making it ideal for gamers and users needing high processing power.

💡USB-C transfer speeds

The iPhone 16 Pro offers USB-C transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, a massive improvement over the regular iPhone 16’s 480Mbps speeds. This faster data transfer rate is particularly useful for users handling large files, such as video footage, allowing them to quickly transfer data to other devices. The script highlights this feature as crucial for professionals, like those recording and editing video on the go.

💡Always-on display

The always-on display is a feature of the iPhone 16 Pro that keeps essential information like the time, date, and notifications visible even when the screen is off. This gives the phone a more premium, convenient feel, especially compared to the regular iPhone 16, which lacks this feature. The always-on display enhances the overall usability and appeal of the Pro model.

💡Night mode portrait

Night mode portrait is a feature exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro, enabled by the phone’s LiDAR scanner. It allows users to take high-quality portrait photos in low-light conditions, with better autofocus and more detailed images. The regular iPhone 16 lacks this feature, making the Pro model a better choice for users who frequently take photos in dimly lit environments.

Highlights

The iPhone 16 introduces a compelling upgrade with features like camera control and 25W Max saave charging.

The iPhone 16 has a fresh new camera bump redesign and new colors like ultramarine, giving it a unique look for 2024.

The iPhone 16 Pro's slim bezels offer a more immersive, premium experience compared to the thicker bezels on the regular iPhone 16.

The iPhone 16 Pro features an upgraded 5x telephoto camera with Tetra prism lens design, offering superior light capture and stabilization for video.

The 5x telephoto lens also enhances portrait mode, delivering more natural and detailed shots, particularly for zoomed-in subjects.

The iPhone 16 Pro allows for faster file transfers with a USB-C port supporting 10 Gbps speeds, making it ideal for professionals handling large media files.

Both models feature the same A18 chip, but the Pro model includes an extra GPU core, offering a 20% graphics performance boost, especially noticeable in gaming.

The iPhone 16 Pro includes 120Hz ProMotion technology, making the display smoother for scrolling and animations, significantly enhancing the user experience.

The iPhone 16 Pro's 48MP main camera sensor supports night mode portrait and 4K 120FPS slow-motion video recording, offering high-end photography and videography capabilities.

The regular iPhone 16 still has 60Hz display technology, which feels outdated in 2024, especially compared to the Pro's smoother 120Hz display.

Despite having the same 48MP camera, the iPhone 16 Pro performs better in low-light situations due to its larger sensor and faster readout speed.

The 16 Pro offers the ability to record directly to an external SSD via its USB-C port, saving internal storage space for professionals.

The iPhone 16 Pro’s always-on display provides constant time, date, and notification visibility, adding a premium touch to everyday use.

The 16 Pro's titanium chassis provides a heavier, more premium feel compared to the lighter, cheaper-feeling regular iPhone 16.

Both models have new thermal systems, with the 16 Pro offering better stability in graphics-intensive tasks due to improved cooling.

Transcripts

iPhone 16 versus 16 Pro the pro model is

the much better choice this year right

well it's actually not that simple

because this year Apple made the regular

iPhone 16 the most compelling upgrade in

years by adding new features like camera

control 25 W Max saave charging and more

but as for the 16 pro upgrade this year

not so much I've been testing and using

both of these phones for the past 2

weeks and I've put together a list of 10

real World differences that you're going

to experience on a daily basis if you

choose to upgrade so let's get started

first of all the regular iPhone 16 just

feels so fresh this time every single

day every time I pick this thing up and

I look at it I have to do a double take

to look at this new beautiful camera

bump redesign which looks great and the

new colors like ultramarine on the

regular 16 and teal that we have for the

16 plus they just look so nice but the

16 Pro looks literally the same as

before especially in this white titanium

finish it literally looks like an iPhone

15 Pro and honestly quite similar to the

14 pro as well and that actually matters

a lot in everyday use feeling like your

phone is fresh which you get with the

regular one now I know most people don't

upgrade every year or even every 2 years

but if you buy the regular 16 with the

new camera bump you have a unique iPhone

design that was only released this year

and that really changes how it feels now

the second real difference you're going

to notice every single day is actually

the bezels I've been getting used to the

16 Pros super slim bezels they look

absolutely amazing but when I start

using this iPhone 16 I just can't stop

noticing how thick these puzles are the

iPhone 16 Pro on the other hand is so

immersive it feels so nice so premium to

have bezels this thin and this is really

the only way to tell this model apart

from the previous 15 Pro but most people

might not even notice it but to me this

matters a lot and I really really love

it these bezels on the regular 16 bother

me so much it just feels like it's one

of those old phones that's not as

premium but of course if you're

upgrading from an even older iPhone your

bezels are probably even thicker than

this so it might not be a big deal to

you moving on to real difference number

three we have the extra camera on the

back yes that's the telephoto which this

year it got a major upgrade from 3x to

5x with Apple's unique Tetra prism lens

design which accepts more light compared

to the Periscope cameras and by the way

it's absolutely amazing to have this

first of all you get an extra portrait

mode setting 5x portraits which look

absolutely beautiful you get a

completely different more natural look

to them and of course you also get 5x

video recording where it's very St

stable with stabilization and I love it

because you can record videos like this

one of my son playing soccer with his

cousin and of course Zoom photos are

much more detailed like we saw in Ben's

comparison video some crazy differences

there and you get a lot of background

compression for those photos and those

portraits where it looks really really

nice compared to having the 1X or 2x

mode where you have a lot of

distractions in the background and

especially if you get really really

close to your subject it kind of

distorts the shape of the face whereas

the 5x camera makes it look really

natural and professional now one of

Apple's biggest mistakes was ditching

their iconic leather cases but

thankfully our sponsor mof sent over

their new lineup of mos leather cases

which use premium soft touch vegan

leather which doesn't fade giving you

drop protection with really nice clicky

buttons and a cutout for the camera

control as well as soft microfiber

lining on the inside with built-in

magnets Max saafe accessories like their

Snap-on wallet stand which I've been

using for the last 4 years ever since

Max safe came out in 20120 since it

holds three to four cards and works as a

finger grip and a stand in portrait

landscape or floating mode and the best

part is that it comes in 18 different

colors including these ones which match

the moas cases and new iPhone 16s like

my wife's favorite color Misty Cove

which perfectly matches her new white

titanium iPhone 16 Pro honestly guys I

can't recommend this enough because it

truly is the best wallet replacement out

there and I'm never going back to

anything else so go ahead and check out

the links below to order today now for

difference number four even though the

display quality and brightness is

identical on these two phones which is

kind of crazy this one does have a

little bit of a larger display 6.3 in

compared to 6.1 but the 16 pro has a

huge Advantage with 120hz promotion

technology while the iPhone 16 still has

a 60 HZ display which is just

embarrassing in

2024 the iPhone 16 Pros display feels so

much smoother when you're swiping when

you're scrolling even the text itself is

easier to read while scrolling as well

which is cool and the animations are

super smooth whether you're swiping

around or just looking at the dynamic

island with all the animations it does

and the new camera control animation as

well looks so much smoother on the 16

Pro now moving on to real difference

number five the 16 Pro actually has a

bigger and better main camera sensor

even though both of these are marketed

as 48 megapixels first of all you

actually get a little bit better quality

in low light when using the main camera

with the 16 Pro you get less noise and

more detail which is one of the things

that we noticed in Ben's camera

comparison video the 16 Pro also

supports the night mode portrait mode

which greatly improves the quality of

portraits and it looks very nice as well

with the blur thanks to it having the

lar scanner which the 16 doesn't get and

on top of that the lar scanner also

improves the autofocus performance

especially at night and especially for

video as well just look at this example

of me moving my hands in front of the

camera the 16 Pro does a better job with

autofocus on top of that this 48 megap

sensor is also new having a sensor

readout that's two times faster which

now allows slow motion recording at 4K

120 FPS which let me tell you it looks

absolutely beautiful and it's quickly

becoming one of my favorite video

shooting modes and on top of that it

also has a log video recording as well

for the pros out there for difference

number six they both have the USBC Port

but the iPhone 16 still has the super

slow 480 megabits per second transfer

speed that we had with the old lightning

Port which is so slow that it makes

sense just to use airdrop instead but on

the 16 Pro it's 20 times faster at 10

gbits per second which has allowed us to

record video clips when we're out doing

events like CES and transferring them to

our MacBook for editing super super fast

and on top of that we actually started

using these little Max safe ssds where

you can plug it in and record directly

to the SSD itself so it doesn't fill up

up your personal camera roll with a

bunch of work footage and all you need

to do is plug it into your Mac to start

editing this is a really big deal that

might not be a big deal for everybody

but for us it's huge next up for

difference number seven we have the

performance now surprisingly this is the

smallest performance difference between

the regular and pro iPhones in years

since the a18 and a18 pro chips both

have the same exact six core CPU layout

with the same cores but the regular 16

did technically get the bigger upgrade

year-over-year since the previous 15 had

the a16 chip which is two generations

old so you're getting a bigger boost

this time but now in graphics

performance the A8 pro has an extra GPU

core so it's almost 20% faster which is

a really big deal especially for gamers

since Apple also upgraded the thermal

system on both of these phones however

when we tested the 16 plus compared to

the 15 plus the stability didn't

actually improve because the 15 Plus's

a16 chip didn't really overheat anyway

while on the 16 Pro Max that had a

massive upgrade in terms of stability

since the A7 Pro was throttling like

crazy due to overheating but as far as

this comparison goes the 16 Pro is so

much better for gaming thanks to 120 HZ

promotion that lets you enable 120 FPS

mode for super smooth gaming so it's

definitely the better choice now for

difference number eight you have the 48

8 megapixel Ultra wide which didn't make

that big of a difference when you look

just at your iPhone but when you zoom in

you could definitely see that there is a

lot more details we even noticed some

differences like at night where the

lights looked a lot better the only

problem is that when you use macro mode

it kind of switches off the 48 megapixel

resolution and crops into 12 so you

don't really see a difference in quality

but if you just turn on the regular

ultrawide camera without macro mode then

you could actually get the 48 megapixels

with hi mode but the biggest

disappointment for me is that video

recording didn't really improve since it

still has the same sensor size so the

low light footage still has some noise

which kind of sucks but overall it's a

nice update now for difference number

nine we have the always on display which

is really nice on the 16 Pro because it

makes it feel really premium having the

display be always on showing you the

date the time at all times as well as

seeing when you have notifications which

to me is a big deal because I used to

always miss my wife's text messages it

would just sit there for an hour and I'd

be like oh crap I missed it but now you

can see it at all times when your phone

is sitting there on the charger or the

stand which is really cool and I've got

to say the widgets really help as well

it just feels a lot more premium in

general compared to having the phone

just completely shut off and finally for

difference number 10 the 16 Pro just

feels so much more premium in general

thanks to the the titanium metal chassis

which looks and feels great but the

biggest deal is that it makes the phone

heavier and more solid while the regular

16 kind of feels cheap and too light in

my opinion so overall the 16 Pro just

feels much more polished and

professional which I absolutely love

about it so with that said those were 10

real differences that I've noticed after

2 weeks of use let me know your thoughts

down below and which one you would

personally choose hopefully you enjoy

this video thanks for watching

definitely subscribe above for more

videos like this and check out Ben's

camera comparison right over there we'll

see you in the next video

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