iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: All the Key Specs Compared

Here’s how everything from cameras to battery life to displays compare.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter

Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She’s also worked for CNET’s video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco — steep inclines and all.

Expertise Abrar has spent her career at CNET analyzing tech trends while also writing news, reviews and commentaries across mobile, streaming and online culture. Credentials

• Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal’s Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.

Now that Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup is here, you may be wondering whether to go with the $800 baseline model or pay more for the Pro model, which starts at $1,000. Here’s a breakdown of the key specs for each device to help with that decision. 

Preorders for the iPhone 16 series starts Friday, with availability beginning Sept. 20. 

Looking to preorder the latest Apple devices? We’re rounding up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 deals at launch.

Cameras: The Pro’s big selling point

A key draw for Apple’s iPhone Pro models is the higher-grade camera, for both photos and videos. 

When it comes to rear cameras, the baseline iPhone 16 sports a 48MP fusion camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera, while the 16 Pro has a 48MP fusion camera, 48MP ultrawide camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. Both phones feature a 12MP TrueDepth front-facing camera. 

For video, the iPhone 16 can shoot in 4K at 60 frames per second, in addition to 1080p spatial video at 30 frames per second. The 16 Pro has the same spatial video capacity but can also shoot in 4K up to 120 frames per second — bringing slow-motion effects to the iPhone.

So if you want to do a bit more with your camera (or just zoom in at a concert without compromising quality), the Pro’s premium features may be tempting. 

Displays, size and weight

The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, while the 16 Pro’s is 6.3 inches.  The 16 has a 60Hz refresh rate, while the Pro has a 120Hz refresh rate. Both have a 460 ppi pixel density and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits.

The iPhone 16 is 5.81 inches tall, 2.82 inches wide and 0.31 inches thick. The 16 Pro’s dimensions aren’t too far off: 5.89 inches tall, 2.81 wide and 0.32 inches thick. The baseline 16 weighs 170g (6 ounces), while the Pro is 199g (7.03 ounces). The materials vary, too, with the iPhone 16 featuring an aluminum enclosure, while the 16 Pro is made with titanium. 

Both feature Dynamic Island, as well as an Action Button and Camera Control button.

The iPhone 16 comes in Black, White, Pink, Teal and Ultramarine, while the iPhone 16 Pro comes in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium and Desert Titanium. Each are water resistant, with an IP68 rating.

Both support USB-C charging. There’s no fingerprint sensor on either, so you’ll need to use Face ID or a passcode.

Batteries, processors and software

Apple doesn’t disclose its battery capacity but says the iPhone 16 has up to 22 hours of video playback (18 hours streamed), while the 16 Pro has up to 27 hours of video playback (22 hours streamed). Both feature 20W wired charging, and MagSafe wireless charging up to 25 watts with a 30-watt adapter or higher. They also support Qi2 charging, up to 15 watts.

The 16 is powered by an A18 chip, while the 16 Pro packs the more powerful (and aptly named) A18 Pro chip. They each come with iOS 18 and will support Apple Intelligence when it arrives later this year.

Pricing and storage

The iPhone 16 starts at $800 for 128GB of storage, $900 for 256GB and $1,100 for 512GB. The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $1,000 for 128GB, $1,100 for 256GB, $1,300 for 512GB and $1,500 for 1TB.

Check out the spec chart below for a closer breakdown.