Apple iPhone 16 Pro Review
Meet the new Apple iPhone 16 Pro, now with a 6.3″ display, the slimmest bezels ever on an Apple device, Apple’s A18 Pro chip powered by Apple Intelligence, and a haptic Capture Button designed to fine-tune the Fusion camera system for sharper photos and smoother videos.
Apple is calling it their most advanced iPhone yet—so this week, I’ll dive into what truly sets it apart and whether it’s a worthwhile upgrade. I’ll be stress-testing its cameras, benchmarking the new chipset, gauging real-world battery life, and pitting it against my iPhone 15 Pro and the Google Pixel 9 Pro. By the end of the week, I’ll share my honest verdict.
Unboxing and Setup
On first glance, it’s hard to tell this is a brand-new model—it looks almost identical to an iPhone 14 or even a 12 Pro from a distance. Placed side by side with the iPhone 15 Pro, you’ll notice the 16 Pro’s display is 0.2″ larger, and it’s about 10 grams (0.4 ounces) heavier in hand.
Apple has finally removed the classic sticker pack from the box to cut down on waste. Inside you’ll find only a braided USB-C cable, and for regions outside the US, a physical SIM tray remains.
I also ordered a Stone Gray silicone case, which pairs nicely with the natural titanium finish. With everything set up, I’ll spend the next seven days using the 16 Pro daily and report back on my experience.
Capture Button and Camera Testing
I kicked off the weekend by the river, snapping hundreds of photos and videos to see how the updated cameras perform. On paper, the setup includes:
- 48 MP Fusion wide camera
- 12 MP 2× telephoto lens
- 48 MP ultra-wide sensor (up from 12 MP on the 15 Pro)
Fusion mode combines two shots—one optimized for detail and the other for exposure—to deliver balanced images. That software trick isn’t new, but the beefed-up ultra-wide sensor is.
The star is the new Capture Button: a haptic, sapphire-coated insert that mimics a traditional camera shutter. Here’s how it works:
- Press once to open the Camera app
- Press again to snap a photo
- Press and hold to start recording video
- Light press plus slide to adjust exposure and zoom
Initially it felt fun and tactile, but after a couple of days I found myself instinctively tapping the touchscreen instead—what we’re all used to is just more convenient. Right-handers will notice their palm often blocks the button when holding the phone vertically, making it finicky in that orientation.
In retrospect, the Capture Button feels like another interesting but nonessential feature—think iPhone 15’s Action Button or the MacBook Touch Bar. The novelty quickly wore off, and I suspect most users will default back to the touchscreen shutter for everyday shooting.
New Cameras and Photo Comparisons
Let’s start with the ultra-wide images. In side-by-side tests against the iPhone 15 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the iPhone 16 Pro delivers noticeably sharper ultra-wide shots, thanks to its higher resolution sensor. Blacks appear richer, and overall clarity is improved—making it a solid upgrade for anyone who loves that extra field of view.
When you zoom in on the pixels, the gap between the 16 Pro and 15 Pro narrows, but there’s more under the hood than just a better ultra-wide lens. Apple has brought the tetra prism telephoto system—once exclusive to the 15 Pro Max—to the 16 Pro. That means you get 5× optical zoom instead of 3×, and it produces impressively clean long-range shots. While the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s 5× zoom still edges ahead in lifelike tone and colour rendering, the iPhone holds its own remarkably well.
One hidden advantage is the faster sensor readout on the 16 Pro. Shooting ProRAW at 48 MP feels instantaneous, with zero shutter lag. By contrast, the 15 Pro can take a second or two to finish processing.
Apple’s new Photographic Styles also deserve a shout-out. You can tweak tone, colour, and intensity presets before you capture an image, then fine-tune those same settings afterward. It’s essentially a built-in filter system—something you could approximate in Lightroom, but now it’s baked into the native camera app with a smooth, user-friendly interface.
Video Tests
Video enthusiasts will appreciate the new 4K at 120fps Dolby Vision mode. Footage shot in slow motion or regular playback looks stunning, with vibrant colours, contrast, and brightness that really pop.
Audio capture has been upgraded, too. Four microphones now record spatial audio, letting you adjust the sound stage after shooting. With a good pair of headphones—like AirPods Pro—you’ll notice clearer, more immersive sound and a lower noise floor.
Those same mics also boost calling quality. FaceTime conversations have a bit more tonal richness, and the improved voice-isolation feature makes chatter come through crisp and clear.
On the processing side, the A18 Pro chip’s new image signal processor lets you apply frame-by-frame colour grading to 4K Dolby Vision clips at 120fps. While it may be overkill for casual users, it’s a pro-level tool for creators who want maximum control.
All told, the iPhone 16 Pro takes video to the next level. It isn’t a radical leap from the 15 Pro, but it cements Apple’s lead in smartphone videography.
Daily Use, Design, Display
Shifting to the 16 Pro’s design, the 6.3-inch screen feels noticeably roomier without sacrificing sharpness—the pixel density remains at 460 ppi, matching the 15 Pro. It can reach up to 2000 nits at peak brightness and dim down to 1 nit for always-on display, delivering an impressive contrast range.
Apple advertises these as its slimmest bezels yet, and while they look sleek, ultra-narrow or wraparound borders have existed on Android devices for years, so it’s more incremental than revolutionary. The titanium frame continues to offer a lightweight yet rugged build, making upgrades from older iPhones especially welcome. Models sold outside the US still include a physical SIM tray alongside eSIM support, but overall, the styling feels familiar, and a fresh design direction would be a welcome change.
A18 Pro Performance
Inside, the A18 Pro—built on a refined 3 nm process—delivers a 12–14% boost in single-core, multi-core, and GPU scores over the A17 Pro on Geekbench 6. Its performance now rivals M1 MacBook benchmarks, which is astonishing for a phone. Despite the raw power, everyday tasks and gaming feel just as smooth, and the chip’s improved thermal management promises better efficiency.
It’s tempting to imagine an iPhone-powered desktop mode—pairing Bluetooth peripherals and an AirPlay display—but Apple’s ecosystem likely reserves such capabilities to protect iPad and Mac sales. For most users, the extra headroom in performance is overkill, but it underscores the device’s “Pro” ambitions.
- Display: 6.3″ OLED (1206 x 2622 pixels)
- Chipset: Apple A18 Pro
- Memory: 8GB RAM, 1TB Storage
- OS: iOS …
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Battery Life
Under heavy use—shooting video and photos nonstop—the battery delivered around 10–12 hours of uptime. Switching to typical daily tasks, I consistently saw about 15 hours before needing a recharge, marking a 15–20% improvement over the 15 Pro.
Part of that gain comes from a slightly larger 3582 mAh cell and the A18 Pro’s efficiency optimizations. The phone now supports 25W fast charging (up from 15W), topping up to roughly 50% in 30 minutes—still not blazing fast, but a welcome upgrade.
Drawbacks
After spending a few weeks with the iPhone 16 Pro, two main issues stood out. First, Apple Intelligence feels incomplete at launch. I was eager to try features like text summarization, proofreading, and the revamped Siri, but most of the promised capabilities won’t arrive until later this year. What’s available today performs little better than the old Siri—just a fresh coat of paint and the option to type commands. It’s disappointing that this marquee feature isn’t fully ready, especially when Google’s Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI are shipping robust AI tools right now. The upside is that once Apple Intelligence does go live, it will also support the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.
The second annoyance is heat. Despite the new graphene-based cooling system, the 16 Pro still becomes noticeably warm under heavy load—whether running demanding apps indoors on a hot day or shooting video by the river. It even triggered the “iPhone needs to cool down” warning more than once. My guess is the powerful A18 Pro chip generates enough heat that the thermal solution can’t fully compensate, pushing warmth toward the chassis instead of dissipating it internally.
One-Week Impressions
After seven days with the iPhone 16 Pro, here’s where I stand. Beyond the larger display and the new Capture Button, nearly every component—the software, cameras, processor, microphones, and 5G modem—feels like a meaningful upgrade. That said, at this level of polish we almost expect Apple’s “Pro” flagship to deliver on all fronts.
I’m excited to fully evaluate Apple Intelligence once it’s complete, though my recent time with the Pixel 9 and its Gemini AI makes me wonder if Apple will ever catch up on value and versatility.
My bottom-line advice: If you simply want a rock-solid premium phone with top-tier cameras and unmatched video capabilities, the iPhone 16 Pro fits the bill. It’s especially compelling for anyone already entrenched in Apple’s ecosystem. But if you crave a more radical redesign or you’re open to switching platforms, now is one of the best moments to explore Android’s innovations. And if your current iPhone still performs well, sticking with it remains the most sensible choice.
