Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review

Introduction

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is this year’s larger, non-Pro iPhone, offering a big-screen experience without the premium price tag of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. But with upgrades like a new chipset, improved cameras, and an action button, does it justify the cost?

In this in-depth review, we’ll explore:
✅ Design & Build Quality – What’s new and what’s familiar?
✅ Display Performance – Is the 60Hz refresh rate a dealbreaker?
✅ Camera Upgrades – How do the new sensors perform?
✅ Battery Life & Charging – Does it outlast the Pro Max?
✅ Performance & Software – How does the A18 chip handle demanding tasks?
✅ Final Verdict – Who should buy the iPhone 16 Plus?

Design & Build Quality: Subtle but Meaningful Changes

The iPhone 16 Plus retains the sleek, flat-edged design of its predecessor but introduces a few key refinements:

Key Design Upgrades:

✔ New Vertical Camera Layout – Instead of the diagonal arrangement, the dual cameras now align vertically, matching the Pro models.
✔ Action Button – Borrowed from last year’s Pro models, this customizable button can launch shortcuts, apps, or camera controls.
✔ Camera Control Key – A hardware shutter button that lets you:

Lightly press to focus
Press fully to capture photos
Hold to record video
Swipe to adjust exposure & zoom

Durability & Protection:

IP68 water & dust resistance (6 meters for 30 minutes)
Aerospace-grade aluminum frame with a Ceramic Shield front

Verdict: While the design isn’t revolutionary, the new buttons and refined camera layout make it more functional than before.

Display: Still 60Hz – A Missed Opportunity?

The iPhone 16 Plus features a 6.7-inch OLED display with:
✔ HDR10 & Dolby Vision support
✔ 1,800 nits peak brightness (great for outdoor use)
✔ Dynamic Island (for notifications & shortcuts)

But the big downside?
❌ Still stuck at 60Hz – Most Android phones (even budget ones) now offer 90Hz or 120Hz for smoother scrolling.

Brightness & Color Accuracy:

Manual brightness: ~900 nits
Auto-boost (HDR): Up to 1,800 nits (better than last year)
True Tone & P3 wide color gamut for accurate colors

Verdict: The screen is sharp and vibrant, but the lack of ProMotion (120Hz) is disappointing at this price.

Performance: A18 Chip Delivers a Big Leap

The iPhone 16 Plus gets the A18 chip, a major upgrade over the A16 in the iPhone 15 Plus.

Benchmark Results:

Test	iPhone 16 Plus (A18)	iPhone 15 Plus (A16)	Improvement
CPU (GeekBench 6)	2,800 / 7,200	2,400 / 6,200	+16% / +16%
GPU (GFXBench)	120 FPS	90 FPS	+33%
Thermal Throttling	Minimal	Moderate	Better sustained performance

Real-World Performance:

Handles AAA games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty) smoothly
No lag in multitasking
Supports iOS 18’s AI features (coming later via update)

Verdict: The A18 chip makes this the fastest non-Pro iPhone ever, with better efficiency for longer battery life.

Battery Life: Best in Any iPhone

The iPhone 16 Plus has a 4,700 mAh battery, slightly larger than last year’s model.

Battery Test Results:

Usage Scenario	Battery Life (Hours)
Web Browsing	18h 49m
Video Playback	22h 30m
Gaming	7h 15m

Charging Speeds:

20W Wired: 0-55% in 30 mins, full charge in 1h 39m
15W MagSafe Wireless
Reverse Wireless Charging (for AirPods & accessories)

Verdict: The best battery life in any iPhone, even beating the Pro Max.

Cameras: Bigger Sensor & Autofocus Ultra-Wide

Main Camera (48MP):

✔ Sharper daylight photos with better dynamic range
✔ 2x zoom mode (digital crop, but usable)
✔ Improved night mode (less noise, better shadows)

New Ultra-Wide (12MP with Autofocus):

✔ Macro mode (great for close-up shots)
✔ Better low-light performance than last year

Selfie Camera (12MP):

✔ Autofocus for sharper selfies
✔ 4K HDR video recording

Video Recording:

Cinematic Mode (4K @ 30fps)
Action Mode stabilization (smoother handheld footage)

Verdict: The ultra-wide upgrade is welcome, but the main sensor is similar to last year’s.

iOS 18 & Apple Intelligence (AI Features)

The iPhone 16 Plus runs iOS 18 with:
✔ Customizable Home Screen (more icon freedom)
✔ RCS support (better texting with Android users)
✔ Apple Intelligence (coming later) – AI-powered:

Writing tools (rewrite, summarize)
AI-generated emojis
Smarter Siri (context-aware responses)

Note: Some AI features may be delayed in the EU due to privacy regulations.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy the iPhone 16 Plus?

✅ Worth It If You:

✔ Want a big-screen iPhone without Pro Max pricing
✔ Need the best battery life in an iPhone
✔ Appreciate the new camera control & action buttons

❌ Not Worth It If You:

✖ Already own an iPhone 15 Plus (minor upgrades)
✖ Want 120Hz ProMotion (stick with Pro models)
✖ Need the best cameras (Pro models still win)

Alternatives: