Apple iPhone 16 Plus

Our Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review

Apple knew they couldn’t get left behind this year when their competitors have brought AI into their phones, so not only have they joined them, they have delivered a brilliant device in the iPhone 16 range.

The gap between the 15 Pro and 16 is clearer than any other gap between the new base iPhone and the previous iterations’ Pro, so there is good reason as to why you should want to upgrade this year.

With that being said, the differences are mainly (or in some cases, only) found internally. If you were hoping for a completely different looking phone with lots of new features, we have some bad news for you…

Also, before we get into it, if you’re reading this review after having read the base iPhone 16 review, it may feel like deja vu but that’s only because the base 16 and the 16 Plus are pretty much identical phones, only the plus stands a bit taller.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Display

The display on the iPhone 16 Plus remains the same as that of the iPhone 15 Plus - a 6.7” Super Retina XDR OLED display with HDR10, Dolby Vision and a peak brightness of 2000 nits.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Camera

For the most part, the cameras are almost identiacal on the 16 Plus as they were on the 15 Plus, too, albeit with the rear dual-camera system now redesigned.

On the rear, there is a 48MP main camera and a 12MP Ultra Wide that is capable of macro photography and spatial photos and videos. 

It has 0.5x, 1x and 2x optical zoom options and has the latest-generation photographic styles. The selfie camera is also identical, remaining as a 12MP camera.

Video recording is also unchanged - 4K at 24, 25, 30 and 60 fps, 1080p at 25, 30, 60, 120 and 240 fps.

However, while the hardware is the same, with the introduction of AI, your photos and videos can now look better, crisper and more vibrant than ever before. 

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Design

There are two noticeable differences to the iPhone 16 Plus design. Firstly, the dual-camera system has changed, remaining in the top left corner but now with both cameras sitting vertically, one on top of the other.

A new button has been introduced to all iPhone 16 phones. The Camera Control “button”, which isn’t really a physical button but for ease we shall call it such, has multiple uses; not just as a clicker when taking a picture or settings adjust (it can be used to zoom or change exposure etc.), but using AI, it can help you identify things as you’re looking at them.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Performance

Installed in the iPhone 16 Plus is the new Apple A18 chipset, a full two generations ahead of what the iPhone 15 had. 

The A18 chipset is a second-gen 3nm chip that delivers 30% faster CPU performance and 40% faster GPU performance, meaning the phone is more powerful and more efficient than the iPhone 15 Plus.

With this level of performance, mobile gamers will find themselves easily capable of running triple-A games such as Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, and for the everyday phone users, you won’t have to worry about being bogged down with a slow device, no matter how many apps you have open.

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Features & iOS 18

The new iPhone 16s will launch with the latest iOS 18, which along with the standard improvements to customisation and other general things, will have support for Apple Intelligence, the phones integrated AI.

Apple Intelligence will help with so many processes, including writing tools, personalised images to use and a better understanding from Siri.

How much is the Apple iPhone 16 Plus?

Thankfully, Apple has not put the prices for the new iPhone 16 range up compared to last year's phones - although they do still come with their hefty price tag.

Colour choice doesn’t make a difference to storage capacity or price, but if you want more space on your iPhone 16 Plus, you will pay a bit more.

• 128GB = £899
• 256GB = £999
• 512GB = £1199

Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Our verdict

Sometimes it’s hard to see the big difference between Apple’s previous Pro generation of phones and the new base generation. But with the introduction of AI, Apple have made sure the iPhone 16 Plus cannot be touched by the 15 Pro.

There isn’t too much of a difference this year between the 16 and the 16 Pro either, so if you’re not too bothered about the arguably over-the-top features that make the Pro what it is, the iPhone 16 Plus will be more than suitable.