Apple iPhone 16 Pro review: The full experience…eventually

Loads can occur in a 12 months. It’s a phrase we’ve heard a whole bunch of occasions, although not often in reference to the iPhone. 

Apple’s telephones have matured lately, with the final real overhaul being 2017’s iPhone X. Since then, we’ve seen solely incremental updates, making what was already probably the greatest telephones simply that bit higher every time. 

I’m not about to say that issues have basically modified on the iPhone 16 Professional, however there are fairly just a few vital enhancements. 

With a brand new A18 Professional chipset, 5x telephoto digicam, greater show, bigger battery and quicker MagSafe charging, it appears like an actual bounce in comparison with the iPhone 15 Professional. That’s earlier than we even get to Apple Intelligence, although, which isn’t but out there on the time of writing. 

However is the iPhone 16 Professional you purchase right now actually price it? Must you look forward to Apple’s AI options to turn out to be established earlier than making the bounce? And is that this the iPhone 16 mannequin that’s finest for most individuals? 

I reply all these questions and extra within the full assessment that follows. 

Design & Construct

• Greater show inside related chassis 
• Premium titanium and glass construct 
• New Digital camera Management button 

There are some massive adjustments on the iPhone 16 Professional, however design isn’t one in all them. Its key options – glass back and front, a titanium body, rounded corners and a flat show – are all current on the iPhone 15 Professional, although this new mannequin has some delicate refinements. 

A smaller bezel means Apple has been in a position to squeeze a bigger show (6.3- vs 6.1-inch) inside a chassis that’s solely barely taller and wider, serving to the cellphone to stay fairly compact. It’s in no way a one-handed cellphone, however nothing like the large 16 Professional Max. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Coming from the 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Professional, I used to be stunned by how related it feels to Google’s cellphone. That features the load, which is an identical at 199g. Not precisely gentle, however not one thing that ever turns into uncomfortable to carry both. 

Nonetheless, the iPhone 16 Professional has just a few design options that you just gained’t discover on any non-Apple cellphone.  

The primary is the Motion Button, which changed the mute swap on the iPhone 15 Professional and continues right here (in addition to that includes on the common 16 fashions). I nonetheless primarily use it to toggle Silent Mode (through a press and maintain), however it may be mapped to a great deal of different capabilities, together with toggling key settings or opening your favorite app. Much more could also be added as soon as Apple Intelligence arrives. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The opposite massive one is the Digital camera Management button. It sits recessed on the bottom-right aspect of the cellphone, and means that you can regulate a spread of digicam choices with no need to faucet on the display.  

I’ll speak about its impact on pictures within the digicam part, however I do discover the situation problematic. Whereas in a pure place for panorama pictures, it’s extraordinarily awkward should you’re taking pictures in portrait for the likes of social media. Utilizing it as a substitute of the Motion Button to rapidly launch the digicam app is fiddly, too. 

Alongside the ability button and quantity controls, it means there are actually 5 bodily buttons on the edges of the iPhone 16 Professional. It’s beginning to get a bit crowded. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Sadly, the colourful colors of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus haven’t made it to the Professional. The golden Desert Titanium mannequin I examined might be probably the most fascinating – it seems to be very elegant in particular person. If that doesn’t take your fancy, Pure (silver), White and Black are additionally out there. 

Nonetheless, the iPhone 16 Professional is among the few telephones I might see myself utilizing case-free. The matt rear coating avoids seen fingerprint smudges whereas including some grip. Gorilla Glass on the back and front, plus a grade 5 titanium body, ought to make it proof against most scratches and drops, although I haven’t examined this for apparent causes.  

You additionally get IP68 mud and water resistance, which means it may be submerged in freshwater or surrounded by mud with none unwell results. 

Nonetheless, the £49/$49 official silicone case I examined alongside the cellphone is a good possibility. It gives a satisfying textured again and raised lip to guard the display, plus the number of colors you would possibly’ve been craving. 

Rounding off this part is a point out of the vibration motor. I’m not often a fan of haptics and have a tendency to show them off on an Android cellphone, however I couldn’t ignore simply how good they’re right here. The delicate, clipped suggestions you get whereas typing, switching apps, utilizing the Motion Button and extra is an actual delight. 

Display & Audio system

• Bigger 6.3-inch display 
• Wonderful Face ID and Dynamic Island 
• Spectacular twin stereo audio system 

As point out, the iPhone 16 Professional’s display measurement has grown to six.3-inch. That’s a change you’ll most likely discover – it’s now greater than the 6.1-inch common iPhone 16, and according to a key rival within the Pixel 9 Professional.

Alongside the slimmer bezel, the viewing expertise is extra immersive. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Elsewhere, it’s functionally an identical to final 12 months, although that’s excellent news. Similar to its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Professional has probably the greatest shows within the enterprise. It’s a wealthy, vibrant ‘Tremendous Retina XDR’ OLED panel that gives gorgeous, vibrant colors and deep blacks. 

It additionally will get impressively vivid, providing a typical brightness of 1000 nits and peak of 2000 nits. Outside visibility, even in direct daylight, isn’t an issue in any respect. 

Apple continues to order the 120Hz refresh charge for Professional fashions, and it makes an actual distinction to the smoothness and fluidity of navigation and a few video games. LTPO tech means it could routinely drop as little as 1Hz to save lots of battery life, which is an actual plus. 

The ‘Dynamic Island’ cut-out continues to be one of the simplest ways to deal with the entrance dealing with digicam and all-important Face ID sensors, which work flawlessly. Including the power to regulate media, preserve monitor of timers and use third-party apps from there’s genuinely helpful. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

I describe Face ID as “all-important” as a result of Apple nonetheless doesn’t embrace a fingerprint sensor of any description on the iPhone. Unlocking and authenticating funds with my face is seamless, however there are occasions once I want an under-display model of Contact ID was there too. 

The iPhone 16 Professional’s stereo audio system are glorious. The sound is wealthy and full-bodied, getting impressively loud whereas sustaining readability. In case you’re in a personal place (not on public transport please!), they’re a succesful various to connecting headphones. 

Specs & Efficiency

• A18 Professional chipset 
• Excellent efficiency 
• Solely 128GB storage on base mannequin 

The iPhone 16 Professional is powered by Apple’s A18 Professional chipset. This 3nm SoC has six cores – two efficiency and 4 effectivity – aiming to ship the top-tier efficiency and energy effectivity that fashionable cellphone customers demand. 

Does it succeed? If my expertise is something to go by, surely. The 16 Professional excelled at every part I might throw at it, whereas sturdy battery life (extra on that later) suggests effectivity can be superb. 

As anticipated, operating a number of apps concurrently barely causes the 16 Professional to interrupt even the slightest sweat. It feels just like the cellphone has a heap of efficiency in reserve, evidenced by it by no means even getting barely heat to the contact. 

Even while you transition to demanding apps or AAA cell video games, every part stays clean and lag-free. All through my time with the cellphone, there was no slowdown or lag in anyway. And the big selection of top-tier video games on the App Retailer makes the iPhone 16 Professional a potent gaming gadget. 

Apple iPhone 16 Professional benchmarks

Because the benchmarks beneath present, the A18 Professional outshines all of the Android competitors in CPU efficiency, although the restricted GPU outcomes don’t mirror the wonderful efficiency. 

Frustratingly, the bottom mannequin of the iPhone 16 Professional solely gives 128GB of storage. This doesn’t really feel apt for a Professional cellphone costing this a lot and with no expandable storage assist, I’d suggest getting a minimum of 256GB, although 512GB and 1TB variations are additionally out there. 

Alongside Wi-Fi 7 assist, you get 5G, Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC for Apple Pay, which works as marketed. 

Cameras

• Upgraded 12Mp 5x telephoto lens 
• Sturdy 48Mp foremost and 48Mp ultrawide 
• Spectacular 12Mp selfie digicam 

Observe: Resulting from a technical situation, digicam samples shall be added quickly.

Apple has made a welcome enchancment to the cameras on the iPhone 16 Professional. Whereas the telephoto lens continues to be 12Mp, it now helps 5x optical zoom relatively than 3x, identical to the 16 Professional Max. 

It won’t sound like an enormous change, but it surely had a big influence on the way in which I took pictures. Quite than attempting to maneuver nearer or avoiding sure conditions, I used to be glad to depend on the telephoto to get top-quality pictures from a distance. 

It’s a disgrace to lose the 3x optical zoom, however in my expertise, the digital model continues to be high-quality right here. On the different finish of the dimensions, even pictures on the most 25x are detailed sufficient to be usable. 

One other good thing about the improved telephoto is its portrait skills, although I’d suggest the default 1x or 2x as a substitute. I used to be in a position to take some impressively professional-looking pictures, and it’s enjoyable to have a spread of lighting modes to select from. Nonetheless, edge detection was missing at occasions, particularly on pet fur. 

Crucially, the iPhone 16 Professional is excellent with regards to straight point-and-shoot pictures.

In all environments, I discovered element and dynamic vary from the 48Mp foremost lens to be glorious, with stills trying impressively true to life. Telephone cameras generally tend so as to add a lot of saturation and distinction, however Apple leaves this as much as you within the edit. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The 16 Professional is nice in vivid out of doors situations, but additionally the gray, dreary days throughout most of my testing. In low-light environments, the brightening impact is delicate, which means photographs keep practical whereas noise is saved to a minimal. 

With barely any shutter lag, I might depend on the iPhone 16 Professional’s foremost lens to seize significant moments with minimal fuss. The ‘Stay Photographs’ mode that’s enabled by default isn’t for everybody, although capturing the moments earlier than and after you hit the shutter button could be helpful. 

Importantly, I didn’t discover a big drop-off intimately or total picture high quality when shifting to the 48Mp ultrawide digicam. The pliability of a wider subject of view is beneficial in a wide range of situations, together with whereas taking macro pictures. A few of the finest close-up photographs I’ve ever taken on a cellphone have been with the iPhone 16 Professional. 

On the entrance, a 12Mp lens is among the many finest round. Selfies are clear and crisp in nearly all lighting circumstances, whereas the portrait impact is pretty convincing. For persistently nice selfies, I’d select the iPhone 16 Professional or Professional Max over some other cellphone. 

The bodily Digital camera Management button is beneficial for rapidly launching the digicam, snapping a picture or adjusting the zoom degree by urgent or sliding your finger throughout it (even with a case on).  

Nonetheless, accessing publicity, depth, types and tone modes utilizing a light-weight double press is fiddly, and infrequently appears like extra work than accessing them on display. Additionally they solely actually attraction to Professional photographers who wish to fine-tune photos. 

For video, the iPhone continues to be the gold commonplace. The 16 Professional can shoot in as much as 4K at 120fps, providing clear and clean footage due to OIS (optical picture stabilisation) on the primary and telephoto lenses.

Alongside 4 studio-quality mics and varied intelligent software program options like Cinematic mode, it’s one of many highest telephones for capturing video. 

Battery Life & Charging

• 3582mAh battery (unconfirmed) 
• Sturdy battery life 
• 20W wired charging
• 25W MagSafe charging

As traditional, Apple hasn’t revealed the iPhone 16 Professional’s particular battery capability. Nonetheless, GSMArena estimates it to be 3582mAh. 

In case you’re accustomed to Android telephones, that sounds very low, particularly for such a power-hungry premium handset. However the mixture of a power-efficient chipset and the tight integration of {hardware} and software program means Apple can do extra with much less. 

And so it has proved. Throughout my time with the iPhone 16 Professional, it supplied persistently stable battery life. A full cost comfortably lasted a full day in all conditions, or two on the times once I was working from residence. 

Basically, it is a cellphone the place you don’t have to fret about battery life. It doesn’t fairly match the excellence of the iPhone 16 Professional Max, but it surely’s greater than ok for the overwhelming majority of individuals. 

Nonetheless, charging continues to be a supply of frustration. Wired speeds are nonetheless restricted to 20W, and solely a cable is included within the field. No less than USB-C is the norm now. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

MagSafe charging has been upgraded to 25W, which means it’s really the higher possibility when you’ve got the appropriate accent. There’s additionally 15W common wi-fi charging utilizing the newest Qi2 commonplace, or 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging for the likes of AirPods. 

Software program & Apps

• iOS 18.0 at launch 
• No Apple Intelligence options but 
• Probably a minimum of seven years of updates 

At launch, the iPhone 16 Professional runs iOS 18.0 out of the field. That’s vital, as a result of the primary Apple Intelligence AI options gained’t be added till iOS 18.1, with a full rollout taking a number of months. The US is getting it in October and the UK has to attend till December. 

You may obtain a public beta of iOS 18.1 now, which incorporates enhancements to Siri, generative AI writing instruments and notification summaries. For extra on what these options are like, learn our iPhone 16 Professional Max assessment. 

Nonetheless, it’s at all times dangerous to put in non-final software program in your foremost gadget, so I can perceive should you’d relatively wait. That’s what I’ve performed on the iPhone 16 Professional, to present you an thought of what the software program is like should you purchase the cellphone right now. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Basically, in case your iPhone is suitable with iOS 18, there’ll be no tangible variations from the present model of the 16 Professional.  

That’s to not say there aren’t any new options, although. The brand new customisation choices for the house display are glorious, permitting you to fine-tune the way in which every part seems to be and lock or cover apps. 

Lock display controls and grouped Management Heart icons are good touches, although the redesigned Photographs app is complicated should you’re used to the earlier model. Math Notes is a handy solution to clear up equations throughout the Notes app, but it surely’s comparatively area of interest. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

In its present kind, iOS 18 feels lots like iOS 17. It’s nonetheless a slick, visually interesting consumer interface that often feels genuinely intuitive.

Nonetheless, as somebody who often exams Android telephones, I can’t get my head round the way in which Apple handles notifications or the overall lack of multitasking options. 

Software program assist is an space the place Apple continues to excel. Assuming the iPhone 16 Professional matches what we’ve seen prior to now, you’ll be able to anticipate a minimum of seven full years of updates. 

These embrace common safety patches and the brand new main model of iOS as quickly because it’s out there, one thing many Android telephones can’t match. 

Value & Availability

The iPhone 16 Professional is an costly cellphone.  

It begins at £999/$999 for the 128GB mannequin, although I’d suggest most individuals spend a minimum of £1,099/$1,099 for 256GB. The 512GB model I examined prices £1,299/$1,299, whereas the top-spec 1TB mannequin is £1,499/$1,499. 

It’s out there outright immediately from Apple UK and Apple US, plus a spread of third-party retailers and carriers. See the complete choice in our information on the place to purchase the iPhone 16 collection. 

In fact, many individuals will wish to purchase the iPhone 16 Professional on contract, which is able to break the price down into extra manageable funds. See probably the most reasonably priced choices within the UK and US beneath. 

Nonetheless, that outright value places the iPhone 16 Professional up towards a few of the highest telephones you should purchase.

It’s cheaper than the iPhone 16 Professional Max (from £1,199/$1,199), however proper according to Android rivals such because the Samsung Galaxy S24+ (from £999/$999) and Google Pixel 9 Professional (from £999/$999). 

Must you purchase the iPhone 16 Professional?

In case you want smaller telephones however nonetheless need the most effective iPhone expertise, sure. Except for barely worse battery life, the 16 Professional is only a extra compact model of the 16 Professional Max at a extra reasonably priced value. 

It means you get nearly every part that makes that cellphone so nice. Elegant A18 Professional efficiency, a stunning 120Hz show and a slick premium design. Battery life continues to be very stable, too. 

The 16 Professional additionally has a few of the finest cameras within the enterprise, together with the 5x telephoto that was beforehand unique to the Professional Max. Even should you don’t use the hit-and-miss Digital camera Management button, it excels for each pictures and movies. 

Nonetheless, it’s vital to bear in mind that Apple Intelligence isn’t but out there on the time of writing. With out AI, particularly in 2024, the iPhone 16 Professional software program expertise is far the identical as some other cellphone operating iOS 18. 

The opposite frustration is charging speeds, although these are sluggish whatever the iPhone you select, and MagSafe is a handy wi-fi possibility. 

In the end, if you would like the most effective iPhone expertise in a extra compact bundle, the 16 Professional is the cellphone for you.

Specs

• iOS 18 
• 6.3-inch FHD+ 120Hz LTPO OLED  
• Dynamic Island with Face ID 
• Apple A18 Professional chipset  
• 8GB RAM  
• 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB non-expandable storage  
• 3582mAh battery (unconfirmed) 
• 20W wired charging 
• 25W MagSafe charging 
• 25W Qi2 wi-fi charging 
• 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging 
• 48Mp f/1.8 foremost digicam  
• 48Mp f/2. 2 ultrawide digicam  
• 12Mp f/2.8 5x telephoto digicam  
• 12Mp f/1.9 entrance digicam  
• Twin stereo audio system 
• USB-C 3.2  
• 5G  
• NanoSIM + eSIM  
• Wi-Fi 7  
• Bluetooth 5.3  
• IP68  
• 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.3 mm 
• 199g