Apple’s latest iPhone has arrived, bringing a slew of new features and enhancements. The iPhone 16 includes the new A18 CPU, a reworked camera system with a dedicated Capture Control button, and the promise of Apple Intelligence capabilities. But how does it compare to its predecessor, the iPhone 15? Will it improve sound and visual performance?
We’ve gone into detail to compare the features and specifications of both phones, so you can see what’s new and decide whether it’s worth upgrading. We had the opportunity to test the new iPhone 16 in California, and this comparison is based on our initial thoughts as well as all of the specifications and new features.
The iPhone 16 series is arrived, and as our evaluations of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max demonstrate, Apple has provided an amazing revamp to its smartphone lineup. The iPhone 16 is at the low end of the new lineup in terms of hardware and pricing, but it manages to elevate the standard for base-model iPhones with fresh design improvements, easy new controls, and the promise of Apple Intelligence.
This year’s basic iPhone offers one of the most dramatic enhancements to a previous model in years. The iPhone 15 remains a strong challenger, but the gap between the two most recent iPhones is much wider than in past years.
IPHONE 16 VS IPHONE 15: SPECS COMPARISON
Although the iPhone 16 appears to be very identical to the iPhone 15, there are numerous significant upgrades, including a new CPU, faster wireless charging, and a new color lineup. The primary incentive to switch to the iPhone 16 from the iPhone 15 is to experience Apple Intelligence, as the iPhone 15 lacks a powerful enough processor to support the software.
The iPhone 16 is the quicker of the two, with a superior ultrawide camera and faster wireless charging. According to Apple, the battery life has improved, as has the durability. You now have the Action key and Camera control. Despite providing essentially the same user experience, the iPhone 16 is objectively a superior phone than the iPhone 15.
However, if you aren’t concerned with the Apple Intelligence toolkit, we recommend not upgrading from the iPhone 15, since it remains a powerful and perfectly capable handset for most people.
CAMERA
As previously stated, the cameras of the iPhone 16 are aligned vertically, as opposed to the diagonal arrangement of the iPhone 15’s camera system. Other than that, these are the same cameras, despite what Apple claims.
Apple now refers to the 48MP f/1.6 main camera on the iPhone 16 series as the Fusion Camera, whereas the 48MP f/1.6 main camera on the iPhone 15 is simply referred to as the Main Camera. We investigated whether these cameras are functionally different elsewhere on TechRadar, but a closer glance at the specifications sheet indicates that they are, in fact, identical.
Regardless of branding differences, the Fusion Camera label refers to the iPhone 16’s capacity to take 12MP photographs at 2x zoom by cropping into the center of the 48MP sensor; however, as you might expect, the main camera on the iPhone 15 has this capability as well.
Both phones contain a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide secondary camera, as well as a 12MP f/1.9 TrueDepth selfie camera – there are no differences here.
The iPhone 16 does, however, bring a new way to handle the camera, fittingly titled Camera handle. This capacitive button is inset on the phone’s bottom right side and may respond to physical clicks, haptic feedback, and touch motions.
A full press of the Camera Control captures a photo, however light presses can be used to launch menus and select functions using scroll gestures such as back and forth or zooming in/out.
Once Apple Intelligence is released in October, the Camera Control will be able to activate Visual Intelligence, which uses the cameras to scan the environment and give contextual information from Google or ChatGPT.
The iPhone 15 lacks Camera Control and will not support any Apple Intelligence features, including Visual Intelligence. So that’s a clear win for the iPhone 16.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
While there have been recent speculations about major design upgrades to the iPhone, such as an ultra-thin model and a foldable iPhone, these were not included in the iPhone 16 lineup.
The iPhone 16 retains the overall design aesthetic of prior iPhone models, with some slight aesthetic changes. For example, the iPhone 16 comes in a variety of vivid new colors, including flamingo pink, teal, and ultramarine blue (my personal favorite). So, if you’ve gotten tired of Apple’s pastel colors in recent years, the iPhone 16 could be a welcome design change.
Apple also made changes to the iPhone 16 Pro’s color selections. As expected, Apple announced a new hue named “Desert Titanium”. It’s a subdued yet elegant color that’s closer to bronze than rose gold. The Pro models also come in Natural, White, and Black Titanium finishes.
Aside from additional color options, the iPhone 16 lineup features a couple of new controls: an action button and a camera control. The action button may be set to practically any rapid action you choose, but it’s designed to swiftly open Siri and Apple Intelligence. For example, touch the action button and aim your camera at something you wish to look up to obtain an AI-generated summary of it.
If you’re debating whether to upgrade to the iPhone 16, this additional button is unlikely to be a deal-breaker. However, it is a distinctive design upgrade that some people may find useful, particularly if they frequently employ AI helpers.
This new design feature, like the action button, is unlikely to be a deal breaker, but it does have appeal. iPhones have traditionally been among the most popular phones for photography, so the new camera control could be a welcome improvement for both existing iPhone users and newcomers.
The iPhone 16 and 15 both have 6.1-inch OLED displays. However, the iPhone 16 has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, which is double that of the iPhone 15. This could improve visibility in bright sunshine, potentially enhancing HDR material.
Another advantage of the iPhone 16 is Apple’s latest-generation Ceramic Shield, which is 50% stronger than the first generation and promises to be twice as robust as the glass on any other smartphone. Good news for clumsy users. The iPhone 16 still uses a somewhat outdated 60Hz refresh rate, which is disappointing on paper, as opposed to the smoother 120Hz found on Pro models and the top Android phones.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
Apple announced the A18 CPU alongside the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but the iPhone 15 has the A16 Bionic processor, which debuted with the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro series.
The A18 chip is a tremendously powerful CPU that we discovered was both comparable to the A18 Pro counterpart found in the iPhone 16 Pro and outperformed even the highest-scoring Android smartphone of 2024, the RedMagic 9s Pro.
The A18 CPU is not only amazingly quick and capable of handling anything from app scrolling to AAA gaming, but it also supports Apple Intelligence, unlike the A16 chip.
Having said that, the iPhone 15 with A16 CPU remains a perfectly capable processor for everyday use, with apps and casual games launching swiftly and running smoothly.
The fact that the iPhone 15 does not support Apple Intelligence (which we will discuss momentarily) and is unable to power console-level AAA games are two of the most compelling reasons to choose the iPhone 16 instead.
GET THE IPHONE 16 FOR:
- The stronger screen glass.
- The battery has a longer life.
- Faster wireless charging.
- Faster performance, particularly in gaming.
- The best ultrawide camera.
- Apple Intelligence Support.
- The Action key and Camera Control.
GET THE IPHONE 15 FOR:
- The user experience is substantially identical.
- The cheaper price.
