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iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro Buyer's Guide: 45+ Upgrades Compared
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I have a 15 Pro. I don't want an even larger, heavier phone. But nor do I want "less than best" features.
Not one thing motivates me to upgrade. In fact, just the opposite… they keep making the iPhone larger and heavier, and therefore less attractive. I am pretty much done with iPhones And will ride out the 15 pro for a few more years until some company gets the message that less is more. At this rate it won’t be long before your MacBook will be smaller and lighter than your iphone.
After over a year of rumors, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are set to launch next month. There are now more than 30 changes and improvements expected to be offered by the new flagship models, so here's everything we're expecting.
All of the changes the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature compared to their direct forerunners are listed below, using information from a wide range of reliable sources that we have previously covered here on MacRumors. We will continue to update this article as more rumors emerge prior to Apple's "It's glowtime" event on Monday, September 9.
Displays
Both iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature larger displays than their predecessors, pushing the iPhone 16 Pro Max to be the biggest iPhone ever offered. There are also reportedly improvements to the underlying OLED technology in store.
iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro 6.1- or 6.7-inch display 6.3- or 6.9-inch display Thinner borders around the display More efficient OLED display with brighter micro-lens technology
Chip, Thermals, and Connectivity
Under the hood, the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to bring notable improvements in processing power, thermal management, and connectivity. From a more powerful "A18" chip to advanced thermal designs and enhanced connectivity options including the latest Wi-Fi standards, these changes promise to further update the iPhone's basic specifications.
iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro A17 Pro chip (TSMC's "N3B" 3nm process) A18 chip (TSMC's "N3E" enhanced 3nm process) 16-core Neural Engine Enhanced neural Engine with "significantly" more cores to support Apple Intelligence more effectively Thermal design with copper heatsink and black foil battery casing New thermal design with graphene heatsink and metal battery casing Snapdragon X70 5G modem Snapdragon X75 5G modem Wi-Fi 6E connectivity Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
Cameras
The iPhone 16 Pro models are slated to receive a range of substantial camera enhancements, such as a larger main camera sensor, a 48-megapixel sensor on the ultra wide camera, and a dedicated hardware button for photography and videography on the side of the device.
iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro 1/1.28-inch main camera sensor iPhone 16 Pro: 1/1.28-inch main camera sensor
iPhone 16 Pro Max: 1/1.14-inch main camera sensor (12% larger)Sony IMX-803 main camera sensor iPhone 16 Pro: Sony IMX-803 main camera sensor
iPhone 16 Pro Max: Sony IMX-903 main camera sensor with stacked design for better performance, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for high-quality image data conversion, and Digital Gain Control (DCG) for better dynamic range and noise control7P main camera lens 8P main camera lens iPhone 15 Pro: Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization
iPhone 15 Pro Max: Telephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift moduleTelephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module iPhone 15 Pro: 77mm maximum focal length
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 120mm maximum focal length120mm maximum focal length iPhone 15 Pro: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x optical zoom
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom 4P telephoto camera lens 5P telephoto camera lens 12-megapixel ultra wide camera with f/2.4 aperture 48-megapixel ultra wide camera with f/2.2 aperture, 48-megapixel ProRaw support, and improved low-light performance 5P ultra wide camera lens 6P ultra wide camera lens Support for new JPEG-XL format Support for 3K video at 120 fps with Dolby Vision Capacitive "Capture Button" with force-sensitive half-press and sliding gestures to trigger photography and videography features
Batteries and Charging
The iPhone 16 Pro models could receive some major improvements in battery technology and charging, sporting bigger, denser batteries and faster charging capabilities.
iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Single-layer battery technology Stacked battery technology for increased energy density and prolonged lifespan iPhone 15 Pro: 3,274 mAh battery
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422 mAh batteryiPhone 16 Pro: 3,577 mAh battery (+9.25%)
iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,676 mAh battery (+5.74%)Up to 27W wired charging Up to 40W wired charging 15W charging via MagSafe 20W charging via MagSafe
Other Features and Changes
While many of Apple's devices are set to receive Apple Intelligence via software updates later this year, the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to take these further with exclusive capabilities and an upgraded microphone... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: 30+ Rumored Upgrades Compared
Jon Sneyers, a main developer of JPEG XL, has stated that the official name is JPEG XL. Please stop mistakenly labelling it as "JPEG-XL" again like other media.
It's still wild to me they can't just make "iPhone" and do a 5.4, 6.1, 6.8 size. "iPhone" used to mean premium.
Another refresh. Why not give ProMax the branding it deserves and place M-series chip and higher screen refresh rate rather than an A18 Pro chip that is slightly better than the A17 Pro/A18. Base storage on all pro phones should start with 512GB as well for $1199 equipped with 16GB of RAM. Let's be honest...there isn't much difference in quality between the 15 Plus and 15 Pro besides promotion and screen technology. Everything else considered its essentially the same phone. Camera quality is even.
I wanted to like the iPhone 15 Pro, but coming from an iPhone 12 mini, it was just too damn heavy to hold up with my pinky finger. Unfortunately they're going bigger and heavier.
Probably time to "upgrade" my regular, lighter 15 to a 13 mini before the aftermarket dries up.
Probably time to "upgrade" my regular, lighter 15 to a 13 mini before the aftermarket dries up.
Any 15 Pro Max users thinking of downsizing to the 16 Pro? Even with just a few mm here and there, the 16 Pro Max is getting too big
Apple would have done it a long time ago, but I think the M-series SoC may be using far too much power, which would drain the battery really fast.
I’ve thought about it. However, I think I have gotten too used to the display size and feel like I will notice the battery life hit if i downsize. Not to mention, Pro Max size will likely continue to get exclusive camera features every once in a while so might as well get used to the new 6.9in display size.
95% sure i’ll go Pro Max, but will go to a store to get a feeling myself. I did always find the XS Max with its 6.5in display to be absolutely perfect for me (especially one handed. maybe it was due to the glossy back glass giving it better grip? idk)
12 Pro Max here and most likely going to 16 Pro. This year’s size increase lessens the gap so seems like a good time to downsize, especially with the Pro Max vs Pro camera differences being less significant than usual.
I think about downsizing every single year and always get the largest phone
If there is little or no difference in features between the pro and pro max, I might try the pro again this year.
And also throttling down in performance due to the heat in a smaller enclosure, to the point where it would perform equally or worse than the A18 chip designed for it.
Also those coming from a 12/13 Mini, the 15 Pro is the best phone for you if you want to upgrade as its the smallest 6.1” iphone you will be able to get, they are all getting bigger from here onwards.
After the iPhone 16 models are official, I will use the Apple "comparison table" for the 14 Pro Max I have, 15 Pro MaX and 16 Pro Max. There will have to be some really big changes from the 14 series to justify the nearly $1,900 price for the top model with Apple Care + and sales tax.
Couldn’t agree more. I’m still rocking my mini because I want a small iPhone. I think I’m going to have to bit the bullet this cycle and get a bigger phone. I’m not excited. I like my phone fitting in my pocket.