iPhone 16 Plus review: The most complicated phone I’ve reviewed

iPhone 16 Plus

MSRP $899.00

“The iPhone 16 Plus does everything the excellent, smaller, and cheaper iPhone 16 does, just with a bigger screen.”

Pros

• Fantastic hardware and colors
• Big, bright screen
• Fast, reliable, and feature-packed software
• Fun camera and Camera Control
• Long battery life

Cons

• Only a 60Hz refresh rate
• No always-on screen

We questioned in our iPhone 16 review whether you really need one of the Pro models this year, so where does that leave the iPhone 16 Plus? It’s almost exactly the same as the iPhone 16 apart from a few obvious differences, so does that make it even better, or unnecessary and ultimately unwanted?

Or is it simply the iPhone to buy this year if you want a big screen? I’ve found out, and it turns out the answer is much more complicated than I expected.

iPhone 16 Plus: specs

iPhone 16 Plus: design

When the iPhone 16 Plus arrived for me to review, I was already a week into using the iPhone 16 Pro Max and had come from an iPhone 15 Pro Max, so I was fully used to handling Apple’s biggest smartphones. It’s larger than the iPhone 16 by some distance due to the 6.7-inch screen, but the weight is still sensible at 199 grams, and the phone is only 6mm wider, so it never really feels like too much of a handful. However, it’s still not a small phone, and anyone who generally dislikes big phones won’t enjoy holding it.

But when you do hold the iPhone 16 Plus, you immediately notice where Apple has really made improvements in its hardware this year. The iPhone 15 Plus was a big step forward over the iPhone 14 Plus, but the new phone’s case, shape, and materials are even further ahead. It’s beautifully finished with its rounded, curved corners, perfectly executed button feel, and simply glorious glass back. The way the camera module — itself another massive style improvement over the 15 Plus — blends into the case back makes it look as if it’s floating on liquid. It’s stunning.

Then we’ve got the new color range. I’ve been using the Teal version, and I think it’s beautiful, but there’s a lot to be said about the Ultramarine color, too. The matte finish of the metal chassis complements the bright new colors perfectly.

Staying with the metal for a moment, it doesn’t feel worse than the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s titanium chassis, just different. It’s warmer to the touch, and there’s more grip if you don’t use a case. But the most noticeable difference when you hold the two big iPhones together is the extra 28 grams you’ve got to wield every day if you choose the Pro Max. The 16 Plus feels like a flyweight in comparison until you hold the even lighter iPhone 16.

I’ve used the iPhone 16 Plus in and out of its official Apple silicone case and don’t find it burdensome in the pocket of my jeans. The case is very grippy and does attract plenty of dust and lint, but I appreciate the sapphire crystal cover over the Camera Control button — another design and functionality win this year —  and the fun animation for MagSafe wireless charging when you put the case on the phone.

Make no mistake — the iPhone 16 Plus is a big phone, and if you don’t like that, the smaller iPhone 16 is for you. If you don’t mind, this is a beautiful, high-quality, superbly made smartphone that, alongside the Google Pixel 9 series, should be considered the benchmark other brands must aspire to if they want to truly compete over the coming year.

iPhone 16 Plus: screen

There are two problems with the iPhone 16 Plus’s screen, and they are the same ones that plague the iPhone 16. This $900 phone’s 6.7-inch screen has a 60Hz refresh rate, and if you’re a spec fiend, then you probably think it’s unforgivable. It’s certainly pretty tight on Apple’s part, as the company forces you to splurge on a Pro model to get a 120Hz ProMotion display, plus practically every Android phone comes with a high refresh rate screen these days, even if it costs less than $300.

I’m not going to defend Apple here, but I will say that the iPhone 16 Plus does a decent job of smoothing out the 60Hz screen, and it’s a way better experience than it was on the iPhone 14. That said, it’s nowhere near the experience you get with the 120Hz ProMotion screen or any modern Android phone’s high refresh rate. It’s a cruel choice on Apple’s part, and for me, it is a reason not to buy a non-Pro iPhone — but it may not be a deal breaker for everyone. I notice the blur when scrolling in apps like Threads and Reddit, and it’s as unsightly as it is uncomfortable.

The other issue is the lack of an always-on display, which results in a black screen when the phone is locked unless you’re interacting with it. Again, always-on displays are found on practically every other smartphone available today, and even holdout Motorola is expected to end its aversion to the feature soon. Apple’s always-on screen is highly customizable, helpful, and good-looking, but you’ll have to buy a Pro phone to see and use it.

Apple’s decision not to include these features makes you feel shortchanged and does take away from an otherwise very attractive screen. Despite being larger in size, it has the same pixel density as the iPhone 16, and it’s sharp, colorful, and really bright. What’s interesting is how the iPhone 16 Plus is slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, even though that phone has an even bigger 6.9-inch screen. The difference is in the bezels, which are larger and more noticeable on the 16 Plus. It’s not a big deal, but there’s no doubt the 16 Pro Max looks more futuristic with its minuscule screen bezels.

iPhone 16 Plus: camera

The iPhone 16 Plus has the same camera as the iPhone 16, so don’t expect any differences between specifications or performance. There’s a 48-megapixel main camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, a 2x optical quality zoom mode, and a 12MP selfie camera. It’s great to see autofocus on the wide-angle camera, but otherwise, it’s very similar to the iPhone 15 Plus camera system.

New for iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 are updated Photographic Styles, which are filters you can apply and alter in real time and after you’ve taken a photo. There are 15 in total, and unless stated, all the example images here were taken with the standard Photographic Style. They’re a lot of fun to play with, though, especially when you use the Camera Control hardware button on the side of the phone, and they can both subtly and dramatically alter the look of your images.

On the positive side, the camera takes sharp, detailed photos that are better balanced than those taken with some previous iPhone cameras, with less contrast and problematic exposure issues. You can get a lovely depth of field when close to a subject, and although the wide-angle camera lacks the same level of detail as the primary camera, it’s consistent with its treatment of a scene. The camera app is fast and logical, there’s a decent editing suite (which isn’t very intuitive at first, but gets easier with use), and the Camera Control button does add a fun element to taking photos.

Less impressive is its lowlight performance, as even in dim indoor lighting, shots are grainy — an affliction that also affects macro mode, which hates anything but perfect lighting. The on-the-go editing of the Photographic Styles is beautifully designed — you change the look using a combination of swipes and sliders — but fiddly. Mastering this feature does help compensate for the times when the iPhone’s camera can oversaturate shots. The optical quality 2x photos are fine, but lack detail when you crop them down further.

I’m being quite harsh on the iPhone 16 Plus’ camera because it needs to be really good. Not because of the price, but because it would be great if it were a reason to choose the Plus over the normal iPhone 16. It’s not, as the camera is exactly the same.

What’s more, considering the compromises you’re already making with the screen, if the camera is really important to you, it’s probably worth thinking about a Pro model at this point. If you want to take fun shots on vacation to share with friends, then you’ll be more than satisfied. Just make sure you learn to use the Photographic Styles, as they’re key to getting the most from the iPhone 16 Plus’ camera.

iPhone 16 Plus: software

What can I say about iOS 18, which comes preinstalled on the iPhone 16 series? I think it’s excellent, and while it’s not faultless, it offers many features that are generally extremely easy to use and enjoy, with very few unnecessary interruptions or gimmicks that disrupt the use and flow of the operating system on a daily basis. Apple’s A18 processor (not the A18 Pro found in the Pro models) ensures it’s always fast and responsive right from the outset, and while the benchmark results do show a small variation between it and the smaller iPhone 16, there’s no obvious hardware reason why this should be the case.

The look of iOS 18 is more customizable than before, with the ability to change the position and color of app icons, have fewer on the screen if you want, and use a wider variety of widgets, too. It’s somewhat successful, but I’m happy with the same old layout I’ve used for years on the iPhone. The color options range from the acceptable dark mode icons to the extremely color-sensitive tinted option. It’s very easy to get this wrong and ruin the look of the home screens.

This is fluff in comparison to all the things iOS does well. Apple Pay works every time without fail and is simple to set up. Apple Maps has improved a great deal and is now equally as good as Google Maps for driving routes where I live. The built-in Podcasts app is packed and simple to use and iMessage now has a ton of features and is fun if you have the chance to use it (I have just one contact who prefers to use it over WhatsApp). I find the entire user experience for apps to be so effortless and reassuring that I use my iPhone for almost every app that makes on-the-go payments (such as my parking app and the Shell app for pay-at-the-pump service when I refuel my car).

That’s all before the world of pay services Apple provides, from Apple Music and iCloud to Apple Fitness+ if you also have an Apple Watch. Apple brings all its services and hardware together in a way that’s more coherent than other brands, encouraging you to consider adding them in, but never really pushing you to do so. On the downside, iOS is steadily becoming so feature-packed that it’s hard to keep track, and the many customization features — from the icon colors to editing and rearranging the Control Center layout — are clunky and often pointless, while the ever-growing menus and pull-down screens risk overwhelming the OS.

Apple’s iOS software is a big selling point of the iPhone. It’s easy to learn and use, is still simple enough for just about everyone, has a range of well-crafted standard apps and many optional services, can be customized if that’s your thing, and will be supported for many years to come. Only Android on the Pixel 9 series comes close, and even it’s still behind the superb, well-rounded software package Apple puts on the iPhone.

iPhone 16 Plus: About Apple Intelligence

When you buy the Apple iPhone 16 Plus, it will not come with Apple Intelligence installed unless you use the public beta version of iOS 18.1. I don’t recommend doing so if it’ll be your only phone, as I’ve been using it and it isn’t 100% reliable. Besides that, it’s not worth it yet, either. The software has told me Apple Intelligence is working, but it hasn’t done anything that I’ve felt has changed or improved my workflow yet.

Apple Intelligence will launch with iOS 18.1 in October in the U.S. and as a beta version in the U.K. in December. Based on my experience with Google Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI services, which do many similar things, Apple Intelligence is unlikely to be a reason to buy the iPhone 16, so don’t hold out for it to make your decision. If it turns out to be great and better than the competition, consider it a bonus.

iPhone 16 Plus: battery life and charging

Apple does not provide the iPhone 16 Plus battery capacity; instead, it quotes metrics like video playback times to assess and compare battery life. It states that the iPhone 16 Plus will play video for 27 hours on a single charge, compared to 22 hours from the iPhone 16, confirming it has a larger capacity cell than its smaller sibling phone.

Battery life has been strong, and I’ve easily seen about six hours of screen-on use from a single charge. What’s very interesting is that this is basically the same use time as we got from the iPhone 16. So far, the battery life has been reliable, too, unlike my experience with the iPhone 15 Pro Max over my year of ownership, suggesting iOS 18 has been well optimized.

Recharging the battery can be done with a USB-C cable or a MagSafe wireless charger. Apple says to expect a 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20-watt charger, which seems accurate, but it takes at least 90 minutes to fully charge the battery using a cable. It’s not the fastest charging phone, but I make good use of a brilliant iOS feature called StandBy and place the 16 Plus on a MagSafe charger overnight, where it works as a handy smart display and bedside clock while it charges up. Even with three hours of screen-on time, the battery still consistently had about 50% remaining at the end of the day, resulting in no concern over battery life when used and charged in this way.

iPhone 16 Plus: price and availability

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is available now and costs $899 for the basic 128GB version of the phone, but you can pay an extra $100 to get 256GB of storage space or another $200 on top of that to get 512GB of storage space. Only offering 128GB of storage space on the base model may restrict you over time and is also fairly stingy on Apple’s part, so do think seriously about getting more storage space if you plan to keep the phone for some time. Alternatively, expect to pay for additional iCloud storage space over the years to come.

You’ll pay $100 more for the larger screen than you would for the smaller iPhone 16. Whether it’s worth it will depend on whether you feel comfortable using and carrying a big-screen phone every day. If you don’t, you’re not missing out by going for the iPhone 16 in any other appreciable way.

A more difficult consideration is whether to spend more and get the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which has an even bigger, always-on screen and a 120Hz refresh rate, along with all the other camera and performance benefits. Looked at like this, the case for the iPhone 16 Plus, in general, is a tough one, as I’m not sure who it’s for. It’s not the cheapest iPhone and far from being the best. It’s just the most affordable big iPhone that’s heavier than the cheapest small iPhone, and that limits its appeal.

Is this the iPhone 16 to buy?

The iPhone 16 Plus is excellent, and I have no problem recommending it, except I’m not entirely sure who I’m recommending it to. The problem is that the compromises you’re going to make, ranging from the overall size and weight to the low refresh rate screen, may mean it’s either wiser to spend less and get the also excellent iPhone 16 or spend more and get the bigger, better iPhone 16 Pro Max.

It’s frustrating that I don’t seem to be getting longer battery life than I would on the iPhone 16. The cameras and processor are the same, and the screen is bigger, but still lacking what I’d consider almost essential features in 2024. I want to reiterate the fact that the iPhone 16 Plus has been brilliant, but unless you’re absolutely desperate for a bigger screen, the iPhone 16 is cheaper and otherwise identical.

But if that desperation for a big-screen phone comes with the ability to spend more money, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has an even bigger screen without feature compromises and with various other feature benefits. I’m looking forward to putting my SIM back in it and leaving the iPhone 16 Plus out on its own, like the last to be picked for the team. It’s not because it’s bad; it just lacks presence because it doesn’t do enough to make itself popular.