iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro: New vs Upgrade Worth?

iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are Apple’s newest, high-end smartphones. But how much have they improved beyond their pro-decessors? Here’s a detailed look at iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro for everything new and a buyer’s guide.

Table of contents

  • iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro
    • Screens
    • Size, weight, design
    • Performance – A18 Pro vs A17 Pro
    • Battery life
    • Cameras
    • iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro I/O
    • iPhone 16 Pro colors
    • Storage and pricing
    • What’s in the box?
  • iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro: Buyer’s guide

For a look at iPhone 16 vs 16 Pro or 16 vs 15, check out these guides, otherwise, read on :

  • iPhone 16 vs 16 Pro: Everything different and buyer’s guide
  • iPhone 16 vs 15: Worth upgrading? Here’s what different

iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro

Screens

With the iPhone 14 and 15 lineups, Apple used the same display sizes for all four of the standard and Pro devices.

That changes with the iPhone 16 lineup as the Pro models feature larger 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays compared to the 6.1 and 6.7-inch screens on the 15 Pro and Pro Max.

iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro screen size

Screen brightness remains the same between the 16 Pro and 15 Pro models as well as the other features like ProMotion up to 120Hz, 460 ppi, Always-On display, and more.

The major change is the larger screen sizes.

iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max
Size 6.3 inches 6.1 inches 6.9 inches 6.7 inches
Resolution 2622 x 1206 pixels 2556 x 1179 pixels 2868 x 1320 pixels 2796 x 1290 pixels
PPI 460 ppi 460 ppi 460 ppi 460 ppi
Super Retina XDR OLED
Dynamic Island
ProMotionadaptive refresh up to 120Hz
Always-On display
Typical brightness 1000 nits max 1000 nits max 1000 nits max 1000 nits max
HDR brightness 1600 nits max 1600 nits max 1600 nits max 1600 nits max
Outdoor brightness 2000 nits max 1600 nits max 2000 nits max 1600 nits max
True Tone
Haptic Touch
Wide color (P3)

Size, weight, design

The design of the iPhone 16 Pro remains almost identical to its predecessors, but Apple has included a new physical Camera Control button/sensor.

Apple is continuing to use titanium for the 16 Pro and Pro Max like the 15 Pro and Pro Max.

iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro design

To accommodate the larger displays, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are slightly larger and heavier than iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max