Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15

Apple launched four smartphones earlier this month. The iPhone 16 is the most affordable one out of the bunch, the entry-level model. In this article, we’ll compare it to its predecessor, so we’ll compare the Apple iPhone 16 vs. Apple iPhone 15. Not much has changed compared to last year’s model, but there are some differences worth talking about, though, of course, hence the comparison.

Some of you may even wonder if it’s worth getting last year’s model now, instead of going for a new one. Well, we do hope that you’ll find this comparison useful. That it will help you make that sort of decisions, as going for the latest model is not always the best idea. We will first list the specifications of both smartphones and will then compare them across a number of other categories. With that being said, let’s get down to it.

Specs

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15, respectively

– Screen size:
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (flat, 60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2556×1179
2556×1179
– SoC:
Apple A18 (3nm)
Apple A16 Bionic
– RAM:
8GB
6GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB (NVMe)
128GB/256GB/512GB
– Rear cameras:
48MP (wide, f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 1.0um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF)
48MP (wide, f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 1.0um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, 120-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front camera:
12MP (f/1.9 aperture, PDAF, 1/3.6-inch sensor size)
– Battery:
3,561mAh
3,349mAh
– Charging:
38W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless & 4.5W reverse wired charging
20W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wired charging (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
– Weight:
170 grams
171 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Face ID (3D facial scanning)
– OS:
iOS 18
iOS 17
– Price:
$799+
$799+
– Buy:
Apple iPhone 16 (Apple)
iPhone 15 (Apple)

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15: Design

These two smartphones do look very similar, but it’s also easy to tell them apart. How? Well, because of their rear cameras. We’ll get to that part shortly, let’s talk about the build first. Both phones are made out of aluminum and glass. Both of them have the same exact shape. Their sides are flat all around, but also rounded towards the edges so that they do not cut into your hand when you hold them.

The front and back sides are flat on both smartphones. Both of them have flat displays and a pill-shaped cutout on their displays. That cutout is called the ‘Dynamic Island’. The bezels around the display are uniform, and they’re thicker than on the ‘Pro’ models, but still quite thin. The iPhone 16 does have an extra button on the right side, the so-called Camera Control button. In addition to that, there’s the power key there, just as on the iPhone 15. On the left, both smartphones have the volume rocker buttons and the Action Button.

When we flip them over, we see the main difference in their designs. The iPhone 16 has two vertically aligned cameras, while the iPhone 15 has a diagonal setup. The main camera is the same on both, while there is a slight change with the ultrawide unit. Both camera islands sit in the top-left corner of the back. The two phones have the exact same dimensions, while the iPhone 16 is 1 gram lighter, so they’re basically the same in that regard too. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15: Display

These two smartphones have the exact same displays. You’ll find a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display on both phones. That display does support HDR10 content, and Dolby Vision too. It goes up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. This panel is flat, and it has a resolution of 2556 x 1179 pixels. The display aspect ratio is 19.5:9, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 86% on both phones. The Ceramic Shield glass protects both displays, but a newer version is included on the iPhone 16.

There is no visible difference between the two panels. That’s not surprising at all as they’re exactly the same. Both panels are quite sharp and have good viewing angles. They’re also vivid, and get bright enough, even outdoors. They do not offer high-frequency PWM dimming, though, if that’s something you need. They also have one major limitation that you may care about, even though most regular users do not… both displays are limited to a 60Hz refresh rate.

That was one of the main complaints on these two panels. For the price tag Apple is asking for them, you’d expect 120Hz displays at this point in time. But no, Apple has limited both smartphones to 60Hz panels. Most people don’t really care, nor do they notice the difference, so… it’s not surprising Apple went down this road again. Both displays are very good, though, despite that limitation.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15: Performance

The Apple A18 SoC fuels the iPhone 16. That is Apple’s new 3nm processor. It is coupled with 8GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic chip, a 4nm processor. That phone also comes with 6GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage. Do note that the storage is not expandable on either smartphone, which is per course these days.

Both of these processors have a 5-core graphics card, though the Apple A18 is the more powerful chip. Still, both of these smartphones offer great performance in day-to-day use. They fly through everything you throw at them, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice the SoC difference during daily use. They can both handle whatever you throw at them. The iPhone 16 may load some apps a bit faster, but other than that, they’re on the same level in terms of general performance.

Something similar can be said for games. The iPhone 16 may get there a bit faster, but in terms of general gaming performance, both smartphones do a fantastic job. That goes for even the most demanding titles you’d find in the App Store. The Apple A16 Bionic is still a very powerful processor, so that’s not surprising at all. Yes, they both do get warm during gaming, but not too hot to hold, nor does that affect the performance.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15: Battery

The iPhone 16 features a 3,561mAh battery, while its predecessor comes with a 3,349mAh battery. This bump is very nice to see despite the fact the iPhone 16 does not have a larger display or anything of the sort. From what we’ve seen thus far, the iPhone 16 does offer better battery life. The difference is not that huge, but it sure is noticeable, which is great to hear, as the iPhone 15 did have the worst battery life out of all the iPhone 15 models. It was not spectacular by any means.

Getting through a day on a single charge with the iPhone 16 should be doable for the vast majority of users. Yes, you can kill this phone’s battery in a day, if you want, but it’s nowhere as easy to do as it was the before. Not only is the battery capacity higher but the iPhone 16 is more power efficient in general, so that’s not surprising.

Apple also improved the charging speed on the device. The iPhone 16 now supports up to 38W wired and 25W wireless (MagSafe) charging. 15W Qi2 and 7.5W Qi wireless charging is also supported, as is 4.5W reverse wired charging. The iPhone 15 is limited to 20W wired, 15W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi charging, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. Neither of these phones comes with a charger in the box.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 15: Cameras

The main camera is the same on both phones, while there is a slight change with the ultrawide unit. A 48-megapixel main camera with an f/1.6 aperture and a 1/1.56-inch sensor size sits in both phones. A 26mm lens is also included, and the pixel size is 1.0um. Dual Pixel PDAF is also a part of the package, as is sensor-shift OIS. The ultrawide camera, on the other hand, is a 12-megapixel unit on both phones with a 120-degree FoV and a 0.7um pixel size. A different aperture is used on the new model, and the new unit also supports macro photography via that camera.

You’ll be hard-pressed to see the difference in camera performance between the two. Well, you can if you shoot macro photos, for sure, but other than that, not so much. Both smartphones provide nice-looking photos that lean towards warmer color temperatures. Apple simply loves that yellow tint on photos. The HDR performance is good, but both phones have a tendency to put a lot of brightness in darker spots, which makes the photos look a bit flatter than they should have, even in daytime. They’re not exactly contrasty.

The low light performance is good on both phones. They both tend to brighten up such scenes quite a bit. The ultrawide photos are slightly different, though that difference is visible in lower light only. The iPhone 16 does have the edge, though as I said, there’s barely any difference unless you’re shooting macro photos. The video performance is identical between the two devices, and the same goes for selfies.

Audio

There are stereo speakers included on both of these smartphones. Those speakers are good, but not great. They are not among the loudest out there, but they’ll be plenty loud for most people. The sound output is also good but nothing to write home about. The speakers do have very similar output, it’s even possible Apple used identical ones in these two devices.

What about an audio jack? Well, there is none. Both devices do include a Type-C port at the bottom, though. So you can hook up your wired headphones that way if you have a dongle or Type-C headphones. If not, there’s always Bluetooth 5.3 which is included on both devices.