The 2024 iPhone lineup poses a few of the normal challenges in choosing the right mannequin for your self. One of many extra apparent dilemmas, we reckon, is between the vanilla iPhone 16 and the small-size Professional model. Certain, the iPhone 16 Professional is a extra succesful bundle, however do you really want all of its Professional-ness and is not the plain 16 truly better-suited for some of us due to its extra pocket-friendly (in a couple of manner) attributes?
Let’s look into it.
Desk of Contents:
For starters, you may examine the whole specs sheets or instantly proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the textual content under.
Dimension comparability
The iPhone 16 takes a serious victory within the very first chapter of our comparability – it is virtually 30g lighter than its extra esteemed stablemate. Whereas they’re kind of the identical measurement (the Professional is 2mm taller and 0.5mm thicker – virtually negligible variations), the 2 telephones differ considerably of their weight and the plain 16 is tangibly lighter and extra snug to make use of with one hand. After all, the 16 Professional feels dense – there is a kind of a premium impression to its heft packed in a comparatively compact physique, however the internet result’s a extra enjoyable in-hand expertise with the iPhone 16 than what you’d get out of the Professional.
The Professional mannequin’s body is fabricated from a titanium alloy, whereas the common 16 makes use of aluminum. So the Professional simply is likely to be higher outfitted to face up to bumps and knocks. However, in keeping with the newest information, each apparently use the identical third-gen Ceramic Defend on the entrance, so maybe scratch and shatter resistance ought to be on par.
One other factor that each ought to be equally good at is surviving a dunk in (recent) water – they’re each rated for as much as half-hour right down to 6m underwater.
Show comparability
The burden distinction might be not less than partially attributed to the iPhone 16’s barely smaller show – it goes hand in hand with the thicker bezels in what’s kind of the identical footprint. The 6.1″ vs. 6.3″ diagonal does not make a major impression on operation, however there’s one other nuance that could be extra necessary – refresh charge. Apple continues to be protecting the non-Professional fashions at 60Hz, and we really feel like that is unacceptable in 2024, a lot much less on the iPhone 16’s worth level. That mentioned, if you happen to’re one who does not see or care about excessive refresh charge, the 120Hz 16 Professional panel could also be wasted on you.
Exterior of measurement, refresh charge and bezels, the 2 shows are very a lot on par. They each stand at 460ppi pixel density, with the general variety of pixels decided by the diagonal, and so they each will max out at 900nits on the slider and twice that in auto brightness mode. You get HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient help on each, too.
Battery life
Apple has handled the complete 2024 lineup to a battery capability enhance, with the 16 Professional getting essentially the most important bump (by 9.4%) to three,582mAh. The common 16’s cell acquired nudged 6.3% to an primarily an identical 3,561mAh.
In our testing, we acquired significant enhancements in battery life on each telephones when evaluating with the respective fashions from the earlier technology. That mentioned, the iPhone 16 had an edge over its Professional counterpart in all assessments – not an enormous distinction, however it may add up.
Charging velocity
Charging energy rankings and speeds are a little bit of a grey space within the Apple world, with the official specs stating one thing to the tune of ‘as much as 50% cost in half-hour with 20W adapter’ on just about all latest fashions. We examined with beefier chargers and acquired to the excessive 50s in half-hour on each telephones, with a full cost taking roughly 1:40h. The half-hour result’s half-decent, however the full cost time is fairly gradual. Both manner, nothing to separate the 2 fashions right here.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Professional each help wi-fi charging, maxing out at 15W with generic Qi2 pads, or 25W with proprietary MagSafe pucks (plugged into 30W+ adapters).
Speaker check
Each iPhones function hybrid stereo speaker setups with one driver on the underside, and one other one up prime that additionally doubles as an earpiece.
Unusually sufficient, the iPhone 16 was a bit louder in our testing and earned a ‘Very Good’ score for loudness, subsequent to a merely ‘Good’ iPhone 16 Professional. Each sound relatively good although, so going non-Professional will not be a downgrade.
Efficiency
The iPhone 16 options the Apple A18 chipset – a two-gen leap in computing tech in comparison with the iPhone 15 – it is a second-gen 3nm chip that’s each extra highly effective and extra environment friendly. The 16 Professional, then again, makes use of the A18 Professional – additionally a 3nm chip.
Each SoCs function six-core CPUs, whereas GPUs are totally different even on the floor – 5 cores on the A18, 6 on the A18 Professional. A extra in-depth look reveals they not solely differ in clock speeds, but additionally that their designs are relatively totally different, despite the fact that each are made by TSMC.
Each fashions have 8GB of RAM in all variations, whereas storage begins at 128GB and maxes out at 512GB on the vanilla mannequin or twice that on the Professional.
Benchmark efficiency
The Professional does have a bonus in benchmarks, nevertheless it’s not an enormous distinction in CPU efficiency – lower than 5% within the GeekBench multi-core check and negligible within the single-core one. The GPU outcomes have a wider margin – to the tune of 14%, nevertheless it’s not just like the vanilla 16 will likely be protecting you ready.
Digital camera comparability
The digital camera is among the main variations between the 2 fashions and a key deciding issue on this battle – the Professional has an additional digital camera and a wider-ranging set of capabilities for each picture and video seize.
The plain mannequin will do alright at as much as 2x zoom, the place the Professional nonetheless typically has a minor edge, however from then on, it is the Professional’s devoted 5x zoom digital camera that sees no opposition from the iPhone 16.
You’ll be able to simply see that discrepancy within the variety of cameras on the telephones’ backs, however there’s extra to it. The vanilla 16 does not have the Professional options, just like the JPEG-XL stills format, or 4K120 video seize functionality, or the ProRes choice.
That mentioned, each the 16 and 16 Professional have the quad-mic spatial audio seize functionality, so not all the things is a Professional-exclusive.
Equally, each telephones do have the all-new Digital camera Management, so the vanilla mannequin is not handicapped on this respect both – you’ll tweak settings and use it as a shortcut and shutter launch simply as nicely on each fashions.
Picture high quality
The photographs from the principle cameras would possibly as nicely have been taken on the identical telephone – they’re that related when it comes to dynamic vary, coloration, element, and total look. When wanting up shut, the Professional is a bit grainier – a minor, if inconsequential, win for the 16.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
At 2x, the outcomes are additionally very related and if that is the place your zoom pursuits finish, the iPhone 16 is nearly as good because the 16 Professional.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
However the factor is, the iPhone 16 Professional has one other digital camera. The 5x telephoto will get you a large number nearer to the motion, and does so at a properly prime quality too. The iPhone 16 cannot compete at this stage.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, telephoto digital camera, 5x
On the different finish of the zoom vary is the place the ultrawide cameras are and right here the 16 marks a generational step ahead due to the added AF functionality. The Professional has an improve of its personal, a 48MP Quad Bayer sensor changing the standard one of many outdated mannequin (the setup that the 16 has been upgraded to), however sensor sizes are the identical between the 2 fashions.
Picture high quality is as soon as once more a toss-up regardless of the distinction in {hardware}. In case you stare lengthy and laborious sufficient, you is likely to be satisfied that the Professional is that little bit sharper and in addition marginally grainier, nevertheless it’s actually not a bonus that’s an precise benefit.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
The front-facing cameras are the identical on the 16 and 16 Professional (additionally the opposite 16s and the 15s too, and possibly even the 14s). So you may depend on the identical selfies from each telephones, and so they’re some wonderful selfies, too.
Selfie samples: iPhone 16 Professional • iPhone 16
After darkish, you’d anticipate some extra pronounced variations within the captured photographs, with the Professional mannequin’s bigger foremost digital camera sensor probably with the ability to collect extra mild. In apply, there’s but extra parity. Most important digital camera photographs at 1x are primarily the identical, and so they’re all wonderful.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
At 2x, the Professional might have the slightest of benefits in sharpness and element in some scenes, nevertheless it’s not constant or important sufficient to make an actual distinction – the vanilla mannequin is sweet sufficient.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
As soon as once more, we’re at 5x, which is the actual differentiator – the iPhone 16 Professional’s telephoto does very well at midnight, and the iPhone 16 higher not go there.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, telephoto digital camera, 5x
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
Video high quality
The iPhone 16 is proscribed in its video modes, with no 4K120 choice (no 4K100 in PAL land both), and no Professional codecs. Video high quality within the mainstream 4K30 mode is considerably totally different between the 2, with the vanilla mannequin being noticeably softer at 0.5x and solely barely softer at 1x and 2x. As soon as once more, the Professional’s 5x zoom is a serious benefit.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
At night time, there may be primarily no distinction in video high quality – a testomony to how good the vanilla mannequin might be. The 1x footage is great, the 2x zoom and the ultrawide clips are alright. The Professional’s telephoto struggles at night time, however not less than it is there and you possibly can most likely discover a scene that is lit nicely sufficient to utilize it.
iPhone 16 daylight video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
iPhone 16 Professional low-light video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
iPhone 16 low-light video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
Verdict
Quite a lot of the information above you possibly can have gathered from the specs, with the remaining accessible within the respective evaluations for side-by-side comparisons. Nonetheless, we felt the necessity to have it multi functional simply accessible location right here – for fast dilemma resolutions.
With that in thoughts, the iPhone 16 Professional stays the extra completely succesful bundle of the pair. It gives a superior high-refresh-rate show in an much more upmarket titanium-clad physique. It is also acquired a extra versatile digital camera system with a telephoto module and further software program options. The Professional is, then, the higher choice for these trying to get extra artistic with the digital camera.
The iPhone 16, subsequent to the Professional, is a extra fundamental bundle, that does not go into such digital camera depths (does nonetheless have the Digital camera Management), and skimps on the excessive refresh charge. You will not be sacrificing show brightness, although, and the water resistance is identical at 6m/30min, plus the battery life is probably considerably higher even. And on prime of that, the 16’s foremost benefits are its decrease weight, and the quantity on the checkout web page on Apple.com.
- The bigger display with 120Hz refresh charge and AoD.
- The additional zoom attain of the 5x telephoto digital camera.
- The Professional choices for image taking and video recording.
- The titanium construct.
- The smoothness of the excessive refresh charge show.
Get the Apple iPhone 16 Professional for:
- The longer battery life.
- The tangibly decrease weight.
- The cheaper price.
- The largely an identical consumer expertise.
Get the Apple iPhone 16 for:
The 2024 iPhone lineup poses a few of the normal challenges in choosing the right mannequin for your self. One of many extra apparent dilemmas, we reckon, is between the vanilla iPhone 16 and the small-size Professional model. Certain, the iPhone 16 Professional is a extra succesful bundle, however do you really want all of its Professional-ness and is not the plain 16 truly better-suited for some of us due to its extra pocket-friendly (in a couple of manner) attributes?
Let’s look into it.
Desk of Contents:
For starters, you may examine the whole specs sheets or instantly proceed with our editor’s evaluation within the textual content under.
Dimension comparability
The iPhone 16 takes a serious victory within the very first chapter of our comparability – it is virtually 30g lighter than its extra esteemed stablemate. Whereas they’re kind of the identical measurement (the Professional is 2mm taller and 0.5mm thicker – virtually negligible variations), the 2 telephones differ considerably of their weight and the plain 16 is tangibly lighter and extra snug to make use of with one hand. After all, the 16 Professional feels dense – there is a kind of a premium impression to its heft packed in a comparatively compact physique, however the internet result’s a extra enjoyable in-hand expertise with the iPhone 16 than what you’d get out of the Professional.
The Professional mannequin’s body is fabricated from a titanium alloy, whereas the common 16 makes use of aluminum. So the Professional simply is likely to be higher outfitted to face up to bumps and knocks. However, in keeping with the newest information, each apparently use the identical third-gen Ceramic Defend on the entrance, so maybe scratch and shatter resistance ought to be on par.
One other factor that each ought to be equally good at is surviving a dunk in (recent) water – they’re each rated for as much as half-hour right down to 6m underwater.
Show comparability
The burden distinction might be not less than partially attributed to the iPhone 16’s barely smaller show – it goes hand in hand with the thicker bezels in what’s kind of the identical footprint. The 6.1″ vs. 6.3″ diagonal does not make a major impression on operation, however there’s one other nuance that could be extra necessary – refresh charge. Apple continues to be protecting the non-Professional fashions at 60Hz, and we really feel like that is unacceptable in 2024, a lot much less on the iPhone 16’s worth level. That mentioned, if you happen to’re one who does not see or care about excessive refresh charge, the 120Hz 16 Professional panel could also be wasted on you.
Exterior of measurement, refresh charge and bezels, the 2 shows are very a lot on par. They each stand at 460ppi pixel density, with the general variety of pixels decided by the diagonal, and so they each will max out at 900nits on the slider and twice that in auto brightness mode. You get HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient help on each, too.
Battery life
Apple has handled the complete 2024 lineup to a battery capability enhance, with the 16 Professional getting essentially the most important bump (by 9.4%) to three,582mAh. The common 16’s cell acquired nudged 6.3% to an primarily an identical 3,561mAh.
In our testing, we acquired significant enhancements in battery life on each telephones when evaluating with the respective fashions from the earlier technology. That mentioned, the iPhone 16 had an edge over its Professional counterpart in all assessments – not an enormous distinction, however it may add up.
Charging velocity
Charging energy rankings and speeds are a little bit of a grey space within the Apple world, with the official specs stating one thing to the tune of ‘as much as 50% cost in half-hour with 20W adapter’ on just about all latest fashions. We examined with beefier chargers and acquired to the excessive 50s in half-hour on each telephones, with a full cost taking roughly 1:40h. The half-hour result’s half-decent, however the full cost time is fairly gradual. Both manner, nothing to separate the 2 fashions right here.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Professional each help wi-fi charging, maxing out at 15W with generic Qi2 pads, or 25W with proprietary MagSafe pucks (plugged into 30W+ adapters).
Speaker check
Each iPhones function hybrid stereo speaker setups with one driver on the underside, and one other one up prime that additionally doubles as an earpiece.
Unusually sufficient, the iPhone 16 was a bit louder in our testing and earned a ‘Very Good’ score for loudness, subsequent to a merely ‘Good’ iPhone 16 Professional. Each sound relatively good although, so going non-Professional will not be a downgrade.
Efficiency
The iPhone 16 options the Apple A18 chipset – a two-gen leap in computing tech in comparison with the iPhone 15 – it is a second-gen 3nm chip that’s each extra highly effective and extra environment friendly. The 16 Professional, then again, makes use of the A18 Professional – additionally a 3nm chip.
Each SoCs function six-core CPUs, whereas GPUs are totally different even on the floor – 5 cores on the A18, 6 on the A18 Professional. A extra in-depth look reveals they not solely differ in clock speeds, but additionally that their designs are relatively totally different, despite the fact that each are made by TSMC.
Each fashions have 8GB of RAM in all variations, whereas storage begins at 128GB and maxes out at 512GB on the vanilla mannequin or twice that on the Professional.
Benchmark efficiency
The Professional does have a bonus in benchmarks, nevertheless it’s not an enormous distinction in CPU efficiency – lower than 5% within the GeekBench multi-core check and negligible within the single-core one. The GPU outcomes have a wider margin – to the tune of 14%, nevertheless it’s not just like the vanilla 16 will likely be protecting you ready.
Digital camera comparability
The digital camera is among the main variations between the 2 fashions and a key deciding issue on this battle – the Professional has an additional digital camera and a wider-ranging set of capabilities for each picture and video seize.
The plain mannequin will do alright at as much as 2x zoom, the place the Professional nonetheless typically has a minor edge, however from then on, it is the Professional’s devoted 5x zoom digital camera that sees no opposition from the iPhone 16.
You’ll be able to simply see that discrepancy within the variety of cameras on the telephones’ backs, however there’s extra to it. The vanilla 16 does not have the Professional options, just like the JPEG-XL stills format, or 4K120 video seize functionality, or the ProRes choice.
That mentioned, each the 16 and 16 Professional have the quad-mic spatial audio seize functionality, so not all the things is a Professional-exclusive.
Equally, each telephones do have the all-new Digital camera Management, so the vanilla mannequin is not handicapped on this respect both – you’ll tweak settings and use it as a shortcut and shutter launch simply as nicely on each fashions.
Picture high quality
The photographs from the principle cameras would possibly as nicely have been taken on the identical telephone – they’re that related when it comes to dynamic vary, coloration, element, and total look. When wanting up shut, the Professional is a bit grainier – a minor, if inconsequential, win for the 16.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
At 2x, the outcomes are additionally very related and if that is the place your zoom pursuits finish, the iPhone 16 is nearly as good because the 16 Professional.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
However the factor is, the iPhone 16 Professional has one other digital camera. The 5x telephoto will get you a large number nearer to the motion, and does so at a properly prime quality too. The iPhone 16 cannot compete at this stage.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, telephoto digital camera, 5x
On the different finish of the zoom vary is the place the ultrawide cameras are and right here the 16 marks a generational step ahead due to the added AF functionality. The Professional has an improve of its personal, a 48MP Quad Bayer sensor changing the standard one of many outdated mannequin (the setup that the 16 has been upgraded to), however sensor sizes are the identical between the 2 fashions.
Picture high quality is as soon as once more a toss-up regardless of the distinction in {hardware}. In case you stare lengthy and laborious sufficient, you is likely to be satisfied that the Professional is that little bit sharper and in addition marginally grainier, nevertheless it’s actually not a bonus that’s an precise benefit.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
iPhone 16 daylight picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
The front-facing cameras are the identical on the 16 and 16 Professional (additionally the opposite 16s and the 15s too, and possibly even the 14s). So you may depend on the identical selfies from each telephones, and so they’re some wonderful selfies, too.
Selfie samples: iPhone 16 Professional • iPhone 16
After darkish, you’d anticipate some extra pronounced variations within the captured photographs, with the Professional mannequin’s bigger foremost digital camera sensor probably with the ability to collect extra mild. In apply, there’s but extra parity. Most important digital camera photographs at 1x are primarily the identical, and so they’re all wonderful.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 1x
At 2x, the Professional might have the slightest of benefits in sharpness and element in some scenes, nevertheless it’s not constant or important sufficient to make an actual distinction – the vanilla mannequin is sweet sufficient.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, foremost digital camera, 2x
As soon as once more, we’re at 5x, which is the actual differentiator – the iPhone 16 Professional’s telephoto does very well at midnight, and the iPhone 16 higher not go there.
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, telephoto digital camera, 5x
iPhone 16 Professional low-light picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
iPhone 16 low-light picture samples, ultrawide digital camera, 0.5x
Video high quality
The iPhone 16 is proscribed in its video modes, with no 4K120 choice (no 4K100 in PAL land both), and no Professional codecs. Video high quality within the mainstream 4K30 mode is considerably totally different between the 2, with the vanilla mannequin being noticeably softer at 0.5x and solely barely softer at 1x and 2x. As soon as once more, the Professional’s 5x zoom is a serious benefit.
iPhone 16 Professional daylight video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
At night time, there may be primarily no distinction in video high quality – a testomony to how good the vanilla mannequin might be. The 1x footage is great, the 2x zoom and the ultrawide clips are alright. The Professional’s telephoto struggles at night time, however not less than it is there and you possibly can most likely discover a scene that is lit nicely sufficient to utilize it.
iPhone 16 daylight video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
iPhone 16 Professional low-light video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x • 5x
iPhone 16 low-light video samples: 0.5x • 1x • 2x
Verdict
Quite a lot of the information above you possibly can have gathered from the specs, with the remaining accessible within the respective evaluations for side-by-side comparisons. Nonetheless, we felt the necessity to have it multi functional simply accessible location right here – for fast dilemma resolutions.
With that in thoughts, the iPhone 16 Professional stays the extra completely succesful bundle of the pair. It gives a superior high-refresh-rate show in an much more upmarket titanium-clad physique. It is also acquired a extra versatile digital camera system with a telephoto module and further software program options. The Professional is, then, the higher choice for these trying to get extra artistic with the digital camera.
The iPhone 16, subsequent to the Professional, is a extra fundamental bundle, that does not go into such digital camera depths (does nonetheless have the Digital camera Management), and skimps on the excessive refresh charge. You will not be sacrificing show brightness, although, and the water resistance is identical at 6m/30min, plus the battery life is probably considerably higher even. And on prime of that, the 16’s foremost benefits are its decrease weight, and the quantity on the checkout web page on Apple.com.
- The bigger display with 120Hz refresh charge and AoD.
- The additional zoom attain of the 5x telephoto digital camera.
- The Professional choices for image taking and video recording.
- The titanium construct.
- The smoothness of the excessive refresh charge show.
Get the Apple iPhone 16 Professional for:
- The longer battery life.
- The tangibly decrease weight.
- The cheaper price.
- The largely an identical consumer expertise.
Get the Apple iPhone 16 for:
