Apple iPhone 16 Plus smartphone review – The big one with a new design and lots of buttons
Button panel and lots of stamina.
If you're on the hunt for an Apple phone with a large display surface, then the iPhone 16 Plus may be a not-quite-so-expensive option. This year, it has been given lots of new features such as a touch-controlled camera button, a multi-functional Action button as well as a bigger battery. So, a clear purchase recommendation?Florian Schmitt, 👁 Florian Schmitt (translated by Daisy Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
In recent years, Apple has struggled to incorporate noticeable improvements in its iPhones for regular customers: Sure, battery life and performance increased slightly every year, the software was improved and the cameras got a little better. But it didn't really make sense for owners of the previous generations to buy a new iPhone every year. Added to this are their long update promises and the iPhones' high value retention, which additionally make buying a new one seem less attractive.
Now entering onto the scene is the 16th generation of iPhones and this time, Apple has focused on improvements that are "tangible" in the truest sense of the word: Namely, there are new physical buttons on the iPhone that you can actually touch, making it easier to use. Apple has also installed a larger battery and, of course, a new processor. Plus, it promises access to Apple Intelligence functions—even if they aren't yet available in all countries.
In any case, the 2024 iPhone generation is certainly interesting and is more than worth taking a look at, so now it's time for us to take a closer look at the Apple iPhone 16 Plus. Let's go.
Possible competitors compared
Rating | Version | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86.3 % | v8 | 10 / 2024 | Apple iPhone 16 Plus A18, A18 GPU | 199 g | 128 GB NVMe | 6.70" | 2796x1290 | |
| 89.7 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 11 / 2023 | Apple iPhone 15 Plus A16, A16 GPU 5-Core | 201 g | 128 GB NVMe | 6.70" | 2796x1290 | |
| 89.8 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 03 / 2024 | Samsung Galaxy S24+ Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940 | 196 g | 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.70" | 3120x1440 | |
| 84.6 % | v8 | 07 / 2024 | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra SD 8s Gen 3, Adreno 735 | 197 g | 1 TB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.70" | 2712x1220 | |
| 81.8 % | v8 | 07 / 2024 | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Kirin 9010, Maleoon 910 | 226 g | 1 TB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.80" | 2844x1260 | |
| 90.6 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 05 / 2024 | Honor Magic6 Pro SD 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750 | 229 g | 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.80" | 2800x1280 |
Please note: We have updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.
Case – Aluminum unibody with an IP68 certification
Titanium continues to be reserved for the iPhone Pros, but the Apple iPhone 16 Plus has still been given a super sleek aluminum unibody case once more. Some of the available colorways have changed: Our test device features the new blue-green color, while you can also get the phone in ultramarine blue, pink, white or black. All-in-all, the colors are slightly more vivid than last year's models which were mostly pastel tones.
Its measurements have stayed exactly the same as its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Plus, however, its weight has been reduced by 2 grams. This shouldn't be noticeable to anyone during everyday use but at 199 grams, it is about on par with other similar high-end phones.
The matte glass on the back looks great and prevents fingerprint marks reliably. Only the shiny Apple logo in the middle of the back gets dirty more quickly. You can identify the newest iPhone generation immediately from its camera module, as the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus both feature a vertical assembly of the two cameras and the LED flash is positioned next to the camera module. This has the advantage that the iPhone 16 Plus can now also record three-dimensional spatial videos, which was previously not possible due to the diagonal arrangement of the camera lenses.
The phone is ergonomically very comfortable to hold and the corners are perfectly rounded. The screen on the front is now protected by improved Ceramic Shield glass, which should make it more resistant to drops and other hazards.
The case is again protected against water and dust in accordance with IP68 and can therefore also be taken swimming in fresh water.
Connectivity – No price increase
The storage options and prices haven't changed compared to the iPhone 15 Plus. However, all models of the iPhone 16 Plus now have more RAM, namely 8 GB. The available storage variants are:
- 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage: US$899
- 8 GB RAM / 256 GB storage: US$999
- 8 GB RAM / 512 GB storage: US$1,199
In view of its good connection to the iCloud, the entry-level model's relatively small storage is still bearable, but Apple could do with upping its game next year. In times of huge picture and video collections on cell phones, 128 GB is quickly filled.
Apple has kept the USB-C port introduced last year on the new iPhone 16 Plus, and its speed hasn't increased either: It is still only a USB 2.0 port. However, wired image output to external monitors is possible via the DisplayPort protocol in 4K and with HDR support.
The same as with its predecessor, Apple has again installed a second-generation ultra-wideband chip, which allows larger data to be sent quickly between nearby devices. The iPhone also supports Thread networks, which can be used to control IoT products in an energy-saving manner.
NFC is still only available in read mode, so NFC tags cannot be written to with the iPhone 16 Plus. The new Apple phone can handle up to two eSIMs, but it also still has a nano-SIM slot—at least in Europe. If the network operator supports it, the iPhone can even be used to convert nano-SIMs into eSIMs.
Software – With a focus on Apple Intelligence
Apple delivers its iPhone 16 Plus with iOS 18. Apple hasn't provided exact information on its update periods, but experience has shown that iPhones are usually supplied with updates for at least 5 years. Emergency security updates are also available for older models.
There have once again been lots of new features introduced in the latest version of Apple's cell phone operating system, some of which also affect the large range of apps that are included free of charge. A lot has happened here this time, even if users within the EU won't be able to fully enjoy the new features until next year. The reason: Apple Intelligence—the new AI substructure that Apple is now also making available on iPhones without the Pro suffix. However, due to the strict rules in the EU, some adjustments may still be necessary.
The voice assistant Siri in particular will benefit from Apple Intelligence; in future, it will also be able to link information from different apps with each other and thus no longer just provide answers to general questions, but also to personal matters. For example, in future you will be able to ask Siri which movie a friend has recommended or instruct her to insert information from a photo into a form. In future, photos will also be able to be edited using voice commands. Moreover, the new AI functions feature significantly improved speech recognition and you can even change and correct your instructions in the middle of a sentence and they should still be carried out correctly.
Apple Intelligence should also help in other areas, such as creating complete drawings from sketches using AI, the Focus sleep mode now recognizes whether a notification could be so important that it should be displayed despite Do Not Disturb mode, and in Apple Mail, emails and tasks can be automatically sorted according to their urgency. After phone calls, the phone app can summarize the most important points from the conversation if desired. These are just a few examples—a full overview of the new features can be found here.
Sustainability
Apple is quite transparent when it comes to the environment and has provided very precise figures: the iPhone 16 Plus is made from 30 % recycled materials and in some areas even 100 %, for example the cobalt in the battery or the aluminum of the thermal base.
Its packaging doesn't use any plastic and is made from 64 % recycled materials. The iPhone can be recycled quite extensively when it is returned to Apple after use.
Self-repair and Apple weren't terms that were usually used together until now. But, according to the first tear-down by iFixit, the new Apple models have a much more modular design and can also be opened from both sides. In addition, there is now a repair assistant that is designed to prevent software errors after individual parts have been replaced.
Apple also sells spare parts and offers repair manuals. The repairs are still complicated and can only be carried out using special tools, but at least external workshops and ambitious hobbyists are now able to repair an iPhone and then make it fully functional again.
Communication and GNSS – Finally with WiFi 7
The iPhone 16 Plus supports WiFi 7 with 2x2 MIMO, which is currently the fastest WiFi standard. This means that the 6 GHz band can be used, in which only few devices currently operate, and significantly higher channel bandwidths of 320 MHz and 4096QAM are theoretically possible for modulation. Both increase the maximum speed significantly. However, the iPhone 16 Plus only supports a maximum bandwidth of 160 MHz.
In combination with our WiFi 6E router, the Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000, the iPhone only managed a maximum of 80 MHz, meaning it was a little faster than its predecessor in the receiving direction. With an average of 935 MBit/s, you can almost fully make use of a gigabit internet line, but anyone looking for higher internal network speeds for data exchange will have a hard time with the iPhone.
Close to the router, we had access to the full reception, and ten meters away from it with three walls in between, around half of the signal strength was available. Even so, websites only loaded minimally slower.
5G and 4G are each supported with 4x4 MIMO, i.e. four receiving and four transmitting channels simultaneously. Its range of frequency bands is so extensive that the iPhone 16 Plus can be used worldwide. In our random reception tests during our test period, the iPhone 16 Plus performed well and was at least on a similar level to other high-end phones.
| Networking | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Average of class Smartphone | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
We took the iPhone 16 Plus with us on a bike trip to test its satellite navigation abilities—alongside the Garmin Venu 2 to compare, which is a smartwatch with particularly accurate location services.
In our practical test, the Apple smartphone showed pretty accurate locating abilities. Even evasive maneuvers were recorded very accurately. However, there were some minor locating problems in the narrow old town streets, where the recorded route was not always completely accurate.
Thankfully, since these were only minor deviations and the phone located us very precisely in other areas, we can still recommend the iPhone 16 Plus for demanding navigation tasks.
Telephone functions and call quality – Sounds good
Apple uses its own dialer for phone calls on the iPhone. It can't be completely replaced, but it can be extended by other apps, for example with spam protection. Even so, it offers lots of functions such as direct access to voicemail or Siri integration.
Call quality via the earphones and microphones is very good—the other person on the line sounded present and could be clearly understood during our test. Our voice was also transmitted clearly, regardless of whether we were shouting, whispering or speaking normally. Our conversation partner sounded very clear via the hands-free function, i.e. the loudspeaker; our voice was somewhat more distant via the hands-free microphone, but nevertheless easy to understand.
In an emergency, emergency calls can be made via satellite without a cell phone network. This is done as a text message or by sharing your location with contacts. Apple has pointed out that satellites have a much lower bandwidth, so sending a message can take up to a minute. The service is free for two years after the first activation of the iPhone, but it is unclear whether Apple will ever even charge for the service.
Cameras – New ultra-wide-angle camera brings little improvement
The main camera on the iPhone 16 Plus is the same as on its predecessor: It still uses the Sony IMX904 as a sensor, which features a resolution of 48 megapixels. Using this lens, you can shoot photos in 24 or 12 megapixels. In general, the resulting photos have a good quality—they are lightened well and colors are reproduced naturally. However, the artificial bokeh effect in the photo of the plant looks a little unnatural.
If you enlarge the images, lots of details remain and the individual elements still look super sharp. In low light with high contrasts, the phone manages to create good picture sharpness, although the darker areas could do with being lightened a little better.
Thanks to its high resolution, the sensor can also take telephoto shots at 12 megapixels, corresponding to a 2x zoom. Together with the ultra-wide-angle camera, Apple states a 4x optical zoom range—which isn't entirely correct, as there are no shifting lenses for different focal lengths on the iPhone 16 Plus. In terms of image quality, the 2x zoom is fine but as soon as you select higher zoom levels, the picture sharpness deteriorates rapidly.
Videos can be recorded using the main camera at a maximum of 4K and at 60 fps, with up to 240 Hz available for the slow-motion function, i.e. a 4x slow-motion. This can be done at a maximum of Full HD resolution. The videos look very sharp and the autofocus does its job very accurately. The brightness adjustment doesn't cause any problems either. In cinema mode, the iPhone automatically focuses on faces and the focus can be shifted during the recording for a chic blur effect.
The ultra-wide-angle camera uses a new sensor with slightly larger pixels and a wider aperture of f/2.2. You can still see a certain level of background noise and details are barely discernible when it comes to more distant objects.
On the front, there is again a 12-megapixel camera which takes good selfies with a high level of detail and which has a decent HDR function in high-contrast environments. It only shows some weaknesses in the photos' very dark and bright areas.
Image comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main camera plantMain camera surroundingsMain camera low lightUltra-wide-angle camera
The main camera also had to prove what it could do in our test lab in different lighting scenarios: In full studio lighting, the image was depicted quite sharply right into the corners and contrasts were shown well. Even in low light, the subject was still recognizable—but upon closer inspection, it was a lot more blurry.
Accessories and warranty – Only a 12-month warranty
Apple hasn't included a charger with its products for quite a while now but as of this year, it has a new MagSafe charger with a power of up to 25 watts available to purchase. Depending on the cable length, it costs US$39 or US$49—but without a charging adapter. The corresponding 30-watt charger for maximum charging power can be had for an additional US$39. The smaller 20-watt USB-C charger costs US$19.
This means the iPhone's scope of delivery only includes a USB-C cable and a SIM tool. A range of MagSafe cases can be purchased for around US$50. Third-party sellers often offer good alternatives to Apple's original accessories—and usually for cheaper, too.
If you purchase your iPhone within the United States, it is covered by a standard 12-month warranty. If you'd like to extend this cover, then you can do so directly via Apple by signing up for Apple Care+. This insurance can also cover loss or theft if desired. Accidental damage can also be repaired, but then you'll definitely have to cover an excess yourself. There are also good insurance options from third-party providers that you should take into account.
Input devices & operation – So many physical buttons
Due to its 60 Hz screen, the iPhone 16 Plus isn't quite as speedy as other high-end smartphones when it comes to animations and response times. Even so, the touchscreen can be operated very reliably and is responsive right into the corners and along the edges.
One thing we don't like as much about its operation in iOS: There is no global "back" button like on Android devices and while swiping left as a back gesture (usually) works in Apple apps, this is not always implemented consistently in third-party apps. This means you often have to search for the "close" or "back" button, which is frequently located in a different place depending on the app.
The iPhone 16 Plus comes with two new physical buttons, which can now be found on its case alongside the standby button and the volume buttons. On the left is the Action button, which is already familiar from the iPhone 15 Pro, for example. The Alert slider has been removed, but the Action button performs the same function with a long press: it can be used to mute the iPhone or reactivate the ringtone.
At the same time, you can also use the Action button to open the camera app or perform other actions—it can even be customized extensively with shortcuts. Unfortunately, a short press and double press can't be assigned, which would have given the button even more flexibility.
A brand new feature is the camera button, which activates the camera when double-pressed and even works when the phone is locked, serves as a shutter release and can also be used like a zoom wheel thanks to its touch-sensitive surface. To do this, you have to place your finger on the button and wait for confirmation by a brief vibration. You then slide your finger back and forth and can adjust the zoom level. By lightly pressing the camera button twice, you can also adjust other factors such as aperture or exposure time. Thanks to the haptic feedback, everything works very precisely.
The iPhone 16 Plus doesn't have a fingerprint sensor, but it does feature FaceID, which scans your face precisely and three-dimensionally using an infrared projector and sensor. This makes it almost impossible to fool the system with masks or images. FaceID only requires a brief setup and then works very accurately and reliably, even in the dark.
Display – 60 Hz is no longer up to date
The iPhone is equipped with a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2,796 x 1,290 pixels. While Apple used to get by with less resolution than its Android competitors, it has now caught up and is on a similar level. Individual pixels are not visible even if you hold the phone very close to your face.
However, it is annoying that the iPhone 15 Plus still only comes with a 60 Hz display, which is probably mainly to differentiate it from the Pro models.
Its predecessor, the Apple iPhone 15 Plus, had a similar resolution and a similarly bright screen: we measured an average of 1,019 cd/m² with the iPhone 16 Plus depicting a full white screen. This means that HDR content can also be displayed with an appropriate level of contrast, from bright whites to deep blacks. On smaller surfaces (APL18), we measured up to 2,386 cd/m² with HDR enabled.
Its brightness distribution is also very even, meaning no differences are visible to the naked eye.
We noted flickering at 256 Hz at minimum brightness. It is presumably triggered by PWM, which is mainly used on OLED screens to dim them. The frequency is relatively high and should therefore also be fine for sensitive people to use, especially as the amplitude of the brightness fluctuation is low. Nevertheless, it won't hurt to check the iPhone's screen in an electronics store before buying if you have had problems in the past.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 1024 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 1.05 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.82}
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 1.7 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø5.1}
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.332
CCT: 6412 K
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus Super Retina XDR OLED, 2796x1290, 6.7" | Apple iPhone 15 Plus OLED, 2796x1290, 6.7" | Samsung Galaxy S24+ AMOLED, 3120x1440, 6.7" | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra P-OLED, 2712x1220, 6.7" | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra OLED, 2844x1260, 6.8" | Honor Magic6 Pro OLED, 2800x1280, 6.8" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -11% | -53% | 27% | -10% | -21% | |
| Brightness middle | 1024 | 1044 2% | 1358 33% | 1326 29% | 1095 7% | 1575 54% |
| Brightness | 1019 | 1040 2% | 1358 33% | 1312 29% | 1094 7% | 1508 48% |
| Brightness Distribution | 98 | 99 1% | 92 -6% | 90 -8% | 96 -2% | 89 -9% |
| Black Level * | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.05 | 1.2 -14% | 3 -186% | 0.51 51% | 1.1 -5% | 1.7 -62% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 1.81 | 2.4 -33% | 4.4 -143% | 1.85 -2% | 2.4 -33% | 3.9 -115% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 2.1 -24% | 2.5 -47% | 0.6 65% | 2.3 -35% | 2.4 -41% |
| Gamma | 2.332 94% | 2.14 103% | 1.98 111% | 2.191 100% | 2.28 96% | 2.22 99% |
| CCT | 6412 101% | 6411 101% | 6656 98% | 1355 480% | 6500 100% | 6398 102% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 256 Hz Amplitude: 7 % |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 256 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 256 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8320 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings
We analyzed the screen with our spectrophotometer and CalMAN software to see how accurately colors and grayscales are displayed compared to the reference color space.
In the most common color space, sRGB, we noted a great accuracy of 1.05 for grayscale and 1.7 for color values without True Tone activated. This means that it is almost impossible to see differences between the color tone and the reference with the naked eye, and with the right settings, you can also perform professional color matching on the display.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 12 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.8 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32 ms). | ||
Reflections can be seen on the screen in bright sunlight but thanks to its high display brightness, the iPhone usually manages to outshine these. Using it in the shade is of course more pleasant and also saves battery power, but it can be used in bright surroundings without any problems.
Its viewing angles are perfect—even when viewing content from very flat angles from the side, the colors and contrasts are retained.
Performance – Even more power for one of the most powerful phones
The new Apple A18 has 6 cores inside the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, two of which are performance cores with a clock speed of up to 4.04 GHz. The processor part of the integrated system-on-a-chip played a leading role in most benchmarks, especially in single-core scenarios. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 could still keep up well during the multi-thread test and even came slightly ahead of the Apple A18 in some cases.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 16 Plus' performance is extremely high and is barely used to its full potential by the vast majority of current apps. The processor also demonstrates high performance when undertaking AI calculations.
| Geekbench AI | |
| Single Precision TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Average Apple A18 (n=1) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (122 - 4122, n=41, last 2 years) | |
| Half Precision TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Average Apple A18 (n=1) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (122 - 32120, n=41, last 2 years) | |
| Quantized TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Average Apple A18 (n=1) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (118 - 44381, n=41, last 2 years) | |
According to Apple, the installed GPU should be 40 % faster than the one from the predecessor chip, namely the Apple A16—which is installed in the iPhone 15 Plus.
However, the GPU couldn't really show this in our benchmarks, and further adjustments may be necessary. Onscreen, it managed to utilize the maximum possible frame rate of 60 fps in the GFXBench test, but in the offscreen tests, it sometimes only performed at the same level as the predecessor chip. When running 3DMark, however, there was a clear advantage for the new graphics unit.
We will take a closer look at how the iPhone 16 Plus performs when gaming in a moment. In any case, we can already say that the GPU inside the iPhone 16 Plus is a very fast graphics solution that is completely sufficient, especially considering the screen's maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
The iPhone 16 Plus surfs the web at lightning speed and even opens large websites super quickly. The only downer is, once again, the screen's low refresh rate of 60 Hz: this makes scrolling on large websites slower and more sluggish than we are used to from other smartphones.
| Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total Score | |
| Average Apple A18 (270 - 300, n=3) | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Safari 18) | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra (Chrome 126) | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus (Safari Mobile 17) | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (Chrome 125) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=151, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Chrome 121) | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro (Chrome 122) | |
| Speedometer 3.0 - Score | |
| Average Apple A18 (29.9 - 33.3, n=3) | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Safari 18) | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra (Chrome 126) | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (Chrome 125) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (1.03 - 34, n=107, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro (Chrome 122) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| Average Apple A18 (263 - 273, n=3) | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Safari 18) | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra (Chrome 126) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Chrome 121) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 273, n=146, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average Apple A18 (90158 - 97104, n=3) | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Safari 18) | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus (Safari Mobile 17) | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra (Chrome 126) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Chrome 121) | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (Chrome 125) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=202, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro (Chrome 122) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro (Chrome 122) | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (Chrome 125) | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra (Chrome 126) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ (Chrome 121) | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus (Safari Mobile 17) | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus (Safari 18) | |
| Average Apple A18 (285 - 290, n=3) | |
* ... smaller is better
Apple has a tradition of using NVMe storage, which is very fast. Unfortunately, there are no reliable storage benchmarks for iOS, so we can only describe our subjective impression at this stage.
Games – 60 fps is possible
The iPhone 16 Plus does, in fact, manage to run lots of games at the maximum frame rate that can be depicted on its screen, namely 60 fps. This is possible, for example, when playing Genshin Impact, even at very high settings. However, we repeatedly noted drops to a still quite smooth 50 fps when testing this game on the Apple phone.
When running PUBG Mobile in UltraHD mode, the iPhone 16 Plus behaved strangely: Initially, it only managed 40 fps, then briefly jumped to 60 fps and then dropped back down to 40 fps. There is either a need for optimization here or the SoC is throttling its performance due to excessive load.
All-in-all, gaming on the iPhone 16 Plus is very smooth. If you want to push your GPU to the limit, you can now also find really complex games in the App Store, such as a port of Assassin's Creed Mirage.
We measured the frame rates using the GameBench software.
Emissions – Can get warm
Temperature
The temperature development on the case becomes quite noticeable under prolonged load: we measured a maximum of 47.6 °C. This means that the iPhone can get quite warm if you put it under a lot of strain.
The 3DMark stress tests showed a mixed picture: The less demanding Wild Life stress test was still run with fairly constant fps, while we noted a clear drop in performance during more demanding tests. This means that the SoC can't maintain its maximum performance for long during particularly strenuous tasks.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 35.2 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 247 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47.6 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 32.9 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Steel Nomad Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S24+ | |
| Honor Magic6 Pro | |
| Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus | |
| Motorola Edge 50 Ultra | |
Speakers
The speaker on the bottom is supported by the earpiece, so stereo effects can be produced by the speakers. The sound that comes from the iPhone 16 Plus is warm and balanced. Voices sound full and instruments can be clearly distinguished. The speakers can easily fill a medium-sized room with sound.
If you prefer to connect external headphones or speakers, you should note that only Apple's AAC codec is supported for wireless audio transmission. There are no other Bluetooth audio codecs for the iPhone and therefore no compatibility with HiRes audio. Wired audio transmission is possible via the USB-C port.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 7% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 27% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple iPhone 15 Plus audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 3% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 22% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life – The iPhone 16 Plus runs for ages
Power consumption
The iPhone 16 Plus uses quite a lot of power under high load: we measured a maximum consumption of 13.6 watts. On the other hand, Apple has since managed to get its predecessor's somewhat excessive idle consumption under control, now making it on par with other smartphones.
The iPhone 16 Plus can still only be charged using a cable at a maximum of 20 watts, with just under two hours required for a full charge. After just over half an hour, 50 % of the battery is available.
Using MagSafe, you can also charge at 25 watts with the right charger, and wirelessly at 7.5 watts. Reverse charging is theoretically possible, but can only actually be used for a few MagSafe accessories.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.8 / 1 / 1.2 Watt |
| Load |
9.5 / 13.6 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus 4674 mAh | Apple iPhone 15 Plus 4383 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S24+ 4900 mAh | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra 4500 mAh | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra 5200 mAh | Honor Magic6 Pro 5600 mAh | Average Apple A18 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -13% | 18% | 3% | 13% | -11% | 1% | -8% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.8 | 0.71 11% | 0.43 46% | 0.9 -13% | 0.6 25% | 0.8 -0% | 0.663 ? 17% | 0.872 ? -9% |
| Idle Average * | 1 | 2.09 -109% | 0.84 16% | 1.2 -20% | 1.23 -23% | 1.32 -32% | 1.437 ? -44% | 1.43 ? -43% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.2 | 2.11 -76% | 0.95 21% | 1.4 -17% | 1.3 -8% | 1.37 -14% | 1.52 ? -27% | 1.592 ? -33% |
| Load Average * | 9.5 | 4.32 55% | 6.76 29% | 6.5 32% | 4.54 52% | 11.62 -22% | 5.83 ? 39% | 7.18 ? 24% |
| Load Maximum * | 13.6 | 6.25 54% | 16.42 -21% | 9.2 32% | 10.84 20% | 11.65 14% | 11.2 ? 18% | 10.8 ? 21% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Runtimes
Thanks to its almost 300 mAh larger battery, the iPhone 16 Plus can achieve good runtimes—over 19 hours in the Wi-Fi test is a very good value indeed. Its runtime when playing movies from the internal storage also stands out: We noted 27:37 hours, with which you can easily watch all three extended editions of Lord of the Rings twice and still have some runtime left.
Under load, the iPhone also shows its endurance and can last for almost 6 hours. So nothing stands in the way of an afternoon of gaming—even without a charger nearby.
| Apple iPhone 16 Plus 4674 mAh | Apple iPhone 15 Plus 4383 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S24+ 4900 mAh | Motorola Edge 50 Ultra 4500 mAh | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra 5200 mAh | Honor Magic6 Pro 5600 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -5% | -12% | -27% | 1% | 13% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2668 | 2480 -7% | 2006 -25% | 3229 21% | 3519 32% | |
| H.264 | 1657 | 1585 -4% | 1086 -34% | 1648 -1% | 2027 22% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 1144 | 1102 -4% | 1009 -12% | 953 -17% | 1152 1% | 1548 35% |
| Load | 355 | 336 -5% | 249 -30% | 297 -16% | 223 -37% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict – Great, but Apple needs to take action in one area
In 2024, Apple has introduced several interesting new features for its iPhone 16 Plus: The haptic camera button, which responds to touch or gestures, making it easier to control the camera. The Action button, which is known from last year's iPhone Pros and can be assigned freely. This, too, makes the phone easier to operate. And, of course, Apple Intelligence, whereby the promised features are not yet anywhere to be seen on the iPhone 16 Plus at its launch—these will be added at a later date and in certain locations, such as Europe, they will likely not be available until next year.
We like how comprehensively Apple now works on the topic of sustainability and communicates this openly: It includes lots of recycled materials, plastic-free packaging, makes spare parts freely available to purchase and now, finally, includes the right software to rule out problems after repairs as well as a comprehensive recycling program for its devices. This makes the Californians pioneers in the cell phone market when it comes to environmental protection.
Not much has been changed when it comes to the phone's cameras: They take good photos, but you'll still have to make do without a true optical zoom. Its CPU performance has improved and the iPhone 16 Plus proves to be fast in terms of graphics power—but sometimes only as good as its predecessor. Even so, it is still one of the most powerful smartphones currently on the market.
Of course, you'll still have to fork out a hefty sum to get your hands on the iPhone 16 Plus—but even high-end Android smartphones aren't much cheaper these days. Its precise display, great pre-installed apps, good speakers, high-quality aluminum case and long runtimes all speak in favor of the phone.
A real issue is its 60 Hz screen that slows down operation, limits its performance when gaming and makes scrolling the web feel stuttery. It is simply no longer up-to-date if even mid-range phones have started to come with 90 Hz displays. Furthermore, if you can't come to terms with the limitations of Apple's relatively closed ecosystem, then an Android phone may be the better choice for you.
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is once again a high-quality phone that now features a camera button, soon-to-be-available sophisticated AI software features, and even longer runtimes.
If you want to save a few dollars, then you can take a look at its predecessor, the Apple iPhone 15 Plus, which now officially starts from US$799. A classic Android alternative would be the Samsung Galaxy S24+.
Price and availability
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus can be purchased directly from the manufacturer, with prices starting from US$899.
You can also find it on Amazon.
Please note: We have updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
- 10/24/2024 v8
Florian Schmitt
Total Sustainability Score: More articles related to this device
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (iPhone 16 Series)Related Articles
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.
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