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Apple iPhone 16

Apple iPhone 16 smartphone review - More innovations than one would think

New edition.

A bigger battery, more RAM, a new camera button, more vivid colors, and even more power: By Apple's standards, the iPhone 16 packs an above-average number of new features, making it one of the best compact smartphones on the market. Our review reveals whether it's worth purchasing or upgrading.
Manuel Masiero, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Andrew Dickson) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
5G Apple iOS iPhone Smartphone Touchscreen

Verdict - Still strict separation between the Pro and non-Pro models

With the iPhone 16, Apple might not be reinventing the wheel. Still, it has crammed the newest edition of its smartphone with a comparably large number of updates compared to the previous generation. What remains are plus points such as very premium build quality, powerful cameras, a bright OLED panel, and a long update period.

The Apple A18 makes the iPhone 16 significantly more powerful than the iPhone 15, and users will benefit from the RAM upgrade to 8 GB even though it has nothing to do with the much-heralded AI features. WiFi 7 has now also made its way onto the "base" iPhone, although, like the Pro models, it is limited to a 160 MHz bandwidth. In everyday situations, the 6 percent larger battery ensures slightly better battery life.

With the Action button, the iPhone 16 has not only inherited a feature that used to be reserved for the Pro models but one that also replaces the classic rocker. Another innovation is the haptic camera button that controls the camera. Whether or not it's actually useful is another question.

One feature criticized on the iPhone 15 has been carried over to the iPhone 16, causing it to also be one of our main points of criticism. Although the smartphone almost has a four-figure price tag, the OLED screen continues to run at a no longer up-to-date 60 Hz. Plus, you will still have to make do without an always-on display. Additionally, you only get a 12-month warranty, it still has the slow USB-C 2.0 and the charging speed is not particularly fast.  

One alternative to the iPhone 16 is, for example, the iPhone 15, which is now significantly cheaper and has a very similar feature set. One recommendation on the Android side is the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S24 and, at 6.36 inches, the similarly compact Xiaomi 14.

Pros

+ premium case with IP68 certification
+ bright and color-accurate OLED display
+ WiFi 7
+ ultra-wideband, thread networks and dual-eSIM
+ world phone
+ precise location
+ very high performance
+ great battery life
+ long updates

Cons

- only a 60 Hz refresh rate
- WiFi 7 at a maximum 160 MHz bandwidth
- only Bluetooth audio codec is AAC
- only USB 2.0
- only a 12-month warranty
- comparatively slow charging

Price and availability

The iPhone 16 starts at $799 if purchased from Apple, with our 512 GB review model setting you back $1,099. 

Amazon Logo
$38.99
Apple iPhone 16 Silicone Case with MagSafe and Camera Control - Black ​​​​​​​
  • $18.99
    3 in 1 Charging Station for iPhone, Wireless Charger for iPhone 16 15 14 13 12 11 X Pro Max & Apple Watch - Wireless Charging Station for AirPods 4 3 Pro
  • $12.99
    iPhone 16 15 Charger Fast Charging,20W Apple iPad USB C Fast Charger,2Pack 6ft USB C Wall Charger Block for iPhone 16/16 Pro/16 Pro Max/15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max, iPad Pro/Mini, MacBook

Possible alternatives compared

Image
Model / Review
Geizhals
Weight
Drive
Display
1.
88.2%
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18 ⎘
Apple A18 GPU ⎘
8 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD
Bestpreis 1248€ Gomibo.de
2. 1258.98€ Mindfactory
3. 1258.99€ electronis.de
170 gApple 512GB NVMe6.10"
2556x1179
460 PPI
Super Retina XDR OLED
2.
89.1%
Apple iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic ⎘
Apple A16 GPU 5-Core ⎘
6 GB Memory, 128 GB NVMe
Listenpreis 949€171 g128 GB NVMe6.10"
2556x1179
461 PPI
Super Retina XDR OLED
3.
84.9%
Google Pixel 9
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4 ⎘
ARM Mali-G715 MP7 ⎘
12 GB Memory, 128 GB 
Bestpreis 848.98€ Mindfactory
2. 848.99€ electronis.de
3. 849€ Alternate
198 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.30"
2424x1080
421 PPI
OLED
4.
90%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400 ⎘
Samsung Xclipse 940 ⎘
8 GB Memory, 256 GB 
Listenpreis 899€167 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.20"
2340x1080
416 PPI
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
5.
89%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Sony Xperia 5 V
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ⎘
Qualcomm Adreno 740 ⎘
8 GB Memory, 128 GB 
Listenpreis 999€182 g128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.10"
2520x1080
449 PPI
OLED
6.
89.8%
Xiaomi 14
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 ⎘
Qualcomm Adreno 750 ⎘
12 GB Memory, 256 GB 
Bestpreis 667.89€ Mindfactory
2. 667.9€ iconic777
3. 677€ PC-King
193 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.36"
2670x1200
460 PPI
OLED

This year, September 7 was an important date for Apple fans since that was the day the US American manufacturer presented its latest iPhone generation. After taking an extensive look at the iPhone 16 Pro, the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Plus, it's now the turn of the iPhone 16.

The smallest of the new iPhone models will set you back exactly the amount you paid for the iPhone 15. The starting price is identical to a year ago - a not-exactly-cheap $799. In return, the Apple A18-equipped, 6.1-inch phone has leapt forward when it comes to performance. It comes with a new camera button and can now rely on 8 GB of RAM instead of the previous 6. It has a 6 percent larger battery capacity and now also supports WiFi 7.

Apple iPhone 16 (iPhone 16 Series)
Processor
Apple A18 6 x - 3.8 GHz
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
Display
6.10 inch 19.5:9, 2556 x 1179 pixel 460 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, Super Retina XDR OLED, 1600/2000 nits max. brightness (HDR/outdoor), 1 nit min. brightness, glossy: yes, HDR, 60 Hz
Storage
Apple 512GB NVMe, 512 GB 
, 496 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Networking
Wi-Fi 7 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz be = Wi-Fi 7), Bluetooth 5.3, 2G (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz), 4G (Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/30/32/34/38/39/40/41/42/48/53/66), 5G (Band 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/26/28/30/38/40/41/48/53/66/70/75/76/77/78/79), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.8 x 147.6 x 71.6 ( = 0.31 x 5.81 x 2.82 in)
Battery
0 Wh, 3561 mAh Lithium-Ion
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Apple iOS 18
Camera
Primary Camera: 48 MPix fusion camera (26 mm, f/1.6, OIS), 12 MP ultrawide camera (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV); video recording up to 4k@600fps
Secondary Camera: 12 MPix (23 mm, f/1.9, AF), video recording up to 4k@60fps
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers (hybrid), Keyboard: virtual, USB cable, SIM tool, 12 Months Warranty, Dual-eSIM-Support, fanless, waterproof
Weight
170 g ( = 6 oz / 0.37 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1329 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - Bold colors for the iPhone 16

Apart from the arrangement of the rear camera, Apple has adopted the iPhone 15's design, more or less 1:1, for its iPhone 16. However, unlike the predecessor, considerably bolder colors are available on day one. Our review device is Teal, with the other colors being Ultramarine, Pink, White and Black.

The iPhone 16 also possesses a stylish unibody case, is excellently crafted, feels very premium, and, in our tests, it proved itself to be exceptionally resistant to any of our attempts to dent or twist it. The chassis is dust and waterproof according to IP68.

The iPhone 16 has an aluminum frame, and the rear is made from matte, solid-colored glass, which hardly attracts fingerprints apart from the Apple logo in the middle. On the front, once again, the Ceramic Shield screen protection has been used. However, this is claimed to 50 percent more robust than the type found in the iPhone 15.

While the predecessor's main and ultra-wide-angle cameras were offset to the side, they are now located directly on top of one another, the same as the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. This also means that both devices can now shoot three-dimensional videos. This was not possible with either the iPhone or the iPhone 15 Plus due to the diagonal positioning of both cameras. 

Nothing has changed concerning the dimensions. The iPhone 16 is exactly the same size as the iPhone 15 and weighs 1 gram less. This is not likely to be noticeable in everyday use.

Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16

Size comparison

154 mm / 6.06 in 68 mm / 2.68 in 8.6 mm / 0.3386 in 182 g0.4012 lbs152.8 mm / 6.02 in 72 mm / 2.83 in 8.5 mm / 0.3346 in 198 g0.4365 lbs152.8 mm / 6.02 in 71.5 mm / 2.81 in 8.2 mm / 0.3228 in 193 g0.4255 lbs147.6 mm / 5.81 in 71.6 mm / 2.82 in 7.8 mm / 0.3071 in 170 g0.3748 lbs147.6 mm / 5.81 in 71.6 mm / 2.82 in 7.8 mm / 0.3071 in 171 g0.377 lbs147 mm / 5.79 in 70.6 mm / 2.78 in 7.6 mm / 0.2992 in 167 g0.3682 lbs148 mm / 5.83 in 105 mm / 4.13 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Features - The Apple iPhone 16 has 8 GB of RAM

To ensure that Apple's new AI features also run on the "smallest" new iPhone, the iPhone 16 has 8 GB of RAM (iPhone 15: 6 GB). However, price-wise, nothing has changed compared to the iPhone 15. The available storage is also the same:

  • 128 GB mass storage: $799
  • 256 GB mass storage: $899 
  • 512 GB mass storage: $1,099 

Unlike the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16's USB-C port is connected internally using the USB 2.0 speed rather than USB 3.2. This makes data transfer much slower, and this was confirmed by the copy test with our test SSD, the Samsung 980 Pro (38.9 MB/s).

The USB-C port supports the DisplayPort protocol, meaning you can mirror the iPhone's screen on a monitor. To achieve this, you will also need a USB-C cable (USB 3.1 or higher) as well as a suitable external display.

In addition to Bluetooth 5.3 and an NFC chip (which is only available in read mode), the iPhone 16 also possesses an ultra-wideband chip. One new addition is support for the smart home wireless standard, Thread.

In Europe, Apple continues to offer the iPhone 16 with a nano-SIM slot. Together with an eSIM, dual-SIM operation is possible. Alternatively, 2 eSIMs also work.

Left: Action button, volume buttons, nano-SIM
Left: Action button, volume buttons, nano-SIM
Right: Haptic camera button, standby button
Right: Haptic camera button, standby button
Top: No ports
Top: No ports
Bottom: Microphone, USB-C 2.0, speakers
Bottom: Microphone, USB-C 2.0, speakers

Software - The Apple iPhone 16 with iOS 18 and initially without AI

The iPhone 16 runs the new iOS 18. In addition to small changes such as the newly-designed photo app, a significantly more customizable control center and a move away from the rigid app grid. Apps can now be placed anywhere on the home screen. However, above all else, it's the AI functions that set the new operating system apart from iOS 17.

We already presented the AI functions - otherwise known as Apple Intelligence - in our iPhone 16 Plus review. They include AI-generated emojis, photo editing, voice message transcription, websites and other text-based content as well as a smarter Siri voice assistant.

However, due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA) data protection, Apple Intelligence for iPhones won't initially be available in the EU. Apple wants to play catch-up as soon as an agreement has been reached with the European Commission, something that probably won't happen before 2025.

Apple hasn't provided any information on how long the iPhone 16 will receive updates. However, experience shows that you can bank on a 5-year update period. On top of this, older devices still receive updates, if critical security gaps need to be closed.

Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16

Sustainability

According to Apple, more than 30 percent of the iPhone 16 consists of recycled material. When it comes to gold, cobalt, lithium and rare earth, the recycling quota even manages to hit 100 percent.

The packaging doesn't contain any plastics and consists 100 percent of wood fibers, which have also either been recycled or sourced from responsibly farmed forests. Apple has provided precise information in this report.

In the past, iPhones weren't exactly famous for being easy to repair. However, in the meantime, that has changed significantly, since the current iPhones have a modular internal design and can be opened from both sides. Additionally, the iOS-integrated repair assistant helps to avoid software errors after replacing components.  

Experienced users can repair their iPhones themselves. Although special tools are required to do this, Apple also provides support with detailed repair manuals

Communication and GNSS - WiFi 7 with the handbreak on

When it comes to the Wi-Fi speed, the iPhone 16 is on par with all the other iPhone 16 models. With WiFi 7 and 2x2 MIMO, it offers the fastest Wi-Fi standard currently available, which also allows it to access the 6 GHz band.

Despite this, Apple has also installed hidden brakes since the smartphone's WiFi 7 capabilities are limited to a bandwidth of 160 MHz. This limits the Wi-Fi tempo to WiFi 6E levels. However, connected to our Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000 reference router, the iPhone 16 performs well. It delivers stable transfer speeds, which sit in the 6 GHz band at a peak of 1,401 MBit/s.

The iPhone 16 can access so many frequency bands that it can be easily used worldwide. For 5G and 4G connections, it uses 4x4 MIMO, meaning it transmits on four send and receive channels simultaneously. 

Networking
Apple iPhone 16
iperf3 receive AXE11000
776 (min: 764) MBit/s ∼48%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
928 (min: 893) MBit/s ∼54%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1401 (min: 1319) MBit/s ∼76%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1257 (min: 1214) MBit/s ∼68%
Apple iPhone 15
iperf3 receive AXE11000
691 (min: 617) MBit/s ∼43%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
773 (min: 576) MBit/s ∼45%
Google Pixel 9
iperf3 receive AXE11000
911 (min: 857) MBit/s ∼56%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
955 (min: 739) MBit/s ∼56%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1855 (min: 1826) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1851 (min: 886) MBit/s ∼100%
Samsung Galaxy S24
iperf3 receive AXE11000
774 (min: 699) MBit/s ∼48%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
913 (min: 688) MBit/s ∼53%
Sony Xperia 5 V
iperf3 receive AXE11000
838 (min: 818) MBit/s ∼52%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
958 (min: 934) MBit/s ∼56%
Xiaomi 14
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1623 (min: 1502) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1716 (min: 1119) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1738 (min: 1597) MBit/s ∼94%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1737 (min: 873) MBit/s ∼94%
Average of class Smartphone
iperf3 receive AXE11000
712 (min: 34.8) MBit/s ∼44%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
726 (min: 40.5) MBit/s ∼42%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1441 (min: 229) MBit/s ∼78%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1358 (min: 668) MBit/s ∼73%
07515022530037545052560067575082590097510501125120012751350Tooltip
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18, Apple A18 GPU; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1402 (1319-1418)
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18, Apple A18 GPU; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1257 (1214-1281)
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18, Apple A18 GPU; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø775 (764-786)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic, Apple A16 GPU 5-Core; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø690 (617-720)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400, Samsung Xclipse 940; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø772 (699-820)
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18, Apple A18 GPU; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø928 (893-950)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic, Apple A16 GPU 5-Core; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø773 (576-833)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400, Samsung Xclipse 940; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø913 (688-994)

The iPhone 16 uses the satellite navigation services GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou to determine its position. In the test, both indoors and outdoors, the location accuracy was around 4 meters and also remained high on a small bike tour.

The Apple smartphone was able to track the roughly 10-kilometer-long bike tour just as accurately as the Garmin Venu 2 fitness smartwatch, which served as the reference device. This means we can unreservedly recommend the iPhone 16 for navigation-based tasks.

GPS test: Summary
GPS test: Summary
GPS test: Lake circumnavigation
GPS test: Lake circumnavigation
GPS test: Turning point
GPS test: Turning point

Telephone functions and voice quaility

The iPhone 16 supports both VoLTE and WiFi calls. In addition to a physical SIM, you can also activate an eSIM. Alternatively, you can also have two eSIMs if you wish to do without a SIM card. 

In our test, the iPhone 16 delivered good voice quality. Using the mobile and landline, we could hear our counterparts perfectly, and the same level of intelligibility was reported on the receiving end. In hands-free mode, that essentially didn't change, we just sounded a touch quieter.

If a mobile network or Wi-Fi is not at hand, the iPhone can also make emergency calls via a satellite connection. Once activated, the service is free for the next two years. However, it will presumably remain permanently free of charge. Apple would be put in a very bad light if the life-saving function had to be activated in an emergency due to the lack of an active subscription. 

Cameras - A 48 MP camera with 2x zoom

Selfie camera image
Selfie camera image

The iPhone 16's selfie camera still has a 12 MP resolution and takes good shots with a nice bokeh effect. Like the main camera, it can record videos at 4K and up to 60 frames per second, delivering very good image quality in the process. 

Apple also has nothing new to report regarding the iPhone's main camera. It continues to use a 48 MP resolution image sensor and allows you to capture photos at either 12 or 24 MP. You can use the full 48 MP as long as you activate Resolution control in the settings.

The Sony image sensor also allows the iPhone's main camera to capture telephoto shots at 12 MP, which represents 2x zoom. Photos captured with the main camera also impress in difficult lighting conditions with high image sharpness and balanced color reproduction. When you magnify the images using the 2x zoom, many details are still visible, however, at higher zoom levels  – the digital zoom goes up to 10x – things quickly get blurry.

The main camera records videos at a maximum of 4K and 60 frames per second and possesses the same impressive image quality as the photos. The videos are very sharp, and the autofocus responds precisely, easily switching between bright and dark subjects. If you use the cinema mode, the camera automatically focuses on faces and saves additional depth information so that the focus can be adjusted later for blurry effects.

The 12 MP resolution ultra-wide-angle camera uses a new sensor that has a slightly wider f/2.2 aperture (iPhone 15: f/2.4). It does its job well within the limits of its capabilities. You get solid and largely distortion-free shots which don't show many details.

Main camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image
Ultra-wide-angle camera image
Ultra-wide-angle camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image
Main camera image (2x zoom)
Main camera image (2x zoom)

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.

Daylight image 1Daylight image 2Ultra-wide-angle5x zoomLowlight image
orginal image
click to load images

In the lab, we took another look at the main camera under full studio lighting and also at just 1 lux. Under optimum lighting conditions, it captures colors accurately, reproducing the test chart with high levels of detail and contrast.

Under poor lighting conditions, the sharpness drops off. However, the test chart is still completely recognizable, and the colors only display a comparatively small deviation from the target values. 

ColorChecker
12.9 ∆E
10.2 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
10 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
10.9 ∆E
9.4 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
11.5 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
12.4 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
14 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
8 ∆E
2.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple iPhone 16: 9.58 ∆E min: 2.37 - max: 15.14 ∆E
ColorChecker
10.3 ∆E
5 ∆E
5 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
10 ∆E
9.6 ∆E
3.7 ∆E
5.4 ∆E
7.7 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
12.7 ∆E
8.3 ∆E
9.6 ∆E
4.6 ∆E
3.2 ∆E
10.4 ∆E
17.8 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
3.7 ∆E
3.5 ∆E
13.9 ∆E
15.5 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
ColorChecker Apple iPhone 16: 8.36 ∆E min: 3.17 - max: 17.82 ∆E

Accessories and warranty - The Apple iPhone 16 comes with a 12-month warranty

Optional accesories, from left to right: 30-watt charger, MagSafe charger, silicone case
Optional accesories, from left to right: 30-watt charger, MagSafe charger, silicone case

With its iPhone 16, Apple has included a USB-C cable (USB 2.0) as well as a SIM tool. Inside the slim packaging, there are also a few booklets with info material. The Apple stickers which came with the previous iPhone models are no longer included.

Apple offers plenty of additional accessories for its smartphone and these include a 30-watt charger ($39), a MagSafe adapter ($39) and silicone cases with MagSafe functionality ($49).

The iPhone 16 comes with a 12-month warranty. Via AppleCare+ and for additional surcharges, this can be extended, starting at $9.99 a month or a one-off payment of $199 for 2 years. If you also wish to provide cover for theft and loss, the prices increase to $11.49 a month or a one-off payment of $219. 

Input devices & operation - The iPhone 16 has two new buttons

The iPhone 16's system speed is very fast, translating inputs via its 6.1-inch screen without virtually no delay. FaceID is on hand for biometric unlocking. This is done via three-dimensional face recognition, which offers high security and works very quickly and reliably. The vibration motor provides precise feedback.

The iPhone 16 screen isn't the smoothest due to its 60 Hz panel. This is especially evident when scrolling through menus and websites.  The low frame rate will primarily be noticeable to users coming from a 90 Hz or 120 Hz panel.

A few years ago, there were rumours in the Apple community that there could be a button-free iPhone. The iPhone 16 could be described as a counter-movement since it comes with two new buttons compared to the iPhone 15. One of those replaces the mute switch, functioning as the familiar Action button previously seen in the iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The camera button on the right-hand side is also new, and it is responsible for launching the camera app. In the camera app itself, the button serves as the shutter, and thanks to its touch-sensitive surface, it can also be used to adjust additional camera settings such as the zoom factor, exposure time, aperture and sound level. Both buttons can also be found in the iPhone 16 Pro models.

Keyboard portrait
Keyboard portrait
Keyboard landscape
Keyboard landscape

Display - A bright, 60 Hz OLED panel

Subpixels
Subpixels

The iPhone 16's 6.1-inch OLED panel is largely based on the iPhone 15. It continues to offer 2,556 x 1,179 pixels, which represents a pixel density of 460 PPI. However, one new feature is that the 60 Hz screen can now nominally dim to as little as 1 nit. In our test, we recorded 1.64 cd/m², which is quite close to the manufacturer's specification.

Apple puts the OLED panel's average brightness at 1,000 nits, with the maximum brightness in HDR content hitting 1,600 nits. In the test, the screen turned out to be a bit brighter. With a pure white background, we measured 1,102 cd/m². If you switch to smaller sections of the image (APL20 measurement), the OLED panel creates even more brightness. With SDR content, this goes up to 2,287 cd/m² and up to 2,362 cd/m² with HDR content.

The OLED panel flickers at a low 60 Hz, irrespective of the brightness levels we measured. In parallel, we measured a secondary frequency of 487 Hz. The PWM flickering is quite uniform, meaning it shouldn't really bother even sensitive users. However, if in doubt, you should try the iPhone 16 yourself before pulling the trigger on a purchase.

1096
cd/m²
1099
cd/m²
1105
cd/m²
1106
cd/m²
1101
cd/m²
1097
cd/m²
1107
cd/m²
1101
cd/m²
1104
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 1107 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 1101.8 cd/m² Minimum: 1.64 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 99 %
Center on Battery: 1101 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 0.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.93
ΔE Greyscale 1.3 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
99.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.16
Apple iPhone 16
Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556x1179, 6.1"
Apple iPhone 15
Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556x1179, 6.1"
Google Pixel 9
OLED, 2424x1080, 6.3"
Samsung Galaxy S24
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340x1080, 6.2"
Sony Xperia 5 V
OLED, 2520x1080, 6.1"
Xiaomi 14
OLED, 2670x1200, 6.4"
Screen
-41%
22%
-90%
-46%
-28%
Brightness middle
1101
1046
-5%
2063
87%
1349
23%
889
-19%
1043
-5%
Brightness
1102
1019
-8%
1914
74%
1369
24%
898
-19%
1052
-5%
Brightness Distribution
99
94
-5%
84
-15%
97
-2%
97
-2%
96
-3%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
0.9
1.4
-56%
0.7
22%
3.3
-267%
1.4
-56%
1.1
-22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
1.5
2.84
-89%
2.2
-47%
5
-233%
4.5
-200%
2.8
-87%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.3
2.4
-85%
1.2
8%
2.4
-85%
1
23%
1.9
-46%
Gamma
2.16 102%
2.158 102%
2.23 99%
1.97 112%
2.23 99%
2.23 99%
CCT
6480 100%
6410 101%
6524 100%
6635 98%
6456 101%
6740 96%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 60 Hz
Amplitude: 25.75 %
Secondary Frequency: 487 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 60 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 60 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8774 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

minimum display brightness
min.
25 % display brightness
25 %
50 % display brightness
50 %
75 % display brightness
75 %
maximum manual display brightness
100 %

A series of measurements with fixed zoom. and various brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness looks very flat. However, this is due to the scaling. You can find the enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness in the info box.)

When it comes to color reproduction, the OLED panel scores very well with its very good image quality. If you require colors which are as natural as possible, you should deactivate True Tone. With this function, the iPhone adapts the screen colors to the ambient light, which results in a slightly inaccurate representation.

Color accuracy (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Color accuracy (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Color space (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Color space (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Gray scales (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Gray scales (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Color saturation (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)
Color saturation (True Tone deactivated, target color space sRGB)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
2.31 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.178 ms rise
↘ 1.136 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. » 8 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
2.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.426 ms rise
↘ 1.473 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. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.9 ms).

Outdoors, the screen content remains legible even in bright ambient light. If necessary, the viewing angle-stable OLED panel adjusts its brightness to a very high level. However, with the brightness sensor deactivated, this reaches a maximum of 840 cd/m².

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angle
Viewing angle

Performance - The Apple iPhone 16 is equipped with the A18 SoC

Computational tasks in the iPhone are performed by the Apple 18. The high-end SoC relies on six processor cores, of which 2 are performance cores running at up to 4.04 GHz. In the CPU benchmarks, the iPhone 16 is not only significantly ahead of the iPhone 15  but is also at the top of the pack in most of the tests. Only the Xiaomi 14 is faster in AnTuTu v10.

Geekbench 6.3
Single-Core
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
3377 Points
Average Apple A18
  (3149 - 3377, n=2)
3263 Points -3%
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
2465 Points -27%
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 12288
2144 Points -37%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940, 8192
2045 Points -39%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 8192
2006 Points -41%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
1798 Points -47%
Average of class Smartphone
  (193 - 3479, n=159, last 2 years)
1439 Points -57%
Multi-Core
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
8362 Points
Average Apple A18
  (7663 - 8362, n=2)
8013 Points -4%
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 12288
6914 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940, 8192
6456 Points -23%
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
6019 Points -28%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 8192
5198 Points -38%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
4501 Points -46%
Average of class Smartphone
  (845 - 10401, n=159, last 2 years)
4010 Points -52%
Antutu v10 - Total Score
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 12288
1980553 Points +21%
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
1632305 Points
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940, 8192
1616403 Points -1%
Average Apple A18
  (1419444 - 1632305, n=2)
1525875 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (142748 - 3015111, n=96, last 2 years)
1228419 Points -25%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
1022007 Points -37%
CrossMark - Overall
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
1492 Points
Average Apple A18
  (1407 - 1492, n=2)
1450 Points -3%
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
1260 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940, 8192
1256 Points -16%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 8192
1170 Points -22%
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 12288
1165 Points -22%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
951 Points -36%
Average of class Smartphone
  (187 - 1517, n=158, last 2 years)
879 Points -41%
AImark - Score v3.x
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
33181 Points
Average Apple A18
  (32966 - 33181, n=2)
33074 Points 0%
Apple iPhone 15
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
26368 Points -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (82 - 307528, n=135, last 2 years)
25869 Points -22%
Xiaomi 14
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 12288
1381 Points -96%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 8192
1160 Points -97%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Exynos 2400, Xclipse 940, 8192
1134 Points -97%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
871 Points -97%
Geekbench AI
Single Precision TensorFlow NNAPI
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
4352 Points
Average Apple A18
  (4122 - 4352, n=2)
4237 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (191 - 4619, n=30, last 2 years)
879 Points -80%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
771 Points -82%
Half Precision TensorFlow NNAPI
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
32432 Points
Average Apple A18
  (32120 - 32432, n=2)
32276 Points 0%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
4666 Points -86%
Average of class Smartphone
  (192 - 32432, n=30, last 2 years)
4267 Points -87%
Quantized TensorFlow NNAPI
Apple iPhone 16
Apple A18, A18 GPU, 8192
44657 Points
Average Apple A18
  (44381 - 44657, n=2)
44519 Points 0%
Google Pixel 9
Google Tensor G4, Mali-G715 MP7, 12288
6451 Points -86%
Average of class Smartphone
  (118 - 44657, n=30, last 2 years)
6049 Points -86%

With its Apple A18 graphics chip, the iPhone 16 clearly leaves the iPhone 15 in its wake and, in the GPU benchmarks, it is in a similar performance league but playing catch up to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In some respects, even the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is slightly faster. However, overall, the iPhone 16 is a very powerful graphics solution that is often held back by its 60 Hz screen, as the on-screen GFXBench tests show.

3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
4729 Points +14%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
4142 Points
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3933 Points -5%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
3627 Points -12%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2601 Points -37%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
2411 Points -42%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
4744 Points +11%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
4255 Points
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3902 Points -8%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
3667 Points -14%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2567 Points -40%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
2409 Points -43%
3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
19319 Points +17%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
16523 Points
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
13993 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
12652 Points -23%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
12092 Points -27%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
8998 Points -46%
3DMark / Solar Bay Score
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
8264 Points +11%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
7453 Points
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6649 Points -11%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
3332 Points -55%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
Points -100%
3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
8689 Points +17%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
7422 Points
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6673 Points -10%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
3229 Points -56%
3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
1569 Points
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
1023 Points -35%
3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
1803 Points
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
1083 Points -40%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
121 fps +102%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
120 fps +100%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
120 fps +100%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
119 fps +98%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
538 fps +13%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
477 fps
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
476 fps 0%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
419 fps -12%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
403 fps -16%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
333.7 fps -30%
GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
121 fps +102%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
120 fps +100%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
120 fps +100%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
119 fps +98%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
331 fps +11%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
302 fps +2%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
297 fps
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
289 fps -3%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
257 fps -13%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
185.4 fps -38%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
121 fps +102%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
120 fps +100%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +100%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
119 fps +98%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
264 fps +31%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
214 fps +6%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
205 fps +2%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
201 fps
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
167 fps -17%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
133.4 fps -34%
GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
110 fps +83%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
105 fps +75%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
101 fps +68%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
75 fps +25%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
58.1 fps -3%
GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
156 fps +12%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
139 fps
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
131 fps -6%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
118 fps -15%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
89.6 fps -36%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
80 fps -42%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
105 fps +75%
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
93 fps +55%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
87 fps +45%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
66 fps +10%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
59.9 fps
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
58.1 fps -3%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
84 fps +61%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
69 fps +32%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
61 fps +17%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
52.3 fps
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
46.7 fps -11%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
40 fps -24%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
121 fps +102%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
119 fps +98%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
118 fps +97%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
100 fps +67%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
60 fps
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
207 fps +25%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
165 fps
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
153 fps -7%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
140 fps -15%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
112 fps -32%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
108 fps -35%
GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
38 fps +49%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
32 fps +25%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
30 fps +18%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
25.5 fps
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
19.8 fps -22%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
19 fps -25%

When surfing the web, the iPhone 16 is a force to be reckoned with. No other comparison device achieves such good benchmark results.

Once again, the iPhone 15 is further back in the line.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
280.143 Points
Average Apple A18 (270 - 280, n=2)
275 Points -2%
Apple iPhone 15 (Chrome 117)
259.7 Points -7%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 120.0.6099.210)
215.569 Points -23%
Sony Xperia 5 V (Chrome 117.0.5938.60)
179.212 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122)
128.638 Points -54%
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=162, last 2 years)
119.3 Points -57%
Google Pixel 9 (Chrome 129)
107.467 Points -62%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
539 runs/min
Average Apple A18 ()
539 runs/min 0%
Apple iPhone 15 (Chrome 117)
327 runs/min -39%
Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122)
267 runs/min -50%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 120.0.6099.210)
264 runs/min -51%
Google Pixel 9 (Chrome 129)
185 runs/min -66%
Sony Xperia 5 V (Chrome 117.0.5938.60)
179 runs/min -67%
Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=148, last 2 years)
133.6 runs/min -75%
Speedometer 3.0 - Score
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
32.4 runs/min
Average Apple A18 (29.9 - 32.4, n=2)
31.2 runs/min -4%
Google Pixel 9 (Chrome 129)
14.9 runs/min -54%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 122)
11.6 runs/min -64%
Average of class Smartphone (1.03 - 34, n=56, last 2 years)
10.6 runs/min -67%
WebXPRT 4 - Overall
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
263 Points
Average Apple A18 (263 - 263, n=2)
263 Points 0%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 120.0.6099.210)
196 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122)
176 Points -33%
Sony Xperia 5 V (Chrome 117.0.5938.60)
171 Points -35%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 271, n=153, last 2 years)
112.6 Points -57%
Google Pixel 9 (Chrome 129)
103 Points -61%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
96054 Points
Average Apple A18 (90158 - 96054, n=2)
93106 Points -3%
Apple iPhone 15 (Chrome 117)
68554 Points -29%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 120.0.6099.210)
68454 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122)
63748 Points -34%
Sony Xperia 5 V (Chrome 117.0.5938.60)
61881 Points -36%
Google Pixel 9
56737 Points -41%
Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=204, last 2 years)
36733 Points -62%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=161, last 2 years)
1583 ms * -456%
Google Pixel 9 (Chrome 129)
744.57 ms * -162%
Sony Xperia 5 V (Chrome 117.0.5938.60)
705.9 ms * -148%
Samsung Galaxy S24 (Chrome 122)
662.3 ms * -133%
Xiaomi 14 (Chrome 120.0.6099.210)
623.9 ms * -119%
Apple iPhone 15 (Chrome 117)
506 ms * -78%
Average Apple A18 (285 - 290, n=2)
287 ms * -1%
Apple iPhone 16 (Safari 18)
284.5 ms *

* ... smaller is better

In everyday situations, the iPhone 16's NVMe storage ensures very short loading times. However, the performance cannot be quantified because there are no reliable storage benchmarks for iOS.

Games - A gaming platform with a 60fps limit

The iPhone 16's screen runs at up to 60 frames per second. In many games, this maximum is also reached. This is the case with the graphics heavyweight, Genshin Impact, even when the highest graphics details are selected.

PUBG Mobile also runs at HD settings at a near-constant 60 frames per second. In Ultra HD settings, the iPhone 16 is partially slowed down to 40fps and then jumps back up to 60fps again. Nevertheless, the gameplay remains fluid. 

We determined the gaming benchmarks using our Gamebench test tool.

Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Apple iPhone 16; Genshin Impact; lowest 120 fps; 5.1.0: Ø59.3 (46-60)
Apple iPhone 16; Genshin Impact; medium 120 fps; 5.1.0: Ø57.9 (46-60)
Apple iPhone 16; Genshin Impact; highest 120 fps; 5.1.0: Ø58.1 (44-60)
Apple iPhone 16; PUBG Mobile; HD; 3.4.0: Ø58.9 (47-60)
Apple iPhone 16; PUBG Mobile; Ultra HD; 3.4.0: Ø43.6 (31-60)

Emissions - The iPhone 16 has stereo speakers

Temperature

Under load, the iPhone 16 can get pretty warm. After running the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light stress test on the device for an hour, we registered surface temperatures of up to 45.3 °C. By contrast, in normal use, it remains pleasantly cool.

The 3DMark stress tests show that, under full load, the iPhone 16 only has access to its full performance for a relatively short time before the SoC is put on a leash for temperature reasons. In some situations, the performance falls by almost a third, but even then, there is still plenty of power at hand. 

Max. Load
 43.7 °C
111 F
43.5 °C
110 F
40.1 °C
104 F
 
 44.2 °C
112 F
43.9 °C
111 F
39.2 °C
103 F
 
 41.7 °C
107 F
42.3 °C
108 F
39.1 °C
102 F
 
Maximum: 44.2 °C = 112 F
Average: 42 °C = 108 F
38.5 °C
101 F
42.6 °C
109 F
44.3 °C
112 F
37.7 °C
100 F
42 °C
108 F
45.3 °C
114 F
36.9 °C
98 F
39.5 °C
103 F
41.7 °C
107 F
Maximum: 45.3 °C = 114 F
Average: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Power Supply (max.)  26.4 °C = 80 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 42 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 32.8 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.2 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.2 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.3 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.6 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Steel Nomad Stress Test

3DMark
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
93.3 %
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
76.3 % -18%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
75.5 % -19%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
68.5 % -27%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
52 % -44%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
84.3 % +23%
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
71.3 % +4%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
68.7 %
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
57 % -17%
Sony Xperia 5 V
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
51.3 % -25%
Solar Bay Stress Test Stability
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
72.5 %
Xiaomi 14
Adreno 750, SD 8 Gen 3, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
71 % -2%
Apple iPhone 15
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
68.1 % -6%
Samsung Galaxy S24
Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
57.9 % -20%
Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability
Google Pixel 9
Mali-G715 MP7, Tensor G4, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
78.5 % +8%
Apple iPhone 16
A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe
72.4 %
05101520253035404550556065707580859095Tooltip
Apple iPhone 16 A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 0.0.0.0: Ø18.2 (16.7-24.3)
Apple iPhone 15 A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 0.0.0.0: Ø12 (11.4-13.6)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.4.1: Ø17.9 (14.7-25.8)
Apple iPhone 16 A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø57.7 (56.1-60.1)
Apple iPhone 15 A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø47.9 (44.8-58.7)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø73 (66.2-87.7)
Apple iPhone 16 A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe; Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø70.5 (62.9-98.2)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø76.6 (62-85.7)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Solar Bay Unlimited Stress Test Stability; 1.0.6.5: Ø19.8 (16.9-29.8)
Apple iPhone 16 A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe; Solar Bay Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø18.1 (16.7-23)
Apple iPhone 15 A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Solar Bay Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø9.41 (8.41-12.3)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Xclipse 940, Exynos 2400, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Solar Bay Stress Test Stability; 1.0.6.5: Ø19.3 (16.7-28.9)
Apple iPhone 16 A18 GPU, A18, Apple 512GB NVMe; Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø9.72 (8.96-12.4)
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16

Speakers

With its stereo speakers, the iPhone 16 creates a relatively balanced soundscape that is especially good when it comes to voices. At high volume, the speakers are not distorted, but they do sound somewhat tinny. 

You can connect external audio devices to the smartphone via USB-C or Bluetooth 5.3. For wireless audio transmission, the iPhone 16 only has access to Apple's AAC and the baseline SBC option and therefore not a single high-res BT codec.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.239.52526.8363123.632.34022.334.25027.532.86320.539.18020.737.810019.34312515.752.216013.658.320016.257.525015.557.631515.160.140010.963.45009.968.863012.171.980014.173.6100014.276.3125012.977.7160014.277.2200012.778.8250012.780.8315013.582.5400013.180.6500013.178630013.478.3800012.775.91000013.4761250013.472.11600013.157SPL25.490.4N0.784.2median 13.4median 75.9Delta1.17.836.236.430.733.325.636.826.733.336.735.824.636.417.639.218.739.818.244.515.956.117.35615.260.414.161.913.462.113.86714.365.413.770.612.476.112.777.712.175.212.978.512.579.312.282.712.882.713.181.313.582.613.17913.775.91472.513.36925.291.40.786.8median 13.5median 75.21.28.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple iPhone 16Samsung Galaxy S24
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple iPhone 16 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 16% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy S24 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.3% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 23% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 73% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life - The iPhone 16 gets a bigger battery

Power consumption

Running idle, the iPhone 16 isn't quite as economical as the iPhone 15. However, it achieves higher energy efficiency and consumes significantly less power than all comparison devices. 

The iPhone 16 can be charged at a maximum of 20 watts via USB-C. In the test, a full charging cycle took 1 hour and 36 minutes, with a battery level of 80 percent being reached after 53 minutes.

Via MagSafe, the charging process works at up to 25 watts. Up to 7.5 watts wirelessly via Qi is possible.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.09 / 0.19 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.51 / 1.42 / 1.43 Watt
Load midlight 4.21 / 10.96 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Apple iPhone 16
3561 mAh
Apple iPhone 15
3349 mAh
Google Pixel 9
4700 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S24
4000 mAh
Sony Xperia 5 V
5000 mAh
Xiaomi 14
4610 mAh
Average Apple A18
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-18%
-37%
-48%
-15%
-5%
-16%
-26%
Idle Minimum *
0.51
0.9
-76%
0.66
-29%
0.42
18%
0.79
-55%
0.51
-0%
0.655 ?(0.51 - 0.8, n=2)
-28%
Idle Average *
1.42
1
30%
1.49
-5%
0.93
35%
1.08
24%
0.89
37%
1.21 ?(1 - 1.42, n=2)
15%
Idle Maximum *
1.43
1.1
23%
1.78
-24%
1.07
25%
1.12
22%
0.92
36%
1.315 ?(1.2 - 1.43, n=2)
8%
Load Average *
4.21
6
-43%
7.44
-77%
15.43
-267%
7.93
-88%
9.08
-116%
6.86 ?(4.21 - 9.5, n=2)
-63%
Load Maximum *
10.96
13.6
-24%
16.64
-52%
16.51
-51%
8.78
20%
9.11
17%
12.3 ?(11 - 13.6, n=2)
-12%

* ... smaller is better

Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

012345678910111213141516Tooltip
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø3.8 (0.822-12.1)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø4.85 (1.662-13.6)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø9.31 (0.634-16.5)
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.693 (0.662-0.794)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.943 (0.879-1.126)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.586 (0.548-0.797)

Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)

012345678910111213141516Tooltip
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø9.81 (6.37-11.3)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø9.88 (6.08-11.1)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø10.2 (6.48-16.6)
Apple iPhone 16 Apple A18; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.693 (0.662-0.794)
Apple iPhone 15 Apple A16 Bionic; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.943 (0.879-1.126)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Exynos 2400; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.586 (0.548-0.797)

Battery life

Compared to the iPhone 15, the iPhone 16's battery life is not only better because it has a 6 percent larger battery. At over 18 hours of simulated web surfing and 23 hours and 7 minutes when playing an HD video in a continuous loop, it also performed better in terms of its run times. In everyday situations, the small plus can be quite noticeable depending on the use case.  

In the extreme scenario - the continuous computing stress provided by the Linpack app - the smartphone kept going for 3 hours and 37 minutes before needing to be plugged in again. 

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
46h 12min
WiFi Websurfing
18h 16min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
23h 05min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 37min
Apple iPhone 16
3561 mAh
Apple iPhone 15
3349 mAh
Google Pixel 9
4700 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S24
4000 mAh
Sony Xperia 5 V
5000 mAh
Xiaomi 14
4610 mAh
Battery Runtime
6%
-14%
-18%
17%
14%
Reader / Idle
2772
2698
-3%
2098
-24%
2398
-13%
2788
1%
2926
6%
H.264
1385
1305
-6%
977
-29%
1227
-11%
1493
8%
1674
21%
WiFi v1.3
1096
1002
-9%
990
-10%
880
-20%
952
-13%
1092
0%
Load
217
306
41%
232
7%
159
-27%
371
71%
277
28%

Notebookcheck overall rating

The Apple iPhone 16 is a very good smartphone with powerful features and a compact 6.1-inch format that still only continues to rely on a 60 Hz screen.

Apple iPhone 16 - 10/24/2024 v8
Manuel Masiero

Chassis
89%
Keyboard
66 / 75 → 88%
Pointing Device
97%
Connectivity
64 / 69 → 92%
Weight
92%
Battery
91%
Display
93%
Games Performance
38 / 55 → 69%
Application Performance
86 / 85 → 100%
AI Performance
95%
Temperature
87%
Noise
100%
Audio
84 / 90 → 94%
Camera
80%
Average
82%