After using both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Plus for the past two months, I’ve had the chance to get a real feel for how each performs in everyday situations. If you're wondering what it’s really like to live with these phones day-to-day, I’m here to share my experience with both of them.
Pricing & Value: What You Get for Your Money
When it comes to pricing, here’s how it stacks up:
iPhone 16 Pro starts at Rs. 1,19,900
iPhone 16 Plus starts at Rs. 89,900
In terms of value, the 16 Plus really impressed me with what it offers for the price. You get a bigger screen, a larger battery, and excellent overall performance, all while keeping the price lower than the Pro. If you don't need the absolute premium features, the 16 Plus gives you a lot of phone for the money.
Design & Build: How They Feel in Your Hand
In terms of design and feel, the differences are pretty noticeable, especially when you're using the phones day-to-day.
The iPhone 16 Pro is sleek and compact, with a titanium frame that feels both premium and lightweight. Despite being smaller, it feels sturdy and solid, and the build quality is noticeable when you hold it.
The iPhone 16 Plus is larger but surprisingly light for its size. It has a thinner design (about 0.5 mm thinner than the Pro), which makes it comfortable to hold despite the bigger screen. The feel is more balanced and not as heavy as you might expect from a larger phone.
Personally, I found the 16 Pro to be more portable and easier to handle for everyday tasks, but if you love larger screens and don’t mind a bit more size, the 16 Plus is comfortable too.
Display: Bigger Screen vs. Smooth Scrolling
When it comes to the display, both phones have stunning OLED screens, but there’s a noticeable difference in terms of experience.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen and supports 120Hz ProMotion, which makes scrolling feel incredibly smooth, especially when browsing or using apps that benefit from a high refresh rate.
The iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen, and while it doesn’t have ProMotion, the larger display made a huge difference in media consumption. Watching videos, reading, or gaming on that bigger screen just felt more immersive.
For me, I really appreciated the larger screen on the Plus for things like watching content and reading articles. However, if smoothness and responsiveness matter more to you, then the ProMotion on the Pro is definitely a highlight.
Performance: Fast, But Slight Differences
I didn’t notice much of a difference in day-to-day performance between the two. The A18 chip powers the iPhone 16 Plus, while an A18 Pro chip powers the iPhone 16 Pro, so whether I was browsing, using apps, or multitasking, they both handled everything with ease.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6-core GPU, while the 16 Plus has a 5-core GPU. In real life, this didn’t make a noticeable difference unless you’re into mobile gaming or graphics-heavy apps.
Both phones run iOS 18 flawlessly, and I didn’t experience any slowdowns or lag, even with demanding tasks.
In terms of performance, both models are top-tier, and I found them to be equally capable for everything I did – from everyday use to more intensive apps.
Camera: Great Photos & Videos, But With Some Differences
After using both phones for photography, I can say that both models perform really well, but there are some distinct differences.
The iPhone 16 Pro gives you 5x optical zoom, which was a game changer for me, especially when trying to capture distant subjects. It also supports ProRAW and ProRes video, giving me a lot of control for professional-level photo and video editing.
The iPhone 16 Plus still has a fantastic camera for casual use. It supports 4K video, macro mode, and takes great pictures, though the zoom isn’t as powerful as the Pro. The camera is more than capable of handling most users, and the photos look great for social media and personal projects.
If you’re into photography or videography as a hobby (or professionally), the 16 Pro offers more advanced features that I loved. However, if you just want to capture memories with a high-quality camera, the 16 Plus is plenty.
Battery Life: Longer Lasting on the Plus
Battery life is always a big consideration, and I was surprised by how much longer the 16 Plus lasted compared to the 16 Pro.
The 16 Pro easily lasted me through a full day of use, which is what you’d expect from a premium phone.
The 16 Plus, however, lasted well into the second day, thanks to its larger battery. It’s definitely a phone you can rely on for longer periods without needing to recharge.
If you care about battery life, especially for heavy usage or long days, the 16 Plus is the clear winner. But if you’re not concerned about squeezing out extra hours and just need an all-day phone, the 16 Pro will still do the job.
Other Features: Small Details That Add Up
There are a few other things worth mentioning that impacted my experience:
Connectivity: Both phones have USB-C ports, but the 16 Pro has faster transfer speeds, which was noticeable when transferring large files.
Audio: The 16 Pro has a slight edge in louder, crisper audio, but both phones perform well. I was able to enjoy music and videos without any issues on either phone.
Emergency Features: Both phones support Emergency SOS via satellite, which is a great safety feature, along with Ultra Wideband support for better connectivity.
Final Thoughts: Which One Would I Pick?
After using both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Plus for the past couple of months, here’s how I would sum up my experience:
If you’re looking for a premium, compact phone with a titanium build, Pro camera features, and smooth scrolling, the 16 Pro is the better choice. It’s perfect if you want something portable with all the high-end specs and features.
If you prefer a larger screen, longer battery life, and don’t need all the high-end extras, the 16 Plus offers a great experience for a more affordable price. It’s perfect for media consumption, gaming, and general use.
Both phones are good in their own way. My advice: Think about what matters most to you – whether it’s screen size, battery life, camera features, or overall portability – and pick the one that fits your lifestyle best.
