iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Which iPhone is best for you?

It’s that time of year again when Apple has announced many new devices for its customers, including the all-new iPhone 16 series. But with the iPhone 15 still a great option, many wonder: Which one should I buy?

On the face of it, the iPhone 16 brings plenty of new features and improvements. That said, the iPhone 15 is officially $100 cheaper and will be available for an even lower price in the upcoming sales.

Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15 to help you decide which iPhone is best for you.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: What’s new?

While we will talk about each feature in detail, here’s a quick rundown of everything new on the iPhone 16 and how it improves upon the iPhone 15.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Specs

Now, for those of you wondering about the technical specifications, here are the differences between iPhone 15 and iPhone 16.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Design, colors, and buttons

At first glance, the iPhone 16 looks quite similar to the iPhone 15, considering that they both have the same dimensions, weight, and the Dynamic Island up front. However, subtle changes definitely do make a difference. The biggest addition is the Camera Control Button on the iPhone 16, which enhances the camera experience by allowing you to interact with your surroundings (think of it like Google Lens). This is a notable improvement for those who love snapping photos and videos. There’s also the Action Button, which was previously only present on the iPhone 15 Pro models.

On the back, the iPhone 16 introduces a fresh set of colors: Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, Black, and White. Additionally, the iPhone 16 introduces vertical camera alignment, which was last seen on the iPhone XS. Apart from the new look, the pill-shaped camera layout also enables the iPhone 16 to shoot Spatial video with ease—something that’s not possible on the iPhone 15.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Display

For the most part, both the iPhone 16 and 15 share the same display. It’s a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a 2556 x 1179 pixel resolution at 460 ppi. Both devices share the same 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and support a peak brightness of 2000 nits in outdoor conditions. However, the one slight change that the iPhone 16 brings about is that its panel can drop down to just 1 nit of minimum brightness. That means that users will be able to use their iPhone 16 at night or in dark environments without much strain on their eyes.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 also comes with the latest-generation Ceramic Shield. Apple claims this is tougher than their previous Ceramic Shield (obviously) and twice as tough as any other smartphone glass. That said, we’d still suggest opting for a good tempered glass for your iPhone 16.

The one missed opportunity is that Apple still offers a 60Hz panel on the vanilla iPhone. Then again, the feature is called ProDisplay, so it makes sense for Apple to reserve that feature for the Pro models. Speaking of which, the iPhone 16 still doesn’t come with an Always-On Display feature, which is also reserved for the Pro models.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Cameras

On paper, the iPhone 16 and 15 technically share the same camera setup, with both featuring a 48MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens. However, Apple has added software and hardware-level tricks to the iPhone 16 to make it more versatile.

Starting with the software level, the iPhone 16’s 48MP Fusion camera lets you take stunning 24MP high-res images or zoom in with the 2x optical-quality Telephoto. To be clear, these were both available on the iPhone 15’s 48MP camera too, without the “Fusion” tag. The actual new changes are with the 12MP ultrawide lens, though. It has a wider ƒ/2.2 aperture and comes with support for Autofocus as well as Macro photography. The iPhone 16 offers excellent camera quality across macro, 0.5x, 1x, and 2x field of views.

In addition, Apple has also added new Photographic Styles on the iPhone 16 to make photos stand out better. This works especially well with human subjects, where users can interact with a control pad to easily adjust tone and color simultaneously. Think of it as color-grading, just a whole lot easier and more intuitive.

On the hardware front, the new Camera Control button is a real difference maker with the iPhone 16. This capacitive button offers easy access to camera tools. You can press it to quickly launch the Camera app, and once inside, you can use it as a shutter button. What’s more, you can slide your finger to zoom in and out or switch between various camera tools. This is super cool and bound to make the photography and videography experience great for all iPhone 16 users.

Speaking of videography, the iPhone 16 brings little new compared to the iPhone 15, apart from support for Spatial Video at 1080p 30fps. However, a couple of smart AI features, such as Wind noise reduction and Audio Mix, should come in handy for camera enthusiasts as well as the average user.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Performance and Apple Intelligence

Under the hood, the iPhone 16 leaps two generations ahead, offering the all-new A18 chipset, which provides a noticeable boost in performance over the iPhone 15’s A16 Bionic. Even though they both sport a similar 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU combination on paper, Apple claims the CPU to be up to 60% faster and the GPU to be twice as fast. As a result, everyday tasks like app switching, gaming, and photo editing will feel faster and smoother on the newer model.

Of course, the main reason for offering this new chipset was the support for Apple Intelligence. It’s a set of AI-powered tools that will enhance the user experience. These include a more intuitive Siri, text summarization, and generative image creation, making it easier for users to interact with their devices. However, these features won’t be available until October 2024, and users of the iPhone 15 won’t have access to them at all.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Battery life

The A18 Bionic chipset is supposed to be more efficient than the A16, which means that the iPhone 16 also has a longer battery life. While the iPhone 15 offers up to 20 hours of video playback, the iPhone 16 bumps that up to 22 hours. This increase might not seem huge, but every extra hour counts for those who use their phones heavily throughout the day.

As for charging, both the iPhone 15 and 16 use USB-C 2.0 ports and support up to 20 watts of wired charging. That said, the iPhone 16 offers faster wireless charging up to 25W with a 30W or higher adapter, enabling up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes. In comparison, the iPhone 15 supports only 15W of wireless charging. The good news is that both the iPhone 15 and 16 come with support for Qi2 charging as well, ensuring that the consumer has access to a ton of wireless chargers that they can use to their full potential with their iPhone.

iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 15: Pricing and availability

The iPhone 16 starts at $799, which is the same launch price as the iPhone 15 last year. Its new features and upgrades offer good value for those considering an upgrade. The iPhone 16 will be available to pre-order on September 9, 2024 and will hit stores by September 20.

The iPhone 15 is still available and has seen some price reductions. It’s currently priced at $699 on Apple’s official store, but we expect the price to drop lower in the coming weeks. This makes it a more budget-friendly option if you don’t need the latest and greatest.

Verdict? iPhone 16 triumphs in style

So, which iPhone should you buy? If you’re using an older iPhone (like the 13 or below), the iPhone 16 is a significant upgrade that introduces the latest tech, including Apple Intelligence and spatial video recording. The A18 chipset will also future-proof your phone for years to come.

However, if you already own the iPhone 15, the improvements in the iPhone 16, while impressive, might not be game-changers unless you’re particularly excited about the new Camera Control button or AI-powered features.

So, both devices offer excellent features and great value for money and leave little room for complaints. But what do you think? Will you buy the iPhone 15 or the latest iPhone 16? Let us know in the comments below.

Video: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Should you upgrade?

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