New Apple iPhone 16 Review: New Compact Smartphone

Apple iPhone 16

4

Overall Score

4.0/5

The Good Stuff

• New modern redesign
• Bright OLED display
• Impressive battery life
• Impressive audio speakers
• Fast & snappy performance
• Impressive all-around camera & video quality

The Bad Stuff

• Expensive
• Comes with 60Hz display
• No charger in the box
• No telephoto camera

Apple iPhone 16 Review

Apple iPhone 16

“If you have an older iPhone, the iPhone 16 is a good option for an upgrade”

The new Apple iPhone 16 has finally arrived and it’s waiting for you on the shelves of every smartphone outlet or online store. It promises to be better, faster, and with more features than the last Apple iPhone 15 smartphone, however, with so many great phones out you may wonder if it is indeed the better option. If you’re one of those sitting on the fence, let us help you decide if the new iPhone 16 is worth the buy. Without wasting time let’s check out the Apple iPhone 16 review.  

Overview

The new Apple iPhone 16 offers a balance between the standard and the Pro models with its upgraded design, hardware, connectivity, and camera. There are several reasons why this is the case. 

Firstly, it has durable Ceramic Shield glass, improved water resistance, and a bright high-quality OLED display.

Next. The iPhone 16 is powered by the new A18 chip, which provides faster, snappier and better performance, better graphics, improved AI capabilities, and 8GB of RAM.

Thirdly, the dual camera system features a 48 MP primary camera with enhanced zoom and a brighter ultrawide camera with autofocus.

Next, it supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging, and it runs on iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence support.

Though the display comes with a 60Hz refresh rate it may be a drawback for some, yet the iPhone 16’s powerful hardware makes up for it, making it a great gaming device for mobile gamers.

Overall, the new Apple iPhone 16 is a strong contender for one of the best compact phones of this year. 

• Apple iPhone 15 Review

Apple iPhone 16 – Specs

Display

The iPhone 16 has the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen as the iPhone 15, with a resolution of 2556 x 1179 pixels and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. The screen has a Dynamic Island cutout and is protected by Ceramic Shield.

The iPhone 16’s display offers good brightness at a wide range of brightness levels. However, it does not support always-on display like the Pro models.

The screen supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and Apple’s HDR video playback is flexible and can work on any portion of the screen.

Overall, there are no major changes to the display. It comes with the same size, same refresh rate, and the same screen resolution compared to the previous iPhone 15. It just has better brightness.

I guess Apple saw no need to better the display quality as it’s still the best in its class.   

Design

The iPhone 16 is a well-built smartphone with a premium design and materials. It has a new, more subtle camera design and a durable construction.

It comes in various colours (namely Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine), and has a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a Dynamic Island cutout. It also features a new Action Button and a Camera Control button.

The iPhone 16 is lightweight, compact, and easy to use, with a strong durable build and is waterproof. While it doesn’t have a fingerprint reader, it doesn’t need it cause it has a fast and reliable Face ID scanner.

Overall, the iPhone 16 is a well-crafted smartphone with a premium design and features.

Performance

The iPhone 16 features a significant upgrade with the Apple A18 chipset, which is more powerful and efficient than the A16 in the iPhone 15. It’s faster, comes with an improved GPU, and better system memory bandwidth.

The Apple iPhone 16 offers better performance and power efficiency compared to their predecessors. They can run more demanding mobile games and apps, thanks to the hardware upgrades.

Benchmark tests show that the iPhone 16’s A18 CPU and GPU performance are significantly better than the iPhone 15’s, making it a better choice for mobile gamers. It also demonstrates improved stability and thermal heat management.

Overall, the new Apple iPhone 16 provides flagship-level performance and is well-suited for gaming and other demanding tasks.

Battery Life

Moving on to the battery life. The Apple iPhone 16 has a slightly larger battery than the iPhone 15, and it supports fast wired and wireless charging. From tests and reviews done, you’re looking at an average of up to 16 hours of battery life on moderate use.

It can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes with a compatible 20W charger. Wireless charging is supported up to 25W with a MagSafe charger and 30W+ power adapter.

The iPhone 16’s battery life is good for its size, and it supports reverse-wired charging. However, the last 15% of the battery takes a long time to charge. The iPhone 16 also has features like Optimized Battery Charging and Battery Health to help prolong battery life.

Overall, when it comes to battery life the new Apple iPhone 16 competes with other top smartphone brands. With wireless support and fast charging, you’re good to go lasting almost a whole day’s battery life.   

Camera

The iPhone 16 has a similar main camera setup to the iPhone 15, with a 48MP sensor and a bright f/1.6 lens. The selfie camera is also the same as the iPhone 15.

It The iPhone 16’s ultrawide camera has been upgraded with a brighter lens and autofocus, allowing for better macro photos. The new Camera Control button provides a tactile switch, force sensor, and capacitive sensor for various camera functions.

The Camera Control button can be used to open the camera, take photos, record videos, and access camera settings. It can also be used to select Photographic Styles, which allow you to adjust colours and tones in your photos.

Overall, the iPhone 16’s camera system offers a powerful and flexible experience with new features.

Verdict

The new iPhone 16 doesn’t offer as much innovation as last year’s iPhone 15, which had new features and changes like a new Dynamic Island, USB-C connection, and a 48MP primary camera.

While the iPhone 16 has a new autofocusing ultrawide camera, a Camera Control button, and improved AI, it’s mostly focused on promises and future features. The hardware has been upgraded to support these AI capabilities.

Deciding whether to recommend the iPhone 16 is difficult, as it’s a solid upgrade from older iPhones but doesn’t offer many groundbreaking features.

Android phones may have better hardware and value, but this doesn’t necessarily matter. If you have an older iPhone, the iPhone 16 is a good option for an upgrade.

So what do you think of the new Apple iPhone 16? Is it worth the buy? Are you happy with the latest features? Let me know how you feel about this Apple iPhone 16 review in the comments below.

That’s all for now. Feel free to browse and see if any else catches your eye. Take care until next time 😀