Apple held its annual iPhone occasion to debut the iPhone 16 line and different gadgets. All the bogus intelligence (AI) options Apple unveiled could also be very tempting, however is the iPhone 16 sufficient of an improve to warrant a brand new $1,000+ fee?
As an iPhone 14 Professional Max person, I am not satisfied that the brand new AI-enabled iPhone 16 Professional is well worth the improve for me. However the USB-C charging, the motion button, or new digicam options might make the improve worthwhile to you. Should you’re making an attempt to resolve, learn on to be taught why it’s best to improve or why it could be price holding off till the iPhone 17.
Specs
| Options | iPhone 16 Professional | iPhone 14 Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning worth | $999 | $800 |
| Show | 6.3-in Tremendous Retina XDR OLED | 6.1-in Tremendous Retina XDR OLED |
| Weight | 199 g (7 oz) | 206 g (7.3 oz) |
| Processor | Apple A18 Professional | Apple A16 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 3,355 mAh | 3,200 mAh |
| Digicam | 48MP Extensive | 12MP Tele | 48MP UW | 12MP Selfie | 48MP Extensive | 12MP Tele | 12MP UW | 12MP Selfie |
You should purchase the iPhone 16 Professional if…
1. You need Apple Intelligence
Apple’s synthetic intelligence push, aptly named Apple Intelligence, might be out there over the approaching months on the iPhone 16 lineup, however it’s not coming to the iPhone 14 Professional. Although the iPhone 14 Professional will get iOS 18, it will quickly be brief on AI options, rendering it outdated. If you would like to remain up-to-date with the newest AI options or already use different AI instruments in your day-to-day life, the iPhone 16 Professional is probably going a worthy improve.
To run easily, the Apple Intelligence options require an A17 chip or newer and at the least 8GB of RAM, however the iPhone 14 Professional has the A16 chip and solely 6GB of RAM.
The iPhone 16 Professional options an A18 Professional chip and 8GB of RAM, making it an ideal system to run Apple’s AI options.
2. You’d prefer to get your palms on the larger display screen
Apple has thinned out the iPhone 16 Professional’s bezels to the naked minimal and stretched the Professional fashions’ shows to six.3 and 6.9 inches for the 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max, respectively. This offers customers extra display screen actual property to observe movies, play video games, view and edit paperwork, and browse shared screens on video conferences.
The bigger smartphone additionally implies that the iPhone 16 Professional has a bigger battery than the 14 Professional, at 3,355 mAh in comparison with 3,200 mAh. However even with out the welcome battery improve, the brand new Professional fashions help sooner charging than ever. The iPhone 16 Professional helps 40W wired charging and 20W of MagSafe charging, so when you discover the iPhone 14 Professional’s charging gradual, it could possibly be time to improve.
3. You like taking stunning pictures
The iPhone 16 Professional options among the finest digicam enhancements, together with the improved ultrawide digicam. The UW digicam moved to align with a bigger, improved Sony sensor, so it is going from a measly 12MP to 48MP.
Should you love taking pictures along with your smartphone, the digicam upgrades alone could also be sufficient to improve to an iPhone 16 Professional. The optical zoom is now 5x, an improve from the iPhone 14 Professional’s 3x zoom. The iPhone 16 Professional will even characteristic Apple’s new seize button, which helps you to management the digicam with gestures, like transferring your finger and tapping the touch-enabled button.
You should purchase (or preserve) the iPhone 14 Professional if…
1. You’d slightly look ahead to larger upgrades
Even with the Apple Intelligence options, the iPhone 16 appears to be an incremental design change slightly than a revamp; the design and performance aren’t a radical departure from the iPhone 14 Professional. Should you’re content material with the look, really feel, and efficiency of your iPhone 14, getting the iPhone 16 Professional possible will not really feel like an enormous improve, particularly since lots of the AI options will come later.
Rumors counsel the iPhone 17 might characteristic extra dramatic design and performance updates, making it a worthwhile bounce. Moreover, upgrading after two generations could be pricey, which brings me to my subsequent level.
2. You simply completed paying it off
One of many largest causes to carry off on an improve is monetary. The iPhone 14 Professional began at $900 at launch, which is not pocket change. Most patrons select a 12-, 18-, or 24-month financing possibility by means of a service or Apple on a brand new iPhone. Should you’re one in every of them and also you simply completed paying off your iPhone 14 Professional and really feel such as you’re not financially able to commit to a different fee plan, it could be price passing on the brand new iPhone 16 Professional.
As an iPhone 14 Professional Max person, I am nonetheless fairly pleased with how my iPhone performs, its battery life, and charging time. Whereas USB-C charging can be handy, I do not see myself springing for the brand new iPhone 16 Professional, although I could go for the iPhone 17 when it is launched.
