iPhone 16 Plus Review: Bigger Screen, Bigger Battery – But Is It Really “Next Gen”?
The iPhone 16 series arrived and with it came the age-old question — are the new models really different from the old ones? For those who have used the iPhone 14 Plus or iPhone 15 Plus, you might be thinking “what else is new?” But Apple’s pattern is subtle refinement — and the iPhone 16 Plus does just that.
Let’s see what this new big screen iPhone has to offer us in 2025.
1. Design and build quality
The iPhone 16 Plus looks pretty much the same as before, but with subtle tweaks.
- New Vertical Dual Camera Layout – Brings back the iPhone X vibe
- Aluminum Frame + Ceramic Shield Front
- Weight: About 203g — not light, but reasonable for battery reasons
- IP68 Water & Dust Resistance
Apple has introduced some new colors – Sky Blue, Mint, Rose, and Classic Black. Although there is no revolution in the design, the finish and feel are in one word “premium”.
2. Display – bigger and smarter
- 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
- 60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion)
- HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
- Max Brightness 2000 nits (outdoor)
The display is custom tuned by Apple as usual — color accuracy is excellent, contrast is excellent.
Still 60Hz — that’s a big compromise at this price.
Netflix, YouTube, or scrolling — the experience is all great, but those once accustomed to ProMotion won’t want to go back to 60Hz.
3. Performance – A17 Bionic Lite
The iPhone 16 Plus has arrived A17 Bionic (Standard) About the chipset — it’s a bit trimmed down from the A17 Pro.
- 3nm architecture
- 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU
- RAM: 6GB
Real Life Performance:
- Daily use: buttery smooth — no hiccups
- Multitasking: flawless
- Video Editing (CapCut, VN): Handles easily
- Gaming: Genshin Impact, COD — can be played on high settings
Benchmark (Geekbench):
Single Core: ~2300, Multi Core: ~6000+
There is no compromise in performance, but high-end ray tracing or gaming features have been left out due to the lack of A17 Pro.
4. Camera – new layout, old sensor?
Rear Camera:
- 48MP Main (f/1.6)
- 12MP Ultra-Wide
Front Camera:
- 12MP TrueDepth + Face ID
Daylight Photography:
sharp, natural tone
Smart HDR 5 image processing is excellent
Dynamic range and edge detection are very advanced
Low Light:
Good performance in Main sensor
Some noise is seen in Ultra-wide or front camera
Night mode is relatively slow
Video Performance:
- 4K 60fps with cinematic stabilization
- Action mode – still industry leading
- HDR video looks great in Dolby Vision
Overall, the camera is much more AI enhanced than the iPhone 15 Plus — but the sensor hasn’t changed much.
5. Battery life – the biggest plus?
Battery Capacity: Around 4400mAh (officially unspecified)
Charging: 20W Wired, 15W MagSafe
Screen-on-Time: 9-10 hours (medium-heavy use)
Battery can last up to 1.5 days
Charging speed is still slow compared to Android
For those who want long-term backup, iPhone 16 Plus is undoubtedly one of the best iPhones.
6. Software and Updates
iOS 18 (with AI features)
Apple brings AI-Powered Summarization, Smart Suggestions, and Enhanced Siri to iOS 18.
Software integration is seamless
App stability unmatched
5-6 years update guarantee
7. Audio and Haptics
- Stereo speakers — loud, clear, balanced
- Dolby Atmos support
- Haptics are still industry best — typing, notification vibration are all premium
8. What could be the alternatives?
| the phone | the price | good side | Weakness |
| iPhone 15 Pro | ₹1,34,900 | A17 Pro, 120Hz, Titanium | small battery |
| Samsung S24+ | ₹99,999 | AMOLED 120Hz, AI Features | One UI and bloatware |
| Google Pixel 9 | ₹89,999 (Upcoming) | Stock Android, Best Camera | Limited video features |
9. My opinion (Conclusion)
Those who want big screen and great battery
Those who are looking for a phone for casual users or watching videos
Those who want to join the Apple ecosystem
iPhone 16 Plus is perfect for them. But if you are using 14 Plus or 15 Plus — not getting a big change.
Design and build quality – old body, new soul?
First thing to say — if you’re used to the iPhone 15 Plus, you won’t notice much difference with the 16 Plus. The same Ceramic Shield glass on the front and back, the same matte finished aluminum frame, and the same 6.7-inch flat display.
But this time Apple has shown a little courage in terms of colors — especially “Titanium Blue” and “Rose Quartz” colors look very classy.
Pros:
- Maintains IP68 water & dust resistance
- Finishing is very premium
- Feels handmade, no cheap plastic fill
Cons:
- There are no big surprises in the design
- Notch yet — although Dynamic Island is offered on the Plus model as well
Display – big, bright, but where is the Pro Motion?
iPhone 16 Plus features:
- 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
- 2778 x 1284 resolution
- HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
- 1000 nits typical brightness, 2000 nits peak
In practical experience, this display is great on the eyes — whether scrolling, watching videos or using maps, colors are rich and accurate. Brightness is so good that running Instagram in the sun was no problem.
But…
ProMotion (120Hz) not yet Not many can digest a 60Hz refresh rate at this price. 13-15 thousand rupees phones in the Android world are now 120Hz.
Performance – A17 or A16? And how useful is it in real life?
Now let’s clear some confusion. Apple has given the iPhone 16 Plus Not the A17 Pro, but the A16 Bionic — Yes, you heard right.
This chipset is used in iPhone 14 Pro and 15. Built on 5nm architecture and still performs great.
My real-time experience:
- App opening is instant
- No lag even running social media apps like Instagram, X, Facebook – simultaneously
- Edited the image with Lightroom, no framedrop visible
Geekbench Score:
- Single-core: ~2500
- Multi-core: ~6400
Gaming Experience:
- COD Mobile – Ultra Graphics + Max FPS – The phone did not heat up noticeably even after playing for an hour
- Asphalt 9, PUBG, Genshin Impact – runs smooth, but thermal throttling occurs a bit during long sessions
Thermal Management: Much improved — The phone heats up less during gaming compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max
Camera – is something really different?
iPhone 16 Plus-এ:
- 48MP Main Sensor (ƒ/1.6)
- 12MP Ultra-Wide Sensor
- 13MP Front Camera (with TrueDepth)
Daylight Photography:
Image detailing is excellent. 24MP and 48MP — Sharpness, color, dynamic range are perfect in both modes. The best part is — the iPhone’s camera doesn’t try to zoom in on anything.
Low-Light Photography:
Here Apple is keeping consistency as always. Noise is low, skin tone is fine, and Night Mode auto works. But since there is no 3X or 5X optical zoom, there is a little problem if you want to take distant objects.
Selfie Camera:
Portrait Mode now works better than before, especially the edge detection is very natural.
Video Performance:
This is Apple’s strongest point — 4K 60fps Dolby Vision video recording is flawless here. Shake-free footages are available in video, even while walking.
Battery – Apple finally understands, “Size Matters!”
One of the strengths of the iPhone 16 Plus — 4,422mAh battery. I used the phone every day from 10am to 11pm — social media, taking photos, watching videos, working on Google Docs — and never needed a charge more than once a day.
Screen-on-Time (SOT): Average 8–9 hours
Charging:
- 20W fast charging (“fast” in Apple’s words)
- ~30 minutes to go from 0 to 50%
- Full charge takes ~1 hour 45 minutes
MagSafe charging is maintained
Charger not in box (yet)
Software – iOS 18: More finishing than features
The iPhone 16 Plus has arrived iOS 18 , which looks a lot like iOS 17 — but with some subtle changes:
- Customizable Control Center
- Lock Screen widget is more customizable
- AI features have been added — especially in image editing and auto sorting
Practically the OS is very fluid and bug free. iPhone’s biggest advantage — you know, how everyday performance will be.
Software Updates: Apple promises 5-6 years of updates — a huge plus compared to Android.
Audio and connectivity – that old excellence
Audio: Stereo speakers are very loud and clear. Gives immersive feel while watching videos or playing games.
Connectivity:
- 5G support
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Dual eSIM support
Also syncs seamlessly with AirPods, Mac, iPad for Apple’s ecosystem.
Who will buy why – who is this phone for?
This phone is perfect for those who:
- Want a bigger screen, but don’t want to pay the extra price of the Pro Max
- Create or consume a lot of video content
- Want better battery life
- Want to get into the Apple ecosystem but don’t want an ultra-premium model
This phone is not for those who:
- Want maximum gaming performance (requires A17 Pro)
- Can’t live without a 120Hz screen
- Look for the telephoto zoom feature on the camera
Final Verdict:
iPhone 16 Plus is a safe upgrade. Big display, powerful performance, good camera and great battery — all in all, this is one of the most balanced iPhones of 2025. But some of Apple’s old limitations still remain, notably the 60Hz display and slow charging.