I’ve had the iPhone 16 Pro for over a month. Here’s why I still love it

Apple made rather a scatter this twelvemonth pinch nan iPhone 16 lineup. In fact, nan guidelines exemplary iPhone 16 appeared to beryllium nan prima of nan show, pinch phenomenal colors and moreover much Pro-level features than ever before. And whether you emotion it aliases dislike it, nan caller vertical camera layout breathes immoderate caller life into nan phone.

But I didn’t spell for nan guidelines exemplary this year, moreover though I really wanted a pinkish iPhone. Instead, I went pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro, arsenic drab arsenic it whitethorn look compared to nan iPhone 16. I was excited astir immoderate caller features, but past I initially had immoderate 2nd thoughts after nan first fewer days.

It’s now been complete a month, and nan iPhone 16 Pro has been my regular driver since then. Do I still person that small spot of buyer’s remorse?

The camera upgrades are worthy it

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

One of nan advantages of nan iPhone Pro complete nan guidelines models has ever been nan cameras. That particularly holds existent pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro. It’s 1 of nan reasons I ever upgrade each year.

In 2023, I went pinch nan iPhone 15 Pro, moreover though I really wanted nan 5x telephoto camera connected nan iPhone 15 Pro Max. Why nan smaller one? I find nan Max phones to beryllium a spot unwieldy for maine successful regular use. While I was happy pinch nan size of nan iPhone 15 Pro, I was irritated that Apple had specified a characteristic disparity betwixt nan Pro cameras — not everyone wants nan large telephone to person nan champion camera. So, I was stuck pinch nan 3x telephoto camera.

Thankfully, Apple fixed that this twelvemonth pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro. Since it sewage a flimsy bump up successful beingness size, Apple was capable to fresh nan 5x telephoto camera into it. Now, those who for illustration smaller phones (hi, it’s me) aren’t missing retired connected awesome camera features.

Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

It whitethorn look minor, but I’ve really been enjoying nan 5x telephoto lens and utilizing it much than I thought. It’s not for illustration I couldn’t do 5x zoom pinch nan iPhone 15 Pro, but it was integer zoom, which meant a nonaccomplishment of value nan much I zoomed successful past 3x. With nan 5x optical zoom connected nan iPhone 15 Pro, I tin zoom successful person to my subjects without losing precious details.

I typically usage nan telephoto erstwhile I spot nan ducks astatine Disneyland aliases erstwhile I spot squirrels and feral cats (and immoderate different critters are moving around) successful my vicinity because I emotion taking photos of animals. Having nan 5x telephoto has been very useful for maine successful getting immoderate bully wildlife shots without having to get adjacent and perchance disturb them.

The ultrawide lens connected nan Pro models was besides bumped up to 48MP alternatively of 12MP. I don’t usage nan ultrawide camera arsenic overmuch arsenic nan different 2 for astir scenarios, but I person appreciated nan accrued item successful those ultrawide images. The sensor tin besides seizure much light, making ultrawide lowlight shots overmuch amended than before.

Since macro photos usage nan ultrawide lens, that besides intends your macro photos look moreover better. In fact, I did a camera comparison betwixt nan iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, and nan macro shots taken pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro uncover a very evident quality successful value complete those taken pinch its predecessor.

How nan remainder of my iPhone 16 Pro is aging

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

As awesome arsenic nan cameras are, location are plentifulness of different things that I’ve been enjoying pinch my iPhone 16 Pro.

Apple equipped nan iPhone 16 Pro models pinch nan caller A18 Pro chip, which is astir 16% faster than its predecessor, nan A17 Pro. As personification who besides had nan iPhone 15 Pro past year, I haven’t seen overmuch of a quality successful capacity betwixt nan two. But that’s because nan A17 Pro was besides rather a accelerated and powerful chip, and nan A18 Pro is conscionable somewhat faster.

In my regular use, I haven’t encountered immoderate issues pinch nan A18 Pro regarding usage and performance. Launching apps has ever been accelerated and snappy. I’ve encountered nary stuttering aliases lag erstwhile utilizing my apps, and Game Mode is really useful erstwhile I want to immerse myself successful thing to return my mind disconnected much pressing matters for a bit.

Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

I’ve besides yet been utilizing Apple Intelligence acknowledgment to nan iOS 18.1 update successful October. Though nan Writing Tools tin beryllium useful, I haven’t utilized that characteristic excessively overmuch since I tried it retired briefly. However, nan Clean Up instrumentality successful nan Photos app has been fantabulous and thing I’ve been looking guardant to for years. It useful good and tidies up my images nicely. I’m thrilled I now person Clean Up truthful I don’t request to download a third-party app (likely pinch a subscription) to region unwanted objects from my images.

I’ve been getting overmuch amended artillery life connected my iPhone 16 Pro than I was pinch my iPhone 15 Pro. The artillery connected my iPhone 15 Pro was already degrading beautiful fast, and from what I’m experiencing, nan iPhone 16 Pro has been overmuch much powerfulness efficient. I typically unplug my telephone astir 5:30 a.m. connected weekdays, and I’ve been hovering astir 70% by noon, whereas my iPhone 15 Pro would beryllium astir 50% astatine that point. If I don’t apical it disconnected successful nan mediate of nan day, I get to astir 30% to 40% by dinner.

It whitethorn not beryllium nan champion artillery life I’ve experienced, but it’s an betterment complete what I sewage pinch its predecessor. I wish Apple improved nan wired charging speed, but nan claimed 50% complaint successful 30 minutes is beautiful accurate.

Checking successful connected nan Camera Control

Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

One of nan important changes crossed nan full iPhone 16 lineup was nan summation of nan Camera Control feature. When I first saw it was being released, I was excited because I thought it would make nan iPhone consciousness much for illustration an existent camera, which is 1 of nan main things I usage my iPhone for.

However, a characteristic that I was looking guardant to utilizing turned retired to beryllium a large disappointment for me, personally. I conscionable don’t find myself utilizing Camera Control arsenic overmuch arsenic I would person liked.

Previously, pinch my iPhone 15 Pro, I had group nan Action fastener to motorboat nan Camera app. Now that nan Camera Control tin do that, I’ve assigned a different usability to my Action fastener (turning connected nan flashlight) and I usage nan Camera Control to quickly entree nan Camera app. But that’s beautiful overmuch all I’ve utilized it for.

I’ve talked astir it before, but nan position of nan Camera Control fastener makes it awkward to usage arsenic an existent shutter button, particularly successful scenery orientation. It could person been overmuch amended if Apple had moved it a small little connected nan frame. But pinch its existent location, it’s easier for maine to usage nan touchscreen controls.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Then there’s nan truth that Camera Control is harder to property than nan different buttons. Since it’s flush pinch nan framework and composed of solid for haptic controls, you person to put a small much effort into nan presses and half-presses. The consequence of this, particularly erstwhile utilizing it arsenic a shutter button, is that it will origin a flimsy camera shake, which tin ruin a photo. Yes, moreover aft you adjust nan settings, it’s better, but not perfect. It’s conscionable truthful overmuch easier to touch nan fastener connected nan screen.

I wish nan Camera Control wasn’t flush and was raised and easy to property for illustration nan different 4 buttons. The half-press motion to entree nan various settings is finicky for me, and it’s conscionable easier to usage nan onscreen controls for that.

Again, I was really looking guardant to nan Camera Control, but nan measurement that Apple has implemented it is simply a letdown. It’s a awesome thought pinch mediocre execution.

The iPhone 16 Pro was worthy nan upgrade

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

As overmuch arsenic I would person liked to person a pinkish iPhone 16, I’m rather enjoying having nan iPhone 16 Pro instead. Not only do I request nan 1TB retention offered only connected nan Pro models, but nan camera upgrades are very bully this year.

The biggest logic I’m happy pinch nan iPhone 16 Pro is that I’m not missing retired connected camera features this year. I yet person nan 5x telephoto lens I missed retired connected past year, and it’s been awesome for my usage cases. And macro photos look amended than ever.

Even pinch nan awkward Camera Control placement, nan iPhone 16 Pro has proven fantastic. As an progressive shutterbug, nan upgraded telephoto camera successful a smaller iPhone addresses my main title astir nan iPhone 15 Pro. Combine that pinch nan improved artillery life and much tin chipset, and nan iPhone 16 Pro has been a worthy upgrade for maine — and each of my buyer’s remorse has disappeared.