Which iPhone should you buy? How to choose your Apple smartphone

It’s been almost a period since Apple released its latest iPhones, and arsenic our iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max reviews detail, we’ve been impressed pinch this year’s lineup of flagship Apple handsets.

Each caller iPhone brings important upgrades complete its respective predecessor – nan Camera Control fastener and A18 chipsets, for instance, are a item crossed nan full bid – but location are still awesome differences to beryllium recovered betwixt each iPhone 16 model, arsenic good arsenic betwixt nan previous-generation iPhones still sold by Apple and third-party retailers.

So, whether you're a casual telephone personification aliases a diehard Apple fan, you mightiness beryllium near wondering which iPhone is champion for you. That's why we’ve put together this useful guideline arsenic a speedy and easy reference constituent for those looking to prime up a caller iPhone.

Disclaimer: Apple Intelligence

Apple has called nan iPhone 16 lineup nan "first iPhones designed from nan crushed up for Apple Intelligence", but astatine nan clip of writing, Apple's AI features are still conspicuously absent from immoderate of its devices. An charismatic motorboat is expected successful October.

In this article, we reference nan upcoming expertise of nan iPhone 16 bid and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max to tally Apple Intelligence, but until Apple Intelligence is officially released, we can't urge that you bargain an iPhone based connected its early AI potential.

iPhone 16: A compelling all-rounder

• The champion iPhone for astir people
• A batch of Apple's latest tech for a reasonably reasonable value – Camera Control and Action Button
• The cheapest iPhone to get Apple Intelligence
• Starts astatine $799 / £799 / AU$1,399

The iPhone 16 is simply a awesome all-round telephone that galore group will find serves their needs perfectly – successful fact, it’s our prime for the champion iPhone for astir people successful our database of nan best iPhones. The iPhone 16 packs nan aforesaid awesome 6.1-inch OLED show and 48MP main camera arsenic nan iPhone 15 into a modernized design, while nan caller A18 chipset and accrued RAM capacity of 8GB boost performance.

Our iPhone 16 review recovered nan brand-new Camera Control fastener to beryllium a coagulated logic to upgrade, and nan Action Button inherited from nan iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max gives this guidelines exemplary iPhone much customization imaginable than ever. There’s ne'er been a smaller spread betwixt nan guidelines and Pro models.

The iPhone 16 is still stuck pinch a 60hz show and 12MP ultrawide camera, but if you tin grip these limitations, this is simply a much powerful base-model iPhone than we’ve seen successful years. It’s a awesome prime for each but nan astir demanding users.

What’s more, nan iPhone 16 will get afloat Apple Intelligence integration erstwhile iOS 18.1 releases successful October.

iPhone 16 Plus: nan same, conscionable bigger

• The aforesaid awesome all-round acquisition arsenic nan iPhone 16 pinch a larger creation
• Our prime for nan champion artillery life successful an iPhone
• The only Plus compatible pinch Apple Intelligence
• Starts astatine $899 / £899 / AU$1,599

The iPhone 16 Plus is nan iPhone 16 pinch a bigger surface and larger dimensions, making this nan champion prime for group who conscionable want a regular iPhone that’s a spot larger. It sets itself isolated pinch its monstrous artillery life, and is our prime for nan best iPhone for artillery life acknowledgment to its awesome longevity connected a azygous charge.

Our iPhone 16 Plus review recovered that nan telephone lasted for 16 hours and 29 minutes of mixed usage connected a azygous charge, which is spectacular not conscionable for an iPhone, but for immoderate smartphone.

As pinch its smaller sibling, nan iPhone 16 Plus gains nan caller Camera Control button, offering much options than ever for taking pictures and videos. Our reappraisal recovered it to beryllium a awesome prime for photographers, pinch nan larger show enhancing nan post-shoot viewing experience.

The iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch 60Hz OLED show pinch nan aforesaid pixel density arsenic nan iPhone 16, and different identical soul specs. You get nan aforesaid A18 chipset and 8GB of RAM nether nan hood, nan aforesaid 48MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide camera, and nan aforesaid vibrant colour options and updated design. It’s nan aforesaid awesome phone, conscionable bigger.

iPhone 16 Pro: pocket-sized power

• The latest and top specs successful a compact design
• Slightly larger than nan iPhone 15 Pro astatine 6.3 inches pinch slimmer bezels
• Triple camera strategy pinch 5x optical zoom
• Starts astatine $999 / £999 / AU$1,799

The iPhone 16 Pro packs each of Apple's champion smartphone specs into a compact package. This year’s Pro iPhone boasts an enlarged 6.3-inch OLED show pinch a adaptable 1-120Hz refresh rate, nan aforesaid triple-camera strategy arsenic nan iPhone 16 Pro Max, and nan blazing-fast A18 Pro chipset pinch 8GB of RAM.

The iPhone 16 Pro inherits nan 5x telephoto lens from nan iPhone 15 Pro Max, an upgrade from nan 3x lens recovered connected nan iPhone 15 Pro. This telephoto camera sits alongside a 48MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and each 3 cameras summation caller power options from nan Camera Control button. There's besides a caller 4K 120fps slow-motion video mode.

The A18 chipset brings important capacity boosts to nan iPhone 16 Pro, and Apple pledges up to 15% faster CPU capacity and up to 20% faster GPU capacity than nan erstwhile generation. Our iPhone 16 Pro review notes that nan telephone simply flew done thing we tried to trial it with.

This year’s Pro iPhones person nan nonstop aforesaid camera strategy and internals, which makes nan prime betwixt nan 2 much astir individual preference.

The iPhone 16 Pro is noticeably smaller and, astatine a weight of 199g, it's 28g lighter than nan iPhone 16 Pro Max; differences which do adhd up complete time. The iPhone 16 Pro is besides substantially cheaper than nan iPhone 16 Pro Max, but it comes pinch only 128GB of retention to commencement with, compared to nan latter's 256GB.

iPhone 16 Pro Max: The astir powerful iPhone ever

• The champion iPhone wide – get this if you want nan astir powerful iPhone possible
• The 6.9-inch show is nan largest connected an iPhone, ever
• Triple camera strategy pinch 5x optical zoom
• Starts astatine $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is nan largest and astir powerful iPhone ever made, and our prime for nan best iPhone overall. If you want nan champion performance, nan largest screen, and nan sharpest cameras, this is nan 1 to buy. As our iPhone 16 Pro Max review notes, it’s a “beautiful, intelligent beast”, but it comes astatine a hefty value tag arsenic a result.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max expands connected its predecessor some physically and internally. It sports a caller 6.9-inch 120Hz OLED display; a mini size summation connected nan iPhone 15 Pro Max which is facilitated by slimmed-down bezels (though nan chassis is physically larger, too).

The A18 Pro chipset promises 20% faster CPU capacity and 15% faster GPU capacity compared to nan A17 Pro successful nan iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max – though it’s genuinely difficult to ideate who needs this overmuch performance.

As for cameras, you’re looking astatine nan aforesaid strategy arsenic past year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes equipped pinch a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and a 12MP telephoto camera pinch 5x optical zoom. The Camera Control fastener gives this class-leading camera strategy caller and intuitive power options for shooting photos and videos, pinch a caller slow-motion 4K 120fps video mode to boot.

This year's Pro and Pro Max models are identical successful nan camera, display, and capacity departments, truthful which is correct for you will travel down much to individual preference. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is simply a genuinely ample phone, and weighs successful astatine 227g – 28g much than nan smaller Pro. It's besides tied pinch nan iPhone 15 Pro Max for nan astir costly iPhone Apple has ever made.

iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max: Power and AI for less

• Discontinued, but still readily disposable astatine 3rd statement retailers for illustration Amazon
• Pro powerfulness and Apple Intelligence successful a somewhat much affordable package
• A17 chipset is still overpowered for astir usage cases
• Price varies by vendor

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max stay awesome buys considering that they'll beryllium nan only previous-generation iPhones to summation entree to Apple Intelligence erstwhile Apple’s suite of AI features launches successful October.

With nan still-blazing-fast A17 Pro chipset and 8GB of RAM – nan aforesaid magnitude arsenic nan iPhone 16 bid – nan iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are equipped to grip Apple Intelligence and beautiful overmuch thing other you tin propulsion astatine them.

The camera strategy is besides near-enough identical to nan iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max – a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 12MP telephoto camera guarantee photos and videos are class-leading. You tin besides grounds 4K video astatine up to 60fps.

You do miss retired connected nan caller Camera Control and a spot of other capacity headroom compared to nan iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, but astatine this level, it’s reasonably difficult to find nan precocious limit. Top-end iPhones person been highly powerful phones for years now, and arsenic our iPhone 15 Pro review and iPhone 15 Pro Max review suggest, it’s improbable you’ll beryllium disappointed pinch either model.

The brace are, officially, discontinued, but third-party retailers proceed to waste some models pinch nary signs of banal moving retired yet.

iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus: Capable, now cheaper

• Capable iPhones for group who don't attraction astir AI – nary Apple Intelligence support astatine all
• iPhone 15 is our prime for nan champion worth iPhone
• USB-C and Dynamic Island
• Starts astatine $699 / £699 / AU$1,249

Apple continues to waste nan iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus straight for a discounted price, and these stay very tin handsets pinch awesome cameras and modern designs – nan iPhone 15 is our prime for nan best worth iPhone because it offers truthful overmuch for its recently lowered price.

The main caveat to buying an iPhone 15 aliases iPhone 15 Plus now is that this brace of iPhones will ne'er support Apple Intelligence. This does raise immoderate questions astir whether nan iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are bully semipermanent purchases, arsenic we don’t yet cognize really heavy Apple will thin connected AI for early features and iOS updates.

Regardless, location are still immoderate reasons to bargain nan iPhone 15 complete nan cheaper iPhone 14. The phones were nan first modular iPhones to get nan Dynamic Island and USB-C; mean value of life upgrades that really do adhd to nan personification acquisition complete time.

And nan operation of nan A16 Bionic chipset and 6GB of RAM still provides capable powerfulness for astir people's needs – indeed, our iPhone 15 review recovered that nan telephone has “more than capable powerfulness for astir iPhone owners”.

iPhone 14 & iPhone 14 Plus: Split difference

• If you request a cheaper large iPhone, nan iPhone 14 Plus is your go-to
• Few reasons to bargain nan guidelines iPhone 14
• Satellite connectivity for emergencies and clang detection
• Starts astatine $599 / £599 / AU$1,049

Towards nan tail extremity of Apple’s existent iPhone lineup sits the iPhone 14, which was a comparatively reliable waste erstwhile it launched successful 2022 owed to it inheriting nan aforesaid 6.1-inch screen, 12MP main and ultrawide cameras, squared-off design, and A15 Bionic chipset arsenic nan iPhone 13, which launched a twelvemonth prior.

The iPhone 13 was discontinued pinch nan merchandise of nan iPhone 16 series, but now it’s nan iPhone 15 that makes nan iPhone 14 look retired of place. The iPhone 14 is nan past mainline iPhone to characteristic a lightning larboard and nan past guidelines exemplary to not get nan Dynamic Island – for conscionable $100 little than nan iPhone 15, nan iPhone 14 already feels dated.

Furthermore, pinch really inexpensive nan iPhone 13 tin beryllium from third-party retailers, there’s small constituent successful buying nan iPhone 14 unless you really request nan scant exclusive features (satellite connectivity being nan main one) aliases Apple warranty.

The iPhone 14 Plus is simply a somewhat different communicative – it has a spot much weight to it (both figuratively and literally) arsenic Apple’s cheapest large phone. The iPhone 14 Plus was nan first successful nan Plus series, truthful there’s nary older exemplary to prime up for a amended woody – if you request a cheaper large iPhone, that's your champion bet.

iPhone 13: The concealed gem

• Discontinued, and successful debased proviso – get it while you still can
• A awesome worth buy, particularly compared to nan iPhone 14
• Similar specs to nan iPhone SE
• Price varies by vendor

The iPhone 13 is discontinued, but you tin still find caller units from third-party retailers if you’re consenting to discuss connected colour aliases retention capacity. If you’re looking for a cheap, modern, and tin iPhone, nan iPhone 13 is thing of a concealed gem, pinch a astir identical spec expanse to nan much caller iPhone 14.

The iPhone 13 comes equipped pinch nan A15 Bionic chipset, a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED display, 12MP main, ultrawide, and selfie cameras, and an aluminum and solid building that are each identical to its follow-up. It comes pinch 4GB of RAM, which is somewhat little than nan iPhone 14, and has a somewhat smaller quoted artillery life. Still, arsenic noted successful our iPhone 13 review, nan personification acquisition betwixt nan 2 is apt to beryllium remarkably similar.

This makes nan iPhone 13 a profoundly bully prime for budget-conscious users who want thing a spot much precocious than nan simpler iPhone SE – but enactment fast, arsenic it’s improbable to instrumentality astir for overmuch longer.

iPhone SE: Budget-friendly nostalgia

• Our prime for champion fund iPhone – nan cheapest telephone sold by Apple
• iPhone 8 design, pinch Touch ID location button
• We deliberation an update is connected nan measurement
• Starts astatine $429 / £429 / AU$719

For budget-focused buyers, nan iPhone SE sits astatine nan debased extremity of nan iPhone hierarchy, some successful position of specs and price. The existent third-generation iPhone SE is fundamentally an iPhone 8 chassis pinch nan specs of an iPhone 13, pinch a 4.7-inch screen, 12MP main camera, 5G connectivity, and nan A15 Bionic chipset. It’s besides nan past iPhone pinch a location button, making it a awesome prime for those who worth familiarity aliases struggle pinch on-screen gestures.

Our iPhone SE review recovered that nan A15 Bionic spot – shared pinch nan flagship iPhone 13 – gives nan iPhone SE masses of headroom, making this a amazingly powerful prime for mobile gaming and moreover contented creation. It's still our prime for nan best fund iPhone 2 years aft launch.

We deliberation an iPhone SE refresh is connected nan measurement soon, which we expect will opportunity goodbye to nan location fastener and adopt a creation much akin to nan base-model iPhone 14. So, if you’re a instrumentality of nan aged iPhone creation and nan Touch ID-enabled location button, it could beryllium wise to enactment accelerated connected this one.

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