Quick Verdict
The iPhone 16 Plus is the 'Pro features at a mainstream price' play: a big 6.7-inch screen, the A18 with the same 8GB RAM as the Pro, the Action Button, Camera Control and a much-improved 48MP camera — plus the best battery life in the entire iPhone 16 line, which is its single biggest reason to exist. The catches are equally clear and recurring: a 60Hz display in 2024 (no Always-On, thicker bezels than the Pro), no telephoto, slow charging, and a delayed Apple Intelligence. It also sold poorly enough that Apple discontinued the Plus line and replaced it with the iPhone Air. Buy this if you want the biggest-battery, big-screen iPhone for $200–$300 less than the Pro Max and don't care about high refresh or zoom; skip it if a 120Hz screen or telephoto matters, or you'd rather have the Pro Max's full feature set.
Pros reviewers agree on
Strengths consistently called out across sources
- It has the best battery life of the entire iPhone 16 line — owners report ~9 hours screen-on-time and it beats even the 16 Pro Max for some.
- 'Pro features at a mainstream price' — the Action Button, Camera Control, A18 and same 8GB RAM as the Pro at the non-Pro price.
- The redesigned 48MP 'Fusion' camera and enhanced ultrawide with macro are a real upgrade over the iPhone 15 Plus.
- The big 6.7-inch screen plus strong performance make it excellent value versus the much pricier 16 Pro Max.
- It's a huge, worthwhile leap for anyone upgrading from an iPhone 11/12/13-era phone.
Cons reviewers agree on
Weaknesses flagged across multiple sources
- The display is still 60Hz in 2024 with no Always-On and thicker bezels than the Pro — the most universal complaint.
- There's no telephoto camera, and proper fast charging still hasn't reached Apple's labs.
- Apple Intelligence shipped late, and the phone sold so poorly Apple discontinued the Plus line entirely.
What reviewers disagree on
Points where expert verdicts diverge — weigh based on your priorities
- 16 Plus vs 16 Pro Max — some reviewers (Creative Bloq) recommend the Plus over the Pro for battery and value; others say spend up for the Pro Max's full feature set.
- Camera Control — useful fast camera launch for some; awkwardly placed on the wrong side from the holding hand for others.
- Is 60Hz a deal-breaker — long-time 60Hz users say it's fine; spec-conscious buyers call it unacceptable at the price.
How This Review Was Created
13Publications
3YouTube Reviews
6Reddit Threads
22Total Sources
High ConfidenceLaunch reviews September 2024 through revisits May 2026
This is a synthesis of expert reviews and user discussions; we may not have physically tested the product. See methodology.
Detailed Breakdown
A large 6.7-inch aluminium body with Ceramic Shield, IP68 and USB-C, now with the Action Button and Camera Control and a smarter vertically-stacked camera bump.
- The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus add the Action Button inherited from the 15 Pro and a new vertically-stacked, pill-shaped camera bump.— The Verge
- The vertical camera arrangement is smarter-looking than the odd-angle formation of previous iPhones, and the phone feels very durable with rounded edges.— Stuff
- The bezels are thicker than on the Pro models and there's no Always-On display option.— GSMArena
- It's a big, heavy phone — some owners find it too large for pockets and are ready for something smaller.— Reddit — r/apple
A large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED that's bright but, for yet another year, capped at 60Hz with no Always-On — the phone's defining weakness.
- The display is only 60Hz for yet another year, with no Always-On option and bezels thicker than the Pro models.— GSMArena
- The 6.7-inch screen is a key reason to choose the Plus over the smaller iPhone 16 for media and big-screen use.— Stuff
- For long-time 60Hz users the lack of 120Hz isn't a deal-breaker, but spec-conscious buyers find it hard to accept at the price.— Reddit — r/GooglePixel
- The big screen plus the relatively small Dynamic Island (vs the old large notch) is a standout for upgraders.— Reddit — r/apple
A redesigned 48MP 'Fusion' main plus an enhanced 12MP ultrawide with macro (no telephoto), and the new but polarising Camera Control button.
- The 48MP 'Fusion' camera is a decent upgrade, with the enhanced ultrawide now supporting macro and a smarter vertical layout.— Stuff
- Key new camera features: the A18, the Action Button, an enhanced ultrawide with macro, revamped Photographic Styles and the all-new Camera Control button.— MacRumors
- It still lacks a telephoto camera, and the ultrawide, although improved, is not amazing.— GSMArena
- Camera Control is exciting but frustrating — you can't take the picture with the hand holding the phone because the button is on the opposite side from the thumb.— BGR
- Camera Control and the 2x in-sensor telephoto are great to have, and the camera produced top shots in testing.— Stuff
The A18 with 8GB RAM — the same RAM as the Pro this year — delivers strong, future-proof performance, especially as an upgrade from older iPhones.
- The A18 provides enhanced performance and supports Apple Intelligence — 'Pro features at a mainstream price.'— MacRumors
- Optimisations from the new A18 chip clearly improved efficiency over the iPhone 15.— Stuff
- Your tired old iPhone may run iOS 18, but the iPhone 16 runs it exponentially better — the iterative criticism misses the point for upgraders.— Forbes
- Owners report great performance and photos, with the powerful chip making the upgrade worthwhile coming from an iPhone 13.— Reddit — r/iphone
The Plus's headline strength: the best battery life in the entire iPhone 16 line — undercut by slow charging.
- It's claimed to last up to 27 hours of video playback and up to 100 hours of audio playback.— Phandroid
- The battery on the 16 Plus has been significantly better than the 16 Pro Max for some owners — ~9 hours screen-on-time on a single charge with excellent standby.— Reddit — r/iphone
- Battery life is excellent, a key reason to pick the Plus and a huge step for those used to a 12 Pro Max.— Stuff
- Proper fast-charging technology has yet to reach Apple's labs.— GSMArena
- iOS 18 adds an 80–100% charge-limit option and visible cycle count to extend long-term battery health.— GSMArena
Headlined Apple Intelligence, which arrived late; long iOS support is the durable strength.
- It's a real shame there's no Apple Intelligence yet — especially as that's a key feature Apple is marketing the phone on.— Stuff
- The EU market doesn't get Apple Intelligence for now and Camera Control was a mixed bag.— GSMArena
- Even without Apple Intelligence the iPhone 16 represents great value for those who want this year's iPhone.— Stuff
- Apple's long software support and platform maturity keep the 16 line 'the best iPhone for most people.'— Android Police
At $899 (later cut to $799) it's strong big-screen value, but it sold poorly enough that Apple discontinued the Plus line.
- Reviews summed it up as 'Pro features at a mainstream price.'— MacRumors
- One reviewer recommends the iPhone 16 Plus over the Pro — and is as surprised as you are.— Creative Bloq
- A year in, it's a no-regrets phone — if you can stretch to the iPhone 17 it's the better 2026 buy, but you won't feel like you're missing much.— JS Wordsmith
- Apple discontinued the 16 Pro/Pro Max after the iPhone 17 launch, but the 16 and 16 Plus stayed on sale new at $699/$799.— Reddit — r/apple
- It sold so poorly that Apple replaced the Plus line with the iPhone Air.— SlashGear
- The Galaxy S24 Ultra's price massively undercuts the 16 Plus, so cross-shoppers may save money elsewhere.— GSMArena
Long-term Verdict
What creators say after 30, 100, or 365 days of real-world use — the post-honeymoon reality that launch-day reviews can't cover.
Owners 3 months to over a year in are remarkably consistent: the iPhone 16 Plus is the lineup's quiet long-term value pick. Its large battery holds 100% health well past 180 cycles and delivers ~1.5 days per charge, the A18 + 8GB RAM keeps it Apple-Intelligence-ready with software support projected into the early 2030s, and the ceramic-shield body shows almost no wear. The persistent caveats are the 60Hz display, a chip some owners eventually wish were Pro-grade, and the $799 starting price for 128GB.
- After 11 months of day-one use the battery still reads 100% health at 181 cycles and easily lasts ~1.5 days per charge — a longevity that also preserves strong resale value.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus long-term review (1 year later)
- One year in it still feels no different to use than an iPhone 17; the 1,000-nit (2,000 outdoors) screen is bright enough and the size is a genuine advantage — the only real wish is 256GB at the $799 price.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus after 1 year: the truth
- A year later it's effectively '15 Pro Max light' — still sold new, durable, and a comfortable large size next to the smaller iPhone 17, with only about a year less of software runway.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus 1 year later: should you still buy it?
- One year on (iOS 26) battery health holds at a perfect 100%, the pink infused-glass back has aged well, and the futureproof 8GB RAM means there's no compelling reason for current owners to upgrade to the 17 unless they want ProMotion.— YouTube — iPhone 16 & 16 Plus one year later (iOS 26)
- After 9 months it's rated the best-value member of the lineup since the Plus line launched — the best battery the reviewer has seen since the 13 Pro Max — and expected to fall under $500 in a couple of years.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Pro Max vs 16 Plus after 9 months
- It holds up decently well long-term — the A18 + 8GB RAM should bring roughly five more years of software support — with the only real omission being the lack of a telephoto lens.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus: still worth buying?
- Three months in, having a premium A18 chip and 8GB RAM in a base model is a strong deal, the larger battery noticeably outlasts the regular 16, and it holds up well for scratches and durability.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus 3 months later (underrated)
- Six months / ~8 months in the phone is in perfect condition and battery health is still over 90% — the one regret is that the chip could be more powerful, prompting the owner to consider a Pro model next time.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus 6 months later
- Detailed 6-month review: battery health still 100% (not even 1% dropped), the braided cable is more durable than older Lightning cables, the A18 clearly outpaces the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro, no scratches, and a moderate user gets up to 1.5 days per charge.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus detailed 6-month review
- Used as a primary device for a full 365 days, the iPhone 16 Plus held up as a dependable daily driver over the year.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus review after 365 days
- One month with both the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus: ~30% better cooling/thermals plus the A18 and extra 2GB of RAM make this the most significant base-model upgrade year in recent memory.— YouTube — 1 month with the iPhone 16 / 16 Plus
- The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus were incremental over the 15 but battery degrades under ~10% in a year, and the A18 + 8GB RAM should keep them supported into the early 2030s (around iOS 31).— YouTube — how the iPhone 16/16 Plus hold up in 2026
Real-World Tests
Battery drain runs, durability tests, camera shootouts, and gaming benchmarks — the numbers that only video testers capture.
Hands-on endurance and charging tests confirm the iPhone 16 Plus's defining strength is its 4,674mAh battery: controlled drain runs land it between 7h48m and 9h17m and a lab active-use score of 18h49m beats even the 16 Pro Max — but multiple testers note the gap over the base iPhone 16 is far smaller than expected (as little as 26 minutes). Charging stays the weak point at ~50–55% in 30 minutes and roughly two hours for a full top-up, and the 60Hz display is the recurring real-world compromise.
- In a multi-iPhone drain test the iPhone 16 Plus ran 9 hours 17 minutes — beating the 15 Plus (8h54m) and lasting about 1.5 hours longer than the base iPhone 16 — and was the most efficient phone in a 16-hour standby test, losing only 7%.— YouTube — iPhone 16 lineup battery rundown
- In a controlled 18°C endurance test the 16 Plus called it at 8 hours 45 minutes — only 26 minutes more than the base iPhone 16, leading the tester to conclude battery 'isn't really a massive factor in going for the Plus this generation'.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus vs lineup battery drain test
- In a heavy mixed-task drain test the iPhone 16 Plus stayed within ~4% of the 16 Pro Max throughout and died at 7 hours 48 minutes — just six minutes before the 16 Pro Max — putting it in near-flagship endurance territory.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus vs 16 Pro Max battery test
- Lab charging test on Apple's 70W adapter: the 16 Plus reached 50% in 27 minutes, 80% in 59 minutes and a full charge in 2 hours 11 minutes, peaking at 28W for the first 17 minutes; phone temperature rose under 1°C over 10–20 minutes and peaked around 37.5°C.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus charging lab test
- Lab review: the 16 Plus earned an excellent active-use score of 18 hours 49 minutes — even better than the Pro Max — charged 0→55% in 30 minutes (full charge 1h39m), and measured ~900 nits manual / over 1,800 nits auto brightness with ~20% higher CPU and 30%+ graphics scores than its predecessor.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus full lab review
- One-year owner: charging from 0→100% takes at least an hour (no fast-phone-style 30-minute top-up), but battery health was still 100% after 11 months / 181 cycles and a 90–95% morning charge reliably lasts a full travel day.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus 1-year owner real-world
- Every iPhone 16 model (including the Plus) uses a new thermal design with tweaked logic-board placement enabling up to 30% higher sustained gaming performance, paired with a 4,674mAh cell and the new ceramic shield rated 50% tougher than the iPhone 15's.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus thermals & build test
- Although the 16 Plus and 16 Pro are both rated for 27 hours of video playback, in practical day-to-day use the tester consistently got better real-world battery life from the 16 Plus.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus vs 16 Pro battery in practice
- Camera testing confirms the 16 Plus shares the base 16's 48MP f/1.6 26mm main sensor (the same unit as the iPhone 15) and a new autofocus 12MP ultrawide, with video capped at 4K60 on every lens and no telephoto — the only meaningful gaps versus the Pro.— YouTube — iPhone 16 vs 16 Pro camera deep-dive
- In a side-by-side video test the non-Pro iPhone 16 handled low-light 4K30 footage very well — the only visible difference versus the Pro coming down to OIS — though it is limited to HD (not 4K120) slow motion.— YouTube — iPhone 16 vs Pro video/audio test
- A photographer's field review singled out the iPhone 16's new microphones and post-capture Audio Mix processing (in-frame / studio / cinematic) as a genuine real-world recording upgrade.— YouTube — iPhone 16: A Photographer's Review
- The display measures bright enough for outdoor use (up to ~2,000 nits) but stays a 60Hz panel — the lack of ProMotion is the most-cited real-world compromise of choosing the 16 Plus.— YouTube — iPhone 16 Plus display real-world
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Frequently Asked Questions about iPhone 16 Plus
Update History
- May 19, 2026— Review published
- May 19, 2026— Added Real-World Tests section (12 points)
- May 19, 2026— Added Long-term Verdict section (12 points)
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This synthesis review was compiled from 22 independent sources. TechTalkTown did not receive products or compensation from Apple.