Which iPhone Should You Buy?

If you want a large (but not huge) iPhone at a modest cost, the standard iPhone line is where to look. These models cost $200 less than their Pro counterparts, which offer the most premium features. But they still tend to perform very well in our tests where it matters on metrics like camera performance, battery life, and durability. (We haven’t tested the iPhone 16 yet in our labs, but stay tuned.)

All the base models have a 6.1-inch OLED display and a dual rear camera system.

The iPhone 16 has some modest upgrades compared with the older models. It’s equipped with a handy new side button that controls the camera’s functions. It also has the versatile Action button (available on the 15 Pro models) that replaces the Ring/Silent switch and can quickly perform a variety of tasks, like turning on the flashlight or Do Not Disturb mode. You also get a 48-megapixel camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.

The iPhone 16 has Apple’s new A18 chip, which the company says helps to facilitate the large generative modeling that runs the new Apple Intelligence features, from a smarter Siri to enhanced photo editing. It also comes in a few fresh color options, including a bright ultramarine, teal, and pink.

We don’t yet know how well the iPhone 16 will perform in our battery tests, but the 15 lasts 40.5 hours per charge and the 14 lasts 39 hours.