Which iPhone to choose? Should we get the very latest, the iPhone 16, or will a slightly older model do the trick? And what would you gain by upgrading from an “old” iPhone to the latest one? We will try to untangle this together by looking at the different additions that you will obtain if you take a more or less recent model. We start with the iPhone 15, the one from 2023.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15
Generally speaking, we will never advise you to change your smartphone if you have the one from the previous year. We only indicate the differences between iPhone 16 and 15 for information purposes for those who are hesitating between the two models.
We have carried out a slightly more complete comparison between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 15 if the subject interests you.
One of the key points to take into account is the notable improvement in autonomy between the two models which we were able to confirm with our own measurements of the 01Lab.
| The iPhone 15s | The iPhone 16 | Variation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic model | 3 349 mAh | 3 561 mAh | + 6,34 % |
| Plus | 4 383 mAh | 4 674 mAh | + 6,64 % |
| Pro | 3 274 mAh | 3 582 mAh | + 9,40 % |
| Pro Max | 4 422 mAh | 4 685 mAh | + 5,95 % |
Autonomy Charging time
Here are the concrete elements that the iPhone 16 adds compared to the iPhone 15:
- The A16 Bionic chip instead of the A18;
- 8 Go of RAM versus 6 Go of RAM;
- The promise of Apple Intelligence;
- Wireless charging at 25W (only 15W on the iPhone 15);
- No Action button;
- No Camera button;
- Spatial Video;
- WiFi 6 instead of WiFi 7;
- A larger aperture going from f/2.4 to f/2.2 on the wide-angle module;
- A new anti-reflective coating on photo lenses;
- New photographic styles;
- Le tone mapping ;
- Macro mode on ultra wide angle;
- Mix Audio ;
- QuickTake a Dolby Vision pass a 4K/60 FPS
If we take stock, there are some fairly substantial elements such as the new chip allowing access to Apple Intelligence, much better autonomy, two new buttons and some new software features.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 14
Now let’s move on to the iPhone 14. Here are the technical sheets of the two devices put side by side.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 14 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 170 g | 172 g |
| Screen | 6,1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 2000 nits, 2556 x 1179 pixels, Ceramic Shield (2024), Dynamic Island | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 1200 nits, 2532 x 1170 pixels, Ceramic Shield |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Waterproofing | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 3561 mAh | 3279 mAh |
| Recharge | 25 W cable, 25 W wireless with MagSafe | 25 W cable, 15 W wireless with MagSafe |
| Chip | A18 Bionic (4 nm) | A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| RAM | 8 Go | 6 Go |
| Audio | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers |
| Module photo | Objectif principal 48 MP f/1.6, 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.2 13 mm | Objectif principal 12 MP f/1.5 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.4 13 mm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps |
| Selfie camera | 12 MP f/1.9 23 mm | 12 MP f/1.9 23 mm |
| Storage | 128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go | 128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go |
| Colors | Black, white, pink, green, blue | Midnight, purple, starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, blue, yellow |
| Prix | €969 at launch | €1019 at launch |
The new features are much more fleeting between the iPhone 15 and the 14. But there are still important elements if you go from an iPhone 14 to 16:
- All the aforementioned new features on the iPhone 15;
- The USB-C port introduced with the iPhone 15;
- No Dynamic Island, but a notch to hide Face ID and the selfie camera;
- The A15 Bionic chip;
- The sensor on the wide angle goes to 12 Mpx instead of 48 Mpx.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 13
Let’s now move on to the iPhone 13, undoubtedly the best choice of iPhone for those who currently have a slightly more limited budget.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm |
| Weight | 170 g | 174 g |
| Screen | 6,1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 2000 nits, 2556 x 1179 pixels, Ceramic Shield (2024), Dynamic Island | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 1200 nits, 2532 x 1170 pixels, Ceramic Shield |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Waterproofing | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 3561 mAh | 3240 mAh |
| Recharge | 25 W cable, 25 W wireless with MagSafe | 20 W cable, 15 W wireless with MagSafe |
| Chip | A18 Bionic (4 nm) | A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| RAM | 8 Go | 4 Go |
| Audio | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers |
| Module photo | Objectif principal 48 MP f/1.6, 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.2 13 mm | Objectif principal 12 MP f/1.6 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.4 13 mm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps | 4K@24/30/60fps |
| Selfie camera | 12 MP f/1.9 23 mm | 12 MP f/2.2 23 mm |
| Storage | 128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go | 128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go |
| Colors | Black, white, pink, blue, green | Black, white, (PRODUCT)RED, green, blue, purple |
| Prix | €969 at launch | €909 at launch |
Here are the additional elements if you prefer an iPhone 16:
- All the aforementioned new features with the iPhone 15 and 14;
- We go to 4 GB of RAM;
- No more satellite alerts (the functionality is not available in France, however);
- No accident detection;
- Charging goes down to 20W;
- Various sensors are less advanced such as the gyroscope, the accelerometer or the brightness sensor;
- No dual eSIM support.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 12
Last contender, the iPhone 12, here is the technical sheet compared to that of the iPhone 16. There is obviously starting to be a small gap.
| iPhone 16 | iPhone 12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm |
| Weight | 170 g | 164 g |
| Screen | 6,1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 2000 nits, 2556 x 1179 pixels, Ceramic Shield (2024), Dynamic Island | 6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, pic à 1200 nits, 2532 x 1170 pixels, Ceramic Shield |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Waterproofing | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 3561 mAh | 2815 mAh |
| Recharge | 25 W cable, 25 W wireless with MagSafe | 20 W cable, 15 W wireless with MagSafe |
| Chip | A18 Bionic (4 nm) | A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| RAM | 8 Go | 4 Go |
| Audio | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers | No 3.5mm jack, dual stereo speakers |
| Module photo | Objectif principal 48 MP f/1.6, 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.2 13 mm | Objectif principal 12 MP f/1.6 26 mm Objectif ultra grand-angle 12 MP f/2.4 13 mm |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps | 4K@24/30/60fps |
| Selfie camera | 12 MP f/1.9 23 mm | 12 MP f/2.2 23 mm |
| Storage | 128 Go, 256 Go, 512 Go | 64 Go,128 Go, 256 Go |
| Colors | Black, white, pink, blue, green | Black, white, (PRODUCT)RED, green, blue, purple |
| Prix | €969 at launch | €909 at launch |
Although it may at first glance seem very close to the iPhone 13, the iPhone 12 still loses some fairly crucial points which we detail below:
- All the aforementioned new features on more recent models;
- A14 Bionic chip;
- Battery life significantly worse than the iPhone 13;
- Starts at 64 GB of storage;
- Optical image stabilization for video without sensor shift;
- No Action, Cinematic mode.
So which one should you choose?
You will have understood, the iPhone 16 still represents a nice improvement compared to its predecessors, and even compared to the iPhone 15, it manages to multiply the new features.
Does this mean that you absolutely have to grab the latest iPhone? Not necessarily. If your budget is unlimited, there is of course no doubt and you will clearly have a more complete experience with the addition of Apple Intelligence and therefore a smartphone that will last longer over time.
But if you want to buy an iPhone and not break the bank, we would rather recommend the 15 and 13 models which in our eyes have the most interesting elements. The iPhone 15 integrates Dynamic Island and a 48 Mpx sensor, but above all, it has a USB-C port which also allows it to last a little over time.
The iPhone 13 for its part is more or less the same as the 14, but for less money. The iPhone 12, even if it can remain a good choice for low budgets, still seems to us to have some delays that are a little too disabling to be recommended.
???? To not miss any news from 01net, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.
