iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro: Is This Year’s Upgrade Worth It?

Every year, Apple promises something big with its Pro lineup. But in 2025, the question most users are asking is simple: is the iPhone 16 Pro really an upgrade over the iPhone 15 Pro? After spending time with both, the answer might not be what Apple fans want to hear.

This year’s changes are more about refinement than reinvention. The iPhone 16 Pro looks and feels familiar, performs well, and has solid battery life but it doesn’t exactly wow you. Apple focused on a few new ideas like the Camera Control button, slightly better thermals, and small display tweaks, yet most of these feel minor in day-to-day use. Let’s break it all down.

Design and Build Quality

At first glance, both phones look almost identical. The iPhone 16 Pro’s bezels are a little thinner and the screen is slightly larger, but if you placed them side by side, you’d barely notice a difference after a day of use. The titanium frame returns, keeping things premium and lightweight, while durability remains top-notch.

Overall, the 16 Pro feels like a slightly more polished version of the 15 Pro rather than a redesign. Apple refined small details, but it’s hard to justify upgrading just for aesthetics.

Camera and the New Camera Control

Apple’s big headline feature this year was the new Camera Control button, a small side button meant to make photography faster and more intuitive. On paper, it sounds great, but in practice, it’s hit-or-miss. When used horizontally, the button placement feels fine, but when holding the phone vertically, it’s awkward and sits a bit too low.

It’s not very intuitive, and most of the settings it opens can be changed faster on the screen itself. The button feels more like a test feature waiting for Apple Intelligence to roll out rather than a fully polished tool.

As for the camera setup, the main sensor and telephoto lens remain mostly unchanged from last year. The biggest new addition is a 48MP ultra-wide camera with better detail and less glare when shooting toward bright light. The 4K 120fps slow-motion mode is also a nice upgrade but only if you shoot a lot of video in good lighting.

In real-world testing, the difference between the two phones isn’t huge. Photos look almost the same, and only in low-light or bright sunlight shots can you notice slightly improved contrast and reduced glare on the 16 Pro. The 48MP ultra-wide is better, but still not groundbreaking.

Performance and Thermal Management

Under the hood, the iPhone 16 Pro is powered by Apple’s new A18 Pro chip, while last year’s model uses the A17 Pro. The new chip runs cooler, which means the phone doesn’t overheat as quickly during gaming or camera use.

However, real-world performance is nearly identical. Apps open at the same speed, multitasking feels the same, and even high-end games run equally well on both. The biggest difference is that the 16 Pro stays cooler under long sessions, which helps with sustained performance.

It’s worth noting that while the 16 Pro runs cooler, it can still dim its screen under direct sunlight though less aggressively than the 15 Pro. It’s an improvement, but not a dramatic one.

Battery Life and Charging

If there’s one clear win for the 16 Pro, it’s battery life. Apple finally made meaningful progress here. Thanks to the A18 Pro’s efficiency and a slightly larger battery, the phone easily lasts 1–2 hours longer than the 15 Pro on a full charge.

Charging, however, is still limited. Despite rumors of 45W charging, the 16 Pro peaks around 29W via USB-C and 25W with MagSafe, nearly the same as before. That said, wireless charging is now almost as fast as wired, which is a nice touch.

So yes, it charges about the same but you won’t need to top up as often. In daily use, the 16 Pro can easily last from morning till midnight with moderate use, which wasn’t always true for the 15 Pro.

Connectivity and Network Performance

The iPhone 16 Pro brings Wi-Fi 7 support and an updated modem, but not the expected Snapdragon X75. Instead, Apple used a modified X71, which performs decently but not always better than last year’s.

In some tests, the 15 Pro Max even showed faster cellular speeds. The 16 Pro tends to throttle slightly to save battery, leading to inconsistent results. Still, connectivity is solid overall, and call quality remains excellent.

So while there’s progress on paper, the real-world difference isn’t huge and most users won’t notice faster Wi-Fi or stronger signals unless they’re in perfect conditions.

Verdict: Should You Upgrade?

After a week of real use, it’s hard not to feel slightly underwhelmed. The iPhone 16 Pro is a great phone just not a great upgrade. The thinner bezels, slightly larger display, and better battery life are all nice, but they don’t justify switching if you already own the 15 Pro.

The Camera Control button feels half-baked, Apple Intelligence isn’t ready, and most of the improvements are subtle refinements rather than big leaps.

If you’re coming from an iPhone 13 Pro or older, the 16 Pro will feel like a huge jump in speed, camera quality, and battery life. But for 15 Pro owners, it’s safe to wait another year.

In short, the iPhone 16 Pro refines the experience and doesn’t redefine it.

See Also iPhone 14 vs iPhone 16: Is the Upgrade Worth the Price Difference?

FAQs (iPhone 16 Pro vs 15 Pro)