For the first time since Apple introduced the iPhone Pro line, I opted not to get one. Of course, I still bought the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but after struggling with the size, I returned it and bought the iPhone 16 Plus.
While I loved living tech life on the best devices, I realized I didn’t need all those features. This year’s iPhone event made me feel this more than ever. I didn’t think I would ever use any of the announced features of the iPhone 16 Pro.
After spending a few days with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I loved using it but couldn’t get over how big it felt. I wanted to give the iPhone 16 Plus a try.
So, after a week of using the Plus-sized iPhone, here are my thoughts about hopping off the iPhone 16 Pro Max train and landing on the Plus model.
The Lack Of ProMotion and the Always-On Display
One of the biggest draws to the Pro line comes from the screen. Most comments I have seen say they can’t leave the Pro because of the lack of ProMotion on the regular iPhone line. ProMotion is the variable frame rate the Pro models offer. ProMotion lets the screen run anywhere from 1 to 120 frames per second. The higher the rate, the smoother the device will feel.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus only output 60 frames per second.
I can honestly say that after one week with my iPhone 16, I didn’t even notice.
Sure, the first few hours with my 16 Plus, I could feel a little stutter compared to what I was used to, but after a little while of use, I didn’t notice it.
Most of the content I view on my iPhone never goes to 120 fps. TikTok, Instagram, reading, or web browsing don’t push the frame rate. The frame rate only reaches that high refresh rate when navigating the system or a webpage. While you can see a difference, I don’t feel that difference is as significant as I made it in my mind.
A week after picking up my iPhone 16 Plus from the Apple Store, I returned to trade in my iPhone 14 Pro Max. While waiting for an employee to help me, they placed me near a display of all the iPhone 16 models. I picked up the iPhone 16 Pro and played around with it. The ProMotion display felt more fluid after being away for a week. Interestingly, I noticed it more after not having it for a while than I did after using it for two years.
Regardless, it didn’t make me feel like I was missing out. I didn’t feel a need to return to the Pro at all.
Other than that, the screen looks beautiful. The colors pop. There’s enough brightness. I took my iPhone out on the beach this past week and never had a problem seeing the screen.
The iPhone 16 also lacks the Always-On Display of the Pro models. Honestly, I’m not the right person to survey that feature. After a day or two, I turned it off on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. I found it distracting most of the time, causing me to be fearful of leaving my phone on when I wasn’t using it.
I noticed the lack of the Always-On Display at night when my iPhone was in StandBy mode. When I glance at my phone at night, it feels like it doesn’t stay on as long as my previous phone. I’m actually thankful for that, though. I would get distracted by my Pro Max when I tried to get back to sleep.
So far, I haven’t missed the ProMotion or the Always-On Display. If you play graphic-intensive games, you might miss ProMotion; I know there are some games whose frame rate can go that high. Also, if you love the Always-On display, you’ll want to stay with the Pro line for now. However, there are rumors that both of these features might come to the iPhone 17.
Lack of Telephoto Lens
The next most significant difference in the iPhone 16 Plus is the lack of a telephoto lens. Ever since Apple introduced the lens, I’ve had it on my iPhone, and I was worried that I would miss it.
The thing is, I think the main camera on the iPhone 16 models is so good, and the digital cropping zoom has improved so much that you can get by without it now. I can currently zoom in up to 10x with a digital zoom, but I’ve found that I rarely go beyond 2x. The 2x lens takes the 48-megapixel main camera and crops it down to 12 megapixels. This works great for me since megapixels aren’t as important as the size of the megapixels. I think the images at 2x look just as good as from 1x.
I’m curious about what will happen later, like if I go to a concert and need to zoom in even more, but I don’t do either of those things that often. For now, I have gotten close enough to take a photo without zooming in so much the image degrades.
I have used the ultra-wide lens a few times. It’s nice that they added the macro lens feature to this iPhone. I don’t take many of these photos, but having the feature when needed is welcomed.
Overall, though, I haven’t missed any of the camera features from before. I also like the smaller camera bump on my Plus. The camera bump on the Pro model has gotten too large. It feels like it takes up the entire back of the phone.
Thoughts on the New Buttons
With this iPhone, I’ve gained two new buttons, the Action Button and Camera Control.
I enjoy having the Camera Control button. I have removed the camera app from the Lock Screen and Home Screen. Now, I push the Camera Control button to launch the camera.
I’m unsure how I feel about using Camera Control for anything besides launching the app and acting as a shutter button. I know many people find the camera controls fiddly, and I think it takes some getting used to, but I question how much I want to control with the button. It feels easier to do most of the stuff on the screen. I think I’ll need to use the button more to get a better option about it.
The Action Button hasn’t hit for me. I’m not sure what to do with it. It’s nice to have a button that I can program, but I’m not sure what I want it to do. I haven’t yet sat down to make a shortcut that can do all sorts of things. It simply sets a focus mode I created to keep my kid’s music from destroying my recommendations. Half the time, I forget to activate it, though.
Plus, my recommendations aren’t that great to begin with.
Future Proofing
Until this model, it seemed like Apple installed an older processor in the iPhone line. In the past, that would mean I’d get an inferior processor compared to whatever Pro came simultaneously.
This year, though, not much separates the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro. On paper, Apple claims the 16 has one less graphics core than the Pros, but it doesn’t say anything about speeds. The Pro might have a slightly faster processor, but you’d be hard-pressed to notice. My iPhone 16 Plus has handled everything I’ve thrown at it quickly.
It also has enough memory to run Apple Intelligence when it launches. This will help future-proof this model longer than previous iPhone models. Currently, only three phones can run Apple Intelligence: the iPhone 15 Pros, iPhone 16s, and iPhone 16 Pros. Apple will want to continue to add these Artificial Intelligence features to the phones, and it won’t be good if they continue to make those features limited by hardware. No one will want to update their phone every year to get new AI features they might not even need.
Apple had to build these phones to be more powerful and deliver Apple Intelligence, whether that’s good or not. The extra processing power needed for Apple’s AI will do nothing but help the baseline phone. It feels fast and fluid to use and should make the device feel that way for a few years.
Battery Life
My previous phone’s battery was worn down. By the time I traded it in, the battery health had worn down to eighty-four percent. I felt lucky to make it to the afternoon without charging, especially when testing the iOS 18 beta.
But my iPhone 16 Plus battery feels so much better right now. Not only can I make it through an entire day without charging, but I usually have so much battery left over.
But this is a new phone and a new battery. I’m curious to see how it goes over the next few years (I’m hopeful I can resist the urge to upgrade every year). As I’m waiting for the iPhone 18 or 19, will I need to charge it before the afternoon?
With that said, I know the iPhone 16 brings faster charging to the game, but I haven’t needed it yet. I’m kind of scared of faster charging because I don’t know how it affects the battery’s longevity. So, for now, I’m trying to avoid charging except overnight.
Fun Colors for the First Time on my iPhone
I love having a color on my iPhone. It’s made me want to go without a case, but I know that that isn’t the best idea with two kids at home. So, for now, I’m rocking a clear Apple case.
I love the lighter weight of this phone. Of course, the iPhone 16 Pro Max was lighter than my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but this feels even better. What’s the point of having titanium once the phone is wrapped in a case, as most people do? It seems like just something to throw in to make it more expensive.
Plus, the titanium colors are always so boring. Of course, I did love my Sierra blue iPhone 13 Pro (which I know was made out of stainless steel), but nothing has been as fun since then.
I Was Never Pro
Maybe I was never a Pro iPhone user.
I always chose the largest phone I could. I also always went with the most exciting tech that came out, and that was usually in the Pro version. And I’m not the only one. Apple pundit Federico Viticci had the same feeling as I did.
Now, though, with the maturity of smartphones in general, I know I’m not a Pro. I’m okay getting a base-model iPhone now. It does everything I need and is cheaper than the Pro model. Plus, having an iPhone that’s not a shade of grey provides a bit of whimsy.
If you are thinking of leaving the Pro line and getting a regular iPhone, I recommend trying it. You have two weeks to return it if you don’t like it, and it doesn’t seem like iPhones are as scarce this year.
I’m so happy with my Ultramarine iPhone 16 Plus so far. I’m not sure what it would take to get me to upgrade back to the pro line, but I’d like to see what Apple has in store for the future. For now, I will keep rocking my blue iPhone and enjoy the money I’ve saved.
Do you have any questions? Let me know on Threads, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Post by @js_wordsmithView on Threads
