You watched Apple’s keynote, read WIRED’s comprehensive coverage, and made a decision: you’re upgrading to the iPhone 16. Now the question is … which of the four iPhone 16 models should you buy? There’s the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and they start at $829 unlocked and go all the way up to $1,199.
Don’t worry, I’ll break down the differences and similarities of each model in this guide to help your find the right upgrade. All of these phones are available for preorder this Friday, September 13, and officially hit store shelves on September 20.
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Should You Upgrade to the iPhone 16?
Ah, the age-old question. Should you get the new iPhone? Our philosophy here at WIRED is that you should only upgrade if you really need to. Is your current phone operating perfectly fine? If the experience is OK for the most part but maybe your battery life has deteriorated, try doing a battery swap first—Apple offers a battery replacement program for a modest fee—and this could breathe new life into your device. There are also more ways to repair an iPhone than ever before.
But if your current phone is frustrating to use, upgrade! Like the iPhone 15 range, the entire iPhone 16 lineup has the USB-C port. These new devices will also be able to take advantage of Apple Intelligence (alongside the iPhone 15 Pro), though these features won’t arrive until October. If you feel like you’d benefit from Apple’s upcoming artificial intelligence capabilities—or you just want to try it out—your best option is to upgrade.
If you’ve decided to upgrade, make sure you read our guide on How to Sell Your iPhone. Make sure you back up your iPhone first, and factory reset it to erase your data from the device. We also have tips on How to Set Up Your New iPhone to get the most out of your new handset.
Which iPhone 16 Model Is Right for You?
The iPhone 16 range includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The first two are identical in all but screen size and battery life, and the same is true for both Pro models. Within each grouping of iPhones, you are largely deciding whether you want a small phone or a big phone.