Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Apple iPhone Air
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus and Apple iPhone Air sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the cheaper of the two at $899 versus $1,199, a difference of about $300. The Apple iPhone Air is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 16 Plus stands out for excellent battery life from large 4674 mah cell, while Apple iPhone Air is praised for thinnest iphone ever at 5.6mm. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 16 Plus if…
- →Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- →A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- →New Camera Control button
Buy the Apple iPhone Air if…
- →Thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm
- →Only 165g with titanium frame
- →A19 Pro chip in ultra-slim design
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Pros
- Excellent battery life from large 4674 mAh cell
- A18 chip supports Apple Intelligence
- New Camera Control button
- Bright 2000-nit display
- More affordable than Pro Max
Cons
- Still locked to 60Hz refresh rate
- No telephoto camera
- USB-C limited to USB 2.0 speeds
- No always-on display
Apple iPhone Air
Pros
- Thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm
- Only 165g with titanium frame
- A19 Pro chip in ultra-slim design
- 3x more scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2
Cons
- Smaller 3149 mAh battery limits endurance
- Only 2x telephoto (no periscope)
- No ultrawide camera
- $1199 for fewer cameras than Pro
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 Plus | Apple iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 18 | iOS 19 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199 g | 165 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Titanium frame, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm | 155 x 73 x 5.6 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 24 MP, f/1.9, Center Stage |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@60fps, Dual Capture |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | — |
| Telephoto | — | 12 MP, f/2.8, 2x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4674 mAh | 3149 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 27W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W MagSafe |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion |
| Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 1290 x 2796 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 2000 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | 6-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | 6-core GPU |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Apple A19 Pro |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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