Apple’s iPhone lineup is set at least until the spring of next year, so it’s the perfect time to pick up the best iPhone out there. Buy an iPhone now and you can be reasonably confident that whatever you get won’t immediately be replaced by a newer Apple handset.
Based on our reviews and testing, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is our pick for the best iPhone. Apple’s premium flagship offers the best performing A series chip you can get. The Pro Max has also finished on top of all challengers whenever we include Apple’s phone in our head-to-head camera testing. Apple also increased the screen size on this year’s model, giving you more display to work with. If you want the very best iPhone around, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is tough to beat.
But it also happens to be Apple’s most expensive iPhone, and we recognize that not everyone is ready to throw down $1,199 on a new phone. With that in mind, I’d steer you toward the $799 iPhone 16, which adds a number of new features that won’t make you feel like you’ve missed out by skipping the $999 iPhone 16 Pro. (That said, the 6.3-inch Pro has a slightly larger screen, too, and all of the features of the Pro Max without the lofty price tag — it’s a good choice, too.)
Apple calls this its strongest iPhone lineup ever, and I’m inclined to agree with the company. I’ve been covering Apple’s phones since the very first iPhone came out. so I’ve seen how the lineup has evolved since 2007. And top to bottom, the current array of iPhones has something for everyone — including the older iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 models Apple continues to sell at reduced prices.
1. iPhone 16 Pro Max
Who should get the iPhone 16 Pro Max: Users with big budgets who want the very best Apple offers in the largest and longest-lasting package.
What we think about the iPhone 16 Pro Max: Everyone on the Tom’s Guide staff who’s handled the iPhone 16 Pro Max has come away impressed with Apple’s latest phone. The big screen size helps, as the 6.9-inch panel is the largest Apple’s ever used on one of its phones. That said, my colleague Mark Spoonauer had trouble using the phone with one hand, so if that’s a concern for you, you may want to look at more compact models.
Still, the performance boost the iPhone 16 Pro Max gets from its A18 Pro chip is nearly as big as the phone itself. In our testing, the latest Pro Max topped Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered devices like the Galaxy S24 Ultra in Geekbench tests for general performance. We were also able to transcode a video on the iPhone 16 Pro Max in half the time it took a Galaxy device. The iPhone 16 Pro Max jumps between apps with ease, and never faltered when we ran graphically-demanding games on the handset.
Still, the big reason to pay up for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is for its cameras, which have surpassed the competition in every 200-photo face-off we’ve conducted with Apple’s latest phone. Not only does this model have the 5x zoom lens introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you also get an improved 48MP ultrawide camera. If you want to capture crisp, engaging images, you’ll want an iPhone 16 Pro Max handy. The newly added Camera Control button adds some flexibility to operating the iPhone’s camera, though some of our testers found the new control a little awkward to use.
You won’t have to worry about the phone running out of battery life, thanks to the A18 Pro’s power management features. The iPhone 16 Pro turned in the best time of any Apple phone on our battery test, lasting more than 17 hours. As of this writing, only two other devices beat that result in our best phone battery life rankings.
In short, everything I look for in a phone — top performance, great cameras, long battery life and an eye-catching design — can be found in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. If the $1,199 starting price isn’t a problem, don’t hesitate to grab this phone. (And if price is an issue, read on.)
The most affordable new iPhone
Who should get the iPhone 16: Anyone who wants the an all-around performance without spending a lot.
What we think about the iPhone 16: The iPhone 16 may not have the flashier features found in its Pro siblings, but it’s still a solid upgrade, particularly if you’re not thrilled about flagship pricing. In fact, after using the iPhone 16, I’d even say it does a long way toward closing the gap that exists between Apple’s Pro phones and standard models like this one.
A lot of the features you’d normally associated with an iPhone Pro have found their way to the iPhone 16. That includes the new Camera Control button that promises easy access to the camera settings and modes. The iPhone 16 also adopts the Action button that Apple introduced to the iPhone 15 Pro models. Apart from the larger screen found on the iPhone 16 Pro, you’re getting the same design but in a less costly device.
Another change we like is on the back of the iPhone 16, where Apple now stacks the camera lenses vertically. That allows you to capture spatial video and photos to enjoy on VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro. Granted, you may not be about to pay $3,499 for a spatial computing headset, but it’s good to have a library of spatial videos handy as the price of such devices drops over time.
As with previous standard iPhone models, you won’t get a dedicated telephoto lens on the iPhone 16 as you would with a Pro version. However, the iPhone 16 still has a 48MP main camera and when you zoom, that camera can crop in to create the equivalent of a 2x optical zoom. I’ve tested this capability, and I’ve found very little difference between the iPhone’s zoomed-in shots and those captured by a dedicated telephoto lens. And the iPhone 16’s camera performance in low light and other challenging settings remains superlative.
The larger iPhone last longer on a charge, but the iPhone 16 still improves upon its predecessor’s battery life. And right now, the iPhone 16 is the least expensive iPhone available that supports Apple Intelligence features, which figure to improve over time with subsequent updates to Apple’s AI tools.
The best iPhone camera
Who should get the iPhone 16 Pro: Shutterbugs and content creators who need incredible cameras that deliver outstanding quality no matter the conditions.
What we think about the iPhone 16 Pro: You’ll appreciate how the iPhone 16 Pro gives people all of the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s best features but for $200 less. Unlike with the iPhone 15 Pro, this year’s model finds itself on more equal footing with the Pro Max, and that benefits people who want a Pro phone but still have an eye on their budget.
The big addition to the iPhone 16 Pro is the the tetraprism telephoto lens that was an iPhone 15 Pro Max exclusive in 2023. That means better zoom capabilities for the iPhone 16 Pro, particularly if you need to go up to a 5x zoom. In our testing, the new Pro model proved more than capable of capturing details shots at that zoom length without any of the noise and blur that can creep into pictures that rely on a digital zoom.
I would actually argue that the iPhone 16 Pro is the best camera phone you can buy right now, as its camera setup matches the one on the Pro Max. Anything that phone can shoot, so can this one — and the iPhone 16 Pro does it for $200 less. Certainly, the iPhone 16 Pro turned in excellent results in our camera testing thanks to an exceptional 48MP main camera that benefits from improvements to low-light image capture and a refreshed 48MP ultrawide takes even better macro photos than ever before. Over on the video front, the iPhone 16 Pro gifted with a new 4K 120 fps recording mode that allows creators to shoot now, worry later because the footage can be slowed down.
We’re focusing on the cameras here, but the iPhone 16 Pro sees other benefits as well, including the same A18 Pro chip that bolsters the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s performance and battery life. (The iPhone 16 Pro even proved marginally faster in our benchmark testing, though not so much that you’d notice with the naked eye.) While the iPhone 16 Pro still has a more compact screen than the Pro Max, it’s grown to 6.3 inches, giving you more space to work with while still being compact enough to use with one hand.
More screen for less
Who should get the iPhone 16 Plus: Big-screen phone fans who don’t want to pay big bucks for a Pro Max.
What we think about the iPhone 16 Plus: The iPhone 16 Plus is the best iPhone for people who prefer a larger display but don’t want to pay big bucks for one of the best big phones. That’s especially true when you look at the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the only other current iPhone with a super-size display. (If you want to go even cheaper than the iPhone 16 Plus’ $899 starting price, skip down to the iPhone 15 Plus review capsule.)
While the iPhone 16 Pro Max screen is larger at 6.9 inches, I find the 6.7-inch OLED panel on the iPhone 16 Plus plenty big for watching videos, playing games and serving a view finder when I’m taking photos. Speaking of photos, the iPhone 16 Plus benefits from the same upgraded ultrawide camera found on the iPhone 16, That helps with better macro shots, as my colleague John Velasco discovered when testing out the iPhone 16 Plus ultrawide lens. The same Camera Control button found on every iPhone 16 model is here, too, for easier controls once you master the different swipes and presses.
Because the iPhone 16 Plus is big enough to feature a 6.7-inch display, it also has more room inside for a bigger battery than what the iPhone 16 can house. As a result, the iPhone 16 Plus also lasts a long time on a charge, finishing just shy of 16.5 hours in our testing. Only the iPhone 16 Pro Max lasts longer among Apple’s phones.
You’ll make some sacrifices with the iPhone 16 Plus and its lower cost, as Apple only uses fast-refreshing displays for its Pro models. That means scrolling isn’t as smooth on the iPhone 16 Plus as its is on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and games that support fast refresh rates won’t be as immersive. I notice a difference when the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max are side by side, but it may not affect your enjoyment of the bigger screen if you only use the Plus.
Other than that, the iPhone 16 Plus delivers great cameras, strong performance and long battery life in a relatively affordable (for Apple) package. That’s appealing to big-screen phone lovers on a budget.
Best discounted big iPhone
Who should get the iPhone 15 Plus: Big-screen phone fans on a tigher budget.
What we think about the iPhone 15 Plus: The latest iPhone 16 models highlight Apple’s lineup, but they’re not the only phones Apple sells. The company keeps around some older models while reducing their price, and the best of the bunch in my opinion is the iPhone 15 Plus.
The iPhone 15 Plus stands out from other older iPhones thanks to its long battery life. Even though the phone has been out for more than a year, it’s still clinging to a spot in our best battery life rankings by holding out for 14 hours and 14 minutes in our testing. While the newer iPhone 16 Plus outlasts that time, it’s still an impressive result that outperforms many devices in its price range.
As for the price, Apple has dropped the cost of the iPhone 15 Plus to $799 — the same as what you’d pay for a newer iPhone 16. The advantage to the iPhone 15 Plus is you also get a larger screen, and the 48MP main camera is a solid performer. But the iPhone 16 has a faster processor, and it can support Apple Intelligence features. At this stage, I don’t believe that Apple Intelligence on its own is enough to justify an upgrade, but if you consider it to be a nice bonus, it’s probably better to consider an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus instead.
