iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 16

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Apple iPhone 15 Plus

The iPhone 15 Plus wins this one, taking battery decisively. Against the iPhone 16 it's also the sounder buy at $7.88 per month of safe use.

Value Score: iPhone 15 Plus 66 · iPhone 16 59 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone 15 Plus $403

Safe to buy$7.88/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Sep 20282030

Apple iPhone 16 $699

Safe to buy$11.09/mo

2024◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031

Category by category

Display

iPhone 15 Plus 50iPhone 16 50

Both displays are effectively the same class.

Performance

iPhone 15 Plus 80iPhone 16 92

The iPhone 16's Apple A18 is simply the faster chip.

Camera

iPhone 15 Plus 62iPhone 16 62

Camera systems are comparable on paper — pick by sample photos.

Battery

iPhone 15 Plus 68iPhone 16 51

4,383mAh vs 3,561mAh — the iPhone 15 Plus lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 15 Plus 61iPhone 16 75

The iPhone 16 is supported until Sep 2031 — 12 months longer than the iPhone 15 Plus.

Value

iPhone 15 Plus 66iPhone 16 59

Overall value goes to the iPhone 15 Plus at $7.88 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 15 Plus	iPhone 16
Price (street)	$403	$699
Display	6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, up to 2000 nits peak	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, up to 2000 nits peak
Chipset	Apple A16 Bionic	Apple A18
RAM	6GB	8GB
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB	128GB/256GB/512GB
Battery	4,383 mAh	3,561 mAh
Charging	20W+ wired (50% in ~30 min), MagSafe 15W wireless, Qi 7.5W	Wired fast charge — 50% in ~30 min with 20W+ adapter; MagSafe wireless up to 25W
Rear cameras	48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide	48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide
Dimensions	160.9 × 77.8 × 7.8 mm	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm
Weight	201 g	170 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Supported until	Sep 2030	Sep 2031

iPhone 15 Plus full verdict →iPhone 16 full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.