iPhone 16 Plus vs 15
It depends
Too close to call outright
These two are within 3 points overall, so it depends on you: keep phones for years → iPhone 16 Plus (supported until Sep 2031); want maximum speed → 15 (Snapdragon 8 Elite).
Value Score: iPhone 16 Plus 64 · 15 67 — methodology
The lifespan decider
When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.
Category by category
The 15's screen is the better one — 6.36-inch crystalres amoled, 2670×1200 (460 ppi), 1–120hz ltpo, up to 3200 nits peak, dolby vision/hdr10+.
The 15's Snapdragon 8 Elite is simply the faster chip.
The 15 has the stronger camera system (3 real rear lenses vs 2).
5,240mAh vs 4,674mAh — the 15 lasts longer between charges.
The iPhone 16 Plus is supported until Sep 2031 — 19 months longer than the 15.
Pound for pound, these two are equally good deals.
Full spec table
| Spec | iPhone 16 Plus | 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (street) | $650 | $750 |
| Display | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, Dynamic Island, up to 2000 nits peak | 6.36-inch CrystalRes AMOLED, 2670×1200 (460 ppi), 1–120Hz LTPO, up to 3200 nits peak, Dolby Vision/HDR10+ |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB | 256GB/512GB |
| Battery | 4,674 mAh | 5,240 mAh |
| Charging | Wired ~50% in 30 min with 20W+; up to 25W MagSafe with 30W adapter | 90W wired, 50W wireless |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide | 50MP main (Light Fusion 900, f/1.62), 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP telephoto (Leica 60mm floating) |
| Dimensions | 160.9 × 77.8 × 7.80 mm | 152.3 × 71.2 × 8.08 mm |
| Weight | 199 g | 191 g |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Supported until | Sep 2031 | Mar 2030 |
Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.