Should You Upgrade to iPhone 16 Pro or Stick with iPhone 14 Pro? Expert Analysis

Jason Hiner/Kerry Wan/ZDNET

This week, Apple held its annual iPhone event to debut the iPhone 16 line and other devices. All the artificial intelligence (AI) features Apple unveiled may be very tempting, but is the iPhone 16 enough of an upgrade to warrant a new $1,000+ payment?

Also: Preorder the iPhone 16 now (and even get one for free) - here’s how

As an iPhone 14 Pro Max user, I’m not convinced that the new AI-enabled iPhone 16 Pro is worth the upgrade. However, the USB-C charging, the action button, or new camera features may make the upgrade worthwhile. If you’re trying to decide, read on to learn why you should upgrade or why it may be worth holding off until the iPhone 17.

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Specifications

You should buy the iPhone 16 Pro if…

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

1. You want Apple Intelligence

Apple’s artificial intelligence push, aptly named Apple Intelligence, will be available over the coming months on the iPhone 16 lineup, but it’s not coming to the iPhone 14 Pro. Though the iPhone 14 Pro will get iOS 18, it’ll soon be short on AI features, rendering it outdated. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with the latest AI features or already use other AI tools in your day-to-day life, the iPhone 16 Pro is likely a worthy upgrade.

Also: iPhone 16 Pro hands-on: My 3 favorite things about this ridiculously overpowered supercomputer

To run smoothly, the Apple Intelligence features require an A17 chip or newer and at least 8GB of RAM, but the iPhone 14 Pro has the A16 chip and only 6GB of RAM. The iPhone 16 Pro features an A18 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, making it a good device to run Apple’s AI features.

2. You’d like to get your hands on the bigger screen

Apple has thinned out the iPhone 16 Pro’s bezels to the bare minimum and stretched the Pro models’ displays to 6.3 and 6.9 inches for the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, respectively. This gives users more screen real estate to watch videos, play games, view and edit documents, and read shared screens on video conferences.

Also: Every iPhone 16 model compared: Which iPhone should you buy today?

The larger smartphone also means that the iPhone 16 Pro has a larger battery than the 14 Pro, at 3,355 mAh compared to 3,200 mAh. But even without the welcome battery upgrade, the new Pro models support faster charging than ever. The iPhone 16 Pro supports 40W wired charging and 20W of MagSafe charging, so if you find the iPhone 14 Pro’s charging slow, it could be time to upgrade.

3. You love taking beautiful photos

The iPhone 16 Pro features some of the best camera enhancements, including the improved ultrawide camera. The UW camera moved to align with a larger, improved Sony sensor, so it’s going from a measly 12MP to 48MP.

Also: I demoed Apple’s standard iPhone 16 and didn’t envy the Pro models at all

If you love taking photos with your smartphone, the camera upgrades alone may be enough to upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro. The optical zoom is now 5x, an upgrade from the iPhone 14 Pro’s 3x zoom. The iPhone 16 Pro will also feature Apple’s new capture button, which lets you control the camera with gestures, like moving your finger and tapping the touch-enabled button.

Pre-order the iPhone 16 Pro View now at Apple

You should buy (or keep) the iPhone 14 Pro if…

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

1. You’d rather wait for bigger upgrades

Even with the Apple Intelligence features, the iPhone 16 seems to be an incremental design change rather than a revamp; the design and functionality aren’t a radical departure from the iPhone 14 Pro. If you’re content with the look, feel, and performance of your iPhone 14, getting the iPhone 16 Pro likely won’t feel like a huge upgrade, especially since many of the AI features will come months after you get the device.

Also: iPhone 14 Pro review: More innovation for the same price as the iPhone 13 Pro

Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 may feature more dramatic design and functionality updates, making it a worthwhile jump. Besides, upgrading after two generations can be costly, which brings me to my next point.

2. You just finished paying it off

One of the biggest reasons to hold off on an upgrade is financial. The iPhone 14 Pro started at $900 at launch, which isn’t pocket change. Most buyers choose a 12-, 18-, or 24-month financing option through a carrier or Apple on a new iPhone. If you’re one of them and just finished paying off your iPhone 14 Pro and feel like you’re not financially ready to commit to another payment plan, it may be worth passing on the new iPhone 16 Pro.

Also: Apple just gave me a compelling reason to buy the smaller iPhone 16 Pro over the Max this year

As an iPhone 14 Pro Max user, I’m still pretty happy with how my iPhone performs, its battery life, and charging time. While USB-C charging would be convenient, I don’t see myself springing for the new iPhone 16 Pro, though I may go for the iPhone 17 when it’s launched.

iPhone 14 Pro (Pre-owned) $627.45 at Amazon

Alternatives to consider

BEST iPHONE ALTERNATIVE iPhone 15 Pro While the iPhone 15 Pro is a year old, it will also support Apple Intelligence and starts at $900. View at Best Buy BEST ANDROID ALTERNATIVE Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a flagship, ‘Pro-level’ smartphone that runs on Android. View at Best Buy

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