The comparison between the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro highlights how much has changed over a 3-year period between the two models. Here’s a detailed look at the major differences across various aspects of the devices:
1. Display & Screen Technology:
- iPhone 16 Pro comes with a larger display (6.3 inches) compared to the iPhone 13 Pro (6.1 inches). Similarly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch screen compared to the 13 Pro Max‘s 6.7 inches.
- Screen brightness is significantly better on the 16 Pro/Max, especially for outdoor and HDR content, with up to 2000 nits brightness outdoors compared to no such feature in the 13 Pro.
- New features in the 16 Pro include Dynamic Island and Always-On Display, which are not available on the 13 Pro.
- The 16 Pro has a slightly higher resolution and more pixels, improving the overall sharpness and display quality.
Here is the data presented in a column format for better readability:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.9 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution | 2622 x 1206 pixels | 2532 x 1170 pixels | 2868 x 1320 pixels | 2778 x 1284 pixels |
| PPI | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | 458 ppi |
| Super Retina XDR OLED | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic Island | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| ProMotion – adaptive refresh up to 120Hz | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Always-On display | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Typical brightness | 1000 nits max | 1000 nits max | 1000 nits max | 1000 nits max |
| HDR brightness | 1600 nits max | 1200 nits max | 1600 nits max | 1200 nits max |
| Outdoor brightness | 2000 nits max | – | 2000 nits max | – |
| True Tone | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Haptic Touch | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wide color (P3) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
2. Design & Build:
- Both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max use titanium frames, making them lighter and stronger than the stainless steel frames on the iPhone 13 Pro models.
- The 16 Pro is slightly larger in dimensions but also lighter due to the titanium build.
- New Camera Control Button: The 16 Pro introduces a physical Camera Control button, adding a new level of convenience for photography enthusiasts.
Here is the data presented in a column format for better readability:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 5.89 inches (149.6 mm) | 5.78 inches (146.7 mm) | 6.42 inches (163 mm) | 6.33 inches (160.8 mm) |
| Width | 2.81 inches (71.5 mm) | 2.82 inches (71.5 mm) | 3.06 inches (77.6 mm) | 3.07 inches (78.1 mm) |
| Thickness | 0.32 inches (8.25 mm) | 0.30 inch (7.65 mm) | 0.32 inches (8.25 mm) | 0.30 inch (7.65 mm) |
| Weight | 7.03 ounces (199 grams) | 7.19 ounces (203 grams) | 7.99 ounces (227 grams) | 8.47 ounces (240 grams) |
| Durability | IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes) | IP68 (splash, dust, 6 meters of water up to 30 minutes) |
| Ceramic Shield front | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Back material | Textured matte glass | Textured matte glass | Textured matte glass | Textured matte glass |
| Frame/edges | Grade 5 titanium | Stainless steel | Grade 5 titanium | Stainless steel |
3. Performance: A18 Pro Chip vs A15 Bionic:
- The A18 Pro chip in the 16 Pro is a significant upgrade over the A15 Bionic in the 13 Pro.
- The A18 Pro provides up to 45% faster single-core performance and 40% better multi-core performance compared to the A15 Bionic.
- The new A18 Pro GPU also offers better gaming performance, with features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
- The 16 Pro also has 2GB more RAM (8GB vs 6GB), improving multitasking and app performance.
- Apple’s Intelligence Support (machine learning) is also better in the 16 Pro, allowing for more advanced features and optimizations.
Here is the data in a column format for easier comparison:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoC (System on Chip) | A18 Pro | A15 Bionic | A18 Pro | A15 Bionic |
| CPU | 6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency | 6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency | 6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency | 6-core: 2 performance + 4 efficiency |
| GPU | 6-core | 5-core | 6-core | 5-core |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | 16-core | 16-core | 16-core |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB | 8GB | 6GB |
| Apple Intelligence Support | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
4. Battery Life:
The iPhone 16 Pro has noticeably improved battery life compared to the 13 Pro.
- Video playback: The 16 Pro lasts up to 27 hours, whereas the 13 Pro only lasts up to 22 hours.
- Audio playback: The 16 Pro lasts up to 85 hours, while the 13 Pro supports only 75 hours.
Here is the data in column format for comparison:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video playback | Up to 27 hours | Up to 22 hours | Up to 33 hours | Up to 28 hours |
| Audio playback | Up to 85 hours | Up to 75 hours | Up to 105 hours | Up to 95 hours |
5. Cameras:
- The iPhone 16 Pro features a new 48MP main camera, which is a huge jump from the 12MP camera in the 13 Pro.
- The ultra-wide lens is also upgraded to 48MP, and the telephoto lens on the 16 Pro supports up to 5x optical zoom, compared to 3x zoom on the 13 Pro.
- Spatial video recording and log video recording are new features in the 16 Pro, enhancing the video recording experience.
- Camera Control button on the 16 Pro provides quick access to camera functions, something that is not available on the 13 Pro.
Here is the camera data in column format for comparison:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camera Control | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Main lens | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.5 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.5 aperture |
| Main lens sensor | 2.44 µm quad pixel | 1.9 µm pixels | 2.44 µm quad pixel | 1.9 µm pixels |
| Main lens focal length | 24 mm | 24 mm | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Ultra Wide lens | 48MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture |
| Telephoto lens | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture (up to 5x zoom) | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture (up to 3x zoom) | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture (up to 5x zoom) | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture (up to 3x zoom) |
| Stabilization | 2nd gen Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | 2nd gen Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization |
| Optical zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x |
| Digital zoom | Up to 25x | Up to 15x | Up to 25x | Up to 15x |
| Flash | Adaptive True Tone Flash | True Tone Flash with Slow Sync | Adaptive True Tone Flash | True Tone Flash with Slow Sync |
| Photonic Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Smart HDR 4 | – | ✅ | – | ✅ |
| Smart HDR 5 | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Next-gen portraits with Focus & Depth | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Portrait Lighting with six effects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode portraits | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Latest-gen Photographic Styles | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Spatial photos | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Macro photography | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple ProRAW | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
6. Video Recording Enhancements:
- The iPhone 16 Pro supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR video recording at up to 120 fps, while the 13 Pro is limited to 60 fps.
- Action mode in the 16 Pro allows for smooth video recording up to 2.8K at 60 fps, a feature not available in the 13 Pro.
- ProRes video recording at 4K at 120 fps is supported on the 16 Pro, while the 13 Pro maxes out at 4K at 30 fps.
Here is the video features data formatted in a column for easy comparison:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K Dolby Vision/HDR recording | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, 60, 100, or 120 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, 60, 100, or 120 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps |
| 1080p recording | ✅ – at 25, 30, 60, or 120 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, 60, or 120 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps |
| Cinematic mode | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 1080p at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 1080p at 30 fps |
| Action mode | ✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps | ❌ | ✅ – up to 2.8K at 60 fps | ❌ |
| ProRes recording | ✅ – up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage) | ✅ – up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage) |
| Log video recording | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Academy Color Encoding System | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Macro video recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spatial video recording | ✅ – at 1080p at 30 fps | ❌ | ✅ – at 1080p at 30 fps | ❌ |
| Slo-mo recording | ✅ – 1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps | ✅ – 1080p up to 240 fps | ✅ – 1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps | ✅ – 1080p up to 240 fps |
| Time-lapse with stabilization | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode Time-lapse | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| QuickTake video | ✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | ✅ | ✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | ✅ |
| Stabilization | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video; 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilization and autofocus for video (Telephoto) | Dual optical image stabilization for video (Telephoto and Wide); Sensor‑shift optical image stabilization for video (Wide) | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video; 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilization and autofocus for video (Telephoto) | Dual optical image stabilization for video (Telephoto and Wide); Sensor‑shift optical image stabilization for video (Wide) |
| Cinematic video stabilization | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, and 720p |
| Audio zoom | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stereo recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 4 studio quality mics | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| True tone flash | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wind noise reduction | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Audio Mix | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Continuous autofocus video | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Playback zoom | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
7. Selfie Camera:
- The TrueDepth front camera on the 16 Pro has been improved with better aperture (f/1.9), and features like Smart HDR 5, log video recording, and next-gen photographic styles.
- While both devices support Night mode and Cinematic mode, the 16 Pro offers advanced features such as spatial video recording and Apple ProRAW at higher frame rates.
Here is the front camera data formatted in a column for easy comparison:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrueDepth front camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture |
| Autofocus with Focus Pixels | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Retina Flash | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Photonic Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Smart HDR 4 for photos | – | ✅ | – | ✅ |
| Smart HDR 5 for photos | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Portrait Lighting with six effects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Animoji and Memoji | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode time-lapse | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Latest-gen Photographic Styles | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Lens correction | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Auto image stabilization | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 4K Dolby Vision/HDR recording | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps |
| 1080p Dolby Vision recording | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps |
| Cinematic mode | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps |
| Apple ProRAW | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ProRes recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage) | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage) |
| Log video recording | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Slo-mo recording | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps |
| QuickTake video | ✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | ✅ | ✅ – up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision | ✅ |
| Cinematic video stabilization | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p |
| Spatial Audio and stereo recording | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
8. I/O Ports and Connectivity
- The 16 Pro has moved to a USB-C port, allowing faster data transfers up to 10Gbps and the ability to shoot photos and videos directly to external storage. The 13 Pro still uses the Lightning port.
- The 16 Pro also supports WiFi 7, while the 13 Pro supports only up to WiFi 6.
Here is a comparison table for the connectivity and charging features of the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 Pro Max:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB-C | ✅ – USB 3 up to 10Gbps | ❌ | ✅ – USB 3 up to 10Gbps | ❌ |
| Lightning | – | ✅ – Up to 480Mbps | – | ✅ – Up to 480Mbps |
| WiFi | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| UWB | ✅ – Gen 2 | ✅ – Gen 1 | ✅ – Gen 2 | ✅ – Gen 1 |
| NFC with reader mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Thread | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cellular | GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA | GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA | GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA | GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA |
| 5G | Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO | Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO | Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO | Sub-6 GHz and mmWave with 4×4 MIMO |
| 4G | Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA | Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA | Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA | Gigabit LTE with 4×4 MIMO and LAA |
| GPS | Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, and NavIC) | Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou) | Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, and NavIC) | Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou) |
| Audio playback | Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos | Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos | Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos | Spatial audio/Dolby Atmos |
| Video playback | HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG | HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG | HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG | HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG |
| SIM | Dual eSIM in US | eSIM and nanoSIM | Dual eSIM in US | eSIM and nanoSIM |
| MagSafe | ✅ with 25W charging | ✅ with 15W charging | ✅ with 25W charging | ✅ with 15W charging |
| Qi and Qi2 | ✅ | Qi, but no Qi2 | ✅ | Qi, but no Qi2 |
9. Storage and pricing:
iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max come in:
- 128GB – $999 (only 16 Pro available in 128GB)
- 256GB – $1,099 / $1,199
- 512GB – $1,299 / $1,399
- 1TB – $1,499 / $1,599
10. Additional Features:
- The 16 Pro adds more advanced wireless charging features with MagSafe up to 25W.
- Wind noise reduction and Audio Mix are new in the 16 Pro, improving the overall audio recording quality.
