HomeSmartphonesComparisonUnited Kingdom · GBP
YOUR PHONE FACE-OFF

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 17 Pro

Real specs. Clear sources.UK models · Checked 4 Sept 2026
THE CHOICE IS PERSONAL

Which one
is your one?

Two great phones.
Different things to love.

Display93
Camera82
64Battery93
Make it personal How are scores calculated?
EVERYDAY PRIORITIESiPhone 17 Pro takes the lead.

28.4 points ahead across your selected battery priorities.

Change what matters

Scores compare published capabilities, not lab-tested quality. Camera image quality and independent performance tests are not rated. See scoring

Display, Camera scoring is unavailable for this pair. Known hardware specs still appear below; default scores use only shared, verified categories.

THE DIFFERENCES THAT MATTER

A quick read on the trade-offs.

Every specification
iPhone 16

34g lighter.

Published device weight, without a case.

iPhone 16
170g
iPhone 17 Pro
204g

Schematic balance · not a physical simulation

iPhone 17 Pro

0.2″ larger diagonal.

Bigger is a preference, not a quality score.

iPhone 16
6.1
iPhone 17 Pro
6.3

Relative diagonals · illustrative shape, not actual size

iPhone 17 Pro

A different perspective.

Dedicated telephoto reach. No digital or crop zoom.

iPhone 16
No telephoto
iPhone 17 Pro
4×

Lens illustration · not an image-quality test

MANUFACTURER CLAIMS

Playback on paper.

Up-to claims. Different test methods; no endurance winner.

iPhone 16
Up to 22h
iPhone 17 Pro
Up to 31h

Shared 40-hour scale · not mixed-use battery life

BEYOND THE TOTAL

Why choose each?

Different strengths. Your call.

REASONS TO CONSIDER

iPhone 17 Pro

  • A dedicated telephoto camera

    4× native telephoto; the other phone has no separate telephoto module. Reach is not an image-quality verdict.

    Verified hardware; Camera is not scored for this pair.
  • More screen, if you want it

    6.3″ vs 6.1″ diagonally. Larger is a preference, not an automatic win.

    Preference, not included in the match score.
Sources behind these differences 2

Published facts, not hands-on recommendations. These preferences do not add extra points to the match score; no tested battery gains are inferred.

GO A LITTLE DEEPER

Where each phone shines.

Explore the numbers behind the match.

iPhone 16 iPhone 17 Pro
Relative specification comparisonComparing iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 Pro. The outer edge is the higher published value in this pair. Unknown metrics are omitted. Manufacturer test methods vary; larger does not always mean better.BrightnessPixel densityNative zoomVideo timeRelative published specs · outer edge = higher value
Display explainedNot enough evidence to score

iPhone 16: Apple publishes 460 ppi and a 2,000-nit outdoor peak, but the checked primary specifications do not give a numeric internal-display refresh rate. The v1 display score is withheld because that required input is unverified.

iPhone 17 Pro: Scores Apple-published 3,000-nit outdoor peak brightness, 460 ppi and adaptive refresh up to 120Hz. Peak brightness is not independently measured.

Explore the sources
YOUR PHONE, YOUR RULES

What matters to you?

Make the comparison fit your life.

Any must-haves?

Your matchiPhone 17 Pro
64vs93
Unknown must-haves pause the recommendation.
SIDE BY SIDE. NOTHING HIDDEN.

Get into the details.

All specs13 specificationsiPhone 16iPhone 17 Pro
Weight
170g
204g
Width
71.6mm
71.9mm
Thickness
7.8mm
8.75mm
Screen size
6.1″
6.3″
Published peak brightnessManufacturer peak claims use different test conditions.
2000 nits
3000 nits
Pixel density
460 ppi
460 ppi
Maximum refresh rate
Not verified
120Hz
Native telephoto reach
No dedicated lens
Rear camera modules
2
3
8K video recording
NoApple lists rear recording up to 4K60 Dolby Vision, not 8K.
NoApple's video specification lists up to 4K recording, not 8K.
Claimed video playbackUp-to manufacturer claims. Playback protocols differ.
22 hours
31 hours
Wireless charging
Yes
Yes
Published support term
Not verified
Not verified
UK models · 256GB · Manufacturer specificationsView sources
GO BEYOND THE SPECS

A little perspective. A better decision.

Make this comparison yours.
THE PRICE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

What price changes your mind?

A great phone. An even better deal. Find the point where the value flips.

iPhone 17 Pro matches value at£1,296.47
vs iPhone 16
£899.00 reference MSRP
MORE SCORE PER £
£350.00£975.00£1,600.00
iPhone 17 ProiPhone 16 reference
£1,099.00
iPhone 17 Pro offers more score per £ at this price.

A score-per-price simulation, not an objective buying verdict. Starts from reference MSRP; no live retailer offers.

NO LOGOS. JUST YOU.

Would you choose it blind?

Forget the brand for a moment. Which set of specs feels more like you?

Pick a phone. Then meet your match.

Manufacturer specifications. Your choice doesn’t change the comparison above.

Good comparisons start with good sources.9 cited sources for this pair. Every number has a story.See the evidence

Your selected categories: Battery. Scores reflect published capabilities, not hands-on testing. Manufacturer battery claims can use different test conditions. Verified specifications remain visible even where a category cannot be scored.

How we calculate scores

Apple iPhone 16

256 GB · checked 4 Sept 2026

Your weighted score64.2 / 100Selected categories: Battery.

(64.19 × 1) ÷ 1

DisplayNot scored

Apple publishes 460 ppi and a 2,000-nit outdoor peak, but the checked primary specifications do not give a numeric internal-display refresh rate. The v1 display score is withheld because that required input is unverified.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Verified maximum internal-display refresh rate.

CameraNot scored

Verified lens and video capabilities remain visible. A complete audit of the four pro-workflow inputs required by the v1 model is not included, so no camera score is inferred.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Complete verification of the four model-defined pro workflows.

Battery64.2 / 100

Uses Apple's up-to 22-hour local-video claim and up-to-50%-in-around-30-minutes charging claim. Cross-brand confidence is low because manufacturer test methods differ.

Selected weight: 1.

low confidence · 100% model coverage
Manufacturer-claimed local video playbackSource value: 22
62.86 × 65% = 40.86

Apple's up-to 22-hour local-video claim, not independently measured mixed-use endurance. Test methods differ across manufacturers.

Apple Support UKApple UK
Manufacturer-claimed charging rateSource value: 1.67
66.67 × 35% = 23.33

Derived from Apple's up-to-50%-in-around-30-minutes claim using a 20W-or-higher USB-C adapter. This is not a sustained charging measurement.

Apple Support UK

Category score = 40.86 + 23.33 = 64.19

PerformanceNot scored

No comparable independently measured CPU, GPU or sustained-performance results are included in this official-spec entry.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Comparable CPU, GPU and sustained-performance measurements.

LongevityNot scored

The checked Apple UK material does not publish a fixed model-specific duration of software support.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Published model-specific software-support duration.

Specifications & verification
Weight170 gmanufacturer · high confidenceApple Support UK
Width71.6 mmmanufacturer · high confidenceApple Support UK
Thickness7.8 mmmanufacturer · high confidenceApple Support UK
Display size6.1 inchesmanufacturer · high confidence

Nominal diagonal; 6.12 inches as a standard rectangle, with a smaller actual viewable area.

Apple Support UK
Peak brightness2000 nitsmanufacturer · medium confidence

Apple's outdoor peak claim, not an independent measurement.

Apple Support UK
Claimed video playback22 hoursmanufacturer · medium confidence

Apple's up-to 22-hour local-video claim, not independently measured mixed-use endurance. Test methods differ across manufacturers.

Apple Support UKApple UK
Claimed charging rate1.6666666666666667% per minutecalculated · low confidence

Derived from Apple's up-to-50%-in-around-30-minutes claim using a 20W-or-higher USB-C adapter. This is not a sustained charging measurement.

50 percent divided by approximately 30 minutes.

Apple Support UK
Published total supportNot verified

not published

Apple Support UKApple Newsroom UK
Wireless chargingYesmanufacturer · high confidence

MagSafe, Qi2 and Qi charging are listed.

Apple Support UK
Reverse wireless chargingNot verified

not published

Apple Support UK
Headphone jackNocalculated · high confidence

Apple's connector list specifies USB-C, with no 3.5mm jack.

Apple Support UK
Expandable storageNocalculated · medium confidence

Apple lists fixed internal storage options and no removable storage interface.

Apple Support UK
eSIM onlyNomanufacturer · high confidence

UK specification supports nano-SIM plus eSIM and dual eSIM.

Apple Support UK
IP ratingIP68manufacturer · high confidence

Controlled-lab claim: maximum depth of 6m for up to 30 minutes. Resistance is not permanent.

Apple Support UK
RAMNot verified

not published

Apple Support UK
Pixel density460 ppimanufacturer · high confidenceApple Support UK
Maximum refresh rateNot verified

not published

Apple Support UK
Native telephoto reachcalculated · high confidence

The rear modules are main and ultra-wide. The advertised 2x mode uses the main sensor; there is no separate native telephoto module.

Apple Support UK
Claimed optical-quality reachmanufacturer · high confidence

The 2x mode is enabled by the 48MP main sensor, not a separate native telephoto lens.

Apple Support UK
Rear camera modules2manufacturer · high confidenceApple Support UK
8K recordingNocalculated · high confidence

Apple lists rear recording up to 4K60 Dolby Vision, not 8K.

Apple Support UK
Reference MSRP£899.00Apple UK
All sources4
  1. iPhone 16 — Original Technical Specifications, including 256GBApple Support UK · accessed 2026-09-04
  2. iPhone 16 — Technical SpecificationsApple UK · accessed 2026-09-04
  3. Buy iPhone 16 — Retained 256GB £899 reference listing, not a live offerApple UK · accessed 2026-09-04
  4. Apple introduces iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 PlusApple Newsroom UK · accessed 2026-09-04

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

256 GB · checked 4 Sept 2026

Your weighted score92.6 / 100Selected categories: Battery.

(93.00 × 0 + 82.00 × 0 + 92.57 × 1) ÷ 1

Display93.0 / 100

Scores Apple-published 3,000-nit outdoor peak brightness, 460 ppi and adaptive refresh up to 120Hz. Peak brightness is not independently measured.

Not included in your current weighted score.

medium confidence · 100% model coverage
Published peak brightnessSource value: 3000
100.00 × 40% = 40.00

Manufacturer-published peak figure; not an independent measurement.

Apple
Pixel densitySource value: 460
80.00 × 35% = 28.00

Apple publishes 460 ppi directly.

Apple
Maximum adaptive refresh rateSource value: 120
100.00 × 25% = 25.00Apple

Category score = 40.00 + 28.00 + 25.00 = 93.00

Camera82.0 / 100

A published-capability score, not an image-quality verdict. It counts a native 4x telephoto, Apple's 8x optical-quality mode and four named pro workflows; Apple does not claim 8K recording.

Not included in your current weighted score.

medium confidence · 100% model coverage
Native telephoto reachSource value: 4
80.00 × 25% = 20.00

The 4x/100mm telephoto is native. Apple describes 8x/200mm as optical-quality, not a separate native 8x lens.

Apple
Published optical-quality reachSource value: 8
80.00 × 15% = 12.00

The 4x/100mm telephoto is native. Apple describes 8x/200mm as optical-quality, not a separate native 8x lens.

Apple
Published pro workflowsSource value: 4
100.00 × 35% = 35.00

Counts Apple Log 2, RAW, external recording and genlock. This measures published workflow support, not output quality.

Apple
8K recording availableSource value: 0
0.00 × 5% = 0.00Apple
Native rear camera modulesSource value: 3
75.00 × 20% = 15.00Apple

Category score = 20.00 + 12.00 + 35.00 + 0.00 + 15.00 = 82.00

Battery92.6 / 100

Combines Apple's up-to 31-hour local-video claim with its up-to-50%-in-20-minutes claim. Different manufacturer test methods make cross-brand confidence low.

Selected weight: 1.

low confidence · 100% model coverage
Manufacturer-claimed local video playbackSource value: 31
88.57 × 65% = 57.57

Apple's up-to figure uses repeated local video playback on pre-production hardware; it is not mixed-use or web-browsing endurance.

AppleApple
Manufacturer-claimed charging rateSource value: 2.5
100.00 × 35% = 35.00

Derived from Apple's up-to-50% in 20 minutes claim with a 40W-or-higher adapter; it is not a sustained charging rate.

Apple

Category score = 57.57 + 35.00 = 92.57

PerformanceNot scored

Apple publishes chip configuration and relative marketing claims, but no comparable cross-platform benchmark under this methodology.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Comparable independently measured CPU benchmark, Comparable independently measured GPU benchmark, Comparable sustained-performance test.

LongevityNot scored

Apple describes long software support and lists iOS 27 compatibility, but its UK material does not promise a fixed support duration for this model.

Not included in your current weighted score.

Missing: Published model-specific OS support duration in years.

Specifications & verification
Weight204 gmanufacturer · high confidence

UK model value; the US regional model has different weight and battery claims.

Apple
Width71.9 mmmanufacturer · high confidenceApple
Thickness8.75 mmmanufacturer · high confidenceApple
Display size6.3 inchesmanufacturer · high confidence

Nominal diagonal; Apple states 6.27 inches as a standard rectangle and that actual viewable area is smaller.

Apple
Peak brightness3000 nitsmanufacturer · medium confidence

Apple-published outdoor peak, not an independent measurement; HDR peak is 1,600 nits and typical maximum is 1,000 nits.

Apple
Claimed video playback31 hoursmanufacturer · medium confidence

Manufacturer up-to claim; streamed playback is separately claimed at up to 28 hours.

Apple tested pre-production units in July 2025 using repeated local HDR video under its published playback-test settings.

AppleApple
Claimed charging rate2.5% per minutecalculated · low confidence

A normalized rate derived from a manufacturer up-to claim, not a sustained charging measurement. Apple requires a 40W-or-higher adapter.

50 percent divided by 20 minutes.

Apple
Published total supportNot verified

not published

Apple Newsroom UKApple
Wireless chargingYesmanufacturer · high confidence

Apple lists MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W.

Apple
Reverse wireless chargingNot verified

not published

Apple
Headphone jackNocalculated · high confidence

Derived from Apple's exhaustive connector specification, which lists USB-C and no 3.5mm connector.

Apple
Expandable storageNocalculated · medium confidence

Apple lists fixed capacities and no removable storage interface.

Apple
eSIM onlyNomanufacturer · high confidence

The UK specification lists nano-SIM plus eSIM and dual-eSIM support.

Apple
IP ratingIP68manufacturer · high confidence

Apple's controlled-lab claim is up to 6m for 30 minutes under IEC 60529; resistance is not permanent.

Apple
RAMNot verified

not published

Apple
Native telephoto reachmanufacturer · high confidenceApple
Claimed optical-quality reachmanufacturer · high confidence

Apple's sensor-derived optical-quality mode is not a separate native 8x lens.

Apple
Rear camera modules3manufacturer · high confidenceApple
8K recordingNocalculated · high confidence

Apple's video specification lists up to 4K recording, not 8K.

Apple
Reference MSRP£1,099.00Apple Newsroom UKApple
All sources5
  1. iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max - Technical SpecificationsApple · accessed 2026-09-04
  2. Buy iPhone 17 Pro 256GB Cosmic OrangeApple · accessed 2026-09-04
  3. Apple unveils iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro MaxApple Newsroom UK · accessed 2026-09-04
  4. iPhone - Battery Test InformationApple · accessed 2026-09-04
  5. iOS 27 Preview and CompatibilityApple · accessed 2026-09-04
THE BEST PHONE IS PERSONAL.

Make your next choice a clear one.

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