Apple iPhone 16 Plus Ultramarine 256GB

Big screen, killer battery, and Apple Intelligence make the iPhone 16 Plus a great phone. Just pray the right color shows up, and don't pay anywhere near the top of that price range.

The A18 chip is a two-generation jump from the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 15, and it shows. This thing flies through everything from photo processing to console-level gaming. Our performance data puts it at 87th percentile, which is one of the best on the market right now. The 8GB of RAM helps Apple Intelligence features run smoothly, and the 4912mAh battery paired with that efficient chip delivers up to 27 hours of video playback. That's genuinely impressive for a phone this size. What surprised us most is how well the 48MP Fusion camera handles macro shots now that the ultrawide has autofocus. It's not just a spec bump, it's a real usability upgrade.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the obvious rival here, and it beats the iPhone 16 Plus in camera versatility and display quality, though you'll pay more for it. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold brings a foldable form factor with Google's best camera processing, which is still the class leader for photography. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the smarter buy if you want the best Apple has to offer and can stomach Pro pricing. And the OnePlus 15 undercuts the iPhone on price while offering comparable performance and faster charging. The iPhone 16 Plus wins on battery life and system integration, but it's not the clear winner in any other category.

At $930 to $9,999 USD, the iPhone 16 Plus now spans a bizarre range. The low end is still a reasonable ask for a big screen, killer battery life, and the full Apple Intelligence experience. The high end is absurd, and you'd have to be out of your mind to pay anywhere near that. If you can find it at the lower end of that range, on sale, or refurbished, it's a solid deal. At anything approaching the top, you're getting fleeced for the Apple system and that big screen, not for class-leading hardware.

The iPhone 16 Plus is the big-screen iPhone for people who don't want to pay Pro money. You get that massive 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, the new A18 chip, and Apple Intelligence support, all in a package that's lighter than you'd expect at 199g. The headline feature here is Camera Control, that new physical button that gives you quick access to zoom and depth tools without fumbling through menus. It's genuinely useful, not a gimmick.

But here's the thing. The specs look great on paper, and our database puts connectivity at the absolute top of the charts. Yet user sentiment sits at a rough 19th percentile. That's a massive gap, and it's mostly about shipping and fulfillment issues, wrong colors, empty boxes. The phone itself is solid. The buying experience? Apparently a coin flip.

If you're buying this for the camera, skip it. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold or Galaxy S26 Ultra will serve you better for photography. If you're not already in the Apple system, the OnePlus 15 gives you similar performance for less money. If you want the best iPhone, the 16 Pro Max is the one to get. And if you're ordering online and need it by a specific date, maybe buy in-store instead, the shipping horror stories are real.

The iPhone 16 Plus is a great phone trapped in a frustrating buying experience. The hardware is solid, the battery is exceptional, and Apple Intelligence is genuinely useful. But that 19th percentile user sentiment score is a red flag, and the new price range topping out at $9,999 USD is a joke. If you're already in the Apple system and want a big screen without Pro pricing, this is your phone, just buy it at the low end of the range. Get it from a retailer with a solid return policy, and double-check the color when it arrives.