Apple iPhone 16 Plus Black 128GB

The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is a fantastic big-screen phone with incredible battery life and top-tier performance. It's lightweight, fast, and owners absolutely love it, though the 60Hz display and lack of a telephoto camera hold it back from perfection. If you want a large iPhone without the Pro Max price, this is the one to get.

The A18 chip inside the iPhone 16 Plus is a 6-core powerhouse that sits in the 86th percentile for performance across all phones we've tested. That translates to a phone that absolutely flies through daily tasks, apps open instantly, and even demanding games run without a stutter. The 8GB of RAM helps keep everything running smoothly in the background, so you're not constantly reloading apps. It's not the absolute fastest chip on the market, but it's close enough that most people won't notice the difference.

In practical terms, this means editing 4K video on the phone feels responsive, not like a waiting game. Scrolling through massive photo libraries or jumping between a dozen apps is buttery smooth. The user reviews back this up, with multiple owners raving about how fast data transfers from their old phones were. It's a phone that feels one step ahead of you, which is exactly what you want from a new device.

Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the iPhone 16 Plus takes a clear win on weight and one-handed comfort, but loses badly on camera versatility and that silky 120Hz display. The S26 Ultra is a spec monster, but it's also a brick. The Google Pixel 10a is the budget champion here, likely undercutting the iPhone on price while offering a smarter camera, but it can't touch the A18's raw power or the Apple ecosystem's polish. If you're deep into Google's AI features, the Pixel is tempting, but the iPhone feels more premium.

Then there's the Motorola razr ultra 2025, which is a completely different beast with its folding design. It's a head-turner and more pocketable when closed, but you'll sacrifice battery life and that big, uninterrupted screen. The OnePlus 15 is the dark horse, often matching or beating the iPhone on charging speed and display smoothness for less money, but it doesn't have the same long-term software support or resale value. For most people, the choice comes down to iOS versus Android, and within the Apple world, this Plus model is the sensible big-screen pick.

Pricing on the iPhone 16 Plus is a bit of a rollercoaster right now, with a spread from $430 to $999 across different vendors. That's a massive $569 gap, so shopping around is key. The best deal we're seeing is on a refurbished unit from Newegg, which can drop the price significantly if you're okay with a Grade A or even Grade C device. At the lower end of that range, this phone is an absolute steal for the screen size and performance you're getting. At full retail near a grand, you're in a tougher spot, where a base model iPhone 16 Pro starts to make you wonder if you should just pay a little more for the better camera and 120Hz display. If you can snag it for under $800, the value proposition is fantastic.

The iPhone 16 Plus is Apple's big-screen phone for people who don't want to pay Pro Max money, and honestly, it nails the basics. You get a spacious 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, the new A18 chip, and 8GB of RAM, all wrapped in a lightweight aluminum design that comes in some genuinely fun colors like Pink and Ultramarine. If you've been searching for a large iPhone that won't weigh down your pocket or your wallet quite as much, this is the one to look at. It starts at 128GB of storage and feels like a modern phone should, fast and fluid right out of the box.

Apple has also packed in some serious connectivity here. We're talking Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and satellite connectivity for emergencies, which puts it in the 99th percentile for connectivity in our database. That's best-in-class stuff. The switch to USB-C is finally here too, making charging a lot less of a headache if you have other modern gadgets. Setup is a breeze, especially if you're coming from an older iPhone, and the overall user sentiment score sits at a sky-high 95 out of 100, so owners are clearly thrilled.

But it's not a perfect phone. The camera system, while capable with its 48MP main sensor and 2x optical zoom, lands right at the 50th percentile for photography. It's solid, middle-of-the-pack performance, but it won't blow away anyone who's used to a dedicated telephoto lens. For everyday shots and videos at 4K 60fps, it's more than enough, but photography enthusiasts might feel the lack of a dedicated zoom lens. Still, for the vast majority of people, the combination of screen size, speed, and battery life is a winning formula.

Skip the iPhone 16 Plus if you're serious about mobile photography. The single-camera setup, while good, can't compete with the dedicated telephoto and ultrawide lenses on the iPhone 16 Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. You'll also want to look elsewhere if a smooth, high-refresh-rate screen is a must for you, the 60Hz panel here feels sluggish next to any 120Hz phone. If you're on a tight budget, a refurbished Google Pixel 10a or an older iPhone 15 Plus will save you cash and get you 90% of the experience for less money.

The iPhone 16 Plus is the easy recommendation for anyone who wants a huge screen and killer battery life without the Pro price tag. It's a phone that just works, and works really well, for daily life. The performance is snappy, the design is light and attractive, and the user sentiment is through the roof, owners genuinely love this thing. If your phone is primarily for streaming, social media, texting, and taking good-enough photos, you'll be happy.

Should you buy it? If you're coming from an iPhone 12 or older, the jump in speed, battery, and screen size will feel massive. It's a reliable workhorse that doesn't make a fuss. The main reason to pause is if you're a stickler for smooth scrolling, that 60Hz screen is a noticeable downgrade from any Pro model or high-end Android phone. But for everyone else, especially if you can find a good deal on it, this is one of the best big iPhones Apple has made for the non-pro user.