Apple iPhone 16 Pro Black Titanium 256GB

The iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip is solid, landing in a strong 80th percentile for performance. 4G-only connectivity, terrible battery life, and a mediocre camera still hurt, but the price has dropped as low as $709 and user sentiment has swung from 20 to 72 out of 100, which makes this a niche pick for WiFi-first Apple users on a budget.

The A18 Pro chip is the one bright spot here, landing in the 80th percentile of our database. That means apps open fast and daily tasks feel snappy. But this is a chip that deserves a better home, because the phone's weak battery (15th percentile) means you can't push it hard without watching the percentage drop like a countdown timer. Gaming, heavy video editing, or anything beyond light use will send you scrambling for a power outlet, which sours the performance advantage.

Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the iPhone 16 Pro looks like a relic on connectivity and display, but at $709 it undercuts Samsung's price dramatically. The Google Pixel 10 Pro still delivers far superior photo chops and clean Android software for less than the iPhone's original price, though the iPhone now competes on cost. The Motorola Razr razr ultra 2025 offers a folding screen for a similar outlay, which makes the iPhone's 60Hz panel feel ancient. The Apple iPhone 17 is the obvious upgrade path if you can stretch your budget, giving you 5G and a modern display. The OnePlus 15 is the budget wildcard that matches or beats the iPhone on battery and screen smoothness for even less money.

The price collapse from $1470 down to the $709 to $1570 range completely rewrites the value story. At the low end, you're getting an A18 Pro chip, a titanium build, and access to Apple Intelligence for less than a midrange Android phone. That's suddenly interesting. The battery still stinks and 4G is a bummer, but those compromises sting a lot less when you're saving $700. If you can snag one near the $709 floor, it's a niche pick that finally makes sense for WiFi-heavy users who just want a cheap ticket into the Apple ecosystem.

Apple released the iPhone 16 Pro with a lot of fanfare around its A18 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence. But the MYN23VC/A model in particular feels like it time-traveled from 2019, because it only connects to 4G networks in a world that's fully moved on to 5G. At its original $1470, that was a dealbreaker. Now that prices have cratered to as low as $709, the calculus shifts dramatically.

You still get a titanium frame and 4K 120fps Dolby Vision video recording, which feel genuinely premium at this new price point. The battery life and camera are still weak spots, but a 50-point jump in our overall score reflects how much more sense this phone makes when you're not paying flagship money for a hobbled experience.

If you need dependable 5G for streaming or work, all-day battery life, or a camera that keeps up with modern flagships, look elsewhere. The Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro deliver on all fronts for similar money at the high end of this iPhone's price range, and they won't leave you hunting for a charger by mid-afternoon.

At $709, this iPhone transforms from an insult into an intriguing oddball. You're still stuck with 4G, a 60Hz screen, and battery life that'll have you eyeing outlets by dinner, but the A18 Pro chip and titanium build at this price are hard to find anywhere else. It's no longer a phone we universally condemn. It's now a specific recommendation for a specific person: someone who lives on WiFi, doesn't care about photography, and wants the cheapest possible path to Apple Intelligence. For everyone else, the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro remain far more complete packages.