Between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 Pro, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro wins on refresh rate and wireless charging. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the iPhone 17 Pro scores 63.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro edges ahead on the Mars Score (57.4 vs 63.4), but the 6.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are refresh rate, wireless charging, ram, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the iPhone 17 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲Weight — 33.00 g less. 170 vs 203.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 30 W vs 20 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 28.40% more. 2080000 vs 1620000.
- ▲Battery capacity — 3.68% more. 3692 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 3.28% more. 6.3 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 203 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.3 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nits | 2200 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 3692 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 30 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 6 yearslead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
iPhone 17 Pro has 3.7% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
iPhone 16 is 33g lighter — 170g vs 203g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
iPhone 17 Pro offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 Pro?+
iPhone 17 Pro has a 48 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.