best price, screen and battery without having to look at the 'Pro Max'

Do you really have to spend almost 1,500 dollars to get the best iPhone? Yes and no. Technically, this is what the iPhone 16 Pro Max costs (a little less, 1,469 dollars). It is undoubtedly Apple's best iPhone, but the truth is that there is another that, although not the champion of cheap, is much cheaper and resignations are recoverable. Especially if you want to save 500 dollars.

I am of course referring to the iPhone 16 Plus. And yes, I say “Plus” and not “Pro” simply because, despite the fact that this second one is practically identical in its specifications to the “Pro Max”, it does not have much difference in price and its exemptions are already somewhat more severe in terms of size and, above all, battery. I have been using the 16 Plus for three months now and I guarantee it It's the smartest purchase of this generation. Without considering the stupidity of the rest either, of course.

It represents a greater evolution than the 'Pro' range

A few months ago, I talked about how I moved from an iPhone 13 Pro Max to an iPhone 16 Plus and the reasons that pushed me to do it when, a few weeks before, I was very clear on keeping my “old” iPhone. Some time later, and with more thought if possible, I became even more convinced that it was a good idea.

In perspective, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are those that have evolved the most compared to its predecessors. I don't mean to say that the “Pro” models didn't do this, which, among other things, even increased their screens by 0.2 inches compared to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. However, I think the jump from an iPhone 15 or 15 Plus to one of the 16 and 16 Plus is more noticeable. And especially at the processor level after several generations dragging a chip from previous years.

And while it is true that it all depends on which terminal you have now to know how big the jump is, if you come from a standard range from previous years you will notice the jump. Even from the previous one. This is something you might notice less if you're moving from a 'Pro' range to the current range.

What can the iPhone 16 Pro Max envy?

Obviously, yes, there are elements that the iPhone 16 Pro Max has that we will not find in the iPhone 16 Plus, no matter how hard we try. Perhaps the most striking, at least initially, is the 6.9-inch 120Hz screen. Also a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom oh one A18 Pro processor which irremediably improves the A18 'Plus' model.

So yes, there are things to envy. The doubt is, Are these changes visible later? Beyond a few very specific moments, and also depending on the type of requirements that each person has, not much. Really.

A wonderful (and imperfect) screen

The 60 Hz screen is indefensibleI am not hiding and I will never hide. And it's no longer a question of whether it's worth more than 1000 dollars to begin with, it's that even phones costing 300 dollars and even less have long had at least 90 Hz and increasingly with 120 Hz and even 144 Hz., and even if I am one of those who have criticized this the most, I sincerely confirm that it is not dramatic.

The initial shock if you're coming from a 120Hz cell phone is noticeable, of course it's noticeable. In fact, it even gives the strange impression that the phone plate. However, this is a mirage which, fortunately, is quickly disappearing. I only had the terminal for a few hours and already I got used to this soda. I emphasize that I am not defending him, but I want to remove this drama that I myself have repeatedly played out.

The fluidity of iOS and its animations helps make the screen very smooth despite this regrettable refresh. And in the end, not having a sign Promotion It's also easy to forget if we take into account that we generally don't continually do roll or play very graphically demanding video games. Be careful, even in these moments we forget one of the 60 Hz, even if logically this is where we would most appreciate having more.

As for colors, viewing quality and media consumption experience Generally speaking, few faults can be blamed on this iPhone 16 Plus. Not to mention none, since it has an exquisite panel in this sense, very well calibrated and with excellent viewing angles.

A performance that is beyond doubt

If we start to compare the differences between the A18 chip and the A18 Pro, we will see that there really aren't many. In both cases we have a chip manufactured using a second-generation 3-nanometer process, 8 GB of onboard memory, 6 CPU cores and 16 neural engine cores. So where is the change? Well, among many other minor issues, the main one is GPU cores, with six for the A18 Pro and five for the A18.

SO, For practical reasons it is almost impossible to tell the difference. This is something that is noticeable in demanding tasks that involve graphics, such as video editing or playing demanding video games. However, this doesn't represent a gigantic change either.

And the important thing is that the iPhone 16 Plus performs well and never leaves you behind. I haven't had a single performance issue in those months, and based on my experience with previous iPhones, that's something that will stay that way for a long time (and even more so after the 2017 controversy in which Apple had to apologize for slowing down older devices).

Years of updates to come

Throughout the history of the iPhone we have been able to observe how generous the support for iOS updates is to the point that there are terminals updated for seven years (iPhone 6s and 6s Plus), a record that could be surpassed by the iPhone XS and XS. Max with iOS 19 if forecasts are met.

In the case of iPhone 16 Plus, At least it should reach iOS 23back in this still distant 2030. And we also know that when that day comes, it doesn't mean he will completely lose support. Most apps will continue to work and Apple will even release security patches years later if necessary, as it has done in the past with other iPhones that haven't received a full version of iOS in years. years.

Another thing will be Apple Intelligence, Apple's set of AI models that will continue to evolve in later versions and, we fear, will at some point require more powerful hardware. In any case, no one will remove all the functions that this device is already compatible with, including the new Siri. And yes, also in Spanish from April.

A fireproof battery

Battery life is the Achilles heel of small iPhones, even the “Pro” models. And also this year, despite the improvements of the iPhone 16 Pro, this does not happen on the iPhone 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, since the two are more or less related.

With the iPhone 16 Plus I found a terminal capable of lasting two days without using the charger. I usually charge it every day, but last vacation I was able to check it. I took the iPhone out of the charger the morning of Christmas Eve, left the house in the afternoon and didn't come back until Christmas Eve and arrived with about 10% battery. And between lots of family photos, video calls, use of GPS apps and social media.

I don't want to ignore other interesting elements of the iPhone 16 Plus like its set of cameras and even if without a telephoto lens it manages to perfectly emulate a x2 zoom, even if it is optical. In the end, I end up with the general collection of specifications and above all an exquisite user experience that This showed me that even though the “Pro Max” is the best, it’s not the only one that can surprise us. and make us feel like we have one of the best iPhones in our hands.

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