iPhone 16 review: Faster performance, but still stuck at 60Hz

Previously, I shared my review of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and today, we’ll be discussing the regular iPhone 16. I’ll cover its features and performance, so let’s dive into this “affordable” iPhone! Well, It’s hard to call it truly affordable in Nepal, as iPhones are always pricey, especially the iPhone 16 and 16+. In India, the iPhone 16 and 16+ are becoming more affordable, but in Nepal, the iPhone 16 will cost around NPR 150,000! That’s about NPR 30,000 more expensive than in India! Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will match the prices in India.

iPhone 16 Specifications

• Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, 60Hz refresh rate
• Resolution: 2556 x 1179 pixels
• Processor: Apple 18 SoC
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: Up to 512GB
• Camera:
  • Rear: 48MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera
  • Front: 12MP
• Battery: 3,561mAh
• Connectivity: WiFi 7, USB Type-C port
• OS: iOS 18
• Security: TrueDepth camera for FaceID facial recognition
• Features:
  • Water and dust resistance (IP68)
  • Stereo speakers
• Colors: Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine

iPhone 16 Review

Design

The design of the iPhone 16 series hasn’t changed much! It looks and feels similar to the iPhone 15. The notable change is the vertical camera module for spatial video recording. The new color options are quite attractive, and we have a striking Blue variant. One interesting feature is the camera button, which was mentioned during the launch event. It’s meant to be useful, but I didn’t find it particularly helpful. Initially, I wondered about its placement, but it’s easier to access the camera app and take photos. The mute switch has also become an action button this time, and the latest ceramic shield glass offers drop resistance. However, scratch resistance hasn’t improved much. Overall, the design of the iPhone 16 is compact and feels comfortable, especially for someone with smaller hands like mine.

Display

The display remains the same as last year—no significant changes. For regular iPhone models, dreaming of a 120Hz refresh rate seems pointless; it looks like the iPhone 20 might still have 60Hz. The quality is impressive, with a peak brightness of 2000 nits—this is an upgrade from the iPhone 15. The screen quality is excellent. Slim bezels like those on Pro iPhones would have been nice, but we still have noticeable bezels here.

Performance

There’s a significant performance upgrade, moving from the A16 chip to the A18. Benchmarks show scores similar to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is impressive. Everyday performance is smooth, but the 60Hz refresh rate feels like a bottleneck, especially when compared to even budget Android phones with 120Hz displays. This could also be a limitation for gaming, as users often prefer larger iPhones for gaming. During gaming, I noticed temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees after about 40 minutes of play. All new iPhones run iOS 18 out of the box, and Apple has heavily promoted AI—sorry, Apple Intelligence—features. Unfortunately, many of these features won’t be available for a while in Nepal. I use features like call summaries and audio transcription daily, and they are quite useful.

Camera

Sadly, besides the camera button, there aren’t many changes in the camera department compared to previous regular iPhones. The Pro models have received additional features, but here, we get autofocus in the ultra-wide lens for macro photography. The 48MP primary lens and 12MP front camera remain. While the ultra-wide lens retains the same resolution, it now has an f/2.2 aperture, providing brighter and more detailed images. Generally, photos appear warmer, and the details and dynamic range have improved slightly, making them feel closer to natural colors. Portraits show better skin tones compared to the iPhone 15, and there are photographic styles available for personalized color tones.  Nighttime photography has improved, with better glare management by Apple. When it comes to videography, iPhones have always excelled. We can capture 4K at 60fps, both day and night, which produces great results. It would have been even better with support for 4K at 120fps like the Pro models. Meanwhile, the selfies also look decent! A new feature on the video side is built-in noise reduction, which will be useful for vloggers. And yes, we can now shoot spatial video, which can be played on Apple Vision Pro—this is just a joke, but still!

Battery

On the battery front, the capacity has slightly increased, and during my testing over a couple of days, I noticed slightly better battery life than the previous iPhone 15. Charging remains the same, with a maximum of 30 watts.

iPhone 16 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

• A18 chip performance
• 2000 nits peak brightness
• Autofocus in ultra-wide lens
• Improved night photography
• Excellent videos as always

Cons

• 60Hz display refresh rate
• High price in Nepal
• Limited camera upgrades

iPhone 16 Review: Conclusion

There aren’t any significant upgrades in the iPhone 16! The biggest disappointment for me is the 60Hz display! If you’re not interested in the A18’s powerful performance and AI features, I suggest going for the iPhone 15. Its price is likely to drop further, as Apple has already slashed it by $100. So, the iPhone 15 could be around NPR 120,000. Is spending NPR 30,000-35,000 for slightly better performance, macro photography, and AI features worth it for you? Well, that’s entirely up to you!

• Meanwhile, watch our review of the iPhone 16 Pro Max