As is tradition, this year's iPhone 16 series was introduced in September and launched soon after. The reception this time around seems more mixed than usual. Unlike in other years, when the Pro models were the center of attention, this time people are more excited about the non-Pro variants because they got a more obvious design refresh and a bigger upgrade compared to previous years.
As you probably know, Apple doesn't immediately discontinue older models. Instead, it keeps them around to sell at a lower cost, giving you an option to enter the iPhone world for slightly less. In other words, gone are the days when you only had to choose between a black and white iPhone 4. Nowadays, there are nine iPhone models available from Apple, up that to about 11 models in circulation while shops are clearing iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max units.
It's natural to ask, which is the best iPhone? Not necessarily in terms of tech and speed, of course — if you want the newest, fastest, best iPhone — just get the 16 Pro Max.
But most don't need that type of overkill device, so looking at the other models is a logical choice. But trying to navigate the maze of best iPhone for the price may be a bit confusing and requires some forethought and knowledge of what's come before. No worries, we gave the current iPhone portfolio some thought — and we have some suggestions for you.
So, the question is probably a bit more nuanced — what's the best iPhone to buy, considering your specific needs and preferences?
Here at PhoneArena, we have experience with iPhones since their appearance in 2007, and still hold on to all the latest models that currently run iOS 18 right now. So, let us try and help you get a bargain; or the best iPhone money can buy.
It's always a personal choice, balancing budget against things like performance, camera, battery life, and overall usefulness. Some people may be ready to jump on the biggest and most expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is objectively the best iPhone on the market. But others may be just fine with a standard iPhone 14. Or, there are those that may prefer a small phone — that's where the SE comes in play.
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Below, you will find the iPhone models we believe are most worthy a purchase in late 2024, with our reasoning behind those choices.
Straight out of the gate, if you are out looking for the cheapest iPhone that can give you the best possible value — we've made a special article, where we hunt down offers on models that can still be found in new-old stock condition. Do have a look at the Best cheap iPhone article here.
iPhone 16 Pro - now closer to the Pro Max than before
iPhone 15 Pro - discontinued, grab it while last units still available!
iPhone 16 - the new design is quite nice and you get all the extra hardware buttons
iPhone 14 Plus - the first oversized iPhone without a Pro price
iPhone SE (2022) - compact, classic design, most affordable iPhone
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Biggest iPhone, best camera, extra-long battery life
PhoneArena Rating: 8
PhoneArena Battery Score: 8 hours 30 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 154
(Image Source - PhoneArena) The iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
What we like
Refined titanium finish
Improved Photographic Styles and video features are welcome
Slightly larger display is a noticeable upgrade
What we don't like
Grounded, maybe a bit boring color options
Camera button is good, but its positioning is a bit iffy
USB 3 on the phone, no USB 3 cable in the box
8
PhoneArena Rating
7.5
Price Class Average
Battery Life
8.5
7.8
Photo Quality
7.7
7.2
Video Quality
7.1
6.5
Charging
5.1
5.9
Performance Peak
7.1
7.1
Performance Daily
8.3
8
Display Quality
8
7.8
Design
8
7.8
Wireless Charging
7.9
7.3
Biometrics
8
7.6
Audio
8
7.8
Software
10
8.4
Why the score?
This device scores 6.3% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
The new iPhone 16 Pro Max does not look entirely redesigned, but it did get a couple of tune-ups. Notably, the display grew a bit — no up to 6.9", from 6.7". The difference is achieved by a much slimmer bezel and slightly bigger body. While the 0.2" sceen size increase is not major, the iPhone 16 Pro Max does look much cleaner from the front, with that thinner border.
You may still be tempted to get an iPhone 16 Plus for its big 6.7-inch screen, but the Pro series still holds the 120 Hz ProMotion display hostage. So the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max still have the extra-smooth feeling screens. The chip in the Pro models is the Apple A18 Pro, which is only a hair faster than the regular A18 in CPU tasks. It is, however, better at 3D rendering, so gaming and graphical-heavy apps will run better on the Pro Max.
For the camera, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a lot of the same specs as the iPhone 15 Pro Max — 48 MP main and 12 MP telephoto 5x zoom camera have remained seemingly unchanged. But the ultra-wide snapper was upgraded with yet another 48 MP sensor to match the main one. It will still take photos with binned pixels at 12 MP resolution by default, but just as with the main camera, you have access to a full-res mode for 48 MP snaps.
Another big new thing about the 16 series entirely is the new Photographic Styles. The feature itself is old, but has now been upgraded with more styles and more fine controls, so you can really dial in... well, your style. They are fun to play with and may give you one or two results that you really like, but not an entire gamechanger. It is unclear whether these will be available on older iPhones, we wager not.
You can also now record slow-mo at 4K, which is a welcome update, even if niche. The iPhones' slow-mo has been lagging behind for the past few years — not in the intended way, that is.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro are currently the iPhones with the best cameras. The 15 Pro Max isn't far behind, it just doesn't have that ultra-wide camera upgrade. Plus, the new Photographic Styles and 4K slow-mo are reserved for iPhones 16 and up.
The battery is definitely worth a mention, as it's grown to 4685 mAh — the biggest cell on an iPhone yet, and it definitely shows with supreme endurance. Without a question, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the iPhone with the best battery life thus far.
It’s a hefty investment, for sure, but certainly offers the top-tier Apple experience. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best overall smartphone, considering display, speakers, battery life, performance, and camera. And it had better be, as it starts at $1,200 for the base model. It least its lowest tier starts at 256 GB storage, but if you plan on enjoying the improved cameras with Cinematic Mode, and its ProRes video recording, you should plan ahead and just get a 512 GB model (at least).
Key iPhone 16 Pro Max specs: Display: 6.9-inch 120Hz screen Processor: Apple A18 Pro RAM: 8GB Cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing Battery: 4685mAh Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
The iPhone 16 Pro is just as good as the Pro Max, not as big PhoneArena Rating: 7.7 PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 35 minutes PhoneArena Camera Score: 154
(Image Source - PhoneArena) The iPhone 16 Pro
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
What we like
Refined in many subtle ways
Slightly longer battery life
New Photographic Styles are useful
What we don't like
Camera Control is overhyped
No faster wired charging
No more 3X zoom camera for portraits
7.7
PhoneArena Rating
7.1
Price Class Average
Battery Life
6.6
7
Photo Quality
7.7
7
Video Quality
7.1
6.2
Charging
5.5
6.3
Performance Peak
6.7
6.2
Performance Daily
8.3
7.1
Display Quality
8
7.9
Design
8
7.4
Wireless Charging
8.4
6.7
Biometrics
8
7.5
Audio
8
7.4
Software
10
8.2
Why the score?
This device scores 7.8% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and Motorola razr Plus (2024)
Stick with us, we know it kind of looks like we are just listing off the newest iPhones. But the iPhone 16 Pro is worth a mention here this year. Specifically because last year's Pro pair had a difference between them — the 5x tetraprism lens.
Well, this year, the iPhone 16 Pro is back in the game. It has everything that the 16 Pro Max has — the 48 MP ultra-wide camera, the 5x zoom lens, the Camera Control button and Action button, and the same processor. No difference between the two. Aside from the screen size, but it's noteworthy that the iPhone 16 Pro also has a slimmed-down bezel, so its own screen has grown to 6.3 inches, from 6.1.
In our experience, most users prefer that slightly smaller form factor. So, while it doesn't have the monstrous battery life, we believe the 16 Pro will be the best new iPhone for shoppers this season.
So, if you want those Pro Max features but don't want a slab of a phone, the iPhone 16 Pro is back to being the right viable choice. Take note that the battery is definitely smaller. It's not that we couldn't depend on the iPhone 16 Pro to last us a day, up to a day and a half, but the Pro Max definitely has that "two day" feel to it.
Oh, there is one more difference — you can still get it a bit cheaper. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at 256 GB, nudging you to make that storage upgrade whether you want it or not, the iPhone 16 Pro still starts at 128 GB and $999. So, you get the power, the speed, the cameras and the Photographic Styles, all for $200 less. But that's not the full story! Keep in mind, iOS will not let you record video in 4K ProRes if you don't have at least 256 GB of storage, so if you are interested in recording and editing high quality video from your iPhone — plan ahead and get the storage upgrade.
Key iPhone 16 Pro Max specs: Display: 6.3-inch 120Hz screen Processor: Apple A18 Pro RAM: 8GB Cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 12MP front-facing Battery: 3582mAh Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
This device scores 4.1% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra and Motorola razr Plus (2024)
The iPhone 15 Pro is going the way of the dodo. And we feel it's still worth a pick up. It still has the "old" 3x telephoto camera, but some users find it good enough, or even prefer it for Portrait mode shots. And it's not as huge as a Pro max, so quite manageable.
With a 120 Hz screen of its own, and an Apple A17 Pro processor inside, you shouldn't be missing out on that "Pro" iPhone experience. Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be getting the new Apple Intelligence features, for what it's worth. And the A17 Pro was the first iPhone chip to support the console games that are coming to the App Store — Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil, Death Stranding, and more to come, we assume.
Apple has discontinued the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, which means there's no official MSRP to go by. But do know that they used to start at $999 and $1199, respectively. No doubt retailers and carriers will be clearing them out, and we expect some good deals on last units to pop up at the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events.
Also, don't get us wrong, it may be "discontinued", but the iPhone 15 Pro Max still has a good 4 years of updates left in its life. At least, that is. Apple just always clears Pro Max models to make way for the newest ones.
The base iPhone 16 is quite the improvement this year around PhoneArena Rating: 7.3 PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 21 minutes PhoneArena Camera Score: 149
(Image Source - PhoneArena) The iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
What we like
Awesomely powerful chipset
Great and reliable video quality
Great-sounding speakers
What we don't like
Outdated display specifications
New camera control button is uncomfortable
Wired charging is still slow
7.3
PhoneArena Rating
7.1
Price Class Average
Battery Life
6.4
7.3
Photo Quality
7.4
7
Video Quality
6.6
6.2
Charging
5.1
6.1
Performance Peak
6.5
6
Performance Daily
6.5
6.7
Display Quality
8
7.9
Design
8
7.6
Wireless Charging
8.4
7.3
Biometrics
8
7.5
Audio
8
7.2
Software
10
8.3
Why the score?
This device scores 2.7% better than the average for this price class, which includes devices like the Motorola razr (2024), Google Pixel 9 and OnePlus 12
This year's non-Pro models got a nice set of upgrades. In fact, in a shocking twist, Apple gave them a lot of the features from the Pro variants. The Action Button that was exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max last year is now here, on the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The brand-new Camera Control button is also available across the entire iPhone 16 series.
On top of that, the camera module has a new design, and we really like that new turn. It's no longer a huge square that seemed to take much more space than it needed to, we are back to two camera lenses, stacled vertically. Quite reminiscent of the good old iPhone X!
But we are not done with the upgrades. Since the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have to be able to run the Apple Intelligence featureset, they needed a bump in specs — Apple couln't just stick old processors inside. So, we have a new Apple A18, which is about as fast as the A18 Pro, but with slightly less GPU power. And we have 8 GB of RAM, as in the Pro models!
So, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max may be the best iPhone of 2024, we have a sneaking suspicion that the iPhone 16 may be "the people's champion", coming with that fresh new look and extra power inside to make it feel like an actual upgrade (compared to older non-Pro units).
Now for the bad news — no 120 Hz screen on the iPhone 16. It's a $799 phone, and there are plenty of $300-$400 Android phones that have 90 Hz and 120 Hz screens. While we wouldn't say those phones are entirely comparable to the iPhone 16 experience, it does underline the fact that the tech is advanced enough and this should definitely be possible for a non-Pro phone.
Last year, it was a bit hard to recommend the iPhone 15 Plus when the 14 Plus was quite similar. Now, the iPhone 16 Plus has gotten quite a few upgrades, and it's worth a look — if you want to know about them, just check the iPhone 16 section above, as all the upgrades apply to the Plus.
But no, we still want to turn a spotlight to the iPhone 14 Plus model, especially in 2024. You can pick up a large-screened iPhone — if that's your jam — for $699. No, you will not get any Apple Intelligence features, and you don't get an Action Button or a Camera Control button.
But you still get that core iPhone experience, the Apple A15 Bionic is still a pretty good chip, the speakers are nice, the display is a huge 6.7-inch panel.
One thing that does kind of matter is that you won't get USB C, which has become standard on iPhones since the 15 series. The iPhone 14 models still use the Lightning port, which is slowly (and thankfully) going away now. But it's worth noting that even with USB C, the non-Pro iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 units are still limited to USB 2.0 speeds. So yeah, it may be a bit easier to borrow a charger when you are out and about, because USB Type-C is — thankfully — very widely available right now. But, you won't be getting any of its performance benefits.
Long story short — if you want a large iPhone for a relatively low price (by iPhone standards), now is the best time to buy an iPhone 14 Plus. However, it's worth taking a look at the iPhone 16 Plus for the slight new redesign, the new processor, and Apple Intelligence features that will come.
The iPhone SE is here for these that want the cheapest, simplest model out there. It's not exactly the best value iPhone — we believe that the best value for money is the iPhone 14 right now, for a mix between price, actual features, screen size, and usable power. The SE model is a phone for those that just want connectivity and don't care about media consumption or gaming on the device all that much.
But Apple still keeps it relevant — the iPhone SE 3 (or iPhone SE 2022) is powered by the same chip that's inside the iPhone 13 series. It has the same dependable-but-not-outstanding camera, it supports 5G connectivity and the convenience of wireless charging.
Now, if you are looking at the SE simply because you want a cheap iPhone, it may not be the best option, maybe look at the iPhone 14 instead. The iPhone SE starts at $429 for the 64 GB model and it is decidedly a phone for those that want the slim, small form factor that stays out of the way. Which is perfectly fine, but if you want a more modern iPhone experience, for as cheap as possible, the iPhone 14 is the better option.
In late 2024, we were hoping to see an update to the iPhone SE, but that didn't happen. To be clear, two years is not a lot in iPhone standards, as they launch with a lot of hardware headroom (by iOS standards). However, the iPhone SE had an old chip in it when it came to market, and the A15 Bionic is now 3 year old tech. Hopefully we may see an update in early 2025?
Looking at the present Apple iPhone lineup, we would say that the iPhone 13 is probably the best value right now. Its base tier comes with 128 GB of storage, which will be plenty enough for most users out there. On the inside and out, it is not worse than the iPhone 14, which was supposed to dethrone it. It does lack a 120 Hz screen and a telephoto camera, which is a shame, but such is the plight of non-Pro iPhones.
If you want those premium features, you'd have to make quite the leap in price.
However, the good news is that some wireless carriers and 3rd party retailers still have units of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max in stock. If you are craving that telephoto camera for better portraits, and the smoothness of a ProMotion display — you may do well seeking one of those out.
Thanks to Apple's software support, the 13 series still has a long life ahead of it, so it's a worthwhile investment at this point in time.
How to choose the iPhone that best fits your needs?
There are two things to consider when buying a new phone. Your usage habits and your budget. Do you really need a huge Max model, if you only use iMessage and Instagram twice a day? If you game on your iPhone — do you play vertical games that require a one-hand grip, or do you immerse yourself in horizontal shooters? Naturally, the latter crowd will enjoy a bigger screen for sure.
Plus, it also helps to pay attention to how long the phone will be supported for. Credit given where one is due, Google has recently committed to 7 years of software support for its Pixel phones, but we have yet to witness that happen. Whereas iPhones are proven to get 5 years of software support, so they more or less retain value — you can get them second hand, you can sell them off, an iPhone is an iPhone for half a decade.
It also helps that smartphone tech development has steadied in recent years, finding a comfortable plateau, and new features don't pop up at a relentless pace. Meaning, new phones stay new for longer, as they aren't immediately outshined by the next best thing.
Now, a lot can go wrong in these years, such as batteries going bad, but it's worth noting that Apple has upped its game considerably since the old iPhone 6 fiasco.
So, as far as usage habits go, you need to consider this:
Phone size and design:
Large phone: the Max and the Plus - if you watch a lot of videos, play a lot of games, browse tons of social media on your iPhone, or even edit your own clips and pictures, you will probably want to sacrifice the comfort of a small device and gain the benefit of a larger screen. In that case, the Pro Max models or the new iPhone 14 Plus will work out best. They also have the benefit of improved battery life, which lends itself well to your poweruser needs.
Medium size: the regular models - you may wish to have a more comfortable grip on the phone, as you use it more to reply to messages and only watch talking head style YouTube videos. The regular iPhone with no Max or Plus monikers seems to strike this balance well. The screen has enough room for comfortable thumb-typing, and is big enough for the occasional enjoyment of multimedia. Yet, it's not too large and you won't be overwhelmed by its size if you decide to stick it in a case.
Super compact: the mini - if you are out looking for a tiny smartphone that's easy to pocket, yet packs a performance punch and a dependable camera — the iPhone SE is one of your very limited options. And it might as well be the best one, considering how much life it has left in it, thanks to the processor inside and Apple's software support habits.
Classic comfort, unexacting and simple: iPhone SE - if you or whoever you are buying for, prefers the older iPhone look and feel, with a Touch ID button — the only option is the iPhone SE.
Phone Features
Camera - if you want a telephoto camera for better zoomed-in photos and more natural portraits, your option is quickly limited to the Pro models. Furthermore, if you want to experiment with the new-ish Cinematic Mode as well as the Photographic Styles — you need to go with an iPhone 13 series at the least. Needless to say, if you want the absolute best and most advanced Apple camera to date — you will find it on an iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
Screen quality - Across the board, Apple uses OLED panels for all recent iPhones, save for the iPhone SE. So, color reproduction and accuracy will be on equal levels across models. The Pro variants, however, have brighter screens, capable of hitting 2,000 nits. Impressive as it is, in the real world, you will rarely need that much brightness, so that's not the real selling point here. No, that would be the 120 Hz ProMotion screen that is still being held hostage by the Pro iPhones — from the iPhone 12 Pro onwards.
Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are the only ones with LTPO displays, capable of bringing their refresh rate down to 1 Hz. Apple utilizes this technology to get the Always On Display feature working on them — and only them, for the time being.
Safety and security - The Secure Enclave is a subsystem within Apple chips that is present on all recent iPhones, making sure your sensitive data is encrypted and held safe on-device. As far as cyber safety is concerned, all modern Apple phones have you covered.
As for physical safety, iOS does provide Medical ID and Emergency SOS on all of them, however the new iPhone 14 series has a slight edge. If you find yourself an avid trekker, you may want the new satellite SOS feature, for some peace of mind. That and the new Crash Detection feature are only found on the 2022 iPhones.
Battery life
Apple always aims for an "all day battery life" with all its mobile devices. It typically achieves that, especially since iOS is fantastic at preserving battery charge when in standby mode. Some, however, exceed those expectations — specifically the Plus models and Pro Max models, which have room for larger batteries in them.
There are also some models that fall short — like the iPhone 12 mini, which wasn't very dependable with its battery endurance. Especially if scanning often for an unreliable 5G connection.
Aside from that small mishap, most iPhones in recent years have had a dependable battery life.
Check out how these iPhones have performed in our extensive battery tests:
in the case of the Apple iPhone, we typically trust that the performance is — and will be — top-tier for years to come. The Apple A silicon is excellent and way ahead of the game, outperforming and outlasting the competition on a regular basis. This is why Apple is comfortable with releasing an iPhone 14 series with the same chips that powered the iPhone 13, for example. Here is a rundown of the contemporary models and their capabilities:
Apple A16 Bionic (iPhone 14 Pro, Pro Max): hexa-core, first Apple chip built on 4 nm process. Up to 3.46 GHz clock speed, 5-core GPU
Apple A15 Bionic (modified for iPhone 14, 14 Plus): hexa-core, 5 nm. Up to 3.23 GHz clock speed, 5-core GPU
Apple A15 Bionic (iPhone 13, 13 mini): hexa-core, 5 nm. Up to 3.23 GHz clock speed, 4-core GPU
Apple A14 Bionic (iPhone 12): hexa-core, 5 nm. Up to 3.1 GHz clock speed, 4-core GPU
In other words — if Apple sells it on its website, it still considers it fast enough to wear the brand on its back with pride.
Here's the performance of the iPhones in the lists on benchmark tests:
You will notice that we put emphasis on three different ratings with these phones. Here at PhoneArena, we have a dedicated battery rating, dedicated camera rating, and an overall scoring of the phone, which takes into account all of its important features — from design to display, performance, charging speed, and speaker quality. At first glance, the overall rating points may look a bit low, but that's because every aspect of the phone is scored with our internal processes, developed specifically to be future-proof and combat "review score inflation".
In other words — we do our best to use the full 1 to 10 scale, so an overall score of 7.6 is very good. To make it easier to understand where a specific phone falls, compared to its peers, we've added a "Price Class Average" metric, which shows you the average score from other phones in the same category.
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Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.
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