Even the standard version is starting to become appealing.

iPhone 16 is finally here. 

This year's iPhone 16 series can still be described as unremarkable. Features like high refresh rate and Always-On Display (AOD) are still absent from the standard version. The rumored 256GB starting storage and 40W charging have also been postponed. The only exciting announcement during the entire event was the A18/A18 Pro chips.

The A18 series chips are Apple's first iPhone chips designed specifically for AI, with significant architectural differences from previous generations. However, many readers may still wonder how different the A18 is from its predecessors and how much improvement it brings. Let's delve into Apple's high hopes for this iPhone "heart".

A18: All for AI

Before the iPhone 16 series, Apple had already used different generations of chips in the standard and Pro versions for two consecutive generations. The iPhone 14 series used the A15 chip in the standard version and the A16 in the Pro version, while the iPhone 15 series further differentiated, with the standard version using the A16 and the Pro version the A17 Pro.

The difference in specifications between the standard and Pro versions of the iPhone 15 series is evident from the chip models alone. This was further confirmed when iOS 18 introduced Apple Intelligence, which is only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and later models.

Image source: Apple

To enable all iPhone 16 models to support Apple Intelligence, Apple once again reformed its chip strategy. After a two-year hiatus, the iPhone returned to using the same generation of chips in both the standard and Pro versions. The A18 and A18 Pro differ only in their GPUs, with the A18 featuring a 5-core GPU and the A18 Pro a 6-core GPU.

Let's take a look at the specific specifications of the A18 chip. The CPU uses a hexa-core architecture, with two performance cores and four efficiency cores. Compared to the A16 chip in the iPhone 15, the A18 offers a 30% performance boost and a 30% reduction in power consumption. When compared to the A15 chip in the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13, the CPU performance improvement is as high as 50%.

Image source: Apple

Comparing the A16, A15, and A14 chips, you'll notice that the CPU performance gap between these standard version chips is around 10% to 20%. It can be said that the iPhone 16 represents the most significant performance improvement in the standard version chip in recent years for Apple.

Image source: Apple

However, the CPU performance boost is not the main attraction of the A18 chip. The real star is the 16-core NPU module, which boasts a high-speed performance of 35 trillion operations per second. To support this powerful NPU, Apple has even increased the memory bandwidth performance by 17%, and all models come equipped with 8GB of RAM.

Image source: Apple

Additionally, the A18's GPU has undergone significant upgrades compared to the A16. By adopting the same "PC-grade" GPU architecture as the A18 Pro, even with only 5 cores, the A18 offers a 40% improvement in GPU performance and a 35% reduction in power consumption over the A16.

Image source: Apple

Comparing the GPU performance of the A18 to the A17 Pro, while it may not seem meaningful at first, many are curious about the difference. Although Apple did not directly compare the two chips, the demonstration showed that the A18 will support features previously exclusive to the A17 Pro, such as ray tracing, indicating similar performance. More detailed testing will likely be available after product reviews are released.

With 8GB of RAM and a comprehensively upgraded A18 chip, Apple has demonstrated its commitment to Apple Intelligence, resulting in the most significant performance upgrade in recent years for the iPhone standard version.

Moving on to the A18 Pro, Apple officially claims a 15% improvement in CPU performance and a 20% increase in energy efficiency compared to the A17 Pro. While these figures may seem modest, their impact on the actual user experience is negligible, making the iPhone 16 Pro less cost-effective than the iPhone 16.

Image source: Apple

However, Apple ensures that the standard and Pro versions do not offer the same experience. One notable difference lies in the GPU, with the A18 Pro featuring an additional core compared to the A18. This enables the A18 Pro to support Apple's so-called "Advanced Media" function, previously available in the M3 series and subsequent chips, which is a hardware acceleration engine designed for multimedia processing.

In simple terms, the Advanced Media function empowers the iPhone 16 Pro with enhanced local video processing capabilities. When editing video formats such as H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW, its processing efficiency rivals that of Apple's M3 series chips (although with noticeable differences in specific performance).

In other words, for most daily use scenarios, there is little difference between the A18 Pro and A18, making this generation the one with the smallest performance gap between the standard and Pro versions in recent years.

Should you upgrade to the iPhone 16 for performance?

After reading the previous analysis, you might think that even without a high refresh rate or AOD, the performance boost alone in the iPhone 16 standard version justifies its price. But is that really the case?

If we only consider the iPhone 16 series, the standard version is indeed the most cost-effective option this year. Considering that the iPhone 15 does not support Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 becomes your only choice within the standard version category.

However, don't forget about the iPhone 15 Pro, which is the only other iPhone model that supports Apple Intelligence outside of the iPhone 16 series. So, what is the current price of the iPhone 15 Pro? Pinduoduo's "Billion Subsidy" program lists it at just 6,298 yuan, but following past practices, subsidies on Pinduoduo will gradually shift towards newer models after the iPhone 16 series launches, and subsidies for the iPhone 15 series are expected to be phased out soon.

Image source: Leitech

Let's take a look at JD.com. While prices are slightly higher than on Pinduoduo, after discounts, the 256GB version is priced at just 7,349 yuan, compared to 6,999 yuan for the 256GB iPhone 16, a difference of only 350 yuan.

Image source: Leitech

So, what do you get for the extra 350 yuan?

Up to 120Hz ProMotion adaptive refresh rate

AOD function

Pro-level camera system

Titanium alloy frame

If you're not planning to use Apple's 24-month interest-free policy and are looking to upgrade your phone, the iPhone 15 Pro is currently the best choice. It supports Apple Intelligence, offers numerous Pro-level features, and is only slightly more expensive than the iPhone 16 standard version.

However, it's important to note that the iPhone 15 Pro is no longer in production, and platforms are gradually shifting subsidies and discounts towards the iPhone 16 series. As a result, the price of the iPhone 15 Pro may increase or become unavailable. If you're interested in purchasing, it's recommended to act quickly.

So, disregarding the iPhone 15 Pro, is the iPhone 16 worth buying? The answer is yes. While there aren't many upgrades on the hardware level, the iPhone 16 also enhances features like the camera system in addition to supporting Apple Intelligence. If you're choosing between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16, I would recommend the iPhone 16, as it is better equipped for future advancements.

As for the iPhone 16 Pro, from a chip performance perspective, I wouldn't recommend buying it at launch. The mere 15% performance boost and the telephoto function carried over from the iPhone 15 Pro Max aren't worth an additional 2,000 yuan over the iPhone 15 Pro (when compared to the same specification).

Therefore, if you're considering upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro, it's recommended to wait for major sales events like Singles' Day, where prices are expected to drop by at least 800-1,000 yuan, making the iPhone 16 Pro a more cost-effective alternative to the iPhone 15 Pro.

Frankly, recent iPhone models have faced similar situations amid fierce competition in the domestic market. Price drops for previous-generation models often exceed official discounts, leading to situations where buying a new standard version isn't as attractive as opting for a previous-generation Pro model. Nonetheless, the iPhone 16 standard version represents Apple's most sincere effort in recent years.

Considering Apple's recent price reductions in the domestic market, I wouldn't recommend rushing to buy the iPhone 16 series at launch. Instead, waiting for annual sales events would be the optimal time to make a purchase.

Source: Leitech