Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs iPhone 17 – Technical Data Sheets Comparison

Here’s a detailed review and comparison of the Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs iPhone 17.
You’ll find a comparison table followed by commentary on the differences and what they mean in practice.

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📊 Comparison Table

 

 

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📝 Commentary & Insights

Design & Screen

The iPhone 17 has a higher design & materials score (9.2 vs 7.8), reflecting improvements in build and perhaps finish, materials and ergonomics. The smaller 6.3″ size makes it lighter (177 g vs 199 g), which is meaningful for one‐hand use and portability. However, the iPhone 16 Plus offers a bigger display (6.7″) which is a bonus for media, reading or multitasking.

Performance & Hardware

While both have 8 GB RAM, the iPhone 17 uses the newer A19 chip and scores significantly higher on AnTuTu (2.08M vs 1.59M) showing improved performance headroom. This matters for longevity (future updates, heavier apps/games).

Camera

Interestingly, the “Camera” score is slightly higher for the iPhone 16 Plus (8.7 vs 8.5), despite the iPhone 17 having better secondary rear camera and selfie specs. In practice, this suggests the iPhone 16 Plus remains very strong for imaging, though the iPhone 17 adds next-gen improvements that might show up under more demanding conditions.

Connectivity

The connectivity score is essentially a tie (8.8 vs 8.9) but the iPhone 17 edges out slightly. Both support a large number of bands, WiFi‐7, Bluetooth improvements etc, so you’re well covered either way.

Battery

This is one of the clearest differences: While the iPhone 16 Plus has a larger battery (4,674 mAh) and a better battery score (8.2), the iPhone 17’s battery score is much lower (6.0) despite both offering the same 25W fast charge. The reduced capacity in the iPhone 17 suggests you might sacrifice some battery life for the smaller size and newer features.

Software & Future‐proofing

Out of the box, the iPhone 17 ships with iOS 26 (vs iOS 18 on the 16 Plus), which means you’ll likely get longer software support from the 17. If you keep phones 4-5 years, that may matter.

Value Consideration

Even though both models have the same “cost‐effective” score of 8.6, your value depends on pricing in your region, what features you care about (screen size vs portability, battery size vs newer chip), and how long you intend to use the phone.

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✅ Which Should You Choose?

• Choose iPhone 17 if you:

  • Prefer a more compact, lighter phone.

  • Want the latest chip for future‐proofing.

  • Value the newer camera sensors and slightly newer build.

  • Don’t mind the trade-off of smaller battery.

• Choose iPhone 16 Plus if you:

  • Want a larger screen for watching, reading or multitasking.

  • Prefer longer battery life / larger capacity.

  • Are okay with slightly older chip / slightly larger/ heavier form factor.

  • Want possibly better value (if priced lower than the newer model).