Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Compare Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro side by side: Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) vs Apple A18 Pro, 12MP vs 48MP camera, 2815mAh vs 3582mAh battery…

Apple

iPhone 16 Pro

$999

14categories won

6 categories tied · 22 scored in total · add a third phone

Information Gain

Which one wins?

MxMob Algorithmic Verdict

Apple iPhone 16 Pro takes the overall win

Overall Pick

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro proves superior overall against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, outperforming on gaming and photography. In camera testing, the iPhone 16 Pro leads with superior optics, while battery endurance leans towards the iPhone 16 Pro. Choose the iPhone 16 Pro if you want the highest performance ceiling, or opt for the iPhone 12 Pro if its specific hardware strengths better fit your budget.

🔋 BatteryiPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro takes battery honors offering 3,582 mAh alongside 27W charging.

🎮 GamingiPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro provides greater sustained gaming output with its Apple A18 Pro and 8GB RAM.

📸 CameraiPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro takes photography with 48MP optics and 5x optical telephoto capabilities.

🏷️ ValueTie

Both handsets sit in the exact same pricing bracket around $999.

Category verdicts are computed algorithmically from verified technical specifications and hardware benchmarks. Rows where neither figure is objectively better — screen size preference, operating system choice, aesthetic build materials — are displayed for direct reference without scoring bias.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: specifications compared

Display

Display comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Screen size	6.1"	6.3"
Resolution	1170 x 2532	1206 x 2622Winner
Pixel density	457 ppi	460 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	120 HzWinner
Peak brightness	1200 nits	2000 nitsWinner

Performance

Performance comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Chipset	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)	Apple A18 Pro
Process node	5 nm	3 nmWinner
AnTuTu score	1,120,000	1,805,000Winner
Geekbench multi	4890	8520Winner
Maximum RAM	6 GB	8 GBWinner
Maximum storage	128GB	1TBWinner

Camera

Camera comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Main sensor	12 MP	48 MPWinner
Rear cameras	3	3
Optical zoom	2x	5xWinner
Ultrawide	12 MP	48 MPWinner
Selfie camera	12 MP	12 MP
Max video	4K at 60fps Dolby Vision 10-bit HDR	4K at 120fps Dolby Vision

Battery and charging

Battery and charging comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Capacity	2,815 mAh	3,582 mAhWinner
Wired charging	20 W	27 WWinner
Wireless charging	15 W	25 WWinner

Design

Design comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Weight	189 gWinner	199 g
Thickness	7.4 mmWinner	8.25 mm
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Build	Surgical-grade stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back	Grade 5 Titanium frame, textured matte glass back

Software and support

Software and support comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
Operating system	iOS 14	iOS 18
OS updates	6 years	6 years
Security updates	7 years	7 years

Connectivity and value

Connectivity and value comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro
5G	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Storage expansion	None	None
3.5mm jack	No	No
Launch price	$999	$999