Apple iPhone 12 VS iPhone 16
We are comparing the Apple iPhone 12 ( Apple ) head-to-head with the iPhone 16 ( Apple ) . You'll get the key pros and cons of each phone, in-depth specs, and performance highlights.
Note: This comparison of Apple iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 16 is based on Comparigon's analysis and is for informational purposes only.
KEY DIFFERENCES OF Apple iPhone 12 AND iPhone 16
Here’s how Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 16 stack up against each other in their most impactful areas. Use these bullets to see at a glance which phone excels where.
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 12
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4% lighter at 164g
Reasons to consider the iPhone 16
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Superior display technology (Super Retina XDR OLED)
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Higher Main Camera Resolution of 48 MP
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27% larger battery (3561 mAh vs 2815 mAh)
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47% higher AnTuTu v11 score (1972507 vs 1341575)
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65% higher single-core Geekbench score (3288 vs 1997)
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100% more RAM (8GB vs 4GB)
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Higher resolution (1179×2556)
SPECIFICATION TABLE COMPARISON OF Apple iPhone 12 AND iPhone 16
Below is the detailed specification table comparing Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 16.
Note: Highlighted specs mean that Phone wins that spec row.
If neither side is highlighted, it is a tie or there is not enough data for both specs.
| Specification | Apple iPhone 12 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
|
General Information
|
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| Brand: | Apple | Apple |
| Release Date: | October 23, 2020 | September 20, 2024 |
| Mobile SoC: | A14 Bionic | A18 |
| GPU: | Apple A14 Bionic GPU | Apple A18 GPU |
| Operating System: | iOS 26.5 | IOS 18 |
| Weight: | 164 g | 170g |
|
Display
|
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| Display Size: | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Display Resolution: | 1170 x 2532 pixels | 1179×2556 |
| Display Pixels Per Inch: | 460 | 461 |
| Display Technology: | OLED | Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Display Refresh Rate: | 60 | 60 |
| Display Brightness: | 625 nits | 2000 nits |
|
Camera
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| Main Camera Setup: | Dual Camera | Dual Camera |
| Main Camera: | 12 MP + 12 MP | 48 MP |
| Main Camera Features: | Quad LED flash, bokeh mode, pro mode | Dual Camera, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion |
| Main Camera Video: | 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60/240 fps | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps |
| Selfie Camera: | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Selfie Camera Video: | 4K at 60 fps | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps |
|
Standard Lens
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| Megapixels | 12 MP | 48 MP |
| Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 | — |
| Aperture | f/1.6 | f/1.6 |
| Focal Length | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX372 | — |
| Sensor Size | 1/3.4" | 1/1.56" |
| Pixel Size | 1.4 micron | 1 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase Autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Ultra-wide Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.4 | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 13 mm | 13 mm |
| Sensor Size | 1/3.6" | — |
| Pixel Size | — | 0.7 micron |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
|
Selfie Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/1.9 |
| Focal Length | 23 mm | 23 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX514 | CMOS |
| Sensor Size | 1/3.6" | 1/3.6" |
| Pixel Size | — | 1.12 micron |
| Autofocus | No | Phase autofocus |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
|
Battery & Charging
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| Battery Capacity: | 2815 mAh | 3561 mAh |
| Battery Life (in hours tested): | 21 | 22 |
| Battery Type: | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Charging Speed: | 18W | 27W |
| Wireless Charging: |
|
|
|
Performance
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| RAM: | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage: | 256 GB, 128 GB, 64 GB | 512 GB, 256 GB, 128 GB |
| DxOMark Score: | 117 | 147 |
|
GEEKBENCH V6
|
||
| Single-Core (V6) | 1997 | 3288 |
| Multi-Core (V6) | 4665 | 8114 |
|
ANTUTU SCORE
|
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| Overall (AnTuTu V11) | 1341575 | 1972507 |
| CPU | 402035 | 626618 |
| GPU | 336490 | 597739 |
| MEM | 153915 | 157489 |
| UX | 449135 | 590661 |
| Overall (AnTuTu V10) | 1113239 | 1710460 |
| CPU | 303719 | 701668 |
| GPU | 329975 | 588945 |
| MEM | 182615 | 161504 |
| UX | 296930 | 258343 |
|
Connectivity
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| Network Technology: | 5G | 5G |
| SIM Type: | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Dual Sim |
| Wi-Fi: |
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| Bluetooth: |
|
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| GPS: |
|
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| NFC: |
|
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| USB: | Lightning 2.0 | USB Type-C |
|
Extras & Build
|
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| Face Recognition: |
|
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| Water Resistance: |
|
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| Speaker: | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers |
| Audio Jack: | No | — |
Tip: ▲ indicates a higher-is-better spec advantage, while ▼ indicates a lower-is-better advantage.
PERFORMANCE CHART COMPARISON OF Apple iPhone 12 AND iPhone 16
The charts below visualize how Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 16 stack up in key performance metrics.
Radar Chart Comparison
Bullet Chart Comparison
SCREEN SIZE COMPARISON OF Apple iPhone 12 AND iPhone 16
Here’s a proportional visualization of the Apple iPhone 12’s 6.1 inches screen compared to the iPhone 16’s 6.1 inches display. Each rectangle is scaled so you can see at a glance which phone offers a larger viewing area.
Apple iPhone 12
6.1 inches″
iPhone 16
6.1 inches″
Release Timeline of Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 12 was released 3 years, 10 months, 28 days earlier than iPhone 16.
Value For Money Calculator
Prices use available launch or current data. Enter your own prices to see which phone gives better value.
Apple iPhone 12
iPhone 16
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Domain Score Summary
Note: Scores (0 to 100) are generated by Comparigon’s scoring algorithm and are intended as a high-level guide. They may not map 1-to-1 with the individual spec-by-spec comparisons shown in the table.
Our Verdict
In conclusion, the iPhone 16 edges out overall compared to the Apple iPhone 12. It comes out ahead across every comparable key area.
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