Apples iPhone 16 Pro launched just over three months ago. Ive used the device daily ever since, and theres a lot to love about itbut its not all good news. Heres how the latest flagship iPhone has fared for me three months in.Setting the iPhone upgrade contextBefore diving into all the good things about Apples latest iPhone, and its drawbacks, you should know two things:I buy the new iPhone every year, so my impressions are shaped by comparing the 16 Pro to last years 15 Pro.If you arent upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro, youll have way more new features to love about the 16 Pro than I did.Taken as a standalone device, theres much more that could be written about the iPhone 16 Pro. But for me, I cant help but compare it to last years iPhone.All the good thingsiPhone 16 Pro has pleasantly surprised me in a variety of ways. Some of its best features were things I expected to love, but others flew under the radar and have made a bigger impact than I ever thought.Here are all the positive features that stand out most about my iPhone 16 Pro:Better battery life: Apple really undersold the battery life upgrades with the 16 Pro. This is the first time I havent had to worry about battery at all, even on travel days. Thats a game changer.5x telephoto lens: I kind of hate to write this, because next years iPhone 17 Air will drop the telephoto lens. But getting 5x on my iPhone 16 Pro (Im not a Pro Max guy) has been really great. Ive captured lots of moments with the 5x lens that I never could before.1 nit minimum brightness: My sleeper hit of the year is the iPhones new 1 nit minimum brightness. Any time I use my iPhone in bed with my wife or baby son nearby, Im thankful for this feature. In those moments, the darker my iPhone screen can go, the better.Camera Control after iOS 18.2: I quickly learned that the flagship Camera Control feature was not ideal for portrait photos, only landscape ones. So I turned off most of its functionality. But iOS 18.2 brought key changes that have made me really appreciate the new button as a fast Camera launcher and AI tool.Improved thermals: iPhone 15 Pro famously got overheated far too easily, and Im happy to report that my 16 Pro has been so much better on that front. Only once have I been unable to capture a photo due to the phone running too hotsomething that happened often on my 15 Pro.Taking the list above into consideration, this was a pretty solid year for iPhone improvements. But unfortunately, the whole experience hasnt been positive.Drawbacks and disappointmentsApple made some changes to the iPhone 16 Pro that have, for me at least, felt like regressions. Or in some cases, new features that should have made a bigger difference just havent. Here are my 16 Pro drawbacks and disappointments:Bigger with no benefit: iPhone 16 Pro is both taller and wider than the 15 Pro, sporting a 6.3-inch display compared to last years 6.1-inch model. For some users, this has been a great change. For me, I havent had a single moment when I found the larger size worthwhile. I can still use the 16 Pro comfortably with one hand, but its bulkier than before, and with no apparent benefit. I wish I had my 15 Pros size back.Weighs more: On that note, the 16 Pro weighs more too. Its unfortunate because last years 15 Pro brought a big weight reduction that felt great, and Apple gave up some of that ground just a year later.Macro mode disappoints: This years Ultrawide lens got a big 48MP upgrade that I thought would solve my macro mode problem. While Ive noticed some minor improvements, more often than not Ive still been deactivating macro mode. The main camera consistently produces better photos, even if it cant get quite as close.A18 Pro vs. A17 Pro: Finally, I expected that the A18 Pro chip might feel noticeably more powerful than last years A17 Pro, especially with Apple Intelligence tasks. While I havent done a side-by-side comparison, I havent seen much difference in my testing. Maybe future AI features will change that.iPhone 16 Pro three month wrap-upOverall, Im still very happy with my iPhone 16 Pro. Its brought meaningful improvements that make the iPhone better than ever.That said, it would have been really great to gain these improvements without sacrificing the weight and size I loved with last years iPhone 15 Pro.How does my iPhone 16 Pro experience line up with your own? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel