Since late last year, rumors have been circulating that Apple could drop the newest member to the iPhone SE family pretty soon. The Cupertino giant had some other ideas for their “newest member to the family” with the launch of the new iPhone 16e. The name confirms that it shares several similarities with the base iPhone 16. So it only makes sense to see how the iPhone 16e fares vs the iPhone 16 to find out which offers better value for money in 2025.
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Specifications
Before talking in depth about the two smartphones, let us take a quick look at the key specifications and highlights.
Specs iPhone 16e iPhone 16 Dimensions 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm Weight 167 grams 170 grams Processor Apple A18 (3nm) Apple A18 (3nm) RAM + Storage 8GB LPDDR5 + upto 512GB NVMe 8GB LPDDR5 + upto 512GB NVMe Display 6.1-inch Full HD (1179 x 2556) Super Retina XDR display OLED, Ceramic Shield 6.1-inch Full HD (1179 x 2556) Super Retina XDR display OLED, Ceramic Shield Rear Camera 48MP primary 48MP primary + 12MP ultra-wide Front Camera 12MP 12MP Video Up to 4K at 60FPS Up to 4K at 60FPS Dual SIM Yes; Supports eSIM Yes; Supports eSIM Connectivity Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC Port USB Type C 2.0 USB Type C 2.0 Battery 26 hours of video playback 22 hours of video playback IP Rating IP68 IP68 Software iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Build and Design
The only design differences I can make out as a reviewer between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 are the additional camera control on the right in the iPhone 16 and the cameras at the back. Apart from that, both the 16e and 16 look identical to each other. They both have chamfered metal rails on the side, with matte textured glass on the back. However, the iPhone 16 has a dual camera setup at the back, while the iPhone 16e has one. Yes, Apple launched a phone with a single camera in 2025
I guess it was a necessary cost-cutting measure, given they haven’t compromised much on the internals. The rest of the back is made up of glass, which is protected by a Ceramic shield on the front. The iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 also include IP68 protection to prevent any poolside mishaps but skips out on MagSafe for some reason. So if you want to use your old MagSafe accessories, it would be logical to pick the iPhone 16.
Besides that, both phones include the Action Button on the left and a USB Type C port at the bottom. And before anyone asks, it’s the USB 2.0 version. Seems like Apple’s design engineers have secured a safe spot with the design and don’t want to stray away too far from it.
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Display and Cameras
When comparing the displays of the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16, you’ll see they are very similar. Both the phones have a 6.1-inch Super XDR OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate (c’mon, Apple). The panel supports HDR 10+ content and Dolby Vision, however, the brightness of the 16e is slightly lower at a 1200 nits peak in comparison to the iPhone 16 which can touch the 2000 nits mark. This should help make the phone easy to use when on your trip to the beach.
The only obvious difference is visible at the top. The iPhone 16e still includes the dated notch that Apple ditched just a few years ago. But that also means that for the first time, Apple is introducing Face ID in an iPhone 16e. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 has a pill-styled dynamic island. This is also home to the 12MP selfie shooter, which is the same hardware seen in the 16e. It can take some natural-looking photos, and capture videos at up to 4K at 60FPS.
This is the same as the rear 48MP lens on both devices. Again, the hardware remains the same on the back, featuring the latest lens from the iPhone 16 on the 16e. This lets you get great results, and almost lossless 2x crops from the iPhone 16e. This can also pull off steady 4K 60 footage thanks to OIS. Though, that’s where the camera prowess of the new 16e comes to an end. It doesn’t include an ultra-wide lens at the back, which can be a bummer if you are into ultra-wide photography.
Hardware, Software, and AI
The iPhone 16e, and the 16 come with Apple’s latest A18 processor based on the 3nm architecture. This gives a massive edge to the 16e, as it can take on even the mightiest of midrange options from Android. We’ve already discussed the A18’s capabilities, but to summarize, this chipset not only outperforms Snapdragon’s flagship processor, but it can also run console games like the Resident Evil 4 remake.
So it can handle heavy loads like a champ and brings with it pretty decent battery efficiency. iOS 18 (review) should run smoothly on both iPhones, and there should be no hiccups during regular usage. They have even included their own C1 modem introduced in the iPhone 16e.
The software offers new icon customizations, a control center, T9 calling, a redesigned Photos app, and other features. Given this new processor, the iPhone 16e should work seamlessly with future updates. The iPhone 16e also includes Apple Intelligence capabilities. This lets you use the most recent AI advancements in iOS.
While Apple has not revealed the RAM configuration, we do know that the iPhone 16 has 8GB of RAM to handle Apple Intelligence functions. The lack of it is the reason why earlier devices don’t have these capabilities. So the 16e should have the same amount of RAM. This makes the iPhone 16e the most affordable iPhone to feature Apple Intelligence out of the box.
We’re not going to go in-depth about the Apple Intelligence features, as we have discussed them separately. But credit where credit is due, I didn’t expect these features to arrive on this device. It makes the iPhone 16e on par with the iPhone 16 in terms of not just performance but also software. I am sure that we reviewers would have given it a clean pass if they decided to omit Apple Intelligence, but its addition here is worth celebrating.
Battery and Charging
So far, it seems like I have been comparing the same phone against itself. This trend breaks in the battery department as Apple claims that the iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of video playback. However, if we check the product page of the iPhone 16, it can do only 22 hours of video playback. So does that mean that the iPhone 16e has a bigger battery? We can’t say for sure since the company isn’t fond of sharing battery specifications.
Both the iPhone 16e and the 16 support USB PD 2.0 allowing them to charge up to 50% in 30 minutes. For some odd reason though, Apple skipped out on MagSafe on the 16e, but it can still charge wirelessly. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 includes MagSafe and can charge up to 25W with a 30W adapter.
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Which One Should You Buy in 2025?
The new iPhone 16e starts at a high asking price of $599, just $200 short compared to the iPhone 16 whose base model retails for $799. Now here’s the thing, the iPhone 16 has been out for a few months now, and you can get them for cheap during sales, discounts, or offers. Heck, you can get the iPhone 16 for even lower if you decide to get a used or refurbished one.
This puts the iPhone 16e in a tough spot. While it does include all the new flashy features, the omission of an ultra-wide camera, MagSafe, camera control, and dynamic island don’t justify its cost. It is a pretty decent midrange device, but if only Apple had priced it a bit more aggressively, it would have been an easier recommendation. At $599, you’re getting a decent phone, but not the one that you should go for.
