To find out whether it is worth buying an iPhone 16e and I propose to compare it with the iPhone 16. View all its features and understand whether it is worth buying this phone.
Compare iPhone models
Design and Build
iPhone 16 has a case made of aluminum of aerospace class with colored glass at the back, available in 5 bright colors. It includes the latest generation of Ceramic Shield, which is 2 times stronger than any smartphone glass and supports IP68 protection class.
iPhone 16e probably has a similar aluminum frame, but uses transparent glass at the back instead of colored glass. It have fewer color options and use an older version of Ceramic Shield, although it still maintains IP68 protection.
Differences
iPhone 16 is a more modern design with its color glass, while iPhone 16e chooses a simpler design to reduce the cost.
Display
iPhone 16 has a Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2556x1179 pixels, a peak brightness of 2000 nits, and Dynamic Island for interactive notifications and control elements.
iPhone 16e has a Super Retina XDR OLED display with the same resolution, but with a peak brightness limit of 1200 nits. It retains the old design of the Dynamic Island interface.
Differences
iPhone 16 offers a brighter display and modern Dynamic Island, while iPhone 16e sacrifices brightness and uses a notch to reduce the cost.
Performance
iPhone 16: Powered by the A18 chip, featuring a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. This provides top-tier performance for gaming, multitasking, and AI-driven tasks.
iPhone 16e: Also equipped with the A18 chip but with a 4-core GPU, slightly reducing graphics performance compared to the iPhone 16. It retains the same CPU and Neural Engine capabilities.
Differences
iPhone 16e has a minor GPU downgrade.
Camera
iPhone 16 is equipped with a dual-camera with a 48 MP Fusion camera and 12MP Ultra Wide, ultra-wide-angle lens that supports such advanced functions as photographic styles, camera control, a new camera button, night mode and macro shooting. It also supports 4K video with spatial sound.
iPhone 16e is equipped with one 2-in-1 camera 48MP Fusion main wide-angle camera, but does not have an ultra-wide-angle lens. It is devoid of such functions as camera control, macro shooting and spatial video, although it retains the main features such as night mode.
Differences
iPhone 16e is a cheaper version of the iPhone 16. It does not have a wide-angle lens. There is also no possibility of controlling the camera, no macro shooting, and there is no spatial video.
Battery and Charging
iPhone 16: Rated for up to 22 hours of video playback, with 30W wired charging (50% charge in 30 minutes) and 25W MagSafe wireless charging.
iPhone 16e: Offers up to 26 hours of video playback — better than the iPhone 16 — due to efficiency optimizations, but it supports only 20W wired charging and 7.5W Qi wireless charging (no MagSafe). I wonder why Qi2 is not used? It is twice as fast as Qi.
Differences
The iPhone 16e excels in battery life but has slower charging and lacks MagSafe.
Connectivity
iPhone 16: Supports 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave in the US), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and includes an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) chip for precise location features (e.g., AirTag tracking).
iPhone 16e: Supports 5G and Wi-Fi 6 but lacks Wi-Fi 7 and the Ultra Wideband chip, limiting some advanced connectivity features.
Differences
The iPhone 16 leads with Wi-Fi 7, while the iPhone 16e omits the Ultra Wideband chip chip and Wi-Fi 7.
Software and Features
iPhone 16: Ships with iOS 18, featuring Apple Intelligence (AI enhancements), the Action Button (customizable), and Camera Control for quick camera access.
iPhone 16e: Also runs iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence but may lack the Action Button and definitely omits Camera Control. Also, iPhone 16e doesn’t have Dynamic Island, which will be reflected on the functionality of some programs. iPhone 16e is equipped with Apple C1 modem, which is the latest from Apple.
Differences
iPhone 16e does not have camera control also does not have Dynamic Island.
Price
iPhone 16: Starts at $799 for the base 128GB model.
iPhone 16e: Starts at $599.
Conclusions
And as a result, we see that iPhone 16 has a more advanced camera, better processor performance, modern design, and first-class Wi-Fi 7 and Ultra Wideband chip. This phone is ideal for photography and for those who want to use new technologies.
In turn, iPhone 16e has a more affordable price, high performance, and a long battery life. But iPhone 16e has a slightly weaker camera, also the design of Dynamic Island is absent, as well as some functions. I can say that iPhone 16e will save $ 200 of your budget. But it is not an optimal option for buying, because it is clearly inferior to iPhone 16. I would choose iPhone 16, because it is more advanced, has a better design, it has all the new features. Moreover, if you buy a phone and use it for a year or more, it is better to spend a little more and buy a much better product.
Thank you for reading my article!
