iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer’s Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
Apple’s all-new iPhone 16e joins the lineup as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 16. Despite sharing most of their features, there are still more than 25 differences between the devices to be aware of.
There is a $200 price difference between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16. To justify this, the iPhone 16e misses out on features such as the Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, it still features the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support, the same main rear camera, and more. Here’s everything that’s different:
iPhone 16e (2025)
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus (2024)
“Notch”
Dynamic Island
Ceramic Shield front
Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front
6.1-inch display
6.1- or 6.7-inch display
800 nits max brightness (typical)
1,000 nits max brightness (typical)
1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR)
1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
1 nit minimum brightness
Glass back
Color-infused glass back
Available in White and Black
Available in White, Black, Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink
Camera Control
12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera
1x or 2x optical zoom options
0.5x, 1x, or 2x optical zoom options
Portrait mode with Depth Control
Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
Photographic Styles
Latest-generation Photographic Styles
Macro photography
Spatial photos and videos
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps)
Action mode
A18 chip with 4-core GPU
A18 chip with 5-core GPU
Apple C1 modem
Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem
Wi‑Fi 6 connectivity
Wi-Fi 7 connectivity
Thread connectivity
Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding
26-hour battery life
22 or 27-hour battery life
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W
Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W
MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher
Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more
Starts at $599
Starts at $799
At a markedly more accessible price point, the iPhone 16e will be the go-to iPhone for many customers, especially those buying on a budget. Unlike the iPhone SE that came before it, the iPhone 16e has very few compromises and offers almost all of the iPhone 16’s most important features. In fact, it has considerably better battery life.
Many customers may not care about the lack of an Ultra Wide camera, camera control, additional color options, or Wi-Fi 7. However, the lack of MagSafe, a brighter display, the Dynamic Island, and a large array of camera capabilities may be a dealbreaker for some. As a result, those who want a little more out of their iPhone, especially when it comes to the rear camera, should consider the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16e. That being said, most prospective customers should opt for the iPhone 16e over the pricier iPhone 16, unless the larger display of the iPhone 16 Plus is essential.
This article, “iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer’s Guide: 25+ Differences Compared” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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