The iPhone 16e is prescribed , making it the most affordable modelling of iPhone in Apple ’s 2025 collection – but how does it liken to the regular iPhone 16 ?
While the two smartphones might look near - identical at a glance , there are differences not only to the overall intent but key elements like television camera technology , Face ID smarting and more that could sway your vote one way or the other .
Here ’s how theiPhone 16estacks up to theiPhone 16on paper .
Pricing and availability
The iPhone 16 is a flagship - degree smartphone and has a price tag to match , starting at £ 799/$799 with 128 GB store . It ’s available to corrupt mightily now both outright and on contract bridge , having launched in late 2024 .
The iPhone 16E , on the other paw , is fructify to go up for pre - order from various retailers and carriers on 21 February 2025 ahead of release on 28 February . It ’s not quite as affordable as the iPhone SE was , however , come in at £ 599/$599 with 128 GB of storage .
Design
TheiPhone SE 3 , which the iPhone 16e is generally based , lark a much older design than other recent iPhones we ’ve seen .
The iPhone 16 , for model , sports the same combination of a full covert display , flat edges and rounded corners first introduce right smart back on the iPhone 12 . The iPhone SE 3 , give up in 2022 , had a date design that looked a lot like the iPhone 8 , arrant with a small sieve and the now - ancient abode button .
The good news is that the novel iPhone 16e chuck the aged feeling of its spiritual predecessor , pop the question the same cosmopolitan look – including the same all - screen innovation with flat edges and rounded turning point – as the flagship iPhone . That brings with it a number of advancements , especially when it comes to screen technical school , but we ’ll hail to that curtly .
Elsewhere , both iPhones sport the same flagship - layer IP68 detritus and water underground , something that ’s still not old-hat at the iPhone 16E ’s mid - range terms detail . The new iPhone 16e also feature the same upgrade USB - degree centigrade connectivity as its flagship brethren , lastly marking the end of the Lightning port wine on Apple ’s iPhone collection .
Both iPhones also sport Apple ’s customisable Action Button , though only the flagship iPhone offer the accompanying Camera Control push on the bottom rightfield .
The colouring options differ depending on the telephone you go for , with the iPhone 16 available in shades of black , blank , pink , blue-green , and ultramarine while the iPhone 16e come in in either black or white , but broadly speaking speaking , the two look pretty like – much more so than the iPhone SE 3 ever did , anyway .
Display
Though the iPhone 16E ’s cover might wait identical to that of the iPhone 16 at a glance , there are subtle deviation between the two .
For one , the iPhone 16 sports an ever so slenderly prominent screen than the iPhone 16e , appraise in at 6.12 inches compare to the 16e ’s 6.06 in , though just how noticeable this will be in literal life is yet to be learn .
The bigger difference is actually the Face ID smartness integrate into the top of the video display . While Apple moved the flagship iPhone from the traditional notch to the more antiphonal and nonrational Dynamic Island , the iPhone 16e still boast the former , larger cutout .
Given how helpful Dynamic Island has proved to be in the years since its launching , it ’s a shame it ’s not present here .
Elsewhere , however , the two screen are near - very ; both sport the same OLED display technical school for deep blacks and intense colours , the same screen resolution and even the same 60Hz refresh pace .
Camera
Apple ’s budget - focus iPhones have always had a single television camera lens of the eye – look no further than the three generations of iPhone SE to see what we mean – and that has n’t changed with the iPhone 16e .
However , rather than packing an unimpressive 12MP lens like the old SE did , the iPhone 16e sports an upgraded 48MP main tv camera . It ’s not quite the same as that as the iPhone 16s main television camera , lacking the upgrade sensor - faulting OIS technical school of the flagship model , but both offer the same pixel binning technical school to boost light and detail , and both offer a digital 2x telephoto too .
Where the iPhone 16 draw aside from the iPhone 16e is with the inclusion of a 12MP ultrawide lens , providing a wider view for those scenic scene than can be pull off from the chief lens .
The iPhone 16e also does n’t offer the same shot modes as the iPhone 16 , miss accompaniment for Action Mode , Cinematic Mode , Dolby HDR recording and more .
Charging
Interestingly , one of the big omission from the iPhone 16e is MagSafe – a rather left over decision given how popular the magnetic bear down technical school is on the flagship iPhone reach , so much so that Android speech sound maker have begun to reduplicate Apple ’s magnetised supplement success .
You still get wireless charging on the iPhone 16e , at up to 7.5W , but it lose out on the much faster 25W wireless charging provide by Apple ’s MagSafe battery charger .
Performance
With Apple look big on Apple Intelligence with the launch of the iPhone 16 ambit , it only made sense for the party to also land it to its unexampled budget - friendly option – and that ’s precisely what has happened with the iPhone 16e .
In fact , it wad the same A18 chipset as the iPhone 16 , even if it is more or less underclocked with one fewer GPU effect than its flagship brethren , to power the Apple Intelligence functionality . And , as confirmed by Apple , it ’ll handle all the same Apple Intelligence features as the flagship , including ChatGPT integration , Visual Intelligence support and more .
It also means that the iPhone 16e should be a pretty powerful smartphone for the price , with performance that should provide it to run gamy - end games and call for apps at a similar pace to the relief of the iPhone 16 range .
Early thoughts
While there may not be many differences between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 at a glance , there are subtle changes on offer that could carry you one way or the other .
If you want a innovative iPhone experience but are n’t fussed about have the late and greatest ironware , the iPhone 16e could be a beguiling option . It lack some advanced characteristic and functionality , but it does the job .
However , if you really do care about elements like photographic camera carrying into action and show , it could be deserving splash out the supererogatory cash on the iPhone 16 .
We ’ll deliver our definitive verdict once we ’ve spend some time with the iPhone 16e , however , so head back soon to find out more .
