The iPhone 16e is here and at $599 it is definitely not a budget iPhone. The iPhone 16e (for economic?) may not be a true iPhone SE replacement for those looking for a cheap iPhone, but it still costs significantly less than an iPhone 16, which starts at $799.
So two things are true at the same time: At $600, the iPhone 16e is in no way a budget model, but at $200 less than the regular iPhone 16, it’s clearly a value option. Is that extra $200 worth it? Apple has made a number of significant compromises, but they may be worth the savings for you.
We’re only highlighting the significant differences here—you can assume everything else is the same, or close enough not to matter (nobody is going to care about three grams of weight).
| Feature | iPhone 16e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $599 | $799 |
| Colors | white, black | white, black, pink, teal, ultramarine |
| Processor | A18 with 4-core GPU | A18 with 5-core GPU |
| Camera Control | No | Yes |
| Ultrawide camera | No | Yes, w/Macro mode |
| Spatial photos and videos | No | Yes |
| Video recording modes | Dolby Vision | Dolby Vision, Action Mode, Cinematic mode, Spatial, Macro |
| Front camera / Face ID | Notch | Dynamic Island |
| Display brightness | 800 / 1000 (HDR) nits | 1000 / 1600 (HDR) / 1 nit min / 2000 nits (outdoor) |
| Wireless charging | Qi 7.5W | Qi, Qi2, MagSafe up to 25W |
| Wireless features | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7, Ultra Wideband, Thread |
| 5G | Sub-6 GHz | Sub-6 GHz, mmWave |
| Battery life | 26 hours video playback | 22 hours video playback |
As you can see, the $200 price increase to step up to the iPhone 16 does get you a fair set of features, but they may not be that important to you. The most noticeable feature will be the camera, which is a single 48MP Fusion lens on the 16e and an “advanced dual-camera system” on the iPhone 16 that pairs a 12MP ultra-wide camera with the same 48MP Fusion main camera. Along with the larger field of view, you also get several features, including Action, Cinematic, and Macro modes, as well as the ability to record spatial photos and videos for viewing on the Vision Pro.
You’re also losing out on MagSafe charging, which has been a feature of all new iPhones since the iPhone 12. The iPhone SE will work with a standard wireless charger but only up to 7.5W and it’s not compatible with any magnetic stand. So if you think you’ll really miss the ultrawide camera or MagSafe charging, we recommend springing for the more expensive model. And obviously, if you want a 6.7-inch screen, you’ll need to get the iPhone 16 Plus, which starts at $899.
However, even with those sacrifices, there is good value in the iPhone 16e. It’s the same price as the previous iPhone 14 and has a host of upgrades, including a better processor (A18 vs A16) and main camera (48MP vs 12MP), Action button with Visual Intelligence, USB-C instead of Lightning, and six extra hours of battery life. In fact, if what matters to you most is battery life, the iPhone 16e actually beats the iPhone 16 by almost 20 percent according to Apple’s specs, which tend to underpromise and overdeliver.
So ultimately the choice between the two phones comes down to three questions:
- Do you want an ultra-wide lens?
- Do you want magnetic charging?
- Do you want to hate notches?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, spend extra on the iPhone 16. Otherwise, save $200 and grab the iPhone 16e.
