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The iPhone 16e is Apple's foray into the budget smartphone market. However, you can hardly label it 'budget,' considering its $599 price tag. Previously, the more affordable iPhones were from the iPhone SE series, which were priced between $399 and $429. Apple essentially replaced the iPhone SE lineup with the iPhone 16e and increased the price, which begs the question, "Is it even a budget smartphone?"
Don't get us wrong. The iPhone 16e is the cheapest iPhone as of this writing, but $599 is still a lot of money. The real question is, if you are willing to pay that much, why not pay $200 more and get the standard iPhone 16? Although, can the iPhone 16 deliver an experience seamless enough to make you change your decision?
That's what we discuss in this article, as we make a detailed comparison of the two iPhones.
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Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.
Apple iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Detailed comparison
The Apple iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 are designed for two different demographics and are priced to reflect that. Below is a detailed comparison of both smartphones:
Specs comparison
These are the specs of the Apple iPhone 16e and iPhone 16:
Design and display
Both the iPhone 16e and standard iPhone 16 are built using premium materials. The build quality is one area where Apple hasn't compromised with the new iPhone 16e. Both phones feature a similar metal side and mid-frame with a glass rear panel. Their premium construction with flat designs makes them stand out.
The displays of both phones are quite similar, as the screen sizes and panels are identical. However, the standard iPhone 16's display is brighter outdoors and it also supports Dolby Vision. Both smartphones have Ceramic Shield glass for display protection, but the iPhone 16 comes with the latest Ceramic Shield, which is touted to be better than the one on the iPhone 16e.
However, there is another notable difference between the two phones, and that's related to the notch system that houses the FaceID. The iPhone 16 has the latest pill-shaped notch with Dynamic Island, which can display valuable information at the top of the screen.
On the other hand, the iPhone 16e features the old notch, which is quite large and can be a deal breaker for some users. Moreover, it doesn't have the Dynamic Island feature.
Camera performance
The biggest difference between both phones is with their cameras. The Apple iPhone 16 has a dual camera setup that can capture both traditional and ultra-wide shots, while the iPhone 16e only has one camera, which means the latter cannot capture ultra-wide pictures.
This budget iPhone also lacks two camera modes: Cinematic Mode and Action Mode, both of which are available in the standard iPhone 16. However, when it comes to the front camera, there are no differences.
Performance and cooling
Both the iPhone 16e and 16 are equipped with the Apple A18 chipset, which delivers flagship performance in day-to-day tasks and gaming. However, Apple uses different binning of the Apple A18 chipset for each phone.
The CPUs are the same, but not the graphics part of the chip. The A18 chipset inside the iPhone 16e has a 4-core GPU, while the standard iPhone 16 has a 5-core GPU. This results in a decreased gaming performance on the former.
Here are the benchmarks of the iPhone 16e and 16:
The benchmarks prove that the gaming capabilities of the iPhone 16e are slower than the iPhone 16, but you won't notice it unless you are a heavy gamer. For most users, both phones should perform extremely fast.
Memory and storage
Both the iPhone 16e and 16 can be purchased in 128GB/256GB/512GB storage configurations. They have the same 8GB memory.
Also read: Everything to know about the new Apple iOS 18.4
Battery and charging
The battery capacity and charging are other areas where you will notice radical differences between the two phones. The iPhone 16e has a larger battery, so it has significantly higher battery backup than the standard iPhone 16. However, the latter has a MagSafe wireless charging system, which is not present in the former.
MagSafe allows the phone to charge faster, and since it uses magnets, you don't need to worry about whether the device is aligned with the wireless charger. The iPhone 16e uses traditional Qi2 charging without the magnetic attachable interface.
Pricing
Another major difference between the two phones is the pricing. The iPhone 16e costs $599, while the iPhone 16 costs $799, leaving a $200 price gap between the two models.
Final thoughts on Apple iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16
There are many differences between the two models, ranging from the display notch to the camera. With the iPhone 16e, you will save $200, but you will miss out on certain features and higher capabilities available in the standard iPhone 16.
One could argue that the iPhone 16e is more appealing to budget-conscious users, but you will lose tremendous value. Besides, $599 is not exactly a budget price tag and far from the cost of Apple's older iPhone SE models. If you can happily pay $599, we consider adding $200 more to get the standard iPhone 16.
However, if you are on a strict budget and cannot afford to stretch it, you may as well opt for the iPhone 16e.
Also read: iPhone 16e buyers facing music stuttering in Bluetooth earphones
