iPhone 15/Plus At the same price, am I crazy for choosing 15 over 16E?

It's basically a tossup at this point. If you're keeping it 3 years there is chance the 15 will be left out of some features with its older specs, AI or otherwise.
 
iPhone 15 if you don’t care about AI
Note that AI « eats » some storage on the phone (I heard 7 Go)
Double camera, magsafe and Dynamic Island are very useful
In real life usage, 6 go of RAM vs 8 or A16 vs A18 doesn’t make any difference, unless for hardcore gamers (which of course your daughter aren’t)
 
AI is basically all hype and I expect it will continue to be hype for some time. MagSafe is very useful, I use it every day for many hours. If I had to choose between the two, I'd also opt for the 15, though I think a used 14 Pro would also be great value - better screen and cameras, better materials, same processor as 15, really the only downside is Lightning but the other two phones have the same speed over USB-C anyways.
 
menist said:
Embargo should be lifted today or tomorrow for the 16e, I would wait to see if its good or bad.
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I have never read a bad review for an Apple product in this first wave. Even the iPhone 4 with the flawed antenna system, we didn't hear anything negative until real people started getting them.
 
I would go with the iPhone 16e because the CPU is an A18 vs A16 and extra 2GB of RAM which is already starting to limit some features (mostly AI for now) on the iPhone 15 or older models.
 
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DTphonehome said:
AT&T is running a promo where you can get either the 15 or 16E for $5.99 a month for 36 months. I need a phone for my daughter. Am I crazy for choosing the 15 over the 16E? She has no use for Apple Intelligence.

The way I see it, the 15 has fun colors, MagSafe, a better screen (brighter), Dynamic Island instead of notch, faster cellular, better camera system. The 16E has a faster CPU with AI support, action button, and better battery life.

The 15 currently retails for $699, while the 16E is $599. So the 15 is a “better” deal at the moment (that will probably change when the 17 is out).
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Why don’t you ask your daughter which one she wants?
 
Definitely 16e.

2 generations newer processor and extra couple of gig ram are the big sellers for me.

I’d rather the notch. I went from a 12 Pro to a 16 Pro and I honestly prefer the notch. MagSafe isn’t that important to me either. Colour - you will likely just put a case on it anyway.
 
I use Apple Intelligence a bit, but if she doesn’t have any use for it, it’s a bargain. And even if she wanted to use AI for something, there is always ChatGPT and co.
The 16e is better if she wants a longer battery life.
 
Here are some perspectives to support your consideration.

The 15 and 16e models have different features. Which features are more important to you (not YouTubers)?

Are those features truly important to you, or do they just seem valuable on paper? Are you trying to get the most for your money in theory, even if you don’t actually need those features? A good feeling about your purchase can also be worth the money.

There may also be a psychological aspect to the decision—do you prefer owning a newest device, or would it bother you to buy an “older” one?
 
How old is your daughter?
It's funny no one mentions the extra camera on the 15... for a teenager that takes a lot of pictures, the ultrawide is a lot more useful than the other extras.
 
While most of the differences are negligible, if the camera is the most important feature for the OP/his daughter - iP15, and if newer CPU (A18 vs A16), more RAM (8GB vs 6GB) and longer battery life - iP 16e.
 
FYI, if you think the 15 is the better phone, then go for that. I was in a similar position a few years ago, and could get the iPhone 12 or 12 mini for the same price. I really wanted the 12 mini, but since the 12 was the more expensive phone, I went with that, and regretted it immediately. While the phone was fine, it was just too large for me & I felt like I made the wrong choice, even though, economically, it made more sense.

If you've done your research, and it appears you have, and feel that the 15 is a better fit for your daughter, go with that one.
 
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Cirillo Gherardo said:
If you insist on choosing, I don't think MagSafe is something to go without unless you don't use wireless charging for some reason. We lived without Apple Intelligence up until last year, but MagSafe has become a staple of Qi charging on iPhone.
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Funny, it’s the opposite for me. I prefer to charge plugged in for faster charging, and I have on occasion used some of the AI tools, especially when drafting formal emails to colleagues.
 
0423MAC said:
I would go with the iPhone 16e because the CPU is an A18 vs A16 and extra 2GB of RAM which is already starting to limit some features (mostly AI for now) on the iPhone 15 or older models.
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I hear that. The fate of this phone is to be traded in in 3 years for whatever is the top of the line model at that time (iPhone 19? 20?). Plenty of people are presently using the 12 or 13 (which are >3 yrs old), so I think the 15 would be fine in 3 years' time. It will need a new battery at some point but so would the 16E.
 
AxiomaticRubric said:
Magsafe is the deal breaker for me personally. I love Magsafe accessories and the 16e does not support them. I would choose the iPhone 15.
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I assume a teenager isn't going to be walking around with such a nice phone without a case. That case can add MagSafe if desired.

Either way, NEITHER are bad options it comes down to personal preference.
 
Looks like you made your mind made up when you created the thread. Not sure why you felt a need to ask strangers how you should spend your money on your daughter. She will be happy with any phone she is given because it will be her phone.
 
wave84 said:
How old is your daughter?
It's funny no one mentions the extra camera on the 15... for a teenager that takes a lot of pictures, the ultrawide is a lot more useful than the other extras.
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I’ve had iPhones with the ultra wide for five years and have used that camera fewer than five times. I find it totally useless (unlike the telephoto on the pro, which I use all the time).
 
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