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The iPhone 16e joined the lineup as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 16 earlier this year. Despite sharing most of their features, there are still more than 25 differences between the devices to be aware of.

iPhone-16e-vs-16-Feature-1.jpg

Following the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and bumped the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus down in price by $100.

This means that the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 now represent the two cheapest iPhone options available directly from Apple, with just $100 between them. 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 frontLatest-generation Ceramic Shield front
6.1-inch display6.1- 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 backColor-infused glass back
Available in White and BlackAvailable in White, Black, Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink
Camera Control
12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera
1x or 2x optical zoom options0.5x, 1x, or 2x optical zoom options
Optical image stabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilization
Portrait mode with Depth ControlNext-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
Photographic StylesLatest-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 GPUA18 chip with 5-core GPU
Apple C1 modemQualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem
mmWave 5G connectivity
Wi‑Fi 6 connectivityWi-Fi 7 connectivity
Thread connectivity
Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding
26-hour battery life22 or 27-hour battery life
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5WQi 2 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
128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storageiPhone 16: 128GB
iPhone 16 Plus: 128GB or 256GB
Starts at $599Starts at $699


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, partly thanks to Apple's custom modem technology, which is also now used in the iPhone Air.

Some customers will not care about the lack of an Ultra Wide camera, camera control, additional color options, or Wi-Fi 7. The iPhone 16e is a newer device and many will not be able to justify the extra $100 to upgrade to the

However, the lack of MagSafe, a brighter display, the Dynamic Island, and a large array of camera capabilities may be a dealbreaker for some. 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 likely opt for the iPhone 16e over the pricier iPhone 16, unless the larger display of the iPhone 16 Plus is essential.

Article Link: iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
 
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Lack of MagSafe is a dealbreaker. I've been using only MagSage for a while now, both at my desk, at my bedside, in the car and at work. But it's a great entry level model, but the price is so high that you might as well get an iPhone 15 or 16.
 
Lack of MagSafe is a dealbreaker. I've been using only MagSage for a while now, both at my desk, at my bedside, in the car and at work. But it's a great entry level model, but the price is so high that you might as well get an iPhone 15 or 16.

It’s a surprising omission because you’d think Apple makes a fair bit of money on selling and licensing MagSafe accessories.

Wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me though since it does support Qi, and I mostly only use wireless charging in cars (which are just Qi, not MagSafe)
 
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