Apple debuted the budget-friendly iPhone 16e on February 19 at a surprise event, prompting those previously interested in the base iPhone 16 to ask: which of Apple's affordable iPhones is the better value?
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e share the same chip family, display size, and storage options, and both phones run iOS 18 and all the Apple Intelligence goodies that come with it. However, they differ in rear camera setups, and of course, price.
There are great reasons to buy both phones, but if you're purely looking for the best iPhone value, one phone comes out on top. Let's dive into the biggest differences between Apple's two most affordable iPhones and help you decide which one is worth your money.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price
The iPhone sticker shock is real, even if you're not looking to buy Apple's flashiest, top-of-the-line iPhone. That said, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e are the two most affordable iPhones in Apple's current-gen lineup.
With 128GB of storage, the iPhone 16 starts at $799 and the iPhone 16e starts at $599 — that's a pretty big difference of $200.
If you're looking for the least expensive iPhone, that's clearly the iPhone 16e. However, keep in mind, you'll likely have this phone for a few years before deciding to upgrade again. $200 is a big difference upfront, but if you either purchase the phone on an installment plan or just think of that value spread out over the next 2 to 5 years, it becomes a more manageable difference.
Where to order the iPhone 16
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e are two of the cheapest current-gen iPhones you can grab right now, but you may not have to pay full price for yours thanks to deals from popular retailers and service providers.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Specs
When you look at the specs of Apple's iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e side by side, you might be surprised. Obviously, there are a few big differences in specs (otherwise, the $200 price difference wouldn't be justified), but there are just as many similarities.
Both the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e are equipped with Apple's A18 chip and 8GB of memory, enough to power Apple Intelligence features. However, the iPhone 16's A18 chip consists of a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, while the iPhone 16e's chip has a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
With a slightly less powerful chipset, the iPhone 16e has a better rated battery life of up to 26 hours of video playback, according to Apple. Alternatively, Apple says the iPhone 16 can reportedly deliver up to 22 hours of video playback. Our testing didn't show quite as big of a difference with the iPhone 16e (12:41) only outlasting the iPhone 16 (12:13) by 28 minutes in our Laptop Mag battery test, which requires the phone to surf the web on 5G with the display set to 150 nits of brightness. However, for those upgrading from the previous iPhone SE (7:39), you're getting over a 5-hour jump.
Click to view chart in table format.
Both phones offer the same storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, and feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with slightly different resolutions and max brightness figures. The iPhone 16's display has 2556 x 1179-pixel resolution and 1,000 nits max brightness (typical), while the iPhone 16e's display has 2532 x 1170-pixel resolution and 800 nits max brightness (typical).
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e also share the same 12-megapixel TrueDepth front camera with Face ID, with a slightly different notch at the top of the display. Both phones lack a physical home button on the display, a great decision made by Apple to bring its budget-friendly phone into the future.
If you're looking for a budget-friendly iPhone capable of taking impressive photos, the iPhone 16 clearly has the edge here. Both phones come equipped with a main 48-megapixel Fusion camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture, support for high-resolution photos, and a 12-megapixel 2x Telephoto lens. However, the iPhone 16e only has optical image stabilization, whereas the iPhone 16 has improved sensor‑shift optical image stabilization to help you take less shaky photos.
The iPhone 16 also features a second camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens with ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120-degree field of view.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design
If you're hoping to decide between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e based on size or weight, you're out of luck. The iPhone 16 measures 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches and weighs 170 grams, while the iPhone 16e measures 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches and weighs 167 grams — they're practically the same phones, physically.
The only noticeable physical difference between the two phones is the Camera Control button. The iPhone 16 has both an Action button and a Camera Control button, whereas the cheaper iPhone 16e only features an Action button.
The iPhone 16 also has a lot more available colorways to choose from, including Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine. If you want an iPhone 16e, you'll only be able to choose between classic Black and sleek White. No fun colors for the iPhone 16e!
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence first hit the stage at WWDC 2024 and launched with iOS 18.1, but not fully. Some of the most highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features were pushed to later iOS 18 versions, and are only available to certain iPhones due to the processing requirements for on-device AI.
Luckily, both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e meet these requirements with the A18 chip and 8GB of memory. With either phone, users can take advantage of Writing Tools to help craft emails and reply to texts, AI-powered image generation or editing tools, smarter Siri, and so much more.
Apple Intelligence still has a ways to go in 2025, but the road ahead is looking positive at the moment, and both of Apple's budget-friendly phones should reap the benefits.
Outlook
At just $599, the iPhone 16e is the best iPhone value when compared to the base iPhone 16. For $200 less, you're getting practically the same chipset (just one less GPU core), better battery life, and a decent rear camera.
Yes, the iPhone 16e only comes in plain old Black and White color options and doesn't have a Camera Control button, but those are small trade-offs for $200 in savings. If you must have an iPhone in color, absolutely need a Camera Control button and a rear ultrawide camera, or want the best budget-friendly performance Apple offers, the iPhone 16 is still a great option to consider.
In all other cases, the iPhone 16e is going to be the best affordable smartphone available from Apple right now.
