iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: How the two iPhone 16 models compare — which one to buy and why

iPhone 16 family has a new member, the iPhone 16e. Soul successor to the iPhone SE 3 from 2020, the iPhone 16e comes as an affordable entrant to Apple's newest iPhone 16 lineup, donning modern looks and features, but a more affordable price tag than the rest of the series. Now, being the iPhone 16's closest sibling, in terms of price, features, and looks, how does it compare against it? So many of you are going to have the obvious question, which one to buy — iPhone 16e or iPhone 16 (review)? Well, we pit the two iPhone 16s against each other to find out which one's for whom. So, let's compare iPhone 16e and iPhone 16.

iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 share similar aesthetics. Both have flat contoured aluminum frames, have the Action Button, and a USB-C port. Not just that, but the two are almost of the same size. However, the main difference is that the iPhone 16e has a notch, similar to the one last seen on the iPhone 14, while the iPhone 16 has the much more modern Dynamic Island. Then, the 16e has a single camera module on the back, while the iPhone 16 has a pill-shaped module having two cameras in it. There's also no Camera Control on the iPhone 16e.
One other difference is that iPhone 16e comes in only two colors — Black and White, whereas iPhone 16 has a few more color options, including Teal, Ultramarine, and Pink.
The two iPhone 16 models are water resistant up to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes.

Both the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. However, as mentioned before, the iPhone 16e misses out on the Dynamic Island, so you won't be able to interact with Live Activities as you could on the iPhone 16.
Furthermore, the screen on the 16e is less bright than the one on the iPhone 16, having 1200 nits peak brightness compared to the iPhone 16's 1600 nit peak brightness.
Lastly, Apple mentions that the iPhone 16e has "Ceramic Shield front," while the iPhone 16 is mentioned having "Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front," although Apple claims both are "tougher than any smartphone glass."

iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 are powered by the latest-generation A18 chip; however, the chip is slightly different on the 'e' model. While the A18 chip on both the iPhone models has a 6-core CPU and a 16-core neural engine, the one on the iPhone 16e has a 5-core GPU, while the iPhone 16 has a 6-core GPU. One major change or, should we say, addition is that the A18 on the iPhone 16e uses Apple's indigenous modem, C1, which supports 5G connectivity, but the new modem is limited to WiFi 6 connectivity, and it also doesn't have the Ultra Wideband chip.
Both the models come in three storage trims: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. As for the RAM, the iPhone 16e should have the same 8GB memory as the iPhone 16, since that's the minimum requirement for Apple Intelligence support — and both the models support that.

iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 come with iOS 18 out of the box, and both support Apple Intelligence. Here's a link to the detailed iOS 18 piece, and this one will lead to the Apple Intelligence discussion.

One of the major pros of the iPhone 16e compared with the iPhone 16 is its battery life. Apple is promising 26 hours of video playback with the iPhone 16e, whereas the iPhone 16 has 22 hours promised. The wired charging speeds are unknown at the time, but the iPhone 16e does not support MagSafe, although it does have support for Qi wireless charging of up to 7.2 watts.

Or should I say just camera, as the iPhone 16e has a single 48MP sensor on the back; however, Apple is marketing it as a 2-in-1 camera system as it can also take photos at 2x zoom — that is the biggest difference between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16. The 16e misses out on the 12MP ultra-wide sensor that the 16 has.
There are some features common between the two, like super hi-res photos and Dolby Vision recording up to 4K at 60fps. But some of the new features of the iPhone 16 family remain limited to the iPhone 16, like the new Photographic Styles, Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Macro photography, Spatial videos, and photos.

The iPhone 16e starts at Rs 59,900, and the iPhone 16 (review) starts at Rs 79,900. The choice comes down to preferences. If you're coming from an older iPhone let's say an iPhone SE 3, the iPhone 16e is an enticing upgrade, as you get an entirely new look, chip, features, and camera. But, if you can afford spending Rs 20,000 more, the iPhone 16 will get you a much modern look, features similar to the iPhone 16 'Pro' models and an extra camera. Ultimately, it all comes down to the budget — either ways you are getting an iPhone 16.