iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16e: Know what you are looking for?

iPhone 16 family now adds a new one, the iPhone 16e which is a budget-friendly alternative to Apple's new iPhone 16 series, loaded with trendy appearance and specs. Most individuals have two minds who were initially opting for the iPhone 16 choice. Let's now compare and contrast the iPhone 16e with the iPhone 16 and determine the best option for you.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Design

iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 have similar look. Both possess flat aluminum bodies, the Action Button, and a USB-C port. Not only that, but both are nearly of equal size as well. The primary variation is that the iPhone 16e possesses a notch like the one previously seen in the iPhone 14, but the iPhone 16 possesses the considerably more contemporary Dynamic Island. 

Then, the 16e has one camera module at the back, whereas the iPhone 16 has a pill-shaped module with two cameras inside it. There is also no Camera Control on the iPhone 16e.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Display

The iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 both have a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. But as stated earlier, the iPhone 16e lacks Dynamic Island, meaning you won't be able to engage with Live Activities like you would on the iPhone 16.

Also, the 16e screen is not as bright as the iPhone 16's screen, boasting 1200 nits of peak brightness vs the iPhone 16's 1600 nit peak brightness.

Finally, Apple states that the iPhone 16e boasts a "Ceramic Shield front," while the iPhone 16 is stated to have a "Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front," though both are said by Apple to be "tougher than any smartphone glass."

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Performance

iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 run on the next-generation A18 chip; however, the chip is not the same on the 'e' version. While the A18 chip in both the iPhone models boasts a 6-core CPU and a 16-core neural engine, the chip in the iPhone 16e has a 5-core GPU, whereas the iPhone 16 has a 6-core GPU. One significant modification or, rather, addition is that the A18 on the 

iPhone 16e employs Apple's native modem, C1, which supports 5G connectivity, but the new modem only has WiFi 6 connectivity, and it also lacks the Ultra Wideband chip.

Both devices are available in three storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512 GB. RAM-wise, iPhone 16e must be similarly equipped with the same 8GB of RAM as the iPhone 16, as that's the bare minimum to support Apple Intelligence — both the devices support that.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: iOS and Apple Intelligence

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.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Battery and charging

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.

iPhone 16e versus iPhone 16: Cameras

Or I guess just the camera since the iPhone 16e packs one 48MP sensor at the rear; nonetheless, Apple is advertising it as a 2-in-1 camera setup because it is capable of also snapping pictures at 2x zoom — that's the biggest contrast between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16. The 16e doesn't have the 12MP ultra-wide sensor which is found in the 16.

There are certain features shared between the two, such as super hi-res images and Dolby Vision recording up to 4K at 60fps. But certain of the iPhone 16 family's new features continue to be exclusive to the iPhone 16, such as the new Photographic Styles, Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Macro photos, Spatial video, and photos.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: Which could be your option?

The iPhone 16e begins at Rs 59,900, and the iPhone 16 begins at Rs 79,900. The decision depends on choices. If you are upgrading from an older iPhone, say an iPhone SE 3, then the iPhone 16e is a tempting upgrade since you're getting a completely new design, chip, features, and camera.

But, if you can spend an extra Rs 20,000, the iPhone 16 will provide a much newer look, features comparable to the iPhone 16 'Pro' variants, and an additional camera. At the end of it all, it comes down to the budget — either way, you are getting an iPhone 16.

Also read: iPhone C1 modem chip: Why Apple is shifting from Qualcomm chip maker