The iPhone 16E and iPhone 15 now sit at the lower tier of Apple’s iPhone lineup, priced at $599 and $699, respectively. While the 16E shares many key features with the iPhone 15, there are major differences between the two, with one of the most important being Apple Intelligence support.
With only a $100 price gap between the iPhone 15 and 16E, Apple had to make some cuts. The iPhone 16E lacks features such as Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, it outperforms the iPhone 15 in some areas, offering an upgraded chip, better battery life, and the new Action button. Here’s how both these devices compare.
Design and Size
The iPhone 16E and iPhone 15 look almost identical, with their 6.1-inch displays and similar designs. You can tell them apart by the cameras: the 16E has one, while the iPhone 15 has two. The 15 features rounded edges, but the 16E sticks to sharp ones like the iPhone 14.
It’s also slightly lighter, though the difference is barely noticeable. The 16E keeps the notch, while the 15 offers Dynamic Island, though its functionality is limited. A big win for the 16E is the Action Button, replacing the mute switch. Both have USB-C, so you won’t need a separate Lightning cable.
Cameras
The iPhone 15 stood out as one of the best camera phones of its time, thanks to its improved 48MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide lens. In a 200-camera shootout against the Galaxy S24, Apple’s phone takes the lead but struggles in low light. The iPhone 16E, however, is more limited, featuring just a single 48MP wide lens with 2x telephoto capability. While we haven’t tested it yet, the image quality should still hold up.
Performance
The iPhone 16E features Apple’s latest A18 chipset, delivering top-tier performance. This 6-core CPU runs 30% faster than the A16 in the iPhone 15, with 20% better GPU performance and a 16-core Neural Engine designed for AI-powered Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16E also steps up with 6GB of RAM, giving you smoother multitasking than previous SE models.
Display
Both have nearly identical 6.1-inch Retina XDR OLED displays, each capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. However, the iPhone 15 gives you a brighter screen, delivering a typical brightness of 1,000 nits and a peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits.
In contrast, the iPhone 16E falls short with 800 nits of typical brightness and a peak of 1,200 nits for HDR content. You’ll also get a slightly higher resolution on the iPhone 15 (2556 x 1179 pixels) compared to the iPhone 16E (2532 x 1170 pixels), making visuals appear just a bit sharper.
Modem and Battery
The iPhone 16E comes with Apple’s new C1 cellular modem, which likely boosts battery life significantly. Apple claims you can get up to 26 hours of video playback on a single charge. In contrast, the iPhone 15 uses Qualcomm’s X70 modem and delivers around 20 hours of video playback.
Charging is another area where these phones differ. The iPhone 15 supports MagSafe, so you can use it with a variety of wireless accessories. However, the iPhone 16E doesn’t support it, meaning you won’t get magnetic wireless charging. For most users, this won’t be a big deal, but it’s still something to keep in mind.
Pricing and Availability
You can pre-order the iPhone 16E right now, and it officially launches on February 28. The 128GB model starts at $599. If you’re considering the iPhone 15, which debuted in 2023, the 128GB version now costs $699, down from its original $799 after the iPhone 16’s release. However, third-party retailers often offer even lower prices, making it a closer match to the iPhone 16E’s cost.