On Wednesday, Apple refreshed its finances iPhone line. Nevertheless, this is not the iPhone SE 4; it is the iPhone 16e. It is the primary time shortly Apple has added a letter to its present iPhone collection (just like the iPhone 6S or iPhone 5c), which could have you ever questioning: Ought to I purchase the iPhone 16, or the iPhone 16E?
The TL;DR: The iPhone 16e is remarkably just like the iPhone 16. For most individuals, that is doubtless the iPhone to purchase, and comes with sufficient of what you are on the lookout for within the iPhone/iOS expertise—particularly when you think about the cash you save. Nevertheless, to be able to make this iPhone extra reasonably priced than its different units, Apple did have to chop some corners. I doubt many of those choices can be dealbreakers for folks trying to purchase an iPhone with out spending a ton, however there are some key variations hidden beneath the floor of those two sibling units.
Show
Whether or not you purchase an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16E, you are going to get a 6.1-inch “Tremendous Retina XDR” show. What that basically means is you may be utilizing a vibrant, colourful, high-res OLED show that is precisely the identical dimension between each telephones.
Nevertheless, whereas each iPhones have the identical sized 6.1-inch show, the 16e’s does not get fairly as vibrant. Apple says it usually reaches 800 nits of brightness, and 1200 nits for HDR content material. The 16’s show, alternatively, reaches 1000 nits of brightness usually, 1600 nits for HDR content material, and a pair of,000 nits when open air. The 16’s can be a bit greater res, with a decision of 2556 x 1179 versus the 16e’s 2532 x 1170, however each shows are 460 ppi.
The most important distinction you may discover, apart from how these shows look open air, is on the high of the display screen. The iPhone 16 has Apple’s Dynamic Island, which, except for housing the Face ID digicam, additionally sports activities digital widgets for various features in your iPhone. The 16e, alternatively, has a standard notch, the identical one you’d discover on the iPhone 14. For those who’re used to the notch, it is going to be the identical expertise right here, however you do miss out of the 2 key perks of the Dynamic Island: these widgets, and the small bump in display screen actual property that comes with shrinking this cutout.
Efficiency
Each iPhones are operating the A18 chip, which is Apple newest iPhone SoC. On the 16e, that will get you a six-core CPU, four-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. That is about the identical on the 16, besides it will get an additional GPU core. You will not discover that additional core in lots of easy duties, but it surely doubtless will assist throughout intensive gameplay classes, in addition to for longevity. It is a minor bump, nonetheless, and certain not one thing to base a purchase order resolution on.
The A18 chip means the iPhone 16e is appropriate with Apple Intelligence, which the third-generation iPhone SE (in addition to iPhones as new because the iPhone 15) are usually not. That is a perk should you’re actually into AI options, but when you are the type to disable them instantly, you won’t look after it.
Digital camera
Flip the 16 and 16e round, and you may discover a giant distinction instantly: The 16e solely has one digicam, whereas the 16 has two.
That solo digicam on the 16e is sort of just like the 16’s fundamental shooter: They’re each 26mm 48MP “fusion” lenses, with an aperture of ƒ/1.6. The 16e’s has optical picture stabilization, whereas the 16’s has “sensor‑shift” optical picture stabilization, which may provide a faster stabilization. The 16e has “Hybrid Focus Pixels” whereas the 16 has “100% Focus Pixels:” Meaning all of the pixels within the iPhone 16 are used to focus the picture, whereas just some are used on the 16e. Each cameras provide “super-high-resolution” photographs, in each 24MP and 48MP choices. Each cameras additionally assist 12MP “2x telephoto” zoom at 52mm.
You additionally get a variety of perks on each iPhones: 10x digital zoom, evening mode, portrait mode, and many others. Primarily based on paper specs, you may most likely obtain comparable outcomes between each of those cameras. Nevertheless, what you are lacking on the 16e is the 12MP ultra-wide lens. If you are going to decide one digicam, you may need the principle shooter, however it’s good to have the ultra-wide for these instances it is tough to get your total topic in body directly.
The iPhone 16 additionally comes with some video perks over the iPhone 16e, together with 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient cinematic mode, 2.8K Dolby Imaginative and prescient Motion mode, Spatial video recording, QuickTake video for 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient at 60 fps, and Macro video recording. However to be clear, you possibly can shoot regular 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient video on each iPhones.
On the entrance, you get the identical 12MP selfie digicam with an aperture of ƒ/1.9. The place the 16 wins right here is in its additional Portrait mode controls and “newest era” Photographic Kinds, however for many selfies and FaceTime calls, there will not be a lot distinction.
Buttons
For those who’re coming from an older iPhone, you is likely to be stunned to see the omission of a ringer swap. Instead is the Motion button, simply as you’d discover on the iPhone 16. Whereas the Motion button can nonetheless flip your iPhone to silent mode, you can even assign a distinct operate for it as a substitute. Maybe you’d quite the Motion button launch the digicam, your flashlight, or a Shortcut, which opens up the chances.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 16 does include a button the 16e doesn’t: Digital camera Management. Because the identify suggests, this button offers you added controls over your iPhone’s digicam, together with the power to launch the digicam from the button, snap photographs, or zoom.
Mobile and battery
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s first iPhone to ship with a proprietary mobile modem, which the corporate calls C1. All different iPhones use modems from Qualcomm. You most likely will not discover any community good points from Apple’s personal C1 modem, however there may be one profit: battery life.
Apple says the 16e has the “greatest battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone.” Based on the corporate’s stats, that interprets to as much as 26 hours of video playback, 21 hours of streaming video, and 90 hours of audio playback. Examine that to the iPhone 16, which achieves as much as 22 hours of video playback, 18 hours of streaming video, and 80 hours of audio playback. That stated, you will not be charging the iPhone 16e with MagSafe, because the gadget is not appropriate with Apple’s magnetic charging customary. If you haven’t any MagSafe merchandise already, you will not discover this omission, however should you do, it is likely to be a irritating downgrade.
Colours
The iPhone 16e solely is available in two colours: Black or White. The 16, alternatively, Black, White, Pink, Teal, or Ultramarine (purple). It is an attention-grabbing selection, however contemplating how most individuals slap a case on their iPhones as quickly as they purchase it, the colour most likely does not matter as a lot right here.
Smaller options
There are a selection of smaller options right here which might be precisely the identical: The 16e and 16 each have USB-C, which implies you possibly can lastly ditch your Lightning cables (until you continue to have Lightning equipment).
You can even deal with each the identical round water, for the reason that 16 and 16e are rated IP68 water and dirt resistant. Meaning the telephones can deal with submersion in six meters of water for as much as half-hour.
Each the 16 and the 16e are available in three storage sizes: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. They’re fairly comparable in dimension and weight, too. iPhone 16e is 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches, and weighs 5.88 ounces, whereas the iPhone 16 is 5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches and weighs six ounces.
Worth
Objectively, the iPhone 16 is a greater iPhone than the 16e, because it’s basically a 16e, simply with a bunch of added perks (minus the additional battery life, that’s). Nevertheless, the worth is what is meant to make the 16e the discount right here. The iPhone 16 begins at $799, which, whereas cheaper than the $999 iPhone 16 Professional, continues to be fairly costly.
The 16e is certainly cheaper, but it surely is not low cost. It begins at $599 for the 128GB mannequin. The iPhone SE 3, alternatively, launched at $429, which itself was $30 costlier than the iPhone SE 2 earlier than it. “Finances” iPhone clearly means one thing totally different now.
Every thing is costly as of late, which must be considered right here. Yesterday, you may purchase an iPhone 16 for $800. Quickly, you possibly can pre-order many of the 16’s greatest options within the 16e for $600. For those who can stay with out the brighter display screen, the Digital camera Management button, the ultra-wide digicam, and the additional images controls, that is $200 nicely saved. Plus, you will not have to run to discover a charger as regularly as you’d with the iPhone 16.
Pre-orders for the 16e begin Feb. 21. The iPhone can be accessible beginning Feb. 28.
