Apple’s new budget phone, the iPhone 16E, has many of the same features as the iPhone 16. But at a starting price that’s $200 lower than the baseline 16, just how many features will you be sacrificing?
The $599 iPhone 16E is powered by the same A18 chip as the $799 iPhone 16. It also comes with iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence. Preorders on the 16E have begun, with availability starting Feb. 28.
Here’s how else the iPhone 16E compares to the baseline iPhone 16, from battery life to cameras to AI, and everything in between.
Watch this: iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 16: Spec Breakdown
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Display and build
The iPhone 16E has Apple’s C1 modem, which Apple says is the most efficient modem in an iPhone, and this should help lengthen battery life.
Both the iPhone 16E and 16 come in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options. Apple boasts that the 16E can get up to 26 hours of video playback and 21 hours of streamed video playback, while the 16 will last for up to 22 hours of video playback and 18 hours of streamed video playback.
One of the reasons behind the cheaper iPhone’s longer battery life is because it runs on Apple’s very first 5G modem, called C1. The company says its C1 modem is the “most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone” and as a result helps increase the phone’s battery life.
They each support 20-watt wired charging. The iPhone 16E supports 7.5W Qi wireless charging, while the iPhone 16 is capable of 15W Qi2 charging, as well as MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with a 30W adapter or higher.
Cameras at a glance
The iPhone 16E has the same Apple Intelligence features as the iPhone 16.
One of the biggest upgrades to Apple’s lower-priced iPhone is the inclusion of Apple Intelligence, which was previously confined to iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPhone 16 lineup. Now you can spend less and still get access to features like a smarter Siri, writing tools and the Clean Up tool in photos.
This move signals Apple’s eagerness to get its AI suite into more people’s hands, and indicates that AI is now a core component of any iPhone, from the cheapest option to the most premium.
Check out the spec chart below for more details on each phone.
Apple iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 16
