The iPhone 16e and iPhone 15 now sit at the bottom of Apple's iPhone lineup at $599 and $699, respectively. While the 16e shares many important features with the iPhone 15, there are still 30 significant differences between the devices to be aware of–not least Apple Intelligence support.
There is a merely $100 price difference between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e. To justify this, the iPhone 16e misses out on features such as the Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, there are some areas where the 16e is actively better than the 15, such as the Action button, chip, and battery life. Here's everything that's different:
| iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus (2023) | iPhone 16e (2025) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic Island | "Notch" |
| 6.1- or 6.7-inch display | 6.1-inch display |
| 1,000 nits max brightness (typical) | 800 nits max brightness (typical) |
| 1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR) | 1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR) |
| 2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) | |
| Color-infused glass back | Glass back |
| Available in Black, Pink, Yellow, Blue, and Green | Available in White and Black |
| Ring/Silent switch | Action button |
| 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera | |
| 0.5x, 1x, or 2x optical zoom options | 1x or 2x optical zoom options |
| Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | Optical image stabilization |
| Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control | Portrait mode with Depth Control |
| Macro photography | |
| Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps) | |
| Action mode | |
| Wind noise reduction | |
| Audio Mix | |
| Stereo recording | Spatial Audio and stereo recording |
| A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU | A18 chip with 4-core GPU |
| Apple Intelligence support | |
| Visual intelligence | |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem | Apple C1 modem |
| mmWave 5G connectivity | |
| Thread connectivity | |
| Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding | |
| 20- or 26-hour battery life | 26-hour battery life |
| MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher | |
| Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more | |
| Starts at $699 and $799 | Starts at $599 |
Choosing between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e is not a wholly straightforward decision. While the iPhone 15 is $100 more expensive than the iPhone 16e, it misses out on the Action button, Wind noise reduction, Audio Mix, Spatial Audio recording, the A18 chip and Apple Intelligence, Visual intelligence, the C1 modem, and six additional hours of battery life.
Instead, the $100 jump is seemingly justified by the Dynamic Island, brighter display, Ultra Wide camera, sensor-shift image stabilization, next-generation portraits, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, Action mode, Thread and Ultra Wideband connectivity, MagSafe, and color options–which may not be important to some customers.
The iPhone 15's lack of Apple Intelligence support is a major omission and it is difficult to recommend a device that is more expensive, less powerful, and less future proof. The iPhone 16e is a better long-term investment since it is likely to support future Apple Intelligence features, offering a better long-term experience and more desirability in the second-hand market. Its markedly better battery life is also worth noting when it comes to the long-term view of using the device. The iPhone 16e is almost a year and a half newer than the iPhone 15.
If the large display of the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus is essential, then it is likely still worth opting for this option over the iPhone 16e. Likewise, if an Ultra Wide camera or MagSafe are absolutely essential, the iPhone 15 is the only way to go. Otherwise, most customers should save the $100 and buy the iPhone 16e.
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