2 weeks ago
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The iPhone SE is out, and here comes the new iPhone 16e. Apple has unveiled it recently and it will be the most affordable option in the iPhone 16 lineup once it arrives in the Philippines.
Its design is vastly different from previous iPhone SE models that we are used to. The iPhone 16e now follows a more updated yet still kind of older design language: a 6.1-inch slab with a notch, an aluminum frame, and glass-protected back and front panels.
Sounds familiar? Well, that’s because the iPhone 16e is specifically based upon the 2022 iPhone 14. So, if you’re looking to get an iPhone for less, would you go for the latest ‘entry-level’ iPhone, or you’d rather get the older flagship?
Let’s weigh the pros and cons in our specs comparison.
| 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display |
| 2532 x 1170 pixels, 60Hz, 460 ppi | 2532 x 1170 pixels, 60Hz, 460 ppi |
| 800-nit (typical), 1200-nit (HDR) peak brightness | 800-nit (typical), 1200-nit (HDR) peak brightness |
| Ceramic Shield (front) + glass back | Ceramic Shield (front) + glass back |
| Apple A18 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU | 16-core Neural Engine | 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU | 16-core Neural Engine |
| 3nm, up to 4.04GHz | 5nm, up to 3.23GHz |
| 128GB, 256GB, 512GB storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB storage |
| Single rear camera: | Dual rear cameras: |
| - 48MP f/1.6 main, OIS | - 12MP f/1.5 main, OIS |
| - | - 12MP f/2.4 ultrawide, 120° FoV |
| 12MP f/1.9 selfie camera, AF | 12MP f/1.9 selfie camera, AF |
| Dual SIM (nano-SIM + eSIM) | Dual SIM (nano-SIM + eSIM) |
| 5G, 4G LTE | 5G, 4G LTE |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
| USB Type-C | Lightning port |
| NFC | NFC |
| Face ID | Face ID |
| IP68 dust and water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance |
| Dual stereo speakers, Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos | Dual stereo speakers, Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos |
| iOS 18 | iOS 16 (upgradable to iOS 18) |
| Supports Apple Intelligence | - |
| 20W charging (wired) | 20W charging (wired) |
| Supports wireless charging (Qi) | Supports wireless charging (MagSafe at 15W | Qi at 7.5W) |
| 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm |
| 165g | 172g |
| Black, White (colorways) | Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Red, Blue, Yellow (colorways) |
iPhone 16e advantages:
- Newer Apple A18 chip
- Better primary camera
- Apple Intelligence
- Significantly more affordable
iPhone 14 advantages:
- Dual cameras
- MagSafe support
Design
As mentioned earlier, the iPhone 16e is derived from the iPhone 14’s design. Both have exactly the same dimensions (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm) except the iPhone 16e is a tad bit lighter (at 165 grams) than the iPhone 14 (172 grams).
It also gets an aluminum design, sandwiched with a Ceramic Shield on the front and glass back, and IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Although, there are major key differences worth noting. First, the iPhone 16e features a single rear camera, whereas the iPhone 14 is equipped with two sensors. This sets the older flagship apart in terms of design and camera capabilities. Second, the 16e has switched to a USB-C port, replacing the iPhone 14’s Lightning port. And third, the 16e gets the new Action Button, replacing the ring/silent switch found on the iPhone 14.
Display
Flip the two phones over, and we get identical displays—a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel running at a 60Hz refresh rate.
Both sport the same screen resolution (2532 x 1170 pixels) and pixel density of 460 ppi. Peak brightness is also the same, reaching up to 1200 nits (HDR). The thick borders appear to look the same on the 16e as well.
Then, there’s the notch, which houses their 12-megapixel selfie camera. Lastly, for biometrics, both phones utilize Face ID.
Not much to write home about in this area, it seems.
Chipset
On the subject of performance, this is where the iPhone 16e asserts a level of dominance. It boasts the newer Apple A18 chip built on 3nm process, albeit it’s a modified version. Its GPU cores, in particular, have been reduced to four cores (down from five).
While that may be the case, the iPhone 16e is far more powerful and efficient than the iPhone 14, that ran on the older A15 Bionic (5nm) chip.
This is further demonstrated by the 16e’s support for Apple Intelligence—a crucial suite of AI features that the iPhone 14 lacks.
As for the difference in benchmark scores, we’ll have to wait and see, as the iPhone 16e has yet to be released to the market.
Just like the iPhone 14, the 16e is also available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB trims. However, as usual, Apple did not mention whether the new model uses new memory and storage technologies, nor did they mention the amount of RAM available.
Cameras
Moving on, let’s talk about the cameras. While the iPhone 16e gets only one sensor, it still gets a significant upgrade, now rocking a 48-megapixel sensor (from 12-megapixel).
This allows it to do more stuff like telephoto 2x zoom shots with digital zoom up to 10x. For reference, the iPhone 14 can only do up to 5x digital zoom.
The advantage it has is having a second camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens alongside a 12-megapixel main shooter.
Both do have optical image stabilization (OIS) for more stable video captures. Up front, both uses the same 12-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus support.
Battery and Charging
As always, Apple hasn’t mentioned anything about the battery capacity, except for the battery life. The iPhone 16e can last up to 26 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 14 can only last up to 20 hours, as advertised at least.
As for charging, the 16e has sparked some controversy by ditching MagSafe charging support, but it still supports Qi wireless charging, nonetheless. The iPhone 14 supports both MagSafe and Qi wireless charging, with a charging speed of up to 15W.
Connectivity and Other Features
Connectivity-wise, the iPhone 16e features Apple’s in-house C1 cellular modem, which the company touts as “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity.” Whether that claim holds true is yet to be seen.
Either way, both models include all the essentials, such as Wi-Fi 6 support, NFC, and dual-SIM (nano-SIM plus eSIM outside the US).
On the software side, the iPhone 16e potentially has the advantage, as it runs iOS 18 out of the box. The iPhone 14 originally came with iOS 16 but is now upgradable to iOS 18 as well—though it lacks Apple Intelligence, unfortunately.
This means the 16e should have longer software support than the iPhone 14. However, considering Apple’s commitment to providing extended and reliable software support, customers can expect both models to remain functional for several more years to come.
Price
Finally, let’s talk about the price.
The iPhone 14 is now priced at PHP 38,990 (down from its original retail price of PHP 56,990 at launch). However, with the iPhone 16e offering more updated features for roughly the same price, it’s definitely an attractive choice for budget-conscious users.
The iPhone 16e costs only PHP 39,990 (according to the official Apple Philippines website), and for the price, it offers a superior Apple A18 chip, along with support for Apple Intelligence, and a better primary camera.
Sure, it has fewer cameras and lacks MagSafe, but the pros certainly outweigh the cons.
