Apple ’s wholly new gimmick , theiPhone 16e , is here . For those of us expecting a new budget iPhone SE , this has total as a big surprise . Apple ’s new midrange French telephone merge theiPhone 14‘s look with the iPhone 16 ’s world power and Apple Intelligence , and it sits comfortably in the place the iPhone 14 once sat . How does it compare to the earphone it ’s replaced , and is it worth your hard - earned cash ?
In this spell , we ’ll compare the Apple iPhone 16e to the iPhone 14 to see which of these two gadget is the good buy , from battery and charging , to performance and cameras .
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: specs
2,532 x 1,170 result at 457 ppi
800 nits distinctive light
1200 nits top out HDR cleverness
2,532 x 1,170 resolution at 460 ppi
White
purpleness
xanthous
blackened
Starlight
PRODUCT(RED )
12MP ultrawide , f/2.4
.5x , 1x optical zoom options
USB - C , 20W ( 50 % in 30 minutes )
7.5W Qi wireless charging
15W MagSafe charge
15W Qi wireless charging
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: design and display
If you think theiPhone 16elooks like to the iPhone 14 , well , that ’s because it does . The iPhone 16e uses a modify reading of the iPhone 14 ’s body , with the camera module having been neuter to match a individual lens , the wordless switch removed and replaced with theAction Button , and of track , the 14 ’s Lightning port replaced with a USB - speed of light port . It ’s a refreshingly light headphone at just 167 Gram .
In our iPhone 14 review , we praise its well-to-do - in - hand excogitation and aerospace - grade Al frame that keeps fingerprint at bay . It ’s a inflexible yet lightweight handset , and the iPhone 16e mirror these positives .
These law of similarity extend to durability as well , as both sport anIP68 - ratingfor detritus and water - ohmic resistance . This mean both will be able survive an inadvertent dunk in the pocket billiards or bathing tub ; just do n’t go out of your way to keep them in the H2O , as this is best thought of as insurance policy , rather than a feature .
Both of these phones also have 6.1 - inch OLED display . OLED displays have better demarcation and deep , racy blacks than LCD screens , so all of Apple ’s phones now using this technical school is a huge ascent . It also means the terminal of Touch ID on iPhones , with Face ID now the only option . The 6.1 - in OLED exhibit is protect by Apple ’s Ceramic Shield . There ’s noDynamic Islandhere , as both phones expend the older jagged display . The showing brag a 2532 x 1170 resolution , with HDR support and 800 nits max distinctive brightness . Colors are punchy and everything from apps to YouTube video search great even in direct sun .
Where both disappoint is its 60Hz refresh rate , which earn scrolling and cabbage face choppier than on Pro models , which profit from a120Hz refresh charge per unit . This variety of budget exhibit technical school is unsatisfying on such an expensive French telephone , as you ’ll get hold 120Hz refresh rates on evenbudget Android phones . Another disappointing tone is the deficiency of analways - on presentation , which is a more and more surprising omission with each run year .
While there are remainder , if you wish the spirit of one of these earpiece , you ’re likely to like the other as well . They ’re fundamentally the same . Well , except for one country ; colorways . The iPhone 14 has a choice of six colors , whereasthe iPhone 16e only occur in two . Black and white . Still , even with this in thinker , this is a attracter .
succeeder : Tie
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: performance
Under the iPhone 16e ’s cap , you ’ll chance the A18 buffalo chip — the same mainframe as the iPhone 16 , which , along with 8 GB of RAM , enablesApple Intelligencefor the new equipment . Though it ’s perceptibly less performant than the “ same ” CPU on the iPhone 16 , bear in judgment that Apple ’s budget iPhone is designed for battery life and longevity , even if it is n’t the fastest iPhone . Some features , like FaceID , are perceptibly slower than on the iPhone 16 Pro , but you ’ll probably only notice this if you ’re coming from another iPhone .
It ’s also the first Apple twist to utilize Apple ’s own modem , the C1 modem — the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup uses Qualcomm . In our review , we observed slenderly lower signal military capability than on the iPhone 16 Pro , but no difference in carrying into action .
The iPhone 16e has 8 GB of RAM , the minimum requirement for an Apple gimmick running its AI peck . warehousing starts at 128 GB , with 256 GB and 512 GB storage variants .
The iPhone 14 has Apple ’s A15 Bionic chip . It ’s the same chip as theiPhone 13 Pro , just a slightly more knock-down version . In our review , apps ran without a hitch , and play shape rate and computer graphic were great , even with demanding titles likeCall of Duty : Mobile . The phone packs improved thermal design which dissipates heat more expeditiously than the iPhone 13 , and we only mark it getting hot once , after over 30 proceedings of updatingCoD : Mobilewith the display on .
It ’s not really gruelling to call this one . The iPhone 16e has similar glasses to the iPhone 14 , and a much more powerful processor . It bring home the bacon here .
Winner : Apple iPhone 16e
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: cameras
The iPhone 16e sticks to the now - defunct iPhone SE ’s individual rearward photographic camera formatting , with a 48 - megapixel main rear shooter — the same as the iPhone 16 — and a 12 - megapixel front - facing camera with FaceID . The 48 - megapixel center is Apple’sFusion Camera , a huge leap compare to the existing iPhone SE ’s 12 - megapixel offering . user will be able to capture more detailed 24MP as well as full - res 48MP shots , alongside bin 12MP seizure . That sensor upgrade also enables 2x zoom output in 12MP telephotograph mode , atop the same detector . The iPhone 16e also packs update such as Smart HDR 5 , improved portraits , photographic styles , and advanced video transcription facilities .
With Apple Intelligence , you get accession to an regalia of tools such asClean Up , Apple ’s take on Google’sMagic Eraser , which lets you remove undesirable people or objects from the background of your exposure .
The iPhone 14 has a duple rear camera regalia , with a 12MP master tv camera and a 12MP ultrawide electron lens . There are fragile improvement over the iPhone 13 , with the independent television camera feature a large sensor and wide-cut aperture for good shots in lowlight conditions , though there ’s no telephoto zoom here .
photograph snapped with the independent sensor are gorgeous in ripe lighting , with reliable - to - aliveness , vibrant colors , and plenty of ok details . Lowlight images are mostly good though the camera change over to Night mood in exceedingly moody environment , with details becoming softer . The 12MP front - face photographic camera has a larger f/1.9 aperture compared to its predecessor , which gives good results even in dark environment , while autofocus helps details expect sharper . You also get Photographic Styles to adjust the feel of your photos , though you ca n’t change the flair used on a pic after it ’s take on .
This is a tough class to judge . Anyone come to the iPhone 16e from a headphone with multiple cameras will probably be disappointed . For those who are n’t too bothered about television camera but would like a effective one there just in case , the iPhone 16e ’s upgrade independent television camera eclipses the additional ultrawide - angle lens on the iPhone 14 .
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: battery and charging
The iPhone 16 packs a 4,005mAh battery , which Apple arrogate live for around 26 hour . It ’s 12 % larger than the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro but 15 % smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max — and slightly larger than the iPhone 14 ’s 3,279mAh offering .
In our iPhone 16e review , we discover the iPhone 16e has the best bombardment life of any iPhone yet . It ’s truly a multi - solar day sound and lasted overnight and well into the next day more than once . Our best experience was 39 hours of runtime with 10 hours of screen on time .
During our review , the iPhone 14 got 14 hours of uptime , including over 5.5 hour of screen - on time with around 25 % battery left . That admit around 30 minutes ofCoD : Mobile , and around an hour of YouTube , alongside using unnumbered other apps . clean days without gaming , with around four hours of screen - on time and over 15 hours of utilisation saw around 38 % leave behind in the tank . It ’s a solid one - 24-hour interval battery , and perfectly reasonable .
The iPhone 16e now has a USB - ampere-second port for excite , bestow it in billet with the iPhone 15 . The iPhone 14 , on the other hand , was the last phone in Apple ’s lineup to practice the proprietary Lightning connector , before the switch to USB - coulomb connectivity with theiPhone 15 .
blame the iPhone 14 to 50 % conduct around 30 minutes , thanks to 25W pumped charging , there ’s 7.5W Qi wireless charging , and 15WMagSafe charging — but no reverse wireless charging . Oddly , the iPhone 16e takes a backwards step in this area , seemingly being cap at 20W truehearted charging , dropping wireless bearing speeds to 7.5W , and baffingly , fell MagSafe support entirely . It takes around 30 minute of arc to reach 50 % but a further minute to charge full .
It ’s grueling to call this one . The iPhone 16e bid better electric battery spirit overall , however , the drop in charging speeds and personnel casualty of MagSafe support is a tough one to trade , and we ’re disappoint by it . We ’re calling this a affiliation .
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: software and updates
The iPhone 14 ships with Io 16 out of the box . This can be updated to iOS 18 , but it ’s important to note the equipment wo n’t to the full support all the features of the latest dismissal . Apple Intelligence will only run on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer iPhones , so while you’re able to delight iOS 18 features like Control Center customizations , a new photos app , and a new menage concealment , the iPhone 14 wo n’t see any Apple Intelligence features .
The iPhone 14 does admit Emergency SOS via Satellite and Crash Detection . Emergency SOS lets you link to satellites when you ’re out of range of cellular or Wi - Fi signals and can partake your placement with a contact or get emergency service to your location . Crash Detection uses the machine ’s gyroscope and accelerometer to detect if you ’ve been in a crash and can notify exigency contacts or auto - telephone dial pinch service .
The iPhone 16e is built for Apple Intelligence , flow iOS 18 out of the box , so if AI is a priority for you , the least expensive iPhone has your back . And you get everything else the iPhone 14 gets , on top of approach to AI . The latest build available is iOS 18.3.2 , with ChatGPT desegregation .
Alongside a whole host of new surety and privateness features , you ’ll find out AI - powered lineament like Visual Intelligence , Apple ’s take on Google Lens , summarisation features in Siri and Mail , and a banker’s bill raise that allows you to record and transcrive lively sound recording in a note , plus Maths observe for solving complex math equations . Notification summaries also come up in pretty handy .
Apple secure a lower limit of five eld worth of major iOS updates and security system patches for both machine . That signify the iPhone 14 should last through 2027 , or slightly longer , while the iPhone 16e will proceed encounter updates until around 2030 at a minimum .
Since the iPhone 16e will continue receiving updates until at least 2030 and it bundle the modish Apple Intelligence features and iOS 18 , it ’s our clear achiever here .
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: price and availability
The Apple iPhone 16e comes with 64 GB , 128 GB , or 256 GB of onboard storage . you could choose from two colors , black or white . Pricing starts from $ 599 for the 128 GB variant . you’re able to purchase the phone from Apple and most other major retail merchant .
The iPhone 14 come in six color : blue , violet , icteric , sinister , Starlight , and PRODUCT ( RED ) , and packs 128 GB , 256 GB , or 512 GB of onboard storage . It is no longer uncommitted to buy from Apple , but you’re able to still find it at other major retailer , including Best Buy , Walmart , and Amazon . Prices start from $ 599 for the 128 GB mannequin , rising to $ 699 for the 256 GB form . The 512 GB model currently cost from $ 899 .
Apple iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 14: verdict
Comparing these two equipment is unmanageable , as they ’re two very like phones . If you ’re in the market for the a la mode Apple chipping , with impressive battery life , and Apple Intelligence and update through 2030 , the iPhone 16e is a clear winner . However , the differences really are n’t that vast , and the jump in processing power is n’t enough to notice on a day - by - day basis . Also , if you ’re not that emotional about what Apple Intelligence currently offer , then the iPhone 16e does n’t have that much to tender that the iPhone 14 does n’t do , and sometimes does better .
Even at this former stagecoach , it ’s very clear that the iPhone 16e is n’t a straight replacement for the iPhone 14 . Despite the two phones looking very similar , this is n’t a simple case of Apple trade the mainframe and calling it a day . or else , the iPhone 16e is very much its own wolf , with a lot to recommend it . Is it the better of these two to buy right now ? Absolutely , not least because it ’s the only one of the two youcanbuy from Apple at the moment . But is it worth ditching your iPhone 14 to jump off sideway to the iPhone 16e ? Unless you ’re keen on go through Apple Intelligence , the answer is probably no , though that will mostly come down to personal preference .