iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16: comparison, benchmarks, missing functions
The iPhone 16e is priced close to the better equipped iPhone 16. The newcomer only has one trump card up its sleeve – and the great unknown "C1".
The iPhone 16 (pictured here) is much more colorful than the iPhone 16e.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch)
Baptism of fire for the iPhone 16e: Apple's new model series has been available for pre-order since Friday afternoon, with sales starting on February 28. By early evening, all models were available for immediate delivery with no apparent bottlenecks. This gives Apple an initial insight into how high the demand for this unusually positioned new iPhone will be: instead of being in the price segment of the previous SE, the iPhone 16e takes the place of last year's iPhone 14 in terms of price. The manufacturer has removed the latter from the range earlier than usual, not least because it can no longer be sold in the EU due to the lack of Apple's USB-C port.
In Germany, Apple offers the 16e from just under 700 euros with 128 GB of storage space. The price difference to the 128 GB models of the iPhone 15 (starting from 629 €) (street price 700 to 750 euros) and iPhone 16 (starting from 739 €) (street price 780 to 830 euros) is manageable.
Differences in display and camera system
The iPhone 16 is better equipped in (almost) every respect: The iPhone 16's OLED display, which is identical in size, supports a higher peak brightness, which can be noticeable when used outdoors in glaring sunlight. The 16e also lacks an ultra-wide-angle lens with macro mode. The newcomer also does not support Apple's new edition of the so-called "photographic styles". These allow extensive, reversible readjustment of color tones and contrast range – one of the most serious changes for iPhone photographers in recent years. The 16e also lacks its own camera button.
USB-C without DisplayPort
In order to use the MagSafe accessories, which are as versatile as they are useful, 16e buyers have to switch to corresponding cases or stick strange magnetic rings to the back of the iPhone. Wireless charging is therefore only possible slowly – with a maximum of 7.5 watts. At least fast charging via USB-C is supported. The port is limited to USB 2 speeds, which is no different with the iPhone 16. However, according to the data sheet, the 16e also does without the DisplayPort support that is otherwise common on iPhones, meaning it cannot control external monitors or screens.
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The 16e lacks these wireless interfaces
In contrast to the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e lacks two wireless interfaces, namely Thread and ultra-wideband: While Thread could only become interesting in the future for interaction with certain smart home devices, ultra-wideband (UWB) already provides added value in everyday life – at least for users who often misplace their keys (with AirTag) and want to locate them in their surroundings with centimetre precision. UWB should also provide greater convenience for networked door locks and digital car keys in the long term, but is still a marginal phenomenon. In addition, the iPhone 16e does not speak to the wider 6 GHz band that many new WLAN routers (WLAN 6E and WLAN 7) support.
Alt und neu: Das iPhone 16e ist Apples neues Einstiegs-Modell (6 Bilder)
Apple
)Buyers of the iPhone 16e are also early testers of Apple's first in-house mobile modem "C1". So far, the manufacturer has primarily promised an increase in efficiency. This is also the potential trump card of the iPhone 16e, as it is said to offer a longer battery life than the iPhone 16. Only tests and user experience will show how big the difference actually is in everyday use, and this also applies to the reliability and performance of the mobile connection with Apple's C1.
First benchmarks
Initial benchmarks carried out with Geekbench show that the A18 processor in the 16e has the same processor cores and clock speed as the A18 in the iPhone 16. Both model series have 8 GB of RAM, the minimum for Apple Intelligence. The GPU of the 16e has four instead of five cores, which is why the results of the graphics benchmarks are a good 10 percent lower than those of the iPhone 16.
The iPhone 16e therefore plays in a particularly tricky segment of the smartphone market: it is far too expensive for newcomers and deal hunters but at the same time far too close to the top models – Especially at the current prices on the German market, for example, it usually makes much more sense to go for the iPhone 16. It remains to be seen if and when retailers will significantly undercut the 700 euro mark of the iPhone 16e.
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