Apple iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 15: Which Lower-Cost iPhone Is Best for You?
Apple's $599 iPhone 16E is the lowest-cost iPhone that the company sells, positioning itself as the most affordable way to get Apple Intelligence and other features seen in the $799 iPhone 16. But considering that it replaced the $429 iPhone SE, you could hardly call the iPhone 16E cheap with its higher starting price. If you're hoping to save some money, there might be another option: Apple's older, but still quite capable, iPhone 15. Sure, it was released in 2023, but depending on your priorities, it could be a compelling alternative. The iPhone 15 currently retails for $699, but it can be easily found on the secondary market for a lower price.
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Of course, as the iPhone 16E is the newer model, it'll have newer features such as the latest A18 chip and compatibility with Apple Intelligence, which introduces generative emoji, smarter notifications and (eventually) an improved Siri. But in some areas, like the cameras and charging capabilities, the older iPhone 15 edges it out. And those fundamentals might be more important to you than Apple's developing AI features.
To help you decide, we've outlined a few key differences between the two.
The iPhone 16E.
Celso Bulgatti/CNET
Processor
The iPhone 16E ships with Apple's latest A18 chip, which is also in the $799 iPhone 16. This gives it a touch more power and speed than the iPhone 15, which only has the much older A16 Bionic first seen in the iPhone 14 Pro. That newer A18 processor allows the iPhone 16E to run more graphically intensive games, such as the Resident Evil 4 Remake as well as Apple Intelligence tools and features. The A16 Bionic is still a fast chip that runs nearly every other app in Apple's App Store, but the A18 chip will likely receive software and new feature updates for longer.
Playing the Resident Evil 4 Remake on the iPhone 16E.
Celso Bulgatti/CNET
Apple Intelligence
One of the more impressive features of the iPhone 16E is that it supports Apple Intelligence, which was previously only available on iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 16. In addition to providing the smarter Siri planned for a future update, Apple Intelligence offers writing tools and a Clean Up tool that removes unwanted elements from photos. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, doesn't support Apple Intelligence despite its higher price tag.
While you cannot access Apple's new AI features on the iPhone 15, you can use other services like ChatGPT and Gemini by downloading apps that include those AI platforms. They'll just run entirely in the cloud instead of on-device.
The iPhone 16E can access Apple Intelligence features like GenMoji.
Apple/CNET
Cameras: One vs. two
The iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 both have 48-megapixel cameras on the rear and a 12-megapixel camera on the front. The big difference, however, is that the iPhone 15 has a secondary 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. Instead of relying on a second camera for its wide shots, the iPhone 16E uses sensor cropping for better zoomed-in shots.
The iPhone 15 has a 48-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.
John Kim/CNET
Battery and charging
Apple claims that the iPhone 16E can play video for up to 26 hours (21 hours streamed), while the iPhone 15 supposedly has up to 20 hours of video playback (16 hours streamed). The iPhone 16E apparently has a longer battery life due to a new power-efficient 5G modem called the C1.
However, a huge downside of the iPhone 16E is that it doesn't support MagSafe wireless charging. It is only compatible with Qi wireless charging capped at 7.5W. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, supports 15W MagSafe charging, which means it can wirelessly charge at twice the speed. The iPhone 15 also natively supports all kinds of magnetic phone accessories like wallets and stands, while a third-party case will be needed to use these with the iPhone 16E.
Both phones support USB-C fast charging up to 20W.
The iPhone 15 supports magnetic accessories like the MagSafe charger natively.
Apple/Screenshot by James Martin/CNET
A note on pricing and buying refurbished
While the iPhone 15 retails for $100 more than the iPhone 16E, you can buy it refurbished at comparable or even lower prices depending on the store. For example, at the time of this writing, you can purchase a "renewed" 128GB iPhone 15 from Amazon for roughly $500 to $530, which is nearly $100 less than the iPhone 16E's starting price. But as is the case with buying anything in the secondary market, be aware that the phone might not be in tip-top shape when you get it. Additionally, warranties vary from store to store, so be sure to read the store policies.
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