Apple iPhone 17e vs iPhone 16: Main differences to expect
A new iPhone is arriving soon, and it will be part of Apple's most affordable range. The iPhone 17e will fix some of the biggest shortcomings of the iPhone 16e but will keep the affordable (for a new iPhone) price tag of $599.
Does this mean that users of the tried-and-tested iPhone 16 should be worried and start putting aside some funds for the inevitable upgrade?
Not so fast, not so fast, as the iPhone 17e is not aimed at iPhone 16 users directly, but is shaping up to be the logical stepping stone from older affordable iPhones like the now deprecated SE range.
Still, let's compare how these two might stack up.
iPhone 17e vs iPhone 16 expected differences:
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 14-like design with a display notch and curved aluminum frame | New design with a vertical camera bump |
| No Camera Control button | Camera Control button |
| 6.1-inch OLED display with 60Hz | Mostly identical 6.1-inch OLED with the same slow 60Hz refresh rate |
| Apple A19 chip with 8 GB of RAM | Apple A18 chip with the same 8 GB of RAM |
| A larger 4,005 mAh battery with potentially better battery life | A smaller 3,561mAh battery |
| 20W wired charging, MagSafe | 25W wired charging, MagSafe as well |
| A 48MP wide-angle camera | Dual camera system with one 48MP main and 12MP ultrawide |
| Apple C1X chip and N1 chip for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread support | Qualcomm Snapdragon X71 5G modem |
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Design and Size
A standardized lineup
No two ways around it: the iPhone 17e will look identical to the iPhone 16e, and no major differences are expected either in terms of outer design or in dimensions. That's great, because it means we'd get the same well-known iPhone that we've come to appreciate, with the flat aluminum-glass sandwich design and a watertight IP68-rated body.
It will most certainly measure 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm and weigh a lightweight 167 g. Not too shabby at all!
At the same time, the iPhone 16 is, well, extremely similar. It also employs the same aluminum-glass sandwich, measuring 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm and 170 g. This makes it marginally taller, wider, and a few grams heavier.
At the back of the iPhone 16, we get a dual-camera system, positioned vertically, which sits in stark contrast with the single camera of the iPhone 17e.
| iPhonw 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.8 mm | Thickness 7.8 mm |
| Dimensions 146.7 x 71.5 | Dimensions 147.6 x 71.6 |
| Weight 167 g | Weight 170 g |
Display Differences
Interestingly, both phones might share the same display. The iPhone 17e and the iPhone 16 both come with 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR displays that can only go up to 60 Hz, as ProMotion is a premium feature according to Apple.
Unsurprisingly, the peak screen brightness on the iPhone 16 peaked at around 2,000 nits, whereas the iPhone 17e is unlikely to hit such brightness levels and might only go up to 1,200 nits.
The only major difference? The notch. The iPhone 16 has the more modern Dynamic Island, while the iPhone 17e will have the older-style notch that's connected to the phone's top bezel. Not a big issue.
Other than that, the colors and viewing angles should be excellent, as on most iPhones out there.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Size 6.1" | Size 6.1" |
| Brightness 1200 nits (peak)2 | Brightness 2000 nits (peak) |
Both phones come with Face ID neatly in their notches.
Performance and Software
Apple Silicon running the show
Apple will put the 3nm A19 chip in the iPhone 17e, which is the same chip also found in the iPhone 17, but not the iPhone 17 Pro or the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which got the A19 Pro. The iPhone 17e will also come with the new and improved C1X modem for more efficient data connectivity, as well as the N1 chip for enhanced Wi-Fi/Bluetooth stability and Thread support.
The iPhone 16 relies on Apple's 2024 A18 chip, also built on a 3nm node, so it might take the backseat in terms of performance potential and efficiency. The iPhone 16 also comes with the Snapdragon X71 5G modem, which shouldn't be as efficient as the Apple-made modem in the newer phone.
Both phones will share very similar storage configurations: 8GB of RAM, as well as 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage versions.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Chip Apple A19 | Chip Apple A18 |
| Process 3nm | Process 3nm |
| RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB | RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB |
Camera
Two versus one
The iPhone 17e will arrive with a 48 MP single camera, just like the iPhone 16e. No hardware changes are expected. Thanks to the sensor's large resolution, the phone has a 2X zoom mode that provides optical-grade zoom even though it has a single camera at the rear. It doesn't seem like the 18 MP Center Stage camera will make it to the front of the device; a standard 12 MP camera is likely making the cut.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 has a dual camera, consisting of a 48 MP main and a 12 MP ultrawide, as well as a 12 MP FaceTime camera. This one also has a 2X camera crop mode.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm | Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm |
| - | Ultrawide 12 MP, F2.2 |
| Front 12MP | Front 12 MP |
Battery Life and Charging
The iPhone 17e might have better battery life
Likely equipped with a 4,005 mAh battery, the iPhone 17e will most certainly beat the iPhone 16 in terms of endurance thanks to its more efficient A19 and C1X chips. The iPhone 16e fared well in our battery tests, so I'd expect similar or even better results from the iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 16, on the other hand, comes with a 3,561 mAh battery. It also fared generally okay in the PhoneArena battery tests, but the newer affordable iPhone should perform better.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Battery size 4,005 mAh | Battery size 3,561 mAh |
Charging speeds 20W wired 15W wireless charging MagSafe | Charging speeds 20W wired 25W wireless charging Magsafe |
The iPhone 17e will also be scoring MagSafe, a major improvement over the iPhone 16e. The iPhone 16 also comes with MagSafe, naturally. The only difference is that the latter allows for faster wireless charging, while the iPhone 17e will most likely use the first-gen MagSafe.
Specs Comparison
|
|
| Apple iPhone 17e | Apple iPhone 16 |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (~11.2 mm with camera bump) | |
| Weight | |
| 170.0 g | |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.1-inch | 6.1-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, 60Hz | OLED, 60Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A19 (3 nm) | Apple A18 (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (NVMe) 8GB/256GB 8GB/512GB | 8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (NVMe) 8GB/256GB 8GB/512GB |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 3561 mAh | |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 20.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
|
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (OIS, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.6 Focal length: 26 mm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX904 Aperture size: F1.6 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.56" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 12 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX633 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, Autofocus) | 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 17e vs Apple iPhone 16 specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
The iPhone 17e shapes up to be a logical evolution of the iPhone 16e, one that fixes most of its shortcomings.
However, even though it comes with a larger battery and a faster chip, you probably shouldn't consider upgrading from the iPhone 16. The features and overall experience would be mostly comparable, so you won't gain much. You could lose an ultrawide camera, which comes in clutch when taking videos.
Overall, iPhone 17e shapes up to be a great addition to the iPhone range, just not one you should consider if you already have the iPhone 16.
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