iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE: How Do They Compare?

Apple’s new iPhone 16e is designed as a budget-friendly option within the iPhone 16 lineup, offering premium features at a lower price (well, that’s anything but this year when it comes to the Canadian prices, with starting prices up over $300 compared to 2022). But how does it stack up against the regular iPhone 16 and the previous iPhone SE (3rd Gen)? Let’s take a look, shall we?

Price & Availability

• iPhone 16e: Starts at $899 CAD
• iPhone 16: Starts at $1129 CAD
• iPhone SE 3: Only available through authorized resellers that still have stock; was $579 CAD

If you’re looking for the most affordable iPhone with modern features, the 16e is the only choice now, sitting between the iPhone 16 and iPhone SE in both price and performance. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus were axed today on Apple’s website and officially discontinued.

Design & Colours

• iPhone 16e: Aluminum body with glass back (available in Black and White)
• iPhone 16: Colour-infused glass back (available in Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black)
• iPhone SE 3: Standard aluminum and glass (Midnight, Starlight, Product Red)

Both the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 have modern, durable designs, but the iPhone SE 3 looks dated with thicker bezels and a Home button with Touch ID. Let’s pour one out for Touch ID and the Lightning port.

Display & Size

• iPhone 16e: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
• iPhone 16: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
• iPhone SE 3: 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display

The iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 have the same OLED screen, making them sharper and more vibrant than the older LCD on the iPhone SE 3. This is definitely one of the biggest upgrades here.

Performance  

• iPhone 16e A18 chip (6-core CPU, 4-core GPU; 16-core Neural Engine, supports Apple Intelligence)
• iPhone 16: A18 chip (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU; 16-core Neural Engine, supports Apple Intelligence)
• iPhone SE 3: A15 Bionic chip (6-core CPU, 16-core Neural Engine, no Apple Intelligence)

Both iPhone 16 models are far more powerful than the iPhone SE 3, which uses an older chip and doesn’t support Apple Intelligence.

Camera

• iPhone 16e: 48MP Fusion 2-in-1 camera (1x and 2x ‘optical zoom’, no Ultra-Wide lens)
• iPhone 16: 48MP Fusion Advanced Dual-Camera (adds 12MP Ultra-Wide lens)
• iPhone SE 3: 12MP single camera (no Ultra-Wide, limited zoom)

While the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 have battery cameras, the iPhone SE 3 is pretty outdated. It’s also worth noting the zoom in the iPhone 16e is a trick using digital zoom. The Action button on the iPhone 16 supports Camera Control, but not on the iPhone 16e, which sucks.

Battery Life & Charging

• iPhone 16e: Up to 26 hours video playback, USB-C charging and Qi wireless charging
• iPhone 16: Up to 22 hours video playback, USB-C & MagSafe charging
• iPhone SE 3: Up to 15 hours video playback, Lightning charging

The iPhone 16e has the longest battery life, even outlasting the iPhone 16 by a few hours, which is impressive, but also not a surprise given the slightly underclocked A18. The iPhone SE 3’s battery is significantly worse as it’s also a smaller phone.

Special Features

The iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 share most of the same high-end features, while the iPhone SE 3 lacks Face ID, Apple Intelligence, and better cameras.

Which One Should You Buy?

• If you want a premium iPhone at a lower price → Go for the iPhone 16e. It’s still expensive though starting at $899 CAD for 128GB
• If you want the best camera & performance → Go for the iPhone 16
• If you need the absolute cheapest iPhone → The iPhone SE 3 is an outdated option and you could get it for free on contract if it’s even still offered. Costco.ca is still selling the iPhone SE 3 as of writing in 64GB and 128GB capacities…

For most people, the iPhone 16e is the best value, offering high-end features for less than the iPhone 16. However, if you want an Ultra-Wide camera and MagSafe charging, you might prefer the iPhone 16. The iPhone SE 3 is only worth considering if you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind an old design with weaker performance.

At this point, you may want to hold off and wait for refurbished iPhone 16 units to hit Apple.ca, or even an iPhone 15 Pro so you can get access to Apple Intelligence. There is no benefit to have the latest and greatest iPhone every single year anymore as the changes are pretty minimal.