Apple’s new iPhone 16e isn’t quite as budget-friendly as the iPhone SE it replaced, but it’s still a fantastic option for users looking to upgrade without breaking the bank. For iPhone 15 owners specifically, there are five big upgrades that come with the iPhone 16e vs. your current 15.
#1: Apple Intelligence support
Apple tends to offer pretty solid ongoing support for its devices years after launch. But controversially, the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus do not support Apple Intelligence despite debuting only a year prior to AI’s launch.
Whatever you think of the Apple Intelligence features that are available so far, future iOS updates will only continue adding to the iPhone’s AI capabilities. And if you buy an iPhone 16e, you’ll get all of those features thrown in. If you stick with your iPhone 15, you’ll continue to miss out.
#2: A18 chip
The iPhone 16e is launching less than 18 months after the iPhone 15, but its chip is a full two generations better. The A18 included in the new iPhone offers improved performance compared to the iPhone 15’s A16 Bionic. It also is a much more future-proof chip, largely thanks to its Apple Intelligence support.
#3: Better battery life
There are few things that matter more on an iPhone than battery life, and this is another area the iPhone 16e shines compared to the 15.
Here are Apple’s quotes for video playback, its standard battery benchmark:
- iPhone 16e: 26 hours
- iPhone 15: 20 hours
Your experience in daily use will of course vary, but per these numbers you should expect about a 30% increase in battery performance with an iPhone 16e.
#4: Action button
The iPhone 15 was the last model Apple included the classic ring/silent switch with. That same year, the 15 Pro introduced an Action button in its place, and that same Action button is now included with the iPhone 16e.
The Action button can be configured to perform practically any function you want, such as:
- launching the Camera app
- entering a Focus mode
- running a timer
- triggering a shortcut
- using Shazam to identify a song
- or activating any control available in Control Center
Of course, you can also still make it toggle between ring and silent, if that’s your preference.
#5: 8GB RAM
Finally in terms of big upgrades, the iPhone 15 has 6GB of RAM, while the new iPhone 16e comes with 8GB. This 33% increase enables Apple Intelligence support but should also lead to smoother performance in iOS overall, especially as future software updates put more demands on your iPhone’s hardware.
Losses when upgrading to the iPhone 16e
It’s not all positives when upgrading from an iPhone 15. This should perhaps be obvious by the fact that the iPhone 16e costs $100 less—$599 vs. $699.
Here’s the list of noteworthy iPhone 16e omissions compared to the iPhone 15:
- No Ultra Wide camera or Macro mode
- No Dynamic Island, just a standard notch
- No MagSafe support, but you can still charge wirelessly
- Display isn’t quite as bright
- No Cinematic mode or Action mode for video
- No Ultra Wideband chip for precision finding
Depending on your device use, these losses could either be a real issue or not a problem at all.
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15: wrap-up
Overall, the iPhone 16e has a lot going for it as a budget-sensitive option to gain Apple Intelligence support. Getting better battery life and the Action button thrown in are compelling upgrades too. But if you’d have a hard time giving up the Dynamic Island, MagSafe, or some other iPhone 15 advantages, it might be worth spending the extra $200 to get an iPhone 16 instead.
Will you upgrade from an iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16e? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
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