Apple dropped the new “cheap” iPhone in March 2025 in the form of the iPhone 16e. E stands for expensive as the cheaper iPhone on the market starts at $599. iPhone SE 3, the iPhone 16e replaces, starts at $499. Is the price bump justified? How does it fare against an older pro model like the iPhone 15 Pro which you can get around the same price refurbished on Amazon??
For iPhone 16e
Here are the new features that the iPhone 16e improves upon compared to iPhone SE 3:
- A18 Processor: It is the same processor that you will get in the iPhone 16, but one of the graphic cores is turned off. Unless you are playing some heavy games on the iPhone, you most likely will not feel the difference.
- C1 modem processor: This is Apple’s first modem that is designed by Apple itself. Apple bought the modem business from Intel back in 2019, and after a few false starts, they finally release their own 5G modem. Apple claims that with this modem, they managed to save some battery life to make the iPhone 16e have the longest battery life of any iPhone ever.
- FaceID: With the iPhone 16e, Apple no longer sells any iPhone with a TouchID. FaceID is a more convinient way to authenticate yourself compared to TouchID and it is a welcome change.
- Camera: The iPhone 16e takes the camera from its iPhone 16 brothers, although there are some rumors that it is actually from an iPhone 14. Despite that, you still get a 48MP camera, although no Apple RAW capabilities. Apple can stimulate a 2x zoom by capturing the middle 12MP of the sensor. Although the camera itself is 48MP, the final photo will still be 12MP. What you get is a very crisp picture worth of keeping in the memory lane.
For $100 extra, you do get a lot when you compare it to the iPhone SE 3. But with around a $600 budget, you do have a chance to buy a previous-generation flagship or even a base iPhone. So let’s compare what last-gen iPhone can get you.
For iPhone 15 / iPhone 15 Pro
Here is what you will be getting if you opt for a refurbished iPhone 15 / iPhone 15 Pro
- A16 / A17 Pro chip: Yes, on paper, they are less powerful than the A18 chip that is on iPhone 16e, but unless you are playing intensive games, you most likely will not feel the difference between those chips.
- Better camera system: Both iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have a 48MP main camera that can do 1x and 2x zoom, just like the iPhone 16e. However, both iPhone also sports the ultrawide 0.5x zoom camera which is more useful in tight situations. The iPhone 15 Pro has a 3x zoom which enables you to capture better potrait pictures.
- “Pro” features: The iPhone 15 Pro was built for professionals and has more features than the iPhone 16e. Features like Apple RAW for photos, Log recording for videos, color encoding system, and many more
Conclusion
iPhone today is a very mature product and the iPhone 15 is proof that the old girl still can be useful. A used iPhone 15 Pro is not only cheaper, but it also has more features, take better pictures, and still decently powerful.
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| Base | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhones | iPhone 16 / iPhone 16 Plus - (Amazon) | iPhone 16 Pro / iPhone 16 Pro Max - (Amazon) |
| Watch | Apple Watch SE (Amazon) / Apple Watch Series 10 | Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Amazon) |
| AirPods | AirPods 4 (Amazon) | AirPods Pro 2 (Amazon) / AirPods Max (Amazon) |
| iPad | iPad 10 (Amazon) / iPad Mini (Amazon) | iPad Air M2 (Amazon) / iPad Pro M4 (Amazon) |
| Laptops | MacBook Air M3 (Amazon) | MacBook Pro M3 (Amazon) / MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max (Amazon) |
| Desktop | Mac Mini (Amazon) / iMac (Amazon) | Mac Studio / Mac Pro |
| Displays | Studio Display (Amazon) | Pro Display XDR (Amazon) |
Other Ecosystem Items