iPhone comparison
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15
Compare iPhone 16e vs iPhone 15 side by side: chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
iPhone 16eThe 16e replaced the old SE idea with a full-screen, USB-C iPhone built around A18 and Apple Intelligence at a lower price.
iPhone 15The mainstream iPhone finally got the Dynamic Island, a 48 MP camera and, thanks to EU law, USB-C, ending the Lightning era for the base model.At a glance
Released 2 years apart — the iPhone 16e is the newer model. 10 of 13 specs differ.
Going from the iPhone 16e to the iPhone 15, the chip changes from the Apple A18 to the Apple A16 Bionic, memory drops from 8 GB to 6 GB, and it gets heavier, 167 g to 171 g. Launch price rises from $599 to $799.
- ChipApple A18Apple A16 Bionic
- Memory8 GB6 GB
- Weight167 g171 g
- Launch price$599$799
Unchanged storage, ports.
Specs side by side
| Spec | iPhone 16e | iPhone 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Release | February 28, 2025 | September 22, 2023 |
| Launch price | $599 | $799 |
| Price today | $605 | $823 |
| Chip | Apple A18 · 4.04 GHz | Apple A16 Bionic · 3.46 GHz |
| Graphics | Apple GPU | Apple 5-core GPU |
| CPU coresSame | 6 | 6 |
| Memory | 8 GB | 6 GB |
| StorageSame | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Display | 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, 2556×1179 |
| Weight | 167 g | 171 g |
| Dimensions | Modern iPhone slab | 147.6×71.6×7.8 mm |
| PortsSame | USB-C | USB-C |
| Operating system | iOS 18 | iOS 17 |
Highlighted cells win clear more-is-better specs (memory, storage, lighter weight). Historical pricing uses approximate US CPI; clock speeds are not full real-world performance.
Why each matters
Brought the value iPhone into the Apple Intelligence era.
Brought Dynamic Island, a 48 MP camera and USB-C to the standard iPhone.
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Last updated: 2026-08-18