With Apple releasing the iPhone 16e at Rs. 59,900, Rs. 10,000 than the starting price of the iPhone 15, prospective buyers are having a hard time deciding between the two models. While the iPhone 16e provides access to Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 15 looks modern and provides a dual-camera system for clicking pictures. To make the decision easier, we’ve compiled a comprehensive comparison between the two iPhones.
Also Read: Apple planning to integrate Google Gemini with Apple Intelligence Soon: Details Inside
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Design
Materials
Even though both iPhones use the same materials, like an aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front, and a glass back, the iPhone 15 has a color-infused glass back panel.
Design
While the iPhone 16e has a notch at the top (like the iPhone 14), the iPhone 15 offers Dynamic Island, a clever implementation of hardware and software that hides the pill-shaped notch behind interactive widgets.
Dimensions and Weight
- iPhone 16e: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm
- iPhone 15: 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm
The dimensions remain the same on both iPhones (with the iPhone 16e being 0.9mm shorter than the iPhone 15); the newly launched affordable iPhone is four grams lighter than the iPhone 15.
Colors
If you’re into vibrant smartphone finishes, you won’t like iPhone 16e’s black and white colors. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 is available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black finishes (all relatively minimal shades).
Water Resistance
Last but not least, both iPhones get the IP68 dust and water resistance rating (up to 6m for 30 minutes).
If you want an iPhone in a vibrant finish or one with the Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 is your only choice. However, if you’re okay with the notch up to and the colors don’t really matter, you can go with the iPhone 16e.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Biometrics
Both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 15 feature Face ID, a system that is twenty times more secure than the Touch ID sensor on the 2022 iPhone SE. For those catching up, Face ID includes an infrared camera and a dot projector.
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iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Screen
Apple markets the iPhone 16e to have a 6.1-inch screen, but it actually measures 6.06 inches diagonally. Even so, it shares the Super Retina XDR OLED panel with the iPhone 15 (which has a 6.1-inch screen).
While the iPhone 16e maxes out at 1,200 nits of peak brightness (HDR), the iPhone 15 shines brighter (1,600 nits of HDR brightness). If you’re using the iPhone outdoors, the iPhone 15’s screen will appear brighter, as it can shine as bright as 2,000 nits (but only under direct sunlight).
Between the two iPhones, the iPhone 15 provides a brighter panel, which should be more legible under direct sunlight. Beyond that, both screens share similar qualities.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Performance
The iPhone 16e ships with Apple’s latest A18 (3nm) chip. With two 4.04 GHz prime scores and four 2.20 GHz efficient cores, the A18 chip on the iPhone 16 (review) is significantly faster than the A16 Bionic (4nm) chip with two 3.46 GHz prime cores and four 2.02 GHz efficient cores.
While the former has a four-core GPU, the latter has a five-core GPU. But even so, the iPhone 16e supports AAA video games, while the iPhone 15 doesn’t. In addition, the 16e should be able to accommodate more apps in its larger memory (8GB vs. 6GB).
If raw performance is important, the iPhone 16e should be your top priority. The iPhone 15 performs well, but not just as well as the iPhone 16e.
Also Read: iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16: Which One is Better For You?
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Software And Apple Intelligence
The iPhone 16e and iPhone 15 support the latest operating system from Apple: iOS 18. However, while the former supports Apple Intelligence, the latter does not. Even though the company hasn’t been able to roll out all the features showcased at the WWDC 2024, their availability on the iPhone 16e could be a strong selling point.
Regarding software support, iPhones usually get around five to seven years of updates from Apple. Even though the iPhone 15 doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, it should still get another four to five years of software updates, trailing behind by just a year.
Check out how Apple Intelligence compares to Galaxy AI in our detailed comparison article here. If you absolutely want to have the available GenAI features, choose the iPhone 16e.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Cameras
iPhone 16e Camera Configuration
- Primary camera: 48 MP (f/1.6, 26mm) sensor with optical image stabilization with 2x lossless zoom (at 12MP)
- Front camera: 12MP (f/1.9) with autofocus
iPhone 15 Camera Configuration
- Primary camera: 48 MP (f/1.6, 26mm) sensor with sensor-shift optical image stabilization with 2x lossless zoom (at 12MP)
- Secondary camera: 12MP (f/2.4, 13mm) with a 120° field of view
- Front camera: 12MP (f/1.9) with autofocus
Although both phones support the same camera-related features like Photographic Styles, Portrait Mode, 4K Dolby Vision recordings (60 fps), and audio zoom, the iPhone 15 offers Cinematic Mode and Action Mode, two features the iPhone 16e lacks. However, the 16e lets you tweak a video’s audio profile (post-recording) via the Audio Mix feature.
Clearly, the iPhone 15 has a more versatile camera system than the iPhone 16e.
Also Read: The Best AI Mobile Phones Under ₹30,000 in 2025
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Battery Life And Charging Speed
The iPhone 16e provides up to 26 hours of video playback, which is six hours more than the iPhone 15. Although both smartphones have the same wired charging speed (20W), the former supports Qi wireless charging, while the latter supports 15W MagSafe charging.
If you prefer wireless charging over wired charging, getting the iPhone 15 will make more sense.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Connectivity Options
Both the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 15 support sub-6-GHz 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, and Wi-Fi calling. However, the iPhone 16e doesn’t include the second-generation ultra-wideband chip (which unlocks the Precision Finding feature on the iPhone 15). Both phones have a USB-C port.
What’s interesting is that the iPhone 16e features Apple’s first in-house cellular modem called the C1 subsystem. In comparison, the iPhone 15 ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X70 5G modem. While the former has a reported download speed of 4 Gbps, the latter has a peak download speed of 10 Gbps.
It remains to be seen how the C1 modem performs in real-life conditions.
iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 15: Price And Conclusion
iPhone 16e Price
iPhone 15 Price
- iPhone 15 (128GB): Rs. 69,900 (available at Rs. 61,499)
- iPhone 15 (256GB): Rs. 79,900 (available at Rs. 70,999)
- iPhone 15 (512GB): Rs. 99,900 (available at Rs. 84,999)
Given that the iPhone 16e provides an upgrade on most aspects of the comparison, it is an easy recommendation for people who own an old iPhone. Among its downsides are a single rear-facing camera, a lack of MagSafe charging, and a less-brighter screen.
The iPhone 15’s pros include a brighter screen, a contemporary look (with the Dynamic Island), and a dual-camera setup. However, if the iPhone 15 becomes more affordable than the iPhone 16e (during the annual Diwali 2025 sale), the choice should depend on whether one wants the Apple Intelligence features or not.
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