Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Apple iPhone 16E Specs vs. iPhone 15 Professional: New Entry-Stage or Final Yr’s Professional

One of many greatest promoting factors of Apple’s $599 iPhone 16E is that it affords wonderful bang for the buck. It’s Apple’s most inexpensive iPhone, however it nonetheless has lots of the similar options because the $799 iPhone 16comparable to the most recent A18 chip and Apple Intelligence, which introduces generative emoji, smarter notifications and, finally, an improved Siri.

Watch this: iPhone 16E Assessment

But, it is likely to be price wanting on the firm’s older iPhones, such because the iPhone 15 Professional. It won’t be as low-cost because the iPhone 16E, however it has a lot better options, comparable to a nicer digicam and higher charging capabilities. These further options is likely to be definitely worth the increased value. Plus, you’ll be able to doubtlessly get it at a cheaper price than the iPhone 16 for those who purchase it refurbished.

How do these telephones evaluate? We have outlined just a few options so that you can discover out which one is the finest iPhone for you.

The iPhone 16E

The iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional each have 6.1-inch shows, however the Professional has just a few extra perks.

Celso Bulgatti / Cnett

Show

The iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional function the identical 6.1-inch dimension display screen at an analogous show decision, however there are nonetheless just a few variations. The iPhone 16E runs at a 60Hz refresh charge — just like the entire non-Professional iPhone fashions — and it could possibly attain a 1,200-nit peak brightness. It additionally has an analogous show notch to the iPhone 14and doesn’t help the Dynamic Island that serves up contextual data on different iPhone 15 and 16 fashions. It is useful and will work wonderful whether or not you’re utilizing the cellphone indoors or outside, however the Professional’s display screen has a number of extra perks.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Professional (proper, seen right here with the 15 Professional Max), consists of the Dynamic Island round its show cutout.

James Martin/CNET

The iPhone 15 Professional’s show can run at a variable refresh charge between 10Hz and 120Hz, altering based mostly on what exercise you’re doing. You’ll be able to count on to see the smoother 120Hz refresh charge when scrolling via web sites, enjoying video games and different purposes that profit from smoother animations. In accordance with Apple, it’s going to hit the decrease finish of that vary to preserve battery life whenever you aren’t utilizing the cellphone. The show additionally hits a better 2,000 nits of peak brightness (outside) and consists of the Dynamic Island that exhibits data just like the music participant or countdowns across the house of the front-facing digicam’s show cutout.

The iPhone 16E

Each the iPhone 16E (seen right here) and the iPhone 15 Professional can play extra graphically-intense video games comparable to Resident Evil 4 Remake.

Celso Bulgatti / Cnett

Processor

The iPhone 15 Professional has the A17 Professional chip, which is a six-core CPU with two efficiency and 4 effectivity cores that makes it nice for graphics and gaming. The iPhone 16E, alternatively, ships with the most recent A18 chip, which supplies it a contact extra energy and pace. In observe, the A17 Professional continues to be a really succesful chip that can serve you properly for years to return. The A18 chip, nevertheless, will seemingly obtain software program and new function updates for a barely longer time frame. Each processors are able to operating Apple Intelligence and extra superior iPhone video games like Resident Evil 4 Remake and Demise Stranding.

A woman holding an iPhone

The iPhone 16 has a Clear Up instrument that may take away undesirable parts from pictures.

Identify Prasarn/Cnet

Apple Intelligence

One of many iPhone 16E’s greatest highlights is that it helps Apple Intelligence, which was beforehand solely out there in Apple’s high-end choices just like the iPhone 15 Professional and the iPhone 16. Apple Intelligence affords loads of advantages comparable to good writing instruments, a Clear Up instrument that removes undesirable parts from pictures and a doubtlessly smarter Siri on a future replace. The iPhone 15 Professional, as talked about, has had this from the beginning, so the 2 are pretty equal on this division.

The iPhone 16E

The iPhone 16E has a single 48-megapixel foremost digicam.

Celso Bulgatti / Cnett

Digital camera

The largest visible distinction between the iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional is that the latter has three cameras as an alternative of 1. The iPhone 15 Professional has a 48-megapixel huge lens, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. It additionally has a big 48-megapixel sensor that helps immensely in low gentle. The iPhone 16E, alternatively, solely has a single 48-megapixel rear digicam. It has to depend on sensor-cropping for improved zoomed-in pictures. Each have 12-megapixel front-facing cameras.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max have three cameras on the again.

James Martin/CNET

Charging

One other draw back to the iPhone 16E is that it lacks help for MagSafe wi-fi charging, and is just appropriate with Qi charging capped at 7.5W. The iPhone 15 Professional, alternatively, helps 15W MagSafe charging. Not solely can it wi-fi cost at twice the pace, it additionally helps an entire vary of magnetic equipment that the iPhone 16E will not be capable of use except it has a third-party MagSafe-compatible case.

Each telephones use USB-C for wired charging, with Apple citing that each can recharge their battery to 50% in half-hour when linked to a 20W adapter. In CNET’s assessment testing for the iPhone 16E and iPhone 15 Professional, each telephones examined barely higher than this. The iPhone 16E recharged from 0% to 59% in half-hour, and the 15 Professional recharged from 0% to 62% after being up to date to iOS 17.0.3.

The iPhone 16E

Each the iPhone 16E and the 15 Professional cost over USB-C.

Celso Bulgatti / Cnett

Pricing (and a observe on shopping for refurbished)

Clearly, the iPhone 16E affords the cheaper price because it retails for simply $599. Apple, nevertheless, is now formally promoting a refurbished model of the 15 Professional for simply $759which is cheaper than the $799 iPhone 16. Positive, that is dearer than the 16E, however the Professional’s further options is likely to be price a better value for you. Moreover, whereas shopping for telephones in a secondary market has its points (the cellphone won’t at all times be in nice form), Apple’s official refurbished program has a superb repute that’s akin to purchasing the product new.

Take a look at the next chart to see how the iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional stack up in different elements.

Apple iPhone 16E vs. Apple iPhone 15 Professional

Apple iPhone 16E Apple iPhone 15 Professional
Show dimension, decision 6.1-inch OLED show; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh charge 6.1-inch OLED; 2,556×1,179 pixels; 120Hz adaptive
Pixel density 460 ppi 460 ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 in. 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.32 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm
Weight (ounces, grams) 167g (5.88 oz.) 187g (6.6 oz)
Cell software program iOS 18 iOS 17
Digital camera 48-megapixel (huge) 48-megapixel (huge), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (3x telephoto)
Entrance-facing digicam 12-megapixel 12-megapixel
Video seize 4K 4K
Processor Apple A18 A17 for
RAM/Storage RAM unknown + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Expandable storage None None
Battery/Charger As much as 26 hours video playback, 21 hours streamed video playback, 90 hours of audio playback. 20W wired charging, 7.5W Qi wi-fi charging Undisclosed; Apple claims as much as 23 hours of video playback (20 hours streamed)
Fingerprint sensor None, Face ID None (Face ID)
Connector USB-C USB-C (USB 3.0)
Headphone jack None None
Particular options Motion button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Protect, Emergency SOS, satellite tv for pc connectivity, IP68 resistance 5G (mmw/Sub6), Motion Button, All the time-On show, IP68 ranking, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equal), satellite tv for pc connectivity, eSIM, Thread networking expertise
Value off-contract (USD) $599 (128GB) $999 (128GB, $1,099 (256GB), $1,299 (512GB), $1,499 (1TB)
Value (GBP) £599 (128GB) £999 (128GB), £1,099 (256GB), £1,299 (512GB), £1,499 (1TB)
Value (AUD) AU$999 (128GB) AU$1,849 (128GB), AU$2,049 (256GB), AU$2,399 (512GB), AU$2,749 (1TB)


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