Saturday, September 13, 2025

Apple iPhone 16E Specs vs. iPhone 15 Professional: New Entry-Stage or Final 12 months’s Professional

One of many largest promoting factors of Apple’s $599 iPhone 16E is that it affords glorious bang for the buck. It’s Apple’s most inexpensive iPhone, nevertheless it nonetheless has most of the identical options because the $799 iPhone 16, corresponding to the newest A18 chip and Apple Intelligence, which introduces generative emoji, smarter notifications and, finally, an improved Siri. 

Watch this: iPhone 16E Overview

But, it may 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, nevertheless it has a lot better options, corresponding to a nicer digital camera and higher charging capabilities. These additional options may be well worth the larger value. Plus, you possibly can probably get it at a cheaper price than the iPhone 16 in the event you purchase it refurbished. 

How do these telephones examine? We have outlined a couple of 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 a couple of extra perks.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET

Show 

The iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional function the identical 6.1-inch dimension display screen at an identical show decision, however there are nonetheless a couple of variations. The iPhone 16E runs at a 60Hz refresh fee — much like the entire non-Professional iPhone fashions — and it could actually attain a 1,200-nit peak brightness. It additionally has an identical show notch to the iPhone 14, and doesn’t help the Dynamic Island that serves up contextual data on different iPhone 15 and 16 fashions. It is practical and may work superb whether or not you’re utilizing the telephone indoors or open air, however the Professional’s display screen has a number of further perks.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

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

James Martin/CNET

The iPhone 15 Professional’s show can run at a variable refresh fee between 10Hz and 120Hz, altering based mostly on what exercise you’re doing. You may anticipate to see the smoother 120Hz refresh fee when scrolling by way of web sites, taking part in video games and different functions that profit from smoother animations. Based on Apple, it is going to hit the decrease finish of that vary to preserve battery life if you aren’t utilizing the telephone. The show additionally hits a better 2,000 nits of peak brightness (open air) and contains the Dynamic Island that reveals data just like the music participant or countdowns across the house of the front-facing digital camera’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 corresponding to Resident Evil 4 Remake.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET

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 newest A18 chip, which supplies it a contact extra energy and velocity. In apply, the A17 Professional remains to be a really succesful chip that can serve you nicely for years to come back. The A18 chip, nonetheless, 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 device that may take away undesirable parts from pictures.

Numi Prasarn/CNET

Apple Intelligence

One of many iPhone 16E’s largest 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 corresponding to good writing instruments, a Clear Up device that removes undesirable parts from pictures and a probably 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 primary digital camera.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET

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 large 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 digital camera. 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 barely 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 velocity, it additionally helps a complete vary of magnetic equipment that the iPhone 16E will not be capable to 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 overview 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/CNET

Pricing (and a word on shopping for refurbished)

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

Try the next chart to see how the iPhone 16E and the iPhone 15 Professional stack up in different facets.

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 fee 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 (large) 48-megapixel (large), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (3x telephoto)
Entrance-facing digital camera 12-megapixel 12-megapixel
Video seize 4K 4K
Processor Apple A18 A17 Professional
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 know-how
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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