Apple
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16e
Device summary
Apple
iPhone 16e
Full specifications
| Basic information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Starting price | $799 | $599 |
| Display size | 6.3-inch | 6.1-inch |
| Dimensions | 71.5 mm × 149.6 mm × 8.0 mm | 71.5 mm × 146.7 mm × 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 177 g | 167 g |
| Front material | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield |
| Back material | Color-infused glass | Glass |
| Display | ||
| Display technology | Super Retina XDR OLED | Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Resolution | 2622 × 1206 | 2532 × 1170 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 2000 nits | 1200 nits |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset | Apple A19 | Apple A18 |
| CPU | 6-core CPU | 6-core CPU |
| GPU | 5-core GPU | 4-core GPU |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No |
| Cameras | ||
| Main camera | Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS | Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS |
| Ultra-wide camera | Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm | — |
| Front cameras | Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9 | TrueDepth · 12 MP · ƒ/1.9 |
| Video recording | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, Spatial video up to 4K at 30 fps | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps |
| Battery & charging | ||
| Wired charging | 25 W | 20 W |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
| Charging standard | MagSafe, Qi2 | MagSafe, Qi |
| Video playback (Manufacturer claim) | 30 h | — |
| Battery type | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion |
| Connectivity | ||
| Cellular | 5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE | 5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE |
| Wi‑Fi | Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) | Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| USB | USB-C (USB 2) | USB-C (USB 2) |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite | Emergency SOS via satellite | Emergency SOS via satellite |
| Build & durability | ||
| Frame | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Ingress protection | IP68 | IP68 |
Basic information
Release year
- iPhone 17
- 2025
- iPhone 16e
- 2025
Starting price
- iPhone 17
- $799
- iPhone 16e
- $599
Display size
- iPhone 17
- 6.3-inch
- iPhone 16e
- 6.1-inch
Dimensions
- iPhone 17
- 71.5 mm × 149.6 mm × 8.0 mm
- iPhone 16e
- 71.5 mm × 146.7 mm × 7.8 mm
Weight
- iPhone 17
- 177 g
- iPhone 16e
- 167 g
Front material
- iPhone 17
- Ceramic Shield
- iPhone 16e
- Ceramic Shield
Back material
- iPhone 17
- Color-infused glass
- iPhone 16e
- Glass
Display
Display technology
- iPhone 17
- Super Retina XDR OLED
- iPhone 16e
- Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution
- iPhone 17
- 2622 × 1206
- iPhone 16e
- 2532 × 1170
Refresh rate
- iPhone 17
- 120 Hz
- iPhone 16e
- 60 Hz
Peak brightness
- iPhone 17
- 2000 nits
- iPhone 16e
- 1200 nits
Protection
- iPhone 17
- Ceramic Shield
- iPhone 16e
- Ceramic Shield
Performance
Chipset
- iPhone 17
- Apple A19
- iPhone 16e
- Apple A18
CPU
- iPhone 17
- 6-core CPU
- iPhone 16e
- 6-core CPU
GPU
- iPhone 17
- 5-core GPU
- iPhone 16e
- 4-core GPU
RAM
- iPhone 17
- 8 GB
- iPhone 16e
- 8 GB
Storage
- iPhone 17
- 256 GB, 512 GB
- iPhone 16e
- 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Expandable storage
- iPhone 17
- No
- iPhone 16e
- No
Cameras
Main camera
- iPhone 17
- Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS
- iPhone 16e
- Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS
Ultra-wide camera
- iPhone 17
- Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm
- iPhone 16e
- —
Front cameras
- iPhone 17
- Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9
- iPhone 16e
- TrueDepth · 12 MP · ƒ/1.9
Video recording
- iPhone 17
- 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, Spatial video up to 4K at 30 fps
- iPhone 16e
- 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps
Battery & charging
Wired charging
- iPhone 17
- 25 W
- iPhone 16e
- 20 W
Wireless charging
- iPhone 17
- 15 W
- iPhone 16e
- 15 W
Charging standard
- iPhone 17
- MagSafe, Qi2
- iPhone 16e
- MagSafe, Qi
Video playback (Manufacturer claim)
- iPhone 17
- 30 h
- iPhone 16e
- —
Battery type
- iPhone 17
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
- iPhone 16e
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
Connectivity
Cellular
- iPhone 17
- 5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE
- iPhone 16e
- 5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE
Wi‑Fi
- iPhone 17
- Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
- iPhone 16e
- Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
- iPhone 17
- Bluetooth 6
- iPhone 16e
- Bluetooth 5.3
USB
- iPhone 17
- USB-C (USB 2)
- iPhone 16e
- USB-C (USB 2)
NFC
- iPhone 17
- Yes
- iPhone 16e
- Yes
eSIM
- iPhone 17
- Yes
- iPhone 16e
- Yes
Satellite
- iPhone 17
- Emergency SOS via satellite
- iPhone 16e
- Emergency SOS via satellite
Build & durability
Frame
- iPhone 17
- Aluminum
- iPhone 16e
- Aluminum
Ingress protection
- iPhone 17
- IP68
- iPhone 16e
- IP68
Key differences
The most meaningful measured gaps in size and weight — not an overall winner.
Height
iPhone 17
2.9 mm taller · minor difference
Weight
iPhone 16e
10 g lighter
Width
Very similar width
Thickness
Very similar thickness
User Experience Summary
iPhone 17
Strengths
- ProMotion and Always-On in daily life
- Dependable mixed-use battery habits
- Mid-size handling versus Max and Air extremes
Compromises
- No dedicated telephoto
- Incremental for recent standard iPhone owners
- Slightly larger than the iPhone 16
iPhone 16e
Strengths
- Strong battery reports for a compact iPhone
- Light 167 g weight with excellent handling
- A18 performance for everyday tasks
Compromises
- No native MagSafe support
- 60Hz display and notch-era front design
- Single rear camera limits framing options