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iPhone Q&A
Published March 2, 2025
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What are the major differences between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone SE 3 that it replaced? Is the iPhone 16e a worthy upgrade?
There are enormous differences between the iPhone SE 3 -- introduced in 2022 -- and the iPhone 16e -- introduced as the replacement for the iPhone SE 3 in 2025. There also are four distinct models of each, but this EveryiPhone.com Q&A primarily covers collective differences for the sake of simplicity.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Left: iPhone SE 3; Right: iPhone
16e)
As the above photo makes clear, the iPhone SE 3 basically is the last iPhone of a specific era; an era in which iPhone models were available with small displays, easily pocketable cases, and the once iconic "Home" button that now has been phased out entirely.
The iPhone 16e, on the other hand, is a cheaper "economy" version of the iPhone 16 with "downgraded" features and externals largely more in common with the iPhone 14. By eliminating some features of current iPhone models and reusing part designs from older ones, Apple can offer a more modern iPhone at a relatively low price point and still maintain the company's obese profit margins.
For those who were hoping the iPhone SE 3 replacement would be something closer to a newer version of the iPhone 13 mini, it is a disappointment, no doubt. For those who just want a cheaper current iPhone, the iPhone 16e could be perfect, although it is quite a bit more expensive than the iPhone SE 3 it replaced, as well.
Those upgrading from an iPhone SE 3 might choose a less expensive or smaller Android mobile or might prefer a slightly more modern, but still decidedly small, iPhone 13 mini.
Some may make the best of it with an iPhone 16e instead of lamenting the demise of smaller iPhone models. Because the iPhone 16e uses the front of the device so much more efficiently than the iPhone SE 3, it is not that much bigger overall.
A detailed comparison of the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 16e models can be worthwhile to help you decide whether or not the upgrade is for you.
External Design & Functionality Differences
The iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 16e have little in common in terms of design or external functionality. They both use aluminum cases with a glass front and back, and both support wireless charging. This is just about where the similarities end, though.
The iPhone SE 3 uses a design that was dated even at the time it was released with significant "dead space" above the top and bottom of its small 4.7" LCD "Retina HD" display, a solid state "clickless" Home button with integrated "Touch ID" fingerprint capability, and a Lighting port.
The iPhone 16e, on the other hand, uses a design that is much more modern than the iPhone SE 3, but also a bit dated already. It has a static "notch" at the top of its 6.1" "Super Retina XDR" display to hide cameras and sensors instead of using the more current "Dynamic Island" interface feature. It has no Home button and instead provides "Face ID" for authentication, and a USB-C port.
These difference are summarized below:
 iPhone SE 3 |
 iPhone 16e |
|
| Display: | 4.7" LCD | 6.1" XDR |
| Resolution: | 1334x750 | 2532x1170 |
| PPI: | 326 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Contrast Ratio: | 1400:1 | 2,000,000:1 |
| Water Resistance: | IP67 (1 meter) | IP68 (6 meters) |
| Speakers: | Stereo | Stereo |
| Action Button: | No | Yes |
| Security: | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Home Button: | Yes | No |
| Bottom Port: | Lightning | USB-C |
| Inductive Charging: | Yes (Qi) | Yes (Qi) |
| MagSafe: | No | No |
| Material: | Aluminum/Glass | Aluminum/Glass |
| Height (In.): | 5.45 | 5.78 |
| Width (In.): | 2.65 | 2.82 |
| Depth (In.): | 0.29 | 0.31 |
| Weight (Oz.): | 5.09 | 5.88 |
| Color Options: | (PRODUCT) RED Starlight Midnight |
White Black |
Camera Differences
Compared to the iPhone SE 3 that it replaced, the cameras are much better in the newer iPhone 16e.
Front Cameras
The front-facing camera on the iPhone SE 3 is a "Face Time HD" camera with a 7 megapixel sensor, an f/2.2 aperture, and 1080p support; the front-facing camera on the iPhone 16e is a "TrueDepth" camera with a 12 megapixel sensor, an f/1.9 aperture, and 4K support:
iPhone SE 3 |
iPhone 16e |
|
| Camera Type: | FaceTime HD | TrueDepth |
| Megapixels: | 7 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture: | f/2.2 | f/1.9 |
| Video: | 1080p | 4K |
| Portrait Mode: | Yes | Yes |
| Portrait Lighting: | Yes | Yes |
| Photographic Styles: | Yes | Yes |
| Deep Fusion: | Yes | Yes |
| AR Support: | No | Yes |
| Face ID: | No | Yes |
Rear Cameras
With a 48 megapixel sensor, the single-lens rear camera in the newer iPhone 16e is also a huge leap forward compared to the one in its predecessor:
iPhone SE 3 |
iPhone 16e |
|
| Megapixels: | 12 MP | 48 MP |
| Aperture: | f/1.8 | f/1.6 |
| Telephoto: | None | None |
| LED Flash: | Yes | Yes |
| Night Mode: | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Zoom: | 1x | 1x, 2x |
| Portrait Mode: | Yes | Yes |
| Portrait Lighting: | Yes | Yes |
| Photographic Styles: | Yes | Yes |
| Deep Fusion: | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Intelligence: | No | Yes |
Identification Differences
It is practically impossible to confuse the iPhone SE 3 for the iPhone 16e, but easy to mix up either model with another similar looking device.
Accordingly, one relatively easy way to uniquely identify the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 16e is by the Model Number listed on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS "Settings" app among other places.
Consequently, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these iPhone devices:
|
iPhone Model |
Model No |
EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature also can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About).
Battery Life Differences
The iPhone 16e has massively longer runtimes than the iPhone SE 3 it replaced:
iPhone SE 3 |
iPhone 16e |
|
| Streamed Video: | 10 Hours | 21 Hours |
| Video Playback: | 15 Hours | 26 Hours |
| Audio Playback: | 50 Hours | 90 Hours |
Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences
There are notable differences in connectivity between the older iPhone SE 3 and the newer iPhone 16e.
Both models support 5G and Wi-Fi 6, but the iPhone 16e supports faster versions of 5G as well as a newer version of Bluetooth.
The iPhone SE 3 provides physical Nano SIM support for all models regardless of geography and both physical Nano SIM and eSIM support everywhere except for China. The iPhone 16e, on the other hand, no longer supports a physical Nano SIM in the US and only supports eSIM (it supports both Nano SIM and eSIM everywhere else but mainland China where it still only supports Nano SIM).
Internal Differences
Compared to the iPhone SE 3, the iPhone 16e has a much faster, more capable processor, more RAM, and the option of more storage:
iPhone SE 3 |
iPhone 16e |
|
| Clockspeed: | 3.2 GHz | 4.0 GHz |
| Processor: | Apple A15 Bionic | Apple A18 |
| CPU Cores: | Six | Six |
| GPU Cores: | Four | Four |
| RAM: | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage: | 64/128/256 GB | 128/256/512 GB |
| 5G Cellular: | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth: | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Apple Pay (NFC): | Yes | Yes |
In benchmark tests, the newer iPhone 16e is around 35% faster in both single-core tasks and multicore tasks than the iPhone SE 3 it replaced.
iOS Support Differences
The iPhone SE 3 originally shipped with iOS 15. The iPhone 16e originally shipped with iOS 18, the current version of the operating system.
Running iOS 18, the iPhone SE 3 does not support the Apple Intelligence (AI) and Messages via Satellite features, whereas the iPhone 16e fully supports the operating system.
iPhone SE 3 & iPhone 16e Comparison Chart
These differences as well as other details and original pricing information is summarized below:
iPhone SE 3 |
iPhone 16e |
|
| Introduced: | Mar 2022 | Feb 2025 |
| Discontinued: | Feb 2025 | Current |
| Processor: | 3.2 GHz A15 | 4.0 GHz A18 |
| RAM: | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage: | 64/128/256 GB | 128/256/512 GB |
| Battery Life: | 10-50 Hours | 21-90 Hours |
| Display Type: | LCD | XDR |
| Display Size: | 4.7" | 6.1" |
| Resolution: | 1334x750 | 2532x1170 |
| Pixel Density: | 326 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Contrast Ratio: | 1400:1 | 2,000,000:1 |
| Front Camera: | 7 MP (1080p) | 12 MP (4K) |
| Rear Camera: | 1 (12 MP) | 1 (48 MP) |
| Security: | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Home Button: | Yes | No |
| Bottom Port: | Lightning | USB-C |
| Material: | Alum/Glass | Alum/Glass |
| Waterproofing: | IP67 (1m) | IP68 (6m) |
| Colors: | White/Black/Red | White/Black |
| SIM Card: | Nano/eSIM | Nano/eSIM |
| Fastest Wi-Fi: | 802.11ax (6) | 802.11ax (6) |
| 5G Cellular: | Yes | Yes |
| Original iOS: | iOS 15 | iOS 18 |
| Maximum iOS: | iOS 18 | iOS 18 |
| Orig. Price* (US): | US$429 US$479 US$579 |
US$599 US$699 US$899 |
* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Apple replaced the iPhone SE 3 with the iPhone 16e on February 19, 2025.
For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.
So, is the iPhone 16e a worthy upgrade from the iPhone SE 3?
For someone who places maximum importance on the smallest size possible, the iPhone 16e is unlikely to be an acceptable upgrade from the iPhone SE 3.
However, the iPhone 16e only is a bit larger overall -- it mostly looks a lot bigger because it uses nearly the entire front of the device for the screen -- and provides (1) a much nicer, higher quality display, (2) significantly faster performance, (3) more RAM (which likely means longer OS support in addition to more speed), (4) the option of more storage, (5) massively better battery life, (6) much better cameras, and (7) support for Apple Intelligence.
For someone who doesn't mind the larger size and the higher price tag, the iPhone 16e could be a worthy upgrade. Of course, if price is a concern, there are any number of iPhone models available on the used market at discount prices.
In the US, site sponsor Other World Computing sells used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.
Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.
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