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Apple iPhone 16e vs Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)

Apple iPhone 16e ($309) vs Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) ($41) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartphone.

Apple iPhone 16e
Apple
iPhone 16e
$309
Check Price →
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
Apple
iPhone SE (1st generation)
$41
Check Price →
Spec-by-spec
SpecApple iPhone 16eApple iPhone SE (1st generation)
Price$309$41
Weight167g113g
ChipApple A18A9
Display6.1" OLED4" 60Hz LCD
Battery4,005mAh—
Weight167g113g (Apple published)
Camera—12MP single
Rating—IP67 (later revisions)
Pros & Cons

Apple iPhone 16e

  • Cheapest current iPhone
  • A18 chip punches up
  • Great battery for size
  • Years of updates ahead
  • 60Hz display
  • Single rear camera
  • No MagSafe

Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)

  • Smallest, lightest phone in the entire catalog
  • Touch ID and a real home button
  • Genuinely one-handed usable, unlike anything from 2018 onward
  • Extremely cheap, the least expensive working iPhone here
  • iOS support has ended
  • A9 chip is a decade old and it shows in modern apps
  • Single camera, no portrait mode or night mode
  • Battery on any used unit will be significantly degraded
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) is the better value at $41. Both are part of our curated smartphone index — tap through to check current pricing.
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