Compare iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16e

Which one is best for you?

iPhone 17 and iPhone 16e are Apple’s most recent models – both released in 2025. They share core Apple features like Apple Intelligence, but there are a number of differences in display, camera specs, performance and budget which might influence your decision. 

Both models offer Super Retina XDR Displays, but iPhone 17 introduces ProMotion technology with a 120Hz refresh rate and Always-On display, making interactions smoother and more responsive. iPhone 17 also has a slightly larger display at 6.3-inches, compared to iPhone 16e’s 6.1-inch.  

When it comes to performance, iPhone 17 is powered by the A19 chip whereas iPhone 16e has an A18 chip. This means iPhone 17 has improved GPU performance and longer battery life – up to 30 hours of video playback compared to iPhone 16e’s 26 hours. If you enjoy streaming or gaming, iPhone 17 might be the better choice for you. 

Camera upgrades are another key difference between the two phones. iPhone 17 features a new 18-megapixel Centre Stage front camera with AI enhancements and Dual Capture, allowing simultaneous front and back video recording. The main camera system on iPhone 17 is also an upgrade from iPhone 16e, with 48-megapixel Main and Ultra Wide lenses offering better detail and low-light performance. In contrast, the iPhone 16e has a 12-megapixel front camera, and a 2-in-1 camera system with one 48-megapixel lens. If you’re a photography enthusiast, iPhone 17 is a compelling choice.

Both iPhone 17 and 16e are great devices. If you’re looking for a streamlined lower budget option, the iPhone 16e is ideal. If you’re looking for a higher spec more advanced phone, iPhone 17 is the better choice.  

Apple iPhone 17

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Apple iPhone 16e

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Battery
  • Non-removable
  • Fast battery charging
  • Qi2 wireless charging
  • Non-removable
  • Fast battery charging
  • Qi wireless charging
Body
  • Ceramic Shield 2 front, Color‑infused glass back and Aluminum design
  • Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM)
  • Splash, water and dust resistant (IP68)
  • Ceramic Shield front, Glass back and Aluminium design
  • eSIM
  • Splash, water and dust resistant (IP68)
  • Available
Camera
  • 48MP + 48MP + 18MP
  • 48MP + 12MP
Camera details
  • 48MP (f/1.6, Main: 26mm) + 12MP (f/2.2, Ultra Wide: 13mm)
  • 12MP (f/1.9, TrueDepth)
  • 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 4x optical zoom range
  • 48MP macro photography
  • Animoji and Memoji
  • Autofocus with Focus Pixels
  • Center Stage for photos
  • Center Stage for video calls
  • Deep Fusion
  • Digital zoom up to 10x
  • Dual Capture
  • Latest-generation Photographic Styles
  • Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
  • Night mode
  • Panorama (up to 63MP)
  • Photonic Engine
  • Portrait Lighting with six effects
  • Retina Flash
  • Sapphire crystal lens cover
  • Smart HDR 5
  • Tap to zoom and rotate
  • True Tone flash
  • Ultra-stabilized video
  • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
  • 48MP (f/1.6, Main: 26mm)
  • 12MP (f/1.9, TrueDepth)
  • Advanced red‑eye correction
  • Auto image stabilization
  • Burst mode
  • Deep Fusion
  • Digital zoom up to 10x
  • Hybrid Focus Pixels
  • Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
  • Night mode
  • Panorama (up to 63MP)
  • Photo geotagging
  • Photographic Styles
  • Photonic Engine
  • Portrait Lighting with six effects
  • Portrait mode with Depth Control
  • Sapphire crystal lens cover
  • Smart HDR 5
  • True Tone flash
  • Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
Capacity
  • 256 GB/512 GB
  • 128 GB/256 GB/512 GB
Colour
  • Lavender / Black / Mist Blue / Sage / White
  • White / Black
Connectivity
  • 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G
  • Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO
  • Bluetooth 6
  • Precision dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, and NavIC)
  • NFC with reader mode
  • USB-C connector - USB 2 (up to 480Mb/s)
  • 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G
  • Wi‑Fi 6,802.11ax with 2x2 MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.3
  • GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, and NavIC
  • NFC with reader mode
  • USB Type-C (up to 480Mb/s)
Dimensions
  • 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm
  • 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm
Display
  • 6.3 inch
  • 6.1 inch
Display details
  • OLED display, Super Retina XDR display
  • 2622 x 1206 pixels
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • Anti-reflective coating
  • Dynamic Island
  • Haptic Touch
  • HDR display
  • True Tone
  • 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)
  • 2532‑by‑1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi
  • 6.1‑inch (diagonal) all‑screen OLED display
  • 800 nits max brightness (typical); 1200 nits peak brightness (HDR)
  • Display Zoom
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • Haptic Touch
  • HDR display
  • Reachability
  • Super Retina XDR display
  • True Tone
  • Wide color (P3)
Features
  • AAC, APAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos
  • Apple Pay
  • Barometer
  • High dynamic range gyro
  • High-g accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Dual ambient light sensors
  • MagSafe
  • Accessory Identification NFC
  • Spatial Audio playback
  • User‑configurable maximum volume limit
  • Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum microphone modes
  • Voice over LTE (VoLTE)
  • Share experiences like movies, TV, music, and other apps in a FaceTime call with SharePlay
  • AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos
  • Apple Pay
  • Barometer
  • Dual ambient light sensors
  • Face ID
  • High dynamic range gyro
  • High-g accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • Screen sharing
  • Share experiences like movies, TV, music, and other apps in a FaceTime call with SharePlay
  • Spatial Audio and stereo recording
  • Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum microphone modes
  • Voice over LTE (VoLTE)
  • Wind noise reduction
Memory
    Information not available
  • 8 GB RAM/8GB RAM
Platform
  • iOS 26
  • Apple A19
  • 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores
  • 5‑core GPU
  • iOS 18
  • Apple A18
  • New 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores
  • New 4‑core GPU
Weight
  • 177 g
  • 167 g
Video
  • 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps
  • Action mode up to 2.8K Dolby Vision at 60 fps
  • Audio Mix
  • Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
  • Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Dual Capture up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
  • Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse
  • Night mode Time-lapse
  • Playback zoom
  • Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps
  • Spatial Audio and stereo recording
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Time‑lapse video with stabilization
  • True Tone flash
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Wind noise reduction
  • 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
  • 720p Dolby Vision video recording at 30 fps
  • Audio Mix
  • Audio zoom
  • Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Digital zoom up to 6x
  • Night mode Time-lapse
  • Optical image stabilization for video
  • Playback zoom
  • QuickTake video
  • Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Spatial Audio and stereo recording
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Time‑lapse video with stabilization
  • True Tone flash
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
  • Wind noise reduction
Operating system
  • iOS
  • iOS 26
    Information not available
WIFI calling
  • Available
  • Available
Box Contains
  • USB-C Charge Cable (1 m)
  • Documentation
  • USB‑C Charge Cable (1m)
  • Documentation
eSim
  • Available
    Information not available