iPhone 16e vs 14 compared: Should you upgrade from iPhone 14 to 16e?

Apple has announced its latest ‘budget’ iPhone, replacing the ageing iPhone SE and the iPhone 14 with the brand new iPhone 16e. This boasts a design more like the iPhone 14 than the iPhone SE, and modern hardware that could prove tempting for those with an older model that are thinking of upgrading.

We look at how this latest addition to the Apple catalogue compares to the iPhone 14 so see whether you should finally trade in that handset if your contract is winding down and if the iPhone 16e might be a suitable choice as a replacement.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Design & Build

While the iPhone 16e is quite a different looking device to the iPhone SE, there’s very little to differentiate it from the iPhone 14, which itself bears a strikingly familiar aesthetic to the iPhone 12 introduced back in October 2020. That means you get flat edges around the frame, an aluminium chassis with a glass back, all of which holds a 6.1-inch display replete with the old notch (no Dynamic Islands here).  

Apple

Dimensions are identical to the iPhone 14, at 146.7mm (5.78-inch) x 71.5mm (2.82-inch) x 7.8mm (0.31-inch); but the newer device has lost some of the weight, coming in at 167g which is 5g lighter than the iPhone 14.

There are a few hints that this is an updated model though, as Apple has switched (due to EU laws) to USB-C for the charging port, while the iPhone 14 uses a Lightning connector. These are flanked by the same stereo speaker arrangements on either device. The 16e also replaces the mute switch on its older sibling with the Action button that was introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (so is missing from the iPhone 15). This allows you to assign dedicated functions to the button (say, launching the camera or turning on a flashlight) to save you having to open a menu or app.

Macwelt/Apple

The most obvious difference is found on the rear, where the dual camera module on the iPhone 14 is replaced with a solitary lens on the 16e. Apple does state that this is a 2-in-1 Fusion camera, though, so the performance difference is not as stark as it my first appear. We’ll discuss the advantages of the Fusion camera in more detail below.

Colors have been simplified to just Black or White on the 16e, whereas the iPhone 14 boasted six different hues when it launched, including (PRODUCT) RED, Starlight, Midnight, Yellow, Purple, and Blue. If you want fun colors you can, of course, just stick it in a case. See our round up of the best cases for the iPhone 16 series.

Both devices come with IP68 water and dust resistance, so they should survive a quick dip or a trip to the beach.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Display

It seems that the panel in the new iPhone 16e is exactly the same as the one used on the iPhone 14. So, you get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a Ceramic Shield front, 2532×1170 resolution (460ppi), 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, HDR, True Tone, Wide color (P3), and Haptic Touch. Illumination levels are also unsurprisingly the same at 800 nits maximum brightness (typical) or 1,200 nits of HDR peak brightness.  

Foundry

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Processors and Storage

One of the most significant upgrades Apple bestows upon the iPhone 16e is the processor. The new device comes equipped with an A18 chip, decked out with a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. That’s a big step up from the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14, albeit with the one notable difference in that the A15 has a 5-core GPU (as does the A18 chip in the iPhone 16).

The biggest benefit of this processor update is the fact that this processor means that the iPhone 16e can support the new Apple Intelligence features, unlike both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 (the latter on sale for $100 more, see: Why I can’t recommend the iPhone 15 to anyone). Apple Intelligence is Apple’s name for the AI powered features that include writing tools, image generation, ChatGPT integration, Siri improvements and more. There are likely to be even more Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 19 later in 2025.

With the new silicon being three generations on from the A15 Bionic, it’s safe to say that it should be more powerful and energy efficient. This does seem to be the case in terms of battery life, but we’ll get to that a little later.

When we reviewed the iPhone 16 (with it’s A18 chip), we noticed performance improvements of around 30% over the A16 chip in the iPhone 15. So, even though the variant in the iPhone 16e lacks that additional GPU core, you should still see performance increases over the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 14.

Storage options remain the same as on the iPhone 14, with choice of 128GB, 256GB or 512GB capacities. There is, thankfully, no 64GB version. There was a 64GB iPhone SE, which is the model that cost $429. The 128GB iPhone SE was $479 when it was discontinued, $499 at launch.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14 :Cameras

At first glance, the single lens on the iPhone 16e would seem to make it less impressive than the duel offering on the iPhone 14. But, it’s not quite that simple.

The 14 does offer twin 12Mp sensors – a f/1.5 main and f/2.4 ultra wide – which can deliver 0.5x and 1x optical zooms, and also features sensor-shift optical stabilisation. This is a good range of options, with the ultra wide feature being helpful if you’re in a tight space and want to get more of your subject in focus.

Apple

The solitary lens in the 16e though is one of Apple’s Fusion cameras, as found on the iPhone 16, which acts as a 2-in-1. The 26mm, f/1.6 setup allows you to shoot in full 48Mp for images that contain four times the detail of those on the iPhone 14 main camera, but by cropping in and reducing the size to 12Mp you get a 52mm, f/1.6 2x telephoto zoom. So, if you want to get further away, the iPhone 14 is for you, if you want to beef things up and get closer – the iPhone 16e is the one you want.

If you’re thinking of upgrading from an iPhone 14, then it would be well worth considering which camera you use the most, as it might not be an option on the newer model. Personally we find that the ultra-wide camera creates an unattractive perspective distortion at the edges of the image, where people look wider, so we prefer not to use it.

For video, both devices are capable of 4K/60fps Dolby Vision video, along with Slo-mo, Time-lapse, Night mode Time-Lapse, QuickTake, and Audio Zoom, but the iPhone 14 also boasts the Cinematic mode that allows shallow depth of field (presumably due to the ultra wide camera) along with Action mode for incredible image stabilisation when you are recording video when moving (no doubt delivered by the sensor-shift tech). On the other hand, the iPhone 16e has Wind noise reduction and an Audio Mix features that can improve sound quality on recordings.

So, if you’re into film-making on your iPhone, then the older model would seem to have the advantage here, at least in terms of visual features.

The FaceTime front camera is almost the same in both, with the 16e variant capable of Smart HDR5 rather than the HDR4 maximum on the iPhone 14. But, the latter does have Cinematic mode, which the 16e does not, as well as focus control in Portrait mode. Otherwise, it’s as you were.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Battery Life and Charging

If you’ve had an iPhone 14 for a couple of years, the battery life may be starting to diminish. So, the appeal of a new cell could be significant. That’s before you consider one of the iPhone 16e’s arguably best features – better battery performance. Apple is selling the virtues of it’s new C1 5G modem, which is promised to use less power than the standard module in the iPhone 14.

There’s also the improved efficiency of the A18 chip and iOS, plus it’s possible, but not confirmed, that the 16e comes with a higher capacity cell.

Apple

Whatever it is that’s going on under the hood, Apple states that the iPhone 16e can last for up to 26 hours of video playback. That’s a whopping 6 hours more than the iPhone 14, and that’s when that device was brand new. If you’re more of a music/podcast/audiobook fan, then the 10 additional hours of audio playback on offer from the iPhone 16e could be the thing that pushes you towards an instant upgrade. We’ll be testing the battery life in our review.

Wired recharging is similar on both, with Fast Charge support meaning that you can get up to 50% of charge in 30 minutes (if you’re using a 20W charger or higher – which of course Apple doesn’t supply). One confusing choice is that while the older iPhone 14 supports MagSafe wireless charging, the much newer 16e doesn’t. Instead, you get Qi charging support. This seems very odd, as the company has spent the last few years establishing MagSafe as a great feature on iPhone, only to leave it off of its latest model.

Anyway, if you have any MagSafe chargers or battery packs, you won’t be able to use them on the iPhone 16e.

Here’s a breakdown of the comparative specs of both iPhones:

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Software

Apple does a good job of keeping older iPhones on the latest versions of iOS. With the iPhone X models able to upgrade to iOS 18, you can be pretty sure that the iPhone 14 will supported for a few years yet. That being said, older models don’t necessarily get the latest features, often due to hardware requirements. This is the case with Apple Intelligence, which needs the newer processors and at least 8GB of RAM to run the complex systems that allow features like Writing Tools, Genmoji, the upgraded Siri experience, email summaries, audio transcription, and the various camera upgrades.

Apple

The iPhone 16e meets these criteria, and that may be an important upgrade prompt if you want the latest software tools that Apple has to offer, and to be future proofed for the next few years of innovations.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Price and Availability

Perhaps the biggest surprise about the iPhone 16e (which, remember, was expected to be a replacement for the now retired iPhone SE that started at $429/£429 for 64GB, and $479/£479 for 129GB) is the price. Apple has leapt up from that affordable sum to a much heftier $599/£599 for it’s new entry level device.

True, it’s still $200/£200 cheaper than the full-fat iPhone 16, but for those hoping to not get stung by one of the most profitable companies in the world in these difficult times, Cupertino doesn’t seem interested in helping you out. If you want more than the 128GB base storage amount, prepare to also be stung by Apple’s over-priced upgrade costs.

Here’s how the various models stack up:

• iPhone 16e 128GB – $599/£599
• iPhone 16e 256GB – $699/£699
• iPhone 16e 512GB – $899/£899

Apple no longer offers the iPhone 14, so you’d need to look around for old stock that’s selling through or second-hand models if you want to buy your first (or second) instance of that model. See: Best iPhone 14 deals, get one while you still can.

The iPhone 15 does remain in the Apple catalogue, starting at $699/£699, but although it boasts some better specs than the iPhone 16e, it doesn’t have the kit to run Apple Intelligence. So, if that factor is important to you then you’ll need to look at the iPhone 16 range or the Pro versions of the iPhone 15 range (although these are no longer on sale from Apple). See our comparison of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16s.

Verdict: Should you upgrade from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 16e?

The iPhone 16e has some good things going for it. Apple Intelligence future proofs the device (at least for a while), and the extended battery life does look very appealing. There are some drawbacks though. It’s priced as a mid-range model now, but doesn’t include the basic things you’d expect of a model that expensive – MagSafe and at least two cameras for a start.

If you’re coming from an old iPhone 14, and don’t have the extra cash to buy the iPhone 16, then it will definitely be a step up in performance and battery life, but we’re not convinced that it offers great value.