Apple iPhone 16e vs Apple iPhone 17e
Too close to call. The critic scores are the same.
Critics score the Apple iPhone 16e and the Apple iPhone 17e the same, 77 out of 100 (Apple iPhone 16e: general agreement; Apple iPhone 17e: clear consensus), from 8 and 6 reviews. 5 outlets reviewed both: 1 scored the Apple iPhone 17e higher and 4 gave both the same score. On average those critics put the Apple iPhone 17e 4 points ahead.
Image: AppleApple iPhone 16e
8 professional reviewers tested the Apple iPhone 16e, and 5 recommend it. Most praised: performance and battery life. Most common complaint: price.
All 8 reviews of the Apple iPhone 16e →
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Image: AppleApple iPhone 17e
6 professional reviewers tested the Apple iPhone 17e, and 3 recommend it. Most praised: performance and battery life.
All 6 reviews of the Apple iPhone 17e →
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Where every review landed
Each mark is one professional review, converted to 0–100Which one is for you?
Pick the Apple iPhone 16e if
- you care most about battery on a budget
- battery life matters most: 6 of 8 critics praise it, against 2 of 6 for the Apple iPhone 17e
The catch: It costs $599 yet lacks MagSafe, a second camera and a fast display.
Pick the Apple iPhone 17e if
- “Best entry-level iPhone” is what you’re after
The catch: It has one rear camera and a 60Hz screen, and the regular iPhone 17 is better.
In our words, from what the critics praise and complain about. It never changes a score.
What critics praise and fault
How many of each product's reviews mention the topic| Topic | Apple iPhone 16e | Apple iPhone 17e |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 6 of 8 praise | 5 of 6 praise |
| Battery life | 6 of 8 praise | 2 of 6 praise 1 of 6 fault |
| Design | 2 of 8 praise | 2 of 6 praise |
| Price | 2 of 8 fault | 1 of 6 fault |
Critics who reviewed both
The fairest comparison: the same reviewer, the same standards| Outlet | iPhone 16e | iPhone 17e | Who scored higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Reviews | 80 | 80 | Same |
| Tom's Guide | 80 | 80 | Same |
| Trusted Reviews | 80 | 80 | Same |
| WIRED | 70 | 70 | Same |
| Tech Advisor | 60 | 80 | iPhone 17e +20 |
Scores converted to 0–100. Tiles with a dashed border are estimated from the verdict. Tap a score to read that review.
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Common questions
Which is better, the Apple iPhone 16e or the Apple iPhone 17e?
It's too close to call on critic score: Apple iPhone 16e 77 (general agreement), Apple iPhone 17e 77 (clear consensus). 5 outlets reviewed both: 1 scored the Apple iPhone 17e higher and 4 gave both the same score. On average those critics put the Apple iPhone 17e 4 points ahead.
Do critics agree about the Apple iPhone 16e and the Apple iPhone 17e?
The Apple iPhone 16e: general agreement, scores from 60 to 85. The Apple iPhone 17e: clear consensus, scores from 70 to 80.