Between the iPhone 16 and iPhone SE (3rd gen), the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in main camera and antutu, while the iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins on weight. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the iPhone SE (3rd gen) scores 40.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 16 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 16.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, antutu, ram, among others.
Pick the iPhone SE (3rd gen) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, wired charging, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the iPhone 16 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲Main camera — 300.00% more. 48 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲AnTuTu — 107.69% more. 1620000 vs 780000.
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 8 GB vs 4 GB.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 15 W vs 7.5 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 76.46% more. 3561 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
- ▲Front camera — 71.43% more. 12 MP vs 7 MP.
- ▲Pixel density — 41.10% more. 460 ppi vs 326 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 29.79% more. 6.1 " vs 4.7 ".
Why Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) wins
- ▲Weight — 26.00 g less. 144 vs 170.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 g | 144 glead |
| Thickness | 7.8 mm | 7.3 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP67 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 "lead | 4.7 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 326 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nitslead | 625 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MPlead | 12 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MPlead | 7 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAhlead | 2018 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 20 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 Wlead | 7.5 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Apple - iPhone SE (3rd gen) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 5 years | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 16 has 76.5% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 2018 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone SE (3rd gen) is 26g lighter — 170g vs 144g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone SE (3rd gen) support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone SE (3rd gen) supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 16 offers 8GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or iPhone SE (3rd gen)?+
iPhone 16 has a 48 MP main camera vs 12 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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