Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 16e
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 16e: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from Apple.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
The Apple iPhone Air is the pick for a more capable display and stronger performance; the Apple iPhone 16e suits buyers who value a larger battery and faster wired charging. Their overall NeoScores are 7.4 and 6.7, respectively.
The Air’s 6.5″ display is larger than the 16e’s 6.1″, and adds LTPO OLED, 120 Hz, and 3,000 nits peak brightness; the 16e has OLED, 60 Hz, and 1,200 nits. The Air also scores 2,095,100 in AnTuTu against 1,401,105 and has 12 GB of RAM versus 8 GB. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0; the 16e supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
The Air’s main rear camera has a 1/1.56″ sensor, compared with 1/2.55″ in the 16e, while its front camera is 18 MP against 12 MP. The 16e has a 4,005 mAh battery and 25 W charging, compared with 3,149 mAh and 20 W for the Air. The Air adds reverse wireless charging and offers up to 1 TB of storage, versus 512 GB.
Apple iPhone Air
The Apple iPhone Air is the better buy for those who want a 120 Hz LTPO OLED display and stronger AnTuTu performance.
Apple iPhone 16e
The Apple iPhone 16e is the better buy for buyers who want a 4,005 mAh battery and 25 W wired charging.
The verdict
Your pick: Apple iPhone Air, ahead on Design & display, Performance & hardware, Camera and Connectivity.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 7.8 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.1 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 5.4 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 8.5 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 4.5 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 2,095,100
- against 1,401,105
- RAM Capacity
- 12 GB
- against 8 GB
- Wi-Fi Standards
- Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g
- against Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Display Technology
- LTPO OLED
- against OLED
Apple iPhone 16e, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 4,005 mAh
- against 3,149 mAh
- Fast Charge Power
- 25 W
- against 20 W
- SIM Configurations
- Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM
- against Dual eSIM, eSIM
- Launch price
- 709 €
- against 1,219 €
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A18 |
| Processor Process Size | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| Storage Type | NVMe | NVMe |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 4.26 GHz Best value | 4.04 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 1 TB Best value | 512 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | 2,095,100 Best value | 1,401,105 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 2,989 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 7,560 |
| CPU Description | Hexa-core processor with two cores at 4.26 GHz and four cores at 2.60 GHz. | Hexa-core processor with two 4.04 GHz performance cores and four 2.20 GHz efficiency cores. |
| Processor Type | Hexa-Core | Hexa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 12 GB Best value | 8 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| AnTuTu version | v10 | v10 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme | — | 2,850 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 7.8 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 71.5 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 146.7 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 167 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % Best value | 86 % |
| Body Materials | Glass, Titanium Best value | Glass, Aluminium Alloy |
| Resistance Features | IP68 | IP68 |
| Waterproof Depth | 6 m | 6 m |
| Drop Resistance Class | B Best value | C |
| Repairability Class | C | C |
| Drop Test Count | 180 Best value | 90 |
Battery
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A Best value | B |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 4,005 mAh Best value |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Fast Charge Power | 20 W | 25 W Best value |
| Battery Features | Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Battery Level Indicator Best value | Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Battery Level Indicator |
| Battery Endurance | 40 h | 41 h Best value |
| Wireless charging power | 20 W Best value | 7.5 W |
| Charge cycles | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Display
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| Display Technology | LTPO OLED Best value | OLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 3,000 nits Best value | 1,200 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.5″ Best value | 6.1″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px Best value | 1,170 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px Best value | 2,532 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz Best value | 60 Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 120 Hz | — |
| Display Contrast Ratio | 2,000,000 :1 | 2,000,000 :1 |
| Display Features | Hole-Punch Notch, Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 5, Anti-reflective coating, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Always-On Display, LTPO, DCI-P3, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless, 120Hz | Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 4, HDR10, Always-On Display, DCI-P3, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless, LTPO |
Sensor
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner |
Software
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 26 | iOS 26 |
| OS Family | iOS | iOS |
| OS Version | 26 Best value | 18 |
| OS Update Support | 7 years | 7 years |
| Direct OS Updates | Yes | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual eSIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM Best value |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B14, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, LTE B28, 4G LTE B29, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 4G LTE B71, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n14, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28, 5G NR n29, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n71, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n76, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G | GSM, HSPA, UMTS, LTE, 5G |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g Best value | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Wi-Fi Features | Tri-Band, Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing Best value | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 6.0 Best value | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC |
| Connectivity Features | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, NFC, eSIM, UWB, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Tethering, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Satellite Connectivity, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) | NFC, USB Type-C, USB 2.0, eSIM, Satellite Connectivity, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Tethering, OTA Sync, Computer Sync, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| SAR American Head | 1.19 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg Best value | 1.2 W/kg |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.48 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | 1.49 W/kg |
| Max. download speed | 10,000 Mbps | 10,000 Mbps |
| Max. upload speed | 3,500 Mbps | 3,500 Mbps |
Audio
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 3 Best value | 2 |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone |
Technical
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € | 709 € Best value |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | A3212, A3409, A3410, A3408, iPhone17,5 |
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