The iPhone 16e VS the iPhone 12: an interesting battle to say the least. Frugal and smart shoppers are constantly on the hunt for the best bang for their buck, and choosing the right iPhone can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, that’s what I’m here for, you lucky devils. Below, I take a look at the specs for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 16e and discuss a couple of reasons why I think one is superior to the other both in terms of specs and price.
iPhone 16e VS iPhone 12: Checking the Specs
Before we really dive into the major differences between these two devices, let’s break down some of the stats. Of course, keep in mind that this spec-list only covers the baseline iPhone 12, not necessarily the iPhone 12 Pro or Pro Max, which will have beefier stats in certain areas.
| iPhone 12 | iPhone 16e | |
| Screen | 6.1-inch 2532×1170, OLED | 6.1-inch 2532×1170, OLED |
| Camera | 12MP Main, 12MP Selfie | 48MP Main, 12MP Selfie |
| Battery | 2815 mAh | Not yet confirmed |
| Processor | Hexa-core, 64-bit, 3100 MHz | Hexa-core, 4x 2.20GHz + 2x 4.04GHz |
| Storage | 4GB – 64GB variety | 8GB – 128GB variety |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic, 6-core CPU | Apple A18 |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB |
| GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine, 4 GPU Cores | 4-Core GPU |
| USB | Lightning | Type-C, USB 2.0 |
| Max Charge Speed | Wireless: 15W | Wired: 20W Wireless 7.5W |
| Operating System | Supports iOS 18 | Supports iOS 18 |
| Charging | MagSafe wireless, Qi Wireless, USB Power Delivery | Qi Wireless, Fast Charging |
| MSRP | $829 | $600 |
| Released | Oct. 23, 2020 | Feb. 28, 2025 |
| Apple Intelligence | No | Yes |
Essentially, when it comes to the iPhone 16e, you’re getting some major upgrades over the iPhone 12, but there are a few key things you’re missing out on. While the iPhone 16e gets a major upgrade to its camera, storage and chipset, the iPhone 16e is missing out on MagSafe charging. There’s also the fact that some users are taking umbrage with the specs found in the iPhone 16e’s A18 chip.
However, the battery life in the iPhone 16e is sure to be impressive, as Apple is touting it to be the longest found in a 6.1-inch device. Though, the lack of MagSafe charging may be a deal breaker for some.
Which is the Winner?
After taking a look at the specs, my money is on the iPhone 16e. Unless you find a great deal on a used iPhone 12, I just don’t see the point in spending the money on something released in 2020. However, even a quick search online can net you an iPhone 12 for around $300, so some may see the appeal in that. However, the 16e comes with USB-C, and for me, that alone makes it worth it.
Folks comparing these two models should also heavily consider the fact that the iPhone 16e is likely to receive updates for a longer period of time than the 12 Series currently will. While the iPhone 12 series is capable of updating to iOS 18, it’s likely to fall off the supported device list before the 16e in terms of future updates. You should also keep in mind that the iPhone 12 does not support Apple Intelligence. I’ll leave it to the user to decide whether or not they find this to be a positive or a negative.
While there are similarities between these two devices, I think the iPhone 12 is a good purchase for anyone looking to be frugal (assuming they can find a good deal), whereas the iPhone 16e is going to be great for anyone looking a bit toward the future.
While you may spend a bit more money on a brand new iPhone 16e over a used iPhone 12, I think the 16e is ultimately the better investment when looking down the road.