iPhone 16e Buyers Beware—Cheaper Model Slumps in Speed Tests as Apple Cuts Corners

Initial benchmark testing of Apple’s new iPhone 16e indicates a notable decrease in graphics performance compared to the standard iPhone 16. The performance dip, around 15 percent, is linked to a 4-core GPU configuration in the device’s A18 chip.

Apple used a well-known industry technique called chip-binning to ensure that the A18 chipset used in the cheaper iPhone 16e was identical to the one used in the more costly iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. This explains why, unlike the previous iteration, this SoC features a 4-core GPU.

As you would have imagined, this disparity has an effect on the graphics performance of the device. The most recent benchmark reveals that Apple’s $599 handset receives a score that is fifteen percent lower than the other devices.

Per WCCFTECH, they don’t know if Apple used chip-binning on the iPhone 16e to save production costs or to make some differences between the 16 and 16 Plus models more apparent. We do know that the new model’s less powerful A18 is slower than the original, as shown in the Geekbench 6 Metal benchmark.

A compromise was made in the number of GPU cores, but everyone eager to get their hands on the iPhone 16e will be happy to hear that Apple didn’t lower the number of CPU cores on the A18. The handset also came with 8GB of RAM, so it could run on-device generative AI features. Geekbench 6 Metal yields a score of 24,188 on the iPhone 16e with the 4-core configuration.

Comparing the scores of this A18 variation to those of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus reveals that, at least in this test, the loss of one GPU core can reduce the score by almost 15%. The results from Geekbench 6 Metal may not be indicative of the device’s true potential because we have not yet seen it in action on a number of additional synthetic and real-world benchmarks, let alone in gaming tasks.

One thing that the benchmark does highlight, however, is that you are getting your money’s worth. If you want to experience possibly higher graphics performance, you will need to spend more money and get the more competent versions, such as the iPhone 16 or the iPhone 16 Plus.

Luis Gochoco

Luis Gochoco is a seasoned managing editor and writer with over a decade of experience covering politics, technology, gaming, and entertainment news. With a keen eye for breaking stories and in-depth analysis, he has established himself as a trusted voice in digital journalism. Luis is one of the key forces behind the success of GameNGuide, contributing to 12 million views through engaging and high-traffic content. He also played a pivotal role in generating 8 million views on International Business Times, shaping the platform’s technology and gaming coverage.