iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone SE (3rd gen)

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lifespan decides this one: the iPhone 16 Pro is supported until Sep 2031 at $7.81 per month of safe use, while the iPhone SE (3rd gen) runs out in Mar 2029 ($3.02/month). On a which-lasts-longer question, that's not a tie — it's the whole answer.

Value Score: iPhone 16 Pro 73 · iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro $494

Safe to buy$7.81/mo

2024◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031

Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) $100

Buy with care$3.02/mo

2022◆ Buy-by Mar 20272029

Category by category

Display

iPhone 16 Pro 80iPhone SE (3rd gen) 50

The iPhone 16 Pro's screen is the better one — 6.3-inch super retina xdr oled, promotion 1–120hz, up to 2000 nits peak.

Performance

iPhone 16 Pro 95iPhone SE (3rd gen) 74

The iPhone 16 Pro's Apple A18 Pro is simply the faster chip.

Camera

iPhone 16 Pro 74iPhone SE (3rd gen) 40

The iPhone 16 Pro has the stronger camera system (3 real rear lenses vs 1).

Battery

iPhone 16 Pro 52iPhone SE (3rd gen) 20

3,582mAh vs 2,018mAh — the iPhone 16 Pro lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 16 Pro 75iPhone SE (3rd gen) 39

The iPhone 16 Pro is supported until Sep 2031 — 30 months longer than the iPhone SE (3rd gen).

Value

iPhone 16 Pro 73iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56

Overall value goes to the iPhone 16 Pro at $7.81 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone SE (3rd gen)
Price (street)	$494	$100
Display	6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion 1–120Hz, up to 2000 nits peak	4.7-inch Retina HD LCD, 60Hz
Chipset	Apple A18 Pro	Apple A15 Bionic
RAM	8GB	4GB
Storage	128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB	64GB/128GB/256GB
Battery	3,582 mAh	2,018 mAh
Charging	Wired fast charge — 50% in ~30 min with a 20W+ adapter; MagSafe wireless up to 25W	20W wired, Qi wireless 7.5W
Rear cameras	48MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 12MP periscope 5x	12MP main
Dimensions	149.6 × 71.5 × 8.25 mm	138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm
Weight	199 g	144 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP67
Supported until	Sep 2031	Mar 2029

iPhone 16 Pro full verdict →iPhone SE (3rd gen) full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.