5 Android phones I would buy instead of the iPhone 16e

The Apple iPhone 16e is official. And you know what? It actually looks pretty solid. Three years after the last iPhone SE was released, the iPhone 16e is the SE’s spiritual successor and packs a lot of significant upgrades. It has a new design with a larger 6.1-inch display and a notch, Face ID support, a new 48-megapixel camera, and the same A18 chip used in the iPhone 16. And, of course, Apple Intelligence features are here, too.

Those upgraded specs and features also come with a price increase, taking the old iPhone SE’s $429 price and upping it to $599. If you want a modern iPhone but can’t stomach the cost of the mainline series, the iPhone 16e should be a solid choice. But it’s not your only choice.

As someone who uses an iPhone and an Android phone, I won’t deny that the iPhone 16e looks promising. But there’s another side of me that can’t help but think there are better Android phones to be had. If you’re thinking about getting the new iPhone SE but aren’t fully committed to the iPhone world, here are five Android phones I would buy instead.

Whenever discussing $500-$600 smartphones, it’s impossible not to bring up the Google Pixel 8a. Put side-by-side with the iPhone 16e, the Google Pixel 8a has a few immediate advantages — the first of which is its display. Both phones have compact OLED screens (each measuring 6.1 inches), but Google’s phone has one significant upside: a 120Hz refresh rate.

Like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16e is stuck with an ancient 60Hz display — meaning it refreshes twice as slowly as the Pixel 8a’s. From animations, gameplay, scrolling, etc., everything on the Google Pixel 8a will look and feel much smoother than on the iPhone.

Google also has Apple beat at cameras. While the upgrade from a 12MP rear camera on the iPhone SE 3 to the 48MP sensor on the iPhone 16e is a welcome change, it can’t compete with the Pixel. Not only does the Pixel 8a offer a high-quality 64MP primary camera, but there’s also a 13MP ultrawide camera for zoomed-out shots. It’s not the best ultrawide camera we’ve ever seen, but it offers flexibility that’s simply not present on the iPhone 16e.

There’s also something to be said about Google’s software experience, which is a perfect fit for anyone switching from iOS. Android 15 on the Pixel 8a is easy to use, isn’t cluttered with unnecessary features, and has iPhone-level software support, getting seven years of Android OS upgrades and security patches — and being first-in-line for those updates as soon as they’re available.

Considering you get all this for $499, $100 less than the iPhone 16e, it’s easy to see why the Pixel 8a is our number one pick for the best budget smartphone — even with the Google Pixel 9a right around the corner.

The Google Pixel 8a is a phenomenal alternative to the iPhone 16e. And, for most people, it’s the best overall choice. However, if I could only pick one phone from this list, it would be the OnePlus 13R. It’s the same price as the iPhone 16e ($600) and a better value in every way imaginable.

The OnePlus 13R has one of the most impressive spec sheets for a phone in its price range. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 120Hz refresh rate, and incredibly well-optimized OxygenOS 15 software make it one of the smoothest and most responsive phones I’ve used this year. The 6,000mAh battery is big enough to get you through at least two days per charge, and it takes just under an hour to recharge from 0-100%. The iPhone 16e has a great chipset and should last about a day for most people. However, if fast performance, long battery life, and fast charging are priorities for you, the OnePlus 13R has it handily beat.

I also love the OnePlus 13R’s hardware, which is exceptionally well-built and iPhone-like — thanks to its flat edges and rounded corners. It’s quite a bit bigger than the iPhone 16e, touting a 6.78-inch screen, but I found the 13R easy and comfortable to hold. The 50MP primary camera on the back is great, and while their quality is just OK, the versatility of the 50MP 2x telephoto camera and 8MP ultrawide camera are very much appreciated. Remember, the iPhone 16e has just one camera.

What’s not to like about the OnePlus 13R? No wireless charging is annoying, and for some people, the bigger size may not be for you. But if that doesn’t deter you, I can’t recommend the OnePlus 13R enough. So many smartphones try to offer a “flagship-like” experience at a lower price, but they often make one too many compromises. The OnePlus 13R strikes this balance perfectly in my book — and makes the iPhone 16e look like a ripoff by comparison.

The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) may not have the best name, but it was one of the most surprising budget phones I used last year. Motorola’s Moto G handsets are hit-or-miss, but the latest G Stylus is a strong showing.

For me, it all starts with the design. The Moto G Stylus has a lovely vegan leather backside that’s easy to grip and does an excellent job of hiding fingerprints. The Caramel Latte color you see above looks great, but I’m particularly fond of the bright red Scarlet Wave color that’s also available.

Motorola did a fantastic job with the G Stylus display, offering a 6.7-inch OLED panel. It’s bright, sharp, and smooth, too, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset isn’t the most capable, but it’s more than enough for apps and casual games. The large 5,000mAh battery should get you through multiple days on a single charge (much more than the iPhone 16e), and the camera setup is decent as well — featuring a 50MP primary camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera (which is also capable of taking macro photos).

Also, as the name suggests, the Moto G Stylus 5G comes with a stylus! There’s no pressure sensitivity like you get with the S Pen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it’s still quite handy for jotting down notes or making quick doodles. It even neatly slots in the bottom of the phone when you aren’t using it.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) isn’t an amazing phone, but it is extremely solid across the board. The best part is its price, which comes in at just $400. Buy this instead of the iPhone 16e, and you have an extra $200 for a new smartwatch, earbuds, or whatever else you want.

Similar to how the iPhone 16e is a budget version of the iPhone 16, the Galaxy S24 FE is a more affordable take on the Galaxy S24/S24 Plus. It was a bit overlooked when it launched late last year, but compared to the iPhone 16e, there’s quite a lot going for it.

It does a commendable job in categories like performance, battery life, and charging. Day-to-day responsiveness is excellent, the battery comfortably lasts for over a day, and while you’ll be waiting about 75 minutes for a full recharge, you also have the option to charge wirelessly if you prefer. The 6.7-inch AMOLED display is bright, colorful, and — you guessed it — has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The camera setup is solid, too, giving you a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera.

What makes the Galaxy S24 FE a particularly interesting iPhone 16e alternative is its software suite. The S24 FE has Samsung’s entire package of Galaxy AI features, including AI-assisted photo editing tools, writing suggestions, etc. — just like Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16e. The Pixel 8a and OnePlus 13R have some AI features, too, but they don’t quite match Apple Intelligence the way Galaxy AI does.

Like the Pixel 8a, Samsung also promises seven years of software updates for the Galaxy S24 FE. The company isn’t always the fastest with its updates (as evident by its endlessly delayed One UI 7 rollout), but it’s generally pretty reliable — and the seven-year commitment is the best in the industry.

The $650 retail price for the Galaxy S24 FE isn’t the best value, but in typical Samsung fashion, the phone is regularly on sale and heavily discounted. At the time of publication, Amazon sells it for as low as $609, while Samsung’s website offers up to a $400 discount with a trade-in. Buy the Galaxy S24 FE on sale, and it’s a fantastic iPhone 16e killer.

My final pick is a bit of a wild card, but it perfectly encapsulates how much variety exists in the Android world at this ~$500 price. While you could buy the iPhone 16e, I think you’d have a much better time with the Motorola Razr (2024).

Launched last summer, the Razr (2024) is one of the best folding flip phones you can buy today. You have a “normal” 6.9-inch OLED display when it’s open, and you can use it like any other Android phone. But the magic of the Razr (2024) is that you can close the phone and still access a 1.5-inch screen on the outside. You can do almost anything on the cover screen. You can check and reply to notifications, browse your calendar, talk to Gemini, and run any Android app you’d like.

In addition to the added functionality of the cover screen, there are other benefits of having a flip phone like the Razr (2024). You can fold the phone halfway and use it as an impromptu stand for group photos. The cover screen can be a viewfinder for the two main cameras, seriously upgrading your selfie game. The Razr (2024) is also about half the height of a slab phone when closed, making it that much easier to fit into tight pockets or a purse/bag.

This means you can use the Razr (2024) in ways that aren’t possible with the iPhone 16e — and amazingly — it doesn’t cost that much more, either. The Motorola Razr (2024) has a retail price of $700, but as is often the case for Motorola phones, it’s almost always discounted. Right now, Amazon has it down to just $450.

The Razr (2024) may not be the first phone that comes to mind as an iPhone 16e alternative, but at this price, it really should be. The Razr (2024) doesn’t have the best specs compared to other phones on this list, but it is the most fun, and there’s something to be said about that.