The iPhone 16e is here, and it's starting price of $599 is making people wonder if this budget-priced iPhone is all it's cracked up to be.
We’re here to help, because the iPhone 16e isn’t really the iPhone SE (2022) successor we were expecting. In fact, it’s more like a slightly cheaper version of the iPhone 16 than a bonafide iPhone SE 4.
Yes, you're getting a 6.1-inch OLED display, the latest A18 chip and Apple Intelligence, along with a more powerful 48MP camera and Apple's new C1 modem. But you're also making some trade-offs at this price.
Here’s what we like about the iPhone 16e so far, and a few things that might make us hesitate before we pick up one for ourselves. And stay tuned for our full iPhone 16e review.
iPhone 16e: Reasons to buy
Brand new full-screen design
Apple’s cheapest iPhone has finally adopted the full screen, ditching the aged iPhone 8 design in favor of an iPhone 14-inspired look — complete with a 6.1-inch OLED display. Not only does this mean thinner bezels and a screen that stretches the full front of the phone, it also means the iPhone 16e has ditched the Touch ID home button in favor of Face ID.
There is a notch at the top, but you get a lot more in return. The phone looks a heck of a lot better, on account of there not being a bunch of dead space around the screen. Similarly you’ve now got a flat-edged design that matches iPhone flagships, and should feel a lot more comfortable in your hand. Plus, the added screen space lets you see and do more, without much of a growth spurt.
But unlike the iPhone 14, the charging port is USB-C. So you can leave those Lightning cables behind for good.
Upgraded cameras
While the iPhone 16e only packs a single rear camera lens, the camera has had quite the upgrade compared to iPhone SE 3. This time Apple’s offering a 48MP rear camera, which is a significant resolution jump from the 12MP lens on the last model.
But this isn’t just a 48MP lens, it’s the same Fusion camera Apple offered on the iPhone 16. That means you can take high resolution images, or take advantage of Apple’s 2x Telephoto feature which offers “optical quality” zoom at 2x magnification.
The rear camera also offers 4K video recordings at up to 60fps, Spatial Audio recording, and TrueDepth autofocus on the front camera.
Similarly the front-facing selfie camera has jumped from 7MP up to 12MP — with both lenses offering the same resolution as the iPhone 16.
There’s no telling just how good the iPhone 16e’s camera will be compared to the other iPhones on sale. Stay tuned for test results.
Apple Intelligence built in
Apple’s really pushing Apple Intelligence, but previously the price of entry has been pretty high. But now that the iPhone 16e is confirmed to have Apple Intelligence support as well, it means that accessing Apple’s AI suite is now easier and slightly cheaper than before on account of the iPhone 16e’s $599 price tag.
That means you get access to helpful and fun AI features like Writing Tools, Photo Cleanup, Genmoji and Audio Mix for videos. You'll also benefit from the smarter, more conversational Siri.
The major surprise is that the iPhone 16e will also feature all the same AI features as the rest of the iPhone 16 series — including Visual Intelligence. That means iPhone 16e users can use the AI Vision mode.
Action Button and Visual Intelligence
One of the biggest surprises of the iPhone 16e announcement was the addition of the Action button. First introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the Action button is a programmable button that can be used to activate a specific feature instantly. It’s the replacement for the old physical mute switch, but offers so much more than silencing your phone.
All the usual shortcuts are available with iPhone 16e’s action button, including the flashlight, recording voice memos, activating Shazam, translating foreign languages and more. But the really exciting thing is that Visual Intelligence has also been added to the list.
This means users can use the Action button to open Apple’s AI Vision mode and use a combination of Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT to learn more about the world around them.
Satellite connectivity
Like iPhone 14 and later phones, the iPhone 16e also offers satellite connectivity, for all those times you find yourself in a spot with no cell signal. All the satellite features you’d find on other iPhones are now available on iPhone 16e, including the all-important Emergency SOS via satellite, which can get you in touch with emergency services should the need arise.
Other satellite features include Messages via satellite, which offers an iMessage-like experience for non-emergency situations, Roadside Assistance via satellite and Find My via satellite. That last one lets your phone be tracked if you’re outside normal cell and Wi-Fi range. Like other iPhones this service is free for the first two years of use.
iPhone 16e: Reasons to skip
$599 price tag
While it had been rumored that the iPhone 16e would come with a price tag under $500, this isn’t the case. Instead the phone starts at $599, which is the same price as the now discontinued iPhone 14 and $170 more than the iPhone SE 3.
Needless to say this is not something we’d consider for our best cheap phones page. The iPhone 16e is much too expensive for that, even if it does offer a lot of premium features for a lower price than the standard iPhone 16.
On top of that, the price difference between the 16 and 16E is now much smaller. That gap is still $200 between the 128GB models, and it’s debatable whether that’s worth it. But that still doesn’t change the fact an argument could be made for spending more.
No MagSafe
The iPhone 16E does have Qi wireless charging, just like older iPhone SE models. But it doesn’t come with MagSafe, the magnetic wireless charging technology first introduced on iPhone 12 back in 2020. Naturally, that means iPhone 16e owners won’t be able to use the myriad of MagSafe accessories on sale, like phone stands or tripods.
The iPhone 16e wireless charging speeds is pretty slow, too. The original MagSafe offered up to 15W wireless charging speeds, while the iPhone 16’s improved MagSafe bumps that figure to 25W. Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e is limited to just 7.5W.
No mmWave 5G
The iPhone 16e is the first device to come with Apple's C1 modem, rather than the usual Qualcomm-made options. It’s something Apple has reportedly been working on for years. Unfortunately, while Apple says this is the most power efficient modem in an iPhone yet, it doesn't support mmWave 5G.
The 5G spectrum is split into two sections: sub-6GHz 5G and mmWave. mmWave offers the best speeds and lowest latency, offering a better 5G experience in areas with mmWave signals. But only if your phone supports it, and the iPhone 16e doesn't.
iPhone 16e: Outlook
The iPhone 16e is a weird mix of old and new, and while it’s a significant step up from the iPhone SE 3 we still have to contend with the fact the price is significantly higher than we were expecting. So if you want an iPhone 16-style experience for a slightly lower price, then this is certainly a phone to consider.
But those of you that have been hoping for a brand new cheap iPhone may think twice about the iPhone 16e given some of the trade-offs.
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