Apple iPhone 16e review

Introduction

The iPhone SE is dead; long live the iPhone E! Apple has replaced the more affordable SE line with the new iPhone 16e - a controversial choice as this new device is neither as compact nor as affordable.

According to Apple, the iPhone 16e is the first of many "economical" iPhones, and it brings the core Apple experience to the masses - durable design, top performance, excellent security and communication, Apple Intelligence, that sort of stuff.

Okay, we'll admit we are a bit bitter, but that's because we were looking forward to getting a revamped iPhone 13 mini instead of the iPhone 13. But it is what it is.

The iPhone 16e is indeed quite like an iPhone 13 in size and design. The 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED screen with Ceramic Shield comes straight from 2021, and the extra large FaceID notch makes a comeback, too (though the iPhone 13 did have a smaller notch than the iPhone 12 before it).

But fret not, as not everything here is borrowed from the iPhone 13. You do get a USB-C port for charging, and there is the Action key that you find on all recenty iPhones. And at the heart of the phone sits Apple's latest A18 chip with 8GB of RAM, Apple's first in-house C1 modem for better battery efficiency and network coverage. It also has satellite messaging in supported regions and full-featured Apple Intelligence.

Unfortunately, you can only buy the iPhone 16e in black or white. And you don't get the MagSafe tech that the iPhone 12 introduced. Wireless charging support is still here, but it's more basic in speed, and the charger accessories won't attach magnetically.

Another difference to the iPhone 13 is that the iPhone 16e has only one camera on the back. It is a 48MP shooter with 2x lossless zoom, but the clues seem to point to a smaller sensor than the current iPhone 16, so the quality might not be at the same level. The selfie camera is at least identical to the iPhone 16's - a 12MP unit with AF.

At 4,005mAh, the iPhone 16e has an extra large (by iPhone standards) battery - it's larger than even the iPhone 16's so at least that part is promising.

It appears the iPhone 16e was not meant to be a more compact device as we hoped. Instead, it is a more affordable variant of the iPhone 16, stripping all features down to the essentials but still providing an up-to-date iOS user experience.

Apple iPhone 16e specs at a glance:

• Body: 146.7x71.5x7.8mm, 167g; Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 6m for 30 min), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
• Display: 6.10" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 1170x2532px resolution, 19.48:9 aspect ratio, 457ppi.
• Chipset: Apple A18 (3 nm): Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz); Apple GPU (4-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM; NVMe.
• OS/Software: iOS 18.3.1.
• Rear camera: 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF; Depth: SL 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, OIS, stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, HDR.
• Battery: 4005mAh; Wired, 50% in 30 min, 7.5W wireless (Qi).
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite.

The iPhone 16e seems like a solid phone offering what Apple is known for doing best - the familiar design, a bright OLED display, and an up-to-date iOS experience. We just wished that Apple had brought a better screen, or maybe at least that it didn't deny this model MagSafe support.

Unboxing the iPhone 16e

The iPhone 16e arrives in a thin white paper box, which contains a braided USB-C cable and a SIM ejection pin.

Naturally, there is no charger inside the box, though this iPhone, like the rest, supports USB-PD, and you can use any modern adapter.