Introduction
The iPhone SE is gone; long live the iPhone E! Apple has replaced the more affordable SE line with the new iPhone 16e — a controversial choice since this new device is neither as compact nor as affordable.
According to Apple, the iPhone 16e is the first of many “affordable” iPhones, and it brings the core Apple experience to the masses — durable design, great performance, great security and communications, Apple intelligence, that sort of thing.
Okay, we admit we’re a little bitter, but that’s because we were waiting to get a new iPhone 13 mini instead of the iPhone 13. But it is what it is.
The iPhone 16e is virtually identical to the 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 also returns (although the iPhone 13 had a smaller notch than the iPhone 12 before it).
But don’t worry, because not everything here is borrowed from the iPhone 13. You get a USB-C port for charging, and the action key that you find in all recent iPhones. And at the heart of the phone is 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 and full-featured Apple Intelligence in supported regions.
Unfortunately, you can only buy the iPhone 16e in black or white. And you don’t get the MagSafe technology introduced by the iPhone 12. Wireless charging support is still here, but it’s more basic in speed, and charger accessories won’t attach magnetically.
Apple iPhone 16e Review
Another difference from the iPhone 13 is that the iPhone 16e has only one camera on the back. It’s a 48MP shooter with 2x lossless zoom, but signs point to a smaller sensor than the current iPhone 16, so the quality might not be of the same level. The selfie camera is at least the same as the iPhone 16 – a 12MP unit with AF.
At 4,005mAh, the iPhone 16e has an extra-large (by iPhone standards) battery – it’s even bigger than the iPhone 16, so at least that part is promising.
It appears that the iPhone 16e wasn’t designed to be a more compact device as we expected. Instead, it’s a more affordable version of the iPhone 16, with all features limited to just the essentials, but still offering an up-to-date iOS user experience.
Apple iPhone 16e specifications at a glance:
- Body: 146.7×71.5×7.8mm, 167g; Glass front, glass back, aluminium frame; IP68 dust tight and water resistant (submersible up to 6 metres for 30 minutes), 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 (2×4.04 GHz + 4×2.20 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 record; 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.
- Miscellaneous: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; emergency SOS, messages and Find My via satellite.
The iPhone 16e looks to be a great phone that brings together what Apple is known for best – familiar design, a bright OLED display and an up-to-date iOS experience. We only wish Apple had brought a better screen, or maybe at least that it hadn’t deprived this model of MagSafe support.
Unboxing the iPhone 16e
The iPhone 16e comes in a thin white paper box, with a braided USB-C cable and a SIM ejection pin.
Conclusion
Naturally, there is no charger inside the box, although this iPhone, like the rest, supports USB-PD, and you can use any modern adapter.
