Item: iPhone 16e long-term review
Rating: 4
Author: Andrew O'Hara

I've been using the iPhone 16e as my everyday phone since it launched three months ago, and it remains an excellent compromise between price and features.

Apple unveiled iPhone 16e in February 2025, surprising everyone who thought we'd get an "iPhone SE 4." It's Apple's price-sensitive iPhone and people certainly had feelings about it.

As a diehard pro user, I put my iPhone 16 Pro into a drawer to put Apple's budget phone to the test. To be clear, I still had to use my iPhone 16 Pro at times, though it was more related to my job than any shortcomings of the phone.

Like when reviewing MagSafe items for example. But we'll get into that.

First, let's revisit the high-level specs of the three-month-old iPhone 16e.

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iPhone 16e long-term review: Specs

Apple's most affordable iPhone measures up with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. It has an aluminum frame and a matte glass back that comes in either black or white.

There's a notch at the top and it uses Face ID for authentication. Fortunately ditching the Home Button from the prior iPhone SE 3.

There's a single 48MP rear-facing camera that offers 2X optical-quality zoom. It has the same 12MP front-facing camera as the rest of the lineup.

Holding a white smartphone to the camera

iPhone 16e long-term review: The iPhone 16e comes in black or white — no colors here

There is no Camera Control, that's reserved for the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup. It does have the Action Button though, which can be preset to many functions including opening the Camera app or launching Visual Intelligence.

The phone runs on Apple's A18 processor, which is enough to run Apple Intelligence. At least the features that have been launched so far.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Apple's C1 chip debuted in the iPhone 16e

Then there is the custom C1 modem. The C1 is just the beginning of Apple's modem work, which I outlined already.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Using it in daily life

In my daily life, I'm pretty typical. The usual family affairs, weekend trips, and plenty of photos of my pets and kid.

Hand holding a smartphone displaying a photo of a child in sunglasses. Blue water and wooden deck visible in the background. Yellow wristband on wrist.

iPhone 16e long-term review: I've been using the iPhone 16e daily for a few months now

I've lived with it throughout the day, on a vacation, and to baseball games. Overall, it just felt like a very solid iPhone.

Never did the phone feel slow. I could do basically everything I could do on my iPhone 16 Pro with ease.

A white smartphone partially protrudes from a pocket on a blue backpack.

iPhone 16e long-term review: I brought the iPhone 16e on vacation without issue

I never played any intensive games, but the ones I played most often — Balatro, Stardew Valley, or Game Dev Tycoon — all ran smooth and lag-free.

Perhaps loading times were mildly longer, but nothing I particularly noticed or was concerned about. I'm sure more GPU-intensive games like Assassin's Creed would struggle a bit more, just like on the base iPhone 16.

Person capturing a distant church on a lake with a smartphone, surrounded by mountains, wearing a yellow wristband.

iPhone 16e long-term review: The single camera performed great

Photography was also not problematic. I rarely needed to zoom in beyond 2X in the real world so having a 48MP primary camera was perfect.

Baseball stadium with players on the field, spectators in the stands, large digital screen displaying advertisements, and a cityscape with tall buildings in the background under a cloudy sky.

iPhone 16e long-term review: I wish this photo was a bit wider to fit in the whole stadium

The only time I missed having the ultra-wide lens was when we went to the Cleveland Guardian's game and I couldn't quite fit the whole ballpark in frame. The photos were still crisp and vivid, though.

I also want to mention Apple Intelligence. The A18 chip does support Apple Intelligence and all the features that are currently available.

This touches so many aspects of the phone from fuzzy searches in Photos and the App Store to summarized notifications. There's also the Clean Up tool, Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, Visual Intelligence, Priority Notifications, and more.

While many of these are useful, it's not the fully realized feature set for Apple Intelligence. More and more will be coming, starting with iOS 19.

A hand holding a white smartphone with a single camera lens, sitting outdoors.

iPhone 16e long-term review: I didn't miss many features on the iPhone 16e after ditching my iPhone 16 Pro

Even if the Apple Intelligence features now are somewhat lackluster, the hope is they improve and will, eventually, be a core feature of the phone.

What's so great about the iPhone 16e is that it is so much of the core iPhone experience. The screen is bigger than the SE, it's got Apple's latest processor, it supports Apple Intelligence, and many future versions of iOS, and the camera is very good for a singular shooter.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Two missing features

After using an iPhone 16 Pro for so long, there were two very specific features that I ended up missing quite a bit on the iPhone 16e. They were MagSafe and the Camera Control.

Person using a smartphone camera to capture an image, focusing on a scene of a red brick wall and a white object.

iPhone 16e long-term review: The Camera Control was surprisingly missed

The Camera Control is another new button Apple added that had people divided. Comment sections across the various AppleInsider platforms were strong and varied.

They spanned the gamut from loving it to hating it. My original opinion was somewhere in the middle, but it turned out to be surprisingly useful for opening the Camera app.

It's by far the fastest way to open the Camera and quickly became a habit for me. I can pull the phone from my pocket, give it a squeeze while raising it, and have the Camera open by the time it is at eye level.

Someone pressing the side of a silver smartphone

iPhone 16e long-term review: The Action Button can open the Camera app, but I liked using it for other features

Yes, the Action Button can do the same but I also had preferred uses for that too. The Camera Control can be fiddly when trying to change settings and swiping across it, but it's so nice for opening the app.

There was an exceedingly high number of times I had pulled my phone out, only to realize the Camera Control was not there any longer, and felt hampered by that.

The second feature was MagSafe. I've become a huge fan of MagSafe and not having it in my phone was nearly a dealbreaker.

White smartphone charging with a black braided cable on a wooden surface, next to a coiled cable and a small black object.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Plugging in the iPhone 16e is probably the easiest way to charge

All my chargers in the home were MagSafe stands, which meant this phone wouldn't work. I had to use a USB-C cable or put the chargers flat when possible.

I also use a MagSafe car charger, a MagSafe wallet, and a MagSafe battery. All incompatible here.

Apple's philosophy seems to be that the target users of iPhone 16e don't use MagSafe and instead plug their phones in and forget them. I'm sure that is somewhat true, but I think this was one cut too deep.

Two smartphones on a wooden table next to a round smartwatch charger. The left phone displays widgets, while the right shows a colorful lock screen with the time 4:43.

iPhone 16e long-term review: My iPhone 16 Pro charging with MagSafe (left) and the iPhone 16e charging with Qi

It's true that you can adorn the iPhone 16e with a case that adds MagSafe magnets, but that is only part of the MagSafe experience and is still limited to 7.5W max versus 25W.

I do realize the position I'm in here, coming from an iPhone 16 Pro. That's not an upgrade path users follow.

If you are upgrading to an iPhone 16e from an iPhone 11 or from an Android device, you aren't going to miss these features. Because you never had them in the first place.

Perhaps that's the real angle Apple is counting on.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Apple's budget iPhone tightrope

The crux of this phone is that it retains almost all of the core iPhone experience. You are getting a very solid camera, a modern design, a decent-sized screen, the latest processor, USB-C, and more for a much more affordable price.

Holding up an iPhone against a purple and blue wall showing the screen full of icons

iPhone 16e long-term review: I kind of missed the Dynamic Island too compared to the notch, but at least it had Face ID

Some had posited that they'd rather just get an older iPhone instead, like an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 because they at least have MagSafe.

The problem with that is they would have a generation or two old chips, which limits their overall lifespan. They also don't have Apple Intelligence, which, while perhaps lackluster today, will likely become increasingly important over the coming years.

In my opinion, the only reasonable alternative would be an iPhone 15 Pro. You get the pro chip — which should help it work longer, you get Apple Intelligence, MagSafe, multiple cameras, and other benefits.

That phone though, is still regularly sold for $700 or more. A used one is plausible, but then you have to worry about battery health and not everyone wants a used phone.

Person taking a photo of a distant church on a lake with a smartphone, wearing a hat and yellow wristbands, water and mountains in the background.

iPhone 16e long-term review: The budget phone retains most of the core iPhone experience

This phone is predominantly for those users who are walking into an Apple Store, Verizon, Best Buy, or some other retail outlet and asking what is the newest and most affordable iPhone they can get that will last them for years to come. They don't need all the bells and whistles but want a phone that will last for years at the best price.

I think iPhone 16e delivers that in spades. Even if it isn't for everyone.

iPhone 16e long-term review: Pros

Solid price retaining core iPhone experience
Clean and simple design
Camera still great
A18 chip is plenty of future-proofed performance
Will support Apple Intelligence features as they're released
Action Button can be programmed to many tasks, like Visual Intelligence

iPhone 16e long-term review: Cons

Many will still miss MagSafe
Not as inexpensive as the iPhone SE was

iPhone 16e long-term review rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy Apple's iPhone 16e at a discount

The best way to save on Apple's iPhone 16e is to check out wireless carrier deals, with the service providers offering incentives via bill credits and trade-in promotions that often bring the device down to free (applicable taxes do still apply).

You can hop straight to the carrier offers below. We also cover the best iPhone deals in our dedicated roundup.

Save on iPhones at wireless carriers

T-Mobile: Get an iPhone 16e from $0 per month* for 24 months
AT&T Wireless: Grab an iPhone 16e for as low as $5.99 per month* with no trade-in required
Verizon: iPhone 16e starts at $4.99 per month* (save $420 with incentives)

*Terms and conditions pertaining to each offer can be found on the specific carrier's site.

6 Comments

endorphinity 21 Years · 9 comments

About 1 week ago

AppleInsider said:

iPhone 16e long-term review: Two missing features

I do realize the position I'm in here, coming from an iPhone 16 Pro. That's not an upgrade path users follow.

If you are upgrading to an iPhone 16e from an iPhone 11 or from an Android device, you aren't going to miss these features. Because you never had them in the first place.

Perhaps that's the real angle Apple is counting on.
And this confession makes all the preceding content of this section absolutely irrelevant.

1 Like · 5 Dislikes

charlesn 12 Years · 1492 comments

About 1 week ago

endorphinity said:

AppleInsider said:

iPhone 16e long-term review: Two missing features

I do realize the position I'm in here, coming from an iPhone 16 Pro. That's not an upgrade path users follow.

If you are upgrading to an iPhone 16e from an iPhone 11 or from an Android device, you aren't going to miss these features. Because you never had them in the first place.

Perhaps that's the real angle Apple is counting on.
And this confession makes all the preceding content of this section absolutely irrelevant.

9 posts in 21 years and you drop by to offer this bit of snarky bs for no reason? Please don't hurry back anytime soon.

I'm also a 16 Pro owner whose wife was issued a black 16e by her company and I would second nearly all of Mike's positive commentary about this phone. It wasn't until I got to see, hold and use a 16e for myself that I could appreciate how well Apple succeeded here. And it finally delivers on being a true black, all-black phone that iPhone fans have been clamoring for since the iPhone 7--I think the black 16e is best looking iPhone out there. Is it a phone for me? It would be were it not for the single lens camera--a multiple lens camera system is essential for me. But we all have our non-negotiables in a phone.

The only critique of Mike's with which I would somewhat disagree is the lack of MagSafe. The vast majority of people put their iPhone in a case anyway, and a MagSafe case will solve most of this problem. No, you don't get 25W charging, but even Apple's latest MagSafe phones only get that from Apple's own MagSafe puck, a $39 option, plus you'll need a 30W charger. Otherwise, even the latest MagSafe phones are limited to Qi2 speeds of about 15W. Yes, the 16e will only do 7.5 watts with a MagSafe case, but that's perfectly fine for overnight charging, which people are going to do anyway, It's only if you need a big boost of power quickly that you'll want to plug in via USB-C.

It's also no secret that a major goal of the 16e is to get people using older iPhones to finally upgrade and to attract new switchers from Android--goals at which the iPhone SE had failed. It's increasingly difficult to persuade people to upgrade when they feel their "old" phone does everything they need it to do. By offering a pretty close equivalent of the latest iPhone 16 at a price reduction of $200, Apple may have found the right feature/price point formula to be persuasive (or not), and perhaps we'll hear some comments about that when Apple next reports earnings in July. They will have a full quarter of sales data by that time, and If Apple chooses not to comment at all about the 16e, then saying nothing would be saying a lot.

5 Likes · 1 Dislike

nubus 9 Years · 854 comments

About 1 week ago

charlesn said:
It's also no secret that a major goal of the 16e is to get people using older iPhones to finally upgrade and to attract new switchers from Android--goals at which the iPhone SE had failed. ...

Apple may have found the right feature/price point formula to be persuasive (or not), and perhaps we'll hear some comments about that when Apple next reports earnings in July.

Hard to see anyone on Android switching. You have Samsung A56 and Pixel a9 both featuring 120Hz variable rate displays with more brightness. Even A55 did so. They all have flexible cameras (multiple lenses) and they are available in.... colors! Their AI features do work and in far more languages priced way below. 16e is not the switcher phone.

Bought 16e for an elderly family member. The lack of colors, lack of Magsafe convenience, the steep price for what you get as an ordinary user, and the fact that it looks like iPhone 12/13/14/15/16. The main feature is "it can work with Apple AI level 1.0". That will only be relevant if AI ships in your language with features yon need.

I would say Apple should drop 16e be $100 and next time make it tangerine or "Blue Dalmatian". It should be the fun phone just as iMac is the one with colors.

1 Like · 2 Dislikes

prof 13 Years · 113 comments

About 1 week ago

nubus said:

Hard to see anyone on Android switching. You have Samsung A56 and Pixel a9 both featuring 120Hz variable rate displays with more brightness. Even A55 did so. They all have flexible cameras (multiple lenses) and they are available in.... colors! Their AI features do work and in far more languages priced way below. 16e is not the switcher phone.
If 120Hz and high brightness are the only killer features you can find on an Android find that users care about, then they might as well stay on Android. The camera on those midlevel Android phones are utter crap and the A18 runs circles around the
Exynos 1580.

4 Likes · 0 Dislikes

kiwimachead 1 Year · 80 comments

About 1 week ago

16e is a waste of money and step backwards IMO. I just bought an ‘as new’ condition iPhone 14 pro max 256gb with 100% battery life for the same price as a 16e. My wife has a standard size iPhone 14 pro 256gb and our daughter has her old red edition SE2 which she loves. Figure we might as well just use these phones for the foreseeable future, as the tech has plateaued, AI is still just a novelty and can’t envisage any useful advances in mobile phones for another couple of years.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes