What comes to your mind when you think of a smartphone? It’s most likely an iPhone. Thanks to their performance and practicality, over 1.3 billion people, or 18% of the population around the globe, use iPhones in their everyday lives. The previous iPhone SE was a popular option for those seeking the iPhone’s practicality for less, but the design was outdated with a small camera and screen. On February 20th, Apple released the all-new iPhone 16e. Apple’s slogan for this phone is “Latest Phone. Greatest Price.” With the 6.1-inch full screen and the latest chip, is the iPhone 16e worth $599? Let’s find out.
Design
The iPhone 16e combines the design of the latest iPhone 16 family and the iPhone 14. It now features a 6.1-inch all-screen design with face ID. Being in the iPhone 16 family, the phone has the latest A18 bionic chip with Apple intelligence. This is surprising considering that the previous iPhone 15 models cost more but don’t come with Apple intelligence. iPhone 16e also comes with the action button, allowing you to change your phone controls with a click of a side button. This feature was previously only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and the 16 families.
Performance and battery life
iPhone 16e is powered by the latest A18 bionic chip, enabling fast performance and Apple intelligence. Apple intelligence will be available in Japanese from early April. (for more on Apple intelligence, check out the iPhone 16 article) The A18 chip offers up to 30% faster performance than the iPhone 15’s A16 bionic chip. The advanced chip allows for an extended battery life of up to 26 hours of video playback, which is an outstanding 6 more hours compared to the iPhone 15.
The Downgrades
The iPhone 16e comes with a relatively low price tag compared to the flagship model, but there are a few downgrades. The biggest downgrade is the camera. The iPhone 16e only features a single camera 48mp camera with no 0.5x zoom, cinematic video mode, and action mode. Another downgrade is that it does not have the latest dynamic island, but has the normal notch like the iPhone 14. The iPhone 16e only comes in black and white, so if you’re looking for a colorful iPhone, this may not be the best choice, The final downgrade is that the iPhone 16e does not support Magsafe wireless charging. However, it does support regular Qi wireless charging.
Camera
Apple calls the iPhone 16e’s camera a “2 in 1 Camera”. The phone 16e only features a single 48MP camera while the iPhone 16 has two. The single camera doesn’t disappoint though, It has the same resolution and has a 2x telephoto zoom. You can also video shoot up to 4k with Dolby Vision with stunning audio.
Pricing and storage
The iPhone 16e starts at $599(99,800 JPY) and has a base storage of 128 GB, which is enough to store all your favorite photos and videos. iPhone 16 will be available starting February 28th.
Verdict
So is the iPhone 16e worth it? Yes and No. Although the price starts at $599, it isn’t exactly a “budget phone”. The iPhone 16e is not too desirable for those looking for a phone with an advanced camera and fast charging. It may be better to pay about $100 extra and get the previous iPhone 15, which has a better camera and MagSafe charging. The iPhone 16e is great for those using their phones for everyday tasks like scrolling and browsing. It also is a great upgrade for those upgrading from models like the iPhone 11 and SE 3rd generation. Overall, the iPhone 16e is a good phone for most people, but not exactly a “budget phone”. It still is a great phone though!
