When It Just 'Needs' to Be an iPhone: What Reviewers Say About the New 16e

The iPhone 16e is here, and it's not just another iPhone. It's a statement, a declaration that Apple is still the king of smartphones, and it's not afraid to show it. With a starting price of $599, the iPhone 16e is Apple's most affordable new iPhone, but that doesn't mean it's short on features or quality. In fact, reviewers are raving about the iPhone 16e, and for good reason.

First, let's talk about the design. The iPhone 16e is a blend of old and new, with a retro notch and a flat-sided design that harkens back to the iPhone 4. It's a look that's both familiar and fresh, and it's one that's sure to turn heads. The iPhone 16e comes in two colors: black and white, and it's available in a 128GB storage option. While some may miss the flashy colors of the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e's understated design is part of its charm.

But the iPhone 16e isn't just a pretty face. It's packed with features that make it a true iPhone. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display is just as sharp as the iPhone 16's, with a resolution of 2,532 by 1,170 pixels and a 460ppi pixel density. The iPhone 16e also has the same A18 chip and 8GB of RAM as the iPhone 16, which means it runs just as well when it comes to apps and Apple Intelligence features.



One of the iPhone 16e's standout features is its custom Apple-made C1 modem. This is Apple's first in-house modem, and it's designed to be more power-efficient than Qualcomm modems used in previous iPhones. The C1 modem is a departure from the Qualcomm modem that Apple's relied on for years now, but it’s difficult to say if it ultimately delivers faster 5G speeds. Apple says the C1 is already the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever, and it helps to deliver stellar battery life: a claimed 26 hours of video playback on the iPhone 16e, which is four hours more than the standard iPhone 16 and almost as good as the 27 hours on the iPhone 16 Pro.



The iPhone 16e also has a single 48MP rear camera with a 2x zoom feature, which is actually a 12MP crop on the middle of the 48MP sensor. While it's not as impressive as the triple-camera system on the iPhone 16, it's still a capable camera that takes great photos and videos. The iPhone 16e also has an Action button, which can be programmed to handle lots of different tasks, including Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16e does not have MagSafe support, which is a disappointment for some, but it's not a deal-breaker.



So, what do reviewers have to say about the iPhone 16e? The Verge's Allison Johnson said she "didn't see any consistent difference in performance" between the C1 modem and a regular iPhone 16 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem. Tom's Guide's John Velasco didn't seem to notice any major difference either. CNET's Patrick Holland praised the iPhone 16e's battery life, saying that it "puts up an average time of 12 hours and 41 minutes" in their battery benchmark test, which is only a couple of minutes shorter than the iPhone 16's average of 12 hours and 43 minutes. However, the best times recorded on both phones are 12 hours and 49 minutes for the iPhone 16e, and 13 hours and 19 minutes with the iPhone 16.



The iPhone 16e is a great phone, and it's a great value for the price. It's not perfect, but it's a solid entry-level iPhone that offers a lot of features for the price. If you're in the market for a new iPhone, the iPhone 16e is definitely worth considering.