If you want Apple’s most budget-friendly option, the iPhone 16e is for you. That model is a refresh of the iPhone SE (2022), which is no longer sold by Apple, with some hardware upgrades.
It has a 6.1-inch display that our testers say is excellent quality, with smooth scrolling and crystal-clear images. Ditching the Home button on the SE, the new model now uses handy face recognition technology (Face ID) to unlock the device and allow you to sign in to apps and approve purchases.
The 16e comes with Apple’s A18 chip, which allows for the extra processing power needed for Apple’s AI features. (All iPhone models currently sold by Apple support Apple Intelligence.) Overall, the performance is excellent, according to our testers, meaning you can expect to tackle nearly any kind of task, including FaceTiming with a friend and navigating using GPS, without much lag.
The 16e has just one 48-megapixel rear camera. That means it’s less versatile than the multilens setups on the other iPhone models, which allow you to take ultrawide shots at 0.5x zoom or use optical zoom for crisper long-range shots. While our testers still rate the 16e’s camera system overall as very good, you may want to look at other models if a premium camera is important to you.
The 16e offers standard USB-C charging, which means no more Lightning cords, and is also compatible with wireless charging. The battery life is 37.5 hours per charge, which is on a par with the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (37 and 36.5, respectively).
If you’re worried about Apple’s budget model being less durable, have no fear: The 16e also aced our scratch-resistance and water-intrusion tests and withstood 100 drops in our tumbler with no significant dents. Check out our hands-on review of the 16e, too.
