Last week, Apple introduced its most affordable smartphone of the new generation — iPhone 16e. It is equipped with the A18 chip, OLED display and costs $599. The new product is already available for pre-order, and on Friday, February 28, it will go on sale. The day before, the first reviews of the iPhone 16e appeared on the Internet, in which journalists and bloggers noted the battery life, C1 modem and price, the resource 9to5mac noted.
Image source: Apple
The iPhone 16e has the same design as the iPhone 14. It has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a large notch at the top for the front camera and Face ID. The new device is built on the latest-generation Apple A18 chip with 8 GB of RAM, like the iPhone 16. However, when choosing the iPhone 16e, you should keep in mind that it does not have additional cameras and a MagSafe magnetic mount.
Almost all reviews claim that the iPhone 16e is one of the best performers in its price range. Despite using a version of the chip with a cut-down GPU, which has one core less than the A18 chip in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, the new smartphone copes well with everyday tasks, experts say.
However, CNET notes that the difference in GPU performance is noticeable in testing, but is not noticeable in normal use. The capabilities of the iPhone 16e’s graphics accelerator are on par with the GPUs in the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.
In everyday use, the smartphone reportedly had no issues playing video games, editing and saving videos, or using Apple Intelligence. In CPU performance tests, the iPhone 16e outscored the iPhone 16, iPhone 15, and iPhone SE.
As for the main camera, the iPhone 16e has only one module with a 48-megapixel sensor. Despite the same resolution as the iPhone 16 camera, MKBHD noted that the sensor is significantly smaller, which results in photos with “shallower depth of field” and less clarity in low-light conditions. As a result, the iPhone 16e relies more on Night Mode when shooting in such conditions.
The Verge’s review found that “most people will be perfectly happy” with the iPhone 16e’s camera despite these compromises, as it produces good photos and videos in most situations.
As for the C1 chip, Apple’s first in-house 5G cellular modem, reviews say it “feels good.” Apple hasn’t gone into detail about the C1’s specs beyond noting its more power-efficient performance than Qualcomm’s chips, but benchmarks show it’s on par with the modems in the rest of the iPhone 16 series.
The Verge claims that the iPhone 16e performed better in tests than the iPhone 16 when it came to video calling quality or download speeds. A similar opinion is shared by a reviewer at CNET, who reported that when comparing the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 Pro Max in tests using Ookla’s Speed Test app, “the 16 Pro Max had faster download speeds, but the 16e’s results were still good.” “That means selfies and videos posted quickly to Instagram✴ and TikTok, and video calls looked and sounded good, without any lag,” the reviewer concluded.
Reviews also note the iPhone 16e’s good battery life. Engadget reported that the phone “lasted over 24 hours without any issues,” while MKBHD confirmed that it has a “really good battery.”
However, it is not without its critics. Most reviews point out that the lack of MagSafe could be a problem for those upgrading from an iPhone 12 or newer. MKBHD noted that the smartphone charges much slower using the outdated Qi technology and gets hotter while charging. Many believe that the price is a bit high considering that the iPhone 16e offers fewer features compared to other iPhone models.
Overall, reviewers described the new product as “a simple iPhone for the unfussy,” “good but a little weird,” “normal,” and “an acceptable compromise.”