I Tested the Fuss-Free (and Much More Affordable) iPhone 16e

Ever since Apple’s latest lineup of iPhone 16 devices—the 16, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max—was unveiled, my mom has been courting the idea of an upgrade. (Reader: She’s happy with her iPhone 12, thankyouverymuch, and not interested in all the non-essential add-ons, such as magnetic charging and an ultra-wide zoom, that now come built-in with a brand-new device.)

Enter the arrival of the iPhone 16e, Apple’s pared-down version of the iPhone 16 and the latest affordable addition to the company’s smartphone lineup since the iPhone SE came into play. (The third and last generation of the SE hit in 2022; the iPhone 16e replaces that iteration of Apple devices.)

What’s great about the iPhone 16e is that it’s a phone that knows its audience. (Ahem, people like my mom, but also teens and anyone else looking for functionality over frills.) First, there’s the price point—at $599, it’s $200 cheaper (not counting carrier discounts) than the entry-level iPhone 16. It also comes souped up with the important parts (an extended battery life, a USB-C port) and, tech-wise, is a work horse (hello, A18 chip). But at the end of the day, it trims the bells and whistles that are best categorized as nice-to-have. (Features like Dynamic Island and Magsafe for wireless charging.)

What remains in the iPhone 16e is an excellent and comparable choice of device, especially one that’s a more price-conscious option in the Apple family.

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Back to my mom at the Apple store (seriously, she called me before and after her shopping trip so that we could trade notes as I tested the device): The iPhone 16e is pretty damn comparable to the iPhone 16. One of the most major—and welcome—changes for iPhone users who haven’t upgraded in a bit (including those with SE devices) is the switch from the lightning port to the USB-C port. What a feeling it is to suddenly have a device that comes with a more universal charger meaning it works with your iPad, MacBook and AirPods, too.

Additionally, the 16e includes a range of more recent iPhone features that SE users will love and appreciate: things like Night Mode for snapping pics, Face ID for easy activation and the Action button, which allows you to use your iPhone’s side button to create a shortcut such as quickly opening up your camera or toggling silent mode on.

On the tech front, Apple Intelligence is included—a boon at this price and one that provides one of the more user-friendly forays into AI. Toying around with this myself, I appreciated the text and email summaries the most, but know my mom is interested in how she might rely on the visual part of this feature at the garden center (i.e. the ability to hold her phone up to a cool plant and quickly collect details about it is appealing, that’s for sure). You also still get access to Apple’s A18 chip, which makes everything from apps to mobile gaming run faster and smoother. (Add to that the battery life, 6.1-inch screen and slick design—as a whole, despite its cheaper price point, this phone is rather impressive.)

It’s true, the iPhone 16e comes with a single camera lens vs. the dual camera system that pairs a main camera with an ultra-wide lens. (There’s no ultra-wide lens in the 16e.) That means that the camera (a 48MP fusion design) is less high-tech than what you’ll find in the 16, 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max. But you’ll still get the core features that result in great pics: For example, the TrueDepth camera that captures detailed close-ups and group selfies, a 2x telephoto lens and Night Mode. In fact, the camera—to my amateur eye, but also in comparison to pics snapped on the 16 Pro—still delivered vibrant and dynamic images. (Pics above show a shot snapped with the 16e on the left and the 16 Pro on the right.) The lack of an ultra-wide lens did mean that my shots were a bit tighter in the crop, but in the case of someone like my mom, she’s mostly taking grandkid and plant pics, so she feels OK with a phone without the ultra-wide lens.

One fun feature that is definitely an upgrade and included in the 16e is a photo capability that comes via Apple Intelligence called Clean Up, which makes it possible to remove distracting elements from pics. (That stranger that photobombed your shot? They’re erased in a single tap.) It’s fun to play around with and easily elevates any pic.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s most affordable phone. But at $599, it still feels pricey in comparison to the SE, which was available in the $400 range when it came out in 2022. That said, if you trade in your old device, it’s highly likely you’ll pay a discounted rate.

Yes! The iPhone 16e is a workhorse of a phone in a design that rivals its peers in the iPhone 16 range. Some bells and whistles are removed, but none of them are critical. And the $200 savings (more with a carrier deal) makes it feel like a smartphone investment that’s easier on the wallet while still delivering on the features that matter (a faster device, great pics and that USB-C port to name just a few).

Back to my mom: Did she buy it? Reader, she did.