Apple finally did it. They killed the home button for good and rebranded their entry-level strategy. The iPhone 16e is here, and honestly, it’s a weird, fascinating mix of "brand new" and "very old." If you were expecting a cheap $400 phone like the old SE, I’ve got some news that might sting your wallet a little.
The iPhone 16e starts at $599. That’s a massive jump from the $429 price tag we saw on the third-gen SE. But in exchange, you're getting a phone that actually looks like it belongs in 2026. No more massive chin and forehead bezels. No more tiny 4.7-inch screen that feels like peering through a keyhole. Instead, we have a 6.1-inch OLED display that looks suspiciously like the iPhone 14, but with the brains of the latest flagship.
The A18 Chip and the Surprising GPU Tweak
Under the hood, Apple shoved the A18 chip into this thing. That’s the same silicon family found in the standard iPhone 16. It’s got the same 6-core CPU, which is basically a rocket engine for a phone this price. You’ve got two performance cores and four efficiency cores doing the heavy lifting.
But there is a catch.
To hit that lower price point, Apple "binned" the chip. The iPhone 16e has a 4-core GPU, while the standard iPhone 16 gets 5 cores. Does it matter? For scrolling Instagram or sending emails, not even a little bit. If you’re trying to play Genshin Impact at max settings, you might notice a frame drop here or there, but for 95% of people, it’s a non-issue.
What actually matters is the 8GB of RAM. Apple doubled the memory compared to the old SE specifically because of Apple Intelligence. You need that extra "room" for the AI to breathe. Without it, the Writing Tools, the revamped Siri, and the Image Playground features just wouldn't work. By putting the A18 in here, Apple basically ensured this phone won't feel like a dinosaur for at least five or six years.
The C1 Modem: Apple’s First Big Gamble
This is the part most people will skip over in the spec sheet, but it’s actually the most "Apple" thing about this phone. The iPhone 16e features the Apple C1 modem. It is the company’s first-ever in-house 5G modem, finally moving away from Qualcomm.
It’s a huge milestone.
Apple claims this modem is the most power-efficient they’ve ever used. In real-world testing, it seems to be the reason why the iPhone 16e has such "breakthrough" battery life. We’re talking up to 26 hours of video playback. That’s actually better than the standard iPhone 16 in some scenarios. However, there’s a trade-off: the C1 modem doesn’t support mmWave 5G.
If you live in a city where you’re constantly standing right next to a 5G tower, you won't get those "multi-gigabit" speeds. But for everyone else on sub-6GHz networks, you probably won't even notice the difference. It just works, and it saves a ton of battery.
No MagSafe is a Total Bummer
I have to be honest here—the lack of MagSafe is probably the most annoying "budget" cut Apple made. The back of the iPhone 16e is just... glass. No magnets.
- You can't use those snap-on magnetic wallets.
- Your fancy MagSafe car mount won't hold it.
- Wireless charging is limited to 7.5W Qi.
It feels like a deliberate move to make sure you still feel a little bit "poor" for not buying the $799 model. You can fix this with a third-party magnetic case, but out of the box, it’s a regression for anyone used to the MagSafe ecosystem.
That Single 48MP Camera
Looking at the back of the phone, it looks a bit lonely. There’s only one lens. But it’s a good one. It’s a 48MP Fusion camera, which is a massive upgrade over the old 12MP sensors.
Because the sensor has so many pixels, Apple uses "sensor cropping" to give you a virtual 2x telephoto lens. It’s not a real zoom lens, but it takes 12MP photos at 2x that look surprisingly sharp. You lose out on the Ultra Wide lens, though. No 0.5x zoom for those dramatic architecture shots or group selfies.
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You also lose "Action Mode" and "Cinematic Mode" for video. If you’re a content creator, this isn't the phone for you. But if you just want a photo of your dog that looks great on a 4K TV, the Photonic Engine and Deep Fusion tech in this A18 chip have you covered.
Why the Notch is Back
If you hate the Dynamic Island, you might actually like the iPhone 16e. It brings back the notch. It’s the smaller notch from the iPhone 13/14 era, but it’s still a notch.
Apple used an older display panel design to keep costs down. This is a 60Hz Super Retina XDR OLED. It’s vibrant, the blacks are deep, and it hits 1200 nits peak brightness. It’s a great screen, but it’s definitely not "ProMotion." Scrolling won't feel as buttery smooth as it does on a Pro model, but coming from an older SE or an iPhone 11, it’ll feel like a revelation.
The Action Button Swap
One surprise was the inclusion of the Action Button. Apple ditched the classic mute switch even on this budget model. You can program it to open the camera, turn on the flashlight, or launch a Shortcut. It’s a small touch that makes the phone feel modern, even if the screen design is a few years old.
Is the iPhone 16e Actually a Good Deal?
So, should you buy it? It’s complicated.
At $599, it’s in a weird spot. It’s $200 cheaper than the standard iPhone 16, but it’s $170 more expensive than the phone it replaces. You’re essentially paying a premium for Apple Intelligence and a modern-looking screen.
If you’re still rocking an iPhone 11 or an older SE, this is a massive upgrade. You get Face ID, USB-C (finally!), and a battery that actually lasts all day. But if you can find a refurbished iPhone 15 for around the same price, you might have a tough choice to make. The 15 has the Dynamic Island and better cameras, but it won't run Apple Intelligence.
That’s the hook. The iPhone 16e is the cheapest ticket into Apple's AI future.
Practical Advice for Buyers
If you’re planning to pick one up, keep these reality checks in mind:
- Check your accessories: Since there’s no MagSafe, don’t buy magnetic accessories unless you plan on getting a specialized case that adds the magnets back in.
- Storage matters: The base model starts at 128GB. With the 48MP camera, photos take up more space than they used to. If you take a lot of video, consider the 256GB jump.
- Color choices: It only comes in Black and White (matte finishes). If you want those vibrant teals or pinks, you have to spend the extra $200 for the standard 16.
- The Case Situation: Because the dimensions are nearly identical to the iPhone 14, some old cases might fit, but the new Action Button and the different camera bump shape mean you’re probably better off buying a dedicated iPhone 16e case.
The iPhone 16e marks the end of an era. The home button is officially dead, and the "budget" iPhone is no longer truly "cheap." It’s a mid-range powerhouse designed to last you half a decade. If you can live without the extra camera and the magnets, it’s a sensible, if unexciting, workhorse.