Apple iPhone 16e: A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence at $599 - Review

Apple's latest budget-friendly phone, the $599 iPhone 16e, was released without much fanfare. There was no grand event, either in-person or online, and no journalists rushing to take photos. Instead, CEO Tim Cook simply tweeted about new hardware coming soon, followed by a press release announcing the phone a few days later.

The iPhone 16e isn't exactly a thrill ride. It's more of a safe bet, blending elements from previous iPhones to create a reliable device at a lower cost. It looks a lot like the iPhone 13 and 14, with the same dimensions and the familiar display notch. It does have the Action button from the iPhone 15, but it's missing the 16's Camera Control feature.

From an innovation perspective, the most interesting thing about the iPhone 16e is its custom C1 modem. Modems aren't usually exciting, but this one is special because it's the first modem Apple has ever made themselves.

While the 16e borrows heavily from older models, it does include some features from Apple's latest flagship that help explain the new naming scheme. The biggest reason to drop the iPhone SE name is the inclusion of the A18 chip, the same one found in the regular iPhone 16.

This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, the 16e is $200 cheaper than the iPhone 16, making it the most affordable way to get the A18 chip. Second, and more importantly, it's about future-proofing. Apple will support the A18 chip longer than the iPhone 15's A16 chip.

Future-proofing isn't just about bug fixes and security updates. It also includes Apple Intelligence, the company's new generative AI platform, which they see as the future of the iPhone. Before last week, only the iPhone 16 line and the most expensive iPhone 15 models could run this feature.

A "modern" take on a familiar form factor

But let's not get too caught up in the tech. The real star here is the price. Analysts think the iPhone 16e's lower cost could help Apple regain ground in markets like China and India. A $200 price drop from the entry-level iPhone isn't huge, but it can make a difference, especially in developing markets where top-tier phones can be a tough sell.

However, a lower price doesn't guarantee a flood of new iPhone users. Apple faces tough competition from local manufacturers in China, and things might get even tougher with increasing trade tensions.

In markets like India, things get even more complicated. Both the iPhone 14 and 15 will still be available for a while. The iPhone 14 is harder to find in the U.S. now that it's discontinued, but the iPhone 15 is still around, starting at $699.

All this makes it tricky to figure out where the 16e fits in the current iPhone lineup. A $100 difference between it and the 15 is significant, but it's not as big as the gaps some Android makers have between their mid-range and flagship models. The iPhone 16e isn't really a budget phone because Apple doesn't make budget phones.

The 16e's design, inspired by the iPhone 14, doesn't feel as outdated as the last SE did when it launched in 2022. It still has the display notch instead of the Dynamic Island, but the overall design hasn't changed much in recent years. So, the 16e feels more "modern" than the last SE.

This is great for most buyers, but some will miss the Touch ID and the smaller 4.7-inch screen of the last SE. With the 16e, you can't get an iPhone with a screen smaller than 6 inches anymore.

The iPhone 15, iPhone 16e, and iPhone 16 all have a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display. They're pretty similar, but there are some differences. The 16e has a notch instead of the Dynamic Island and maxes out at 1,200 nits of brightness, compared to 2,000 nits on the others. The three phones are almost the same size and weight.

All three have a USB-C port, as required by law, but the 16e doesn't have the MagSafe connector on the back. It does support Qi charging, but only up to 7.5 watts, compared to 15 watts for the 15 and 25 watts for the 16. The 16e has the longest battery life of the three, at 26 hours, thanks in part to the new C1 modem, which is less power-hungry and smaller, allowing for a bigger battery.

Both the iPhone 16 and 16e have the latest A18 chip with a six-core CPU and 16-core neural engine. The 16e has a four-core GPU, while the 16 has five. All three start at 128GB of storage, with options up to 512GB. The 16 and 16e have 8GB of RAM, compared to the 15's 6GB, which should help with Apple Intelligence processing.

Intelligent design

Apple Intelligence currently offers text rewriting, summaries, and generative imagery through Image Playground. Is the ability to use Apple's version of Google Gemini enough to choose the 16e over the less intelligent iPhone 15? It depends on the person, and we're still in the early days of this technology.

Apple is all in on generative AI, and it's set to be a big part of future updates. I can't promise any game-changing features soon, but you might regret not prioritizing this tech in a year or two.

Visual Intelligence, Apple's answer to Google Lens, is also available on the 16e, but you'll need to use the Action Button to access it since it doesn't have the Camera Control feature. More importantly, the 16e has only one rear camera.

Apple didn't make a big deal about this in the announcement, instead focusing on what they call a "2-in-1" camera system. Thanks to computational photography, the iPhone 16e's single 48-megapixel sensor with "integrated telephoto" can give you a closer, 12-megapixel version of the image without losing much quality when zooming.

You'll lose some versatility with just one camera, even with fancy tech. For some, this might be reason enough to spend an extra $100 to $200 on the iPhone 15 or 16. Still, the 16e can take some nice photos for a single-sensor phone and is a big step up from the last iPhone SE.

It comes down to the features you need

Every $100 price drop means you're giving up something. That's just how profit margins work. Choosing the best "entry-level" iPhone in the current lineup isn't as simple as it used to be. It depends on what features you need and what you're willing to live without.

The 16e is all about prioritizing features. If you want the latest and greatest, spend the extra $200 on the regular iPhone 16. If Apple Intelligence isn't a priority, the iPhone 15 might be enough.

In the end, there's not much difference between the iPhone 16 and 16e. The 16e focuses on Apple Intelligence with the A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. It makes sacrifices for affordability, like MagSafe, Dynamic Island, Camera Control, and the dual-camera system. If you can live without those, go ahead and save the $200.