Apple's entry-level iPhone 16e launches this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the device have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels.
iPhone 16e features include a 6.1-inch OLED display with a notch, Face ID, an A18 chip, Apple Intelligence support, a USB-C port, an Action button, and a single 48-megapixel rear camera that offers 2x zoom with optical-like quality. The device is also equipped with the Apple-designed C1 modem for 5G and LTE connectivity.
The power-efficient C1 modem and a larger battery contribute to the iPhone 16e offering the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever, according to Apple. The company's tech specs state that the iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of battery life for offline video playback, compared to up to 22 hours for the regular iPhone 16.
Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e does not support MagSafe. It also lacks an Ultra Wideband chip, which powers the Precision Finding feature in the Find My app. In addition, the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e has a 4-core GPU, versus a 5-core GPU in the regular iPhone 16.
In the U.S., the iPhone 16e starts at $599. Is it worth it? Many reviewers think so, but the lack of MagSafe on the device is surprising and disappointing. There are a few reasons you might want to consider purchasing a regular iPhone 16 for $799 instead, including MagSafe, the Dynamic Island, an Ultra Wide camera, and Wi-Fi 7 support instead of Wi-Fi 6, but otherwise the iPhone 16e still offers many modern features at a more modest price. For the average customer, the iPhone 16e is a perfectly fine choice.
Many of the iPhone 16e's features already existed, so our review roundup focuses on new and notable aspects, including the C1 modem, battery life, the graphics performance of the A18 chip with a reduced 4-core GPU, and the lack of MagSafe.
Review Highlights
C1 Modem
Apple wants to move away from Qualcomm modems in iPhones, and that transition starts with its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e.
The Verge's Allison Johnson said she "didn't see any consistent difference in performance" between the C1 modem and a regular iPhone 16 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem:
Much of the 16E is familiar, but there is one entirely new component: Apple's C1 modem. This is its debut appearance, and the road to Apple's first in-house modem was reportedly full of setbacks and delays. I've used it for the past week to make FaceTime calls, upload large video files in crowded places, and stream YouTube on the bus. I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 equipped with a Qualcomm-made modem — both on Verizon — and I didn't see any consistent difference in performance between the two.
Tom's Guide's John Velasco didn't seem to notice any major difference either:
And finally, you should know that the iPhone 16e is the first device in Apple's portfolio to feature the company's in-house C1 modem. It's a departure from the Qualcomm modem that Apple's relied on for years now, but it’s difficult to say if it ultimately delivers faster 5G speeds. I ran speed tests on both the iPhone 16 and 16e at three different locations in New York City, with only one test showing faster speeds with the iPhone 16e.
Apple says the C1 is already the most power-efficient iPhone modem ever.
Apple has repeatedly said the C1 modem is just the start. In a press release this week, focused on U.S. manufacturing commitments, Apple heavily implied that it will release additional devices with custom 5G modems in the future. Those devices could include the iPhone 17 Air, the iPad 11, future Mac and Vision Pro models, and more.
Battery Life
Apple says the iPhone 16e offers the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever.
Tom's Guide put it to the test:
In running Tom's Guide's battery benchmark test, the iPhone 16e puts up an average time of 12 hours and 41 minutes. That's only a couple of minutes shorter than the iPhone 16's average of 12 hours and 43 minutes. However, the best times recorded on both phones are 12 hours and 49 minutes for the iPhone 16e, and 13 hours and 19 minutes with the iPhone 16.
According to Dave Lee of the YouTube channel Dave2D, the iPhone 16e is equipped with a 3,961 mAh battery. That is an 11% increase in capacity compared to the regular iPhone 16's 3,561 mAh battery.
A18 Chip With 4-Core GPU
In the iPhone 16e, the A18 chip has a 4-core GPU. In the iPhone 16, it has a 5-core GPU.
This is not a massive concern, but it seems to make a difference.
In benchmark test for graphic performance, you can really see the difference that the iPhone 16's extra GPU core has over the iPhone 16E.
Lack of MagSafe
The lack of MagSafe on the iPhone 16e is surprising and disappointing.
The iPhone 16E lacks support for MagSafe, the magnetic connection system on the back of the phone, which isn't the end of the world. I imagine that people who don't have an iPhone with MagSafe won't know what they're missing -- notice a theme here? But in a household shared with someone who does have an iPhone with MagSafe as well as charging stands, I could see that being a bit annoying.
Introduced on all iPhone 12 models, the MagSafe system lets you magnetically attach a charger, battery pack, and other accessories to the back of the iPhone. A set of magnets inside the iPhone securely hold these accessories in place.
Apple has not explained why the feature is missing on the iPhone 16e, although it did confirm that the lack of MagSafe is unrelated to the C1 modem.
The only other iPhone model without MagSafe since 2020 was the third-generation iPhone SE, but that device had an older design based on the iPhone 8.
Apple's announcement video for the iPhone 16e said the device features a new internal design that allowed for a larger battery. Perhaps those internal changes resulted in a lack of MagSafe, but this is just another unconfirmed theory for now.
Apple has not released any MagSafe cases for the iPhone 16e, but third-party cases are already starting to roll out. These cases at least allow you to use the iPhone 16e with MagSafe accessories, but note that the device is limited to slower 7.5W wireless charging speeds with ordinary Qi chargers, whereas other iPhone 16 models can wirelessly charge at up to 25W with the newest version of Apple's MagSafe Charger.
Top Rated Comments
The old four quadrant product matrix had something unique in every quadrant. There were things about the ‘consumer’ models that even ‘pros’ might be envious of, like the kind-of-terrible but also hugely fun OG iBook for example.
Even the iPhone 5c had something quite uniquely likeable about it even though it wasn’t for me. And in the parts bin, the OG SE still had something to be envied - it was very different from the iPhone 6s and that was a good thing. Lower end products should have their own charm rather than being obviously degenerate versions of higher end products. I’d wager that absolutely no one will ever say ‘I wish my iPhone 16 was a bit more like a 16e…’. A 16e is just a bad 16 and buyers get to console themselves by looking at their wallets, rather than at the actual devices they purchased.
Maybe they’re too big and valuable for their own good. It’s hard when you’re that big and can’t really manoeuvre in any direction without threatening revenue continuity and supposed perpetual growth. Apple has to outsell itself every quarter, and I’m not sure that’s compatible with doing their very best, or at least most creative work.
Not with a pitiful 128 GB of storage.