iPhone 16e Review: Budget-Friendly, But At What Cost?
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s latest attempt at offering an "affordable" entry point into its flagship lineup—and, depending on your expectations, it's either a clever compromise or a frustrating downgrade.
Design & Build
At first glance, the 16e doesn’t look cheap. It retains the flat-edge design and aluminum frame, and from the front, it’s basically indistinguishable from the 16 and 16 Plus. It’s compact, sleek, and still very much an iPhone.
But once in hand, you’ll notice some subtle downgrades:
A slightly thicker bezel.
A single rear camera instead of the dual lenses on the regular 16.
No Always-On display or ProMotion (that silky 120Hz refresh rate is reserved for the Pros).
Winner: iPhone 16 / 16 Pro
---
Display
The 6.1-inch OLED panel is sharp and bright enough for day-to-day use, but without 120Hz, it just doesn’t feel as fluid as the 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max. Once you've experienced ProMotion, it's hard to go back.
Winner: 16 Pro and Pro Max, by miles
---
Performance
The 16e runs on the A16 Bionic, which is last year’s Pro chip (now trickled down). It's still powerful and efficient, but a step behind the A17 Pro in the 16 Pro/Pro Max. For most users, the difference is negligible—but if you're gaming or video editing, the A17 Pro’s raw power and ray tracing matter.
Winner: 16 Pro and Pro Max
---
Camera
Here’s where the biggest compromises show:
Single 12MP wide camera—no ultrawide, no telephoto.
Still decent quality with Apple’s post-processing magic, but lacks the versatility of even the regular iPhone 16 (which has dual cameras).
Night mode and Smart HDR remain solid, but zoom is digital-only, and you can feel the limits.
Winner: Even the iPhone 16 outshines the 16e
---
Battery Life
Battery life is okay—not great. It lasts about a day with average use, which is fine, but doesn't compare to the Plus or Pro Max models, which are absolute endurance monsters.
Winner: 16 Plus and Pro Max
---
Price & Value
Here’s where the 16e fights back. It starts at $599, (we have it on sale starting at $449.99 right here on LeDeaux the lowest price you'll find) which makes it the cheapest in the lineup by a significant margin:
iPhone 16: $699 (we have it here)
iPhone 16 Plus: $799 (we don't have it)
iPhone 16 Pro: $999 (we have it starting at $799)
iPhone 16 Pro Max: $1,199 (we have it starting at $899)
Shop: ledeaux.com
If you just want to be in the Apple ecosystem, take great photos in daylight, and don’t need pro-level features—this is your phone. It’s basically the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, just more modern.
---
Final Verdict
The iPhone 16e is the right phone for:
First-time iPhone users
Kids, teens, or older adults who want something simple
Anyone who doesn’t care about having all the bells and whistles
But if you're already spending this much, the iPhone 16 (just $100 more) feels significantly more balanced. And if you’re a power user? Skip to the Pro models.
---
Rating: 3.5 / 5