The iPhone 16e is the right cellphone in your dad and mom

That headline is not a slight at Apple.

With the iPhone 16e, Apple has pared down the iPhone 16’s key options in a sensible method. It appears to be like like a mix of the iPhone XR and the iPhone 14, solely with a much more trendy chip, a greater show, and a strong digital camera. Nevertheless it’s not an ideal cellphone package deal and nonetheless lacks key options provided by comparably priced Android gadgets just like the Pixel 8a (and shortly, the Pixel 9a), together with a better refresh fee show.

Nevertheless, the iPhone 16e is greater than ok for iPhone customers that do not want the most recent and best from Apple. That is the cellphone for individuals like my dad and mom that stroll into their native Apple Retailer or wi-fi service and ask for “the most cost effective iPhone that is nonetheless good.” Nonetheless, regardless of doing plenty of issues proper, the iPhone 16e is roughly $100 too costly within the US at $599, and it is much more dear in different areas (in Canada, the iPhone 16e prices an astounding $999).

This makes the iPhone 16e really feel far much less of an entry gadget than its specs would recommend. Which is a disgrace, because it’s in any other case a strong addition to the iPhone household.

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Apple iPhone 16e

Apple’s new iPhone 16e is aimed toward customers on a funds, sporting many fashionable iPhone options whereas being priced a lot decrease than its flagship counterpart, the iPhone 16.

Execs & Cons

• Feels premium
• Digital camera snaps nice images
• A18 chip gives snappy efficiency

• Roughly $100 too costly
• Sizable bezels
• No ultra-wide lens

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Worth, availability, and specs

Apple’s iPhone 16e begins at $599 from Apple’s web site and different retailers. First off, it is essential to notice that the gadget options practically the identical A18 chip because the iPhone 16 (simply with one much less GPU core). The cellphone’s Tremendous Retina XDR OLED show measures in at 6.1-inches, with a decision of 2532 x 1170 pixels at 460ppi. The iPhone 16e’s display screen helps HDR, True Tone, Huge colour (P3), and options 800 nits of brightness and 1200 nits at peak brightness (HDR).

Concerning its digital camera, the iPhone 16e’s f/1.6 48-megapixel digital camera gives 2x telephoto zoom by sensor cropping all the way down to 12-megapixels, alongside picture stabilization. On the digital aspect, the cellphone can hit 10x digital zoom. On the entrance, the iPhone 16e options an f/1.9 12-megapixel TrueDepth digital camera system that is Face ID suitable in its show notch (there is not any Dynamic Island, nevertheless). Video help maxes out at 4K Dolby Imaginative and prescient video recording at 60fps, although most individuals will most likely go for 1080p 30fps.

The iPhone 16e is obtainable with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of storage. Colours embrace white and black (that are type of boring and make me miss the colourful iPhone XR). Different notable specs embrace IP68 water and mud resistance (a most depth of roughly 19ft for as much as half-hour). And eventually, it is price mentioning that the iPhone 16e is the primary Apple cellphone to function its personal C1 modem. I have not carried out in depth testing, however I did not encounter any connection or pace points tied to Apple’s first modem (we’ll possible see the C1 within the iPhone 17 collection).

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What I appreciated in regards to the iPhone 16e

A solid-feeling gadget with spectacular digital camera efficiency

The iPhone 16e feels glorious while you’re holding it in your hand. Its matte rear has a premium feel and look to it (although it’s a smudge magnet), and its aluminum sides really feel sturdy and clean. I am additionally keen on the lone rear digital camera bump. The iPhone 16 collection digital camera array is sizable and, particularly on the subject of the iPhone 16 Pro, it is a bit of an eyesore. In distinction, the iPhone 16’s lone lens is discreet and smooth, which I respect. I hope we see one thing comparable with the iPhone 17 collection’ rear digital camera array regardless of it that includes a number of lenses.

Shifting to the show, it is nice that Apple opted for an OLED display screen with the iPhone 16e’s 6.1-inch display screen. When evaluating the iPhone 16e’s and iPhone 16’s screens side-by-side, each telephones function great-looking shows, although the previous gadget features a notch, whereas the latter contains a extra modern-looking Dynamic Island. Content material is vibrant, whether or not I am doom-scrolling on Threads or watching YouTube movies, however I can not assist however miss the iPhone 16 Professional’s larger refresh fee show (extra on this later).

On the digital camera entrance, I have been very impressed with the iPhone 16e’s 48-megapixel shooter. It is a very comparable lens to the iPhone 16, solely with a barely smaller sensor, and its efficiency has been practically an identical in my expertise. Below first rate lighting circumstances, the iPhone 16e snaps nice images that rival the iPhone 16’s, providing glorious distinction, vibrant colours which are nonetheless true-to-life, and the power to snap clear images, even of shifting objects and other people. Low-light taking pictures is a bit worse than the iPhone 16, however the distinction is not notable, and the digital camera appears to deal with white stability poorly beneath difficult lighting circumstances. The 2x zoom sensor crop is spectacular, too, and rivals the iPhone 16’s in my expertise.

Because of the A18 chip, efficiency is strong throughout the board, and in my roughly one week with the iPhone 16e, I have not encountered a single occasion of lag. For people who care about benchmarks, the iPhone 16e hits 1,927 for single-core and 4,974 for multi-core on Geekbench 6.

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What I did not like in regards to the iPhone 16e

Huge bezels and a large notch might flip some individuals off

My two most important points with the iPhone 16e are its sizable bezels, which I observed the primary time I picked up the smartphone, and its show notch. Each iPhone XR/iPhone 14 period design options make the iPhone 16e look far older than it truly is, much like how the iPhone SE’s bodily Residence Button made the 2022-released smartphone appear to be 2017’s iPhone 8.

It is also disappointing that Apple opted for a 60Hz display screen, similar to it was with the iPhone 16. That is much more forgivable than it was with the iPhone 16, given the iPhone 16e goals to be Apple’s entry-level providing. Different downsides embrace the dearth of the Telephone 16 collection’ Photographic Kinds that occur earlier within the pictures pipeline. There additionally is not an ultra-wide or zoom lens both, which suggests you may’t shoot macro pictures (although I’ve discovered I have been in a position to get very near topics when taking pictures images).

I additionally suppose anybody upgrading from the iPhone SE line may take subject with the iPhone 16e’s lack of a Residence Button since, anecdotally, I do know a number of older individuals who caught with the positively ancient-looking smartphone solely for the bodily button. On the similar time, I might say that these individuals want to surrender the bodily Residence Button, as a result of at this level, swipe navigation has been round for a number of years (it is fairly intuitive, too). Talking of buttons, whereas the iPhone 16e options an Motion Button, there is not any Digital camera Management button. Whereas I used to be initially very into the Digital camera Management button and its delicate changes on my iPhone 16 Professional, I discover that I not often use it now, so so far as I am involved, this is not an enormous loss and is sensible within the context of a lower-end gadget.

Will the iPhone 16e’s audience care about these lacking options and points, significantly the much less succesful digital camera specs? Most likely not, however they’re nonetheless price noting, particularly for those who’re deciding between shopping for the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16. The one exception to this rule is MagSafe. I actually do not perceive why Apple did not choose to incorporate magnets within the iPhone 16e, particularly given how fashionable MagSafe equipment are. You should purchase a third-party MagSafe case to add compatibility to the iPhone 16e, however the magnets possible will not be robust sufficient for equipment like my beloved MagSafe PopSocket.

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Must you purchase the iPhone 16e?

That is an entry-level gadget for a really particular iPhone consumer

Would I purchase the iPhone 16e? Undoubtedly not. I do not essentially want the most effective of the most effective on a regular basis, however I might miss the Dynamic Island and I am not keen on the sizable bezels. There are different elements, too, like the dearth of a better refresh fee show, and I’ve grown very keen on taking part in round with Photographic Kinds.

I am clearly not the iPhone 16e’s viewers, although. This cellphone is for those that want a brand new iPhone and are at the moment on the iPhone 13, iPhone 14, or perhaps the iPhone SE, who do not need to shell out the cash for the dear iPhone 16. In actual fact, I might argue that the iPhone 16e will truly cannibalize the iPhone 16’s gross sales. It gives all of the options that matter to the typical individual, alongside a less expensive price ticket. The iPhone 16e will possible make extra sense from a value and have perspective when the iPhone 17 inevitably launches later this yr with a rumored delicate redesign and sought-after upgrades like a 120Hz ProMotion display screen.

This gadget was supplied to Pocket-lint by Apple.

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iPhone 16e

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