Apple iPhone 16e review: Not quite budget, not quite pro, still a solid Phone

Apple iPhone 16e

The iPhone SE is gone for good, and in its place, Apple has introduced the iPhone 16e—a device that seems to exist in multiple timelines at once. Is it a budget iPhone? A repackaged iPhone 14? A future-proofed AI machine? The answer: it’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that and then some more.

After spending the past few weeks with the 16e, I’ve been trying to figure out where it really fits in Apple’s scheme of things. On paper, it looks like a solid iPhone: a powerful A18 chip, decent battery life, and the latest Apple Intelligence features. But then you notice the notch, the single rear camera, and the price tag that isn’t exactly “budget.”

It’s not quite the budget-friendly encore fans were expecting after the SE’s farewell, and yet, here it is, trying to hit all the right notes. Read on to know if the iPhone 16e has got what it takes to become your next — or your first — iPhone:

Apple iPhone 16e review: Design, display

It’s an iPhone, so the design is familiar and classy. This is a slim, lightweight phone with a design that Apple has been perfecting for years. It’s comfortable to hold, and unlike pricier models, its camera bump is far less intrusive — meaning it actually sits flat on a table without wobbling around like a seesaw.

If you’re upgrading from the iPhone SE (3rd gen), this will feel like a massive leap forward. No more Home button which has officially been confined to the annals of history. The dated bezel design has also been mercifully ditched by Apple.. Instead, you get a sleek, all-screen design with squared-off edges — something much more in line with modern iPhones. But if you’re already used to Apple’s latest devices, the 16e might feel like a step back. Despite its name, its design is straight out of the iPhone 14 era.

One notable upgrade? The 16e swaps out the classic mute switch for Apple’s new Action button. By default, it still mutes your phone, but you can also program it to do things like launch the camera, turn on the flashlight, or activate a Focus mode. A small but useful tweak, giving this “new” iPhone at least one modern touch.

Having said that, the similarities between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 14 are striking. They both have the same aluminum frame, a glass back (without the color-changing treatment of the iPhone 15), and a 6.1-inch display with the same notch. Even the dimensions are the same, though the iPhone 16 is a bit lighter.

Apple has also made an extra addition to the Action button’s functionality: Visual Intelligence—a feature available on late-2024 iPhones that typically relies on the Camera Control. However, since the iPhone 16e lacks the Camera Control, Apple has made Visual Intelligence accessible through the Action button instead.

Personally, I don’t mind losing Camera Control—I find it redundant on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, given that a quick swipe from the lock screen opens the camera just as easily. It has been close to six months and I am still struggling to adapt to the Camera Control. So, I see its absence as a minor win for the iPhone 16e.

Another small but noticeable change from the iPhone 14 is the colour lineup—or lack thereof. The iPhone 14 came in a solid variety of six shades, including blue, purple, yellow, black, white, and a bold (Product) Red. Even the older SE had three options: midnight, starlight, and red. The standard iPhone 16 expanded the choices to black, white, ultramarine, teal, and a striking pink. But the iPhone 16e? Just black or white. That’s it. It’s very Google-esque of Apple to restrict the colour options of the “budget” iPhone.

As far as the display is concerned, Apple is clearly banking on those buyers who haven’t used a Pro Motion display — like someone upgrading from an iPhone 13 or iPhone 14. Coming from a 120Hz display, dropping back to 60Hz isn’t an easy transition. The difference isn’t just noticeable—it’s impossible to ignore. Scrolling feels less fluid, animations have a slight stutter, and there’s a faint sluggishness to interactions. Apple also gets away with it because of how good the iOS optimisation is for this kind of display.  I’d love to say you get used to it quickly, but once you’ve experienced ProMotion (or even a basic high-refresh Android screen), going back feels like a step into the past.

That said, aside from its refresh rate, the display itself is solid—likely borrowed straight from the iPhone 14. Colors look natural, sharpness is excellent thanks to a 460 PPI density, and brightness levels are high enough for comfortable outdoor use (though not quite on par with the Pro models). Dolby Vision support ensures that HDR content looks great, delivering the deep contrast and punchy highlights you’d expect.

So, while the iPhone 16e’s screen isn’t bad, it does feel like a missed opportunity. Apple clearly had the chance to make this display sing, but instead, it’s just… playing the same old tune.

Apple iPhone 16e review: Performance, Apple Intelligence

While the iPhone 16e’s design strikes a reasonable balance—modernising the SE’s aging look without reaching for the premium upgrades of the iPhone 15 and 16—its feature set is a mixed bag. It skips some basic expectations yet includes high-end capabilities you wouldn’t normally find at this price point.

The standout addition, and arguably the defining feature of the 16e, is Apple Intelligence. Apple’s big marketing push will be that this is the cheapest iPhone to run Apple Intelligence. Apple has made it clear that to run its AI features, one needs serious hardware: at least an A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. That’s a tall order for a budget phone, and rather than compromise, Apple simply raised the price. That’s why the “affordable” iPhone now is not an affordable iPhone anymore.

Was this the right move? It’s a mixed bag. Apple Intelligence is still in its infancy, with new features rolling out gradually — sometimes before they’re truly polished. Right now, it feels rough around the edges, but Apple’s heavy investment in AI means it should improve dramatically over the phone’s lifespan. If you buy the 16e, you are kind of future proofing yourself when it comes to Apple’s AI features.

Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16e is a mix of impressive potential and frustrating limitations. Visual Intelligence performs well when identifying objects like cars, dogs, and plants but struggles with context, misreading cropped phone numbers and certain signs. Genmoji is a fun but inconsistent novelty—you can create a lot of fun emojis but the novelty soon wears off. But I am sure there will be people who will use it more regularly than I ended it up using.

The features I like are Web Page Summaries, which does a fine job of giving a concise view of facts. Writing Tools also works fine but has some limitations. For instance, if you use it to rephrase the written content in “Friendly” or “Professional” tonality, it refuses to do if you give it more than 150 words or so.

Clean Up is unreliable, leaving behind distorted remnants when removing objects like cars. It’s not fully there, like it is on the Samsung S-series phones.

Apple Intelligence is ambitious and in its nascent stage, but it’s still finding its footing. It certainly is impressive on paper but at the moment, it seems like Apple is still testing the waters and hasn’t come out all guns blazing. While it will improve over time, its present-day value is limited. But as I said, it’s one of those features that will become better and it is better to have it on your iPhone rather than not having it.

Apple Intelligence ensures that the iPhone 16e has high-end hardware. The A18 chip and 8GB of RAM might be necessary for AI, but they also ensure this phone is built to handle demanding apps and stay relevant for years. That level of future-proofing is a real benefit.

The iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe support — something which some people might actually miss. While it costs extra to buy a wireless charger or Apple’s MagSafe charger, it does bring convenience.

Powered by Apple’s A18 processor and 8GB of RAM, this phone is an absolute powerhouse for its price. The extra power might feel excessive right now, but it makes the 16e incredibly future-proof, ensuring it can handle demanding apps and software updates for years to come. Apps open smoothly, there are no stutters or lags.

One of the iPhone’s most underrated superpowers is longevity. Many Android devices bow out after three to four years of updates—barring a few exceptions like Google and Samsung pushing it to six or seven—Apple plays the long game. Buy an iPhone 16e today, and you’re signing up for at least five to six years of iOS updates. That means your phone could still be getting new features and security patches well into the next decade.

For anyone who doesn’t treat smartphones like seasonal fashion, this is a game-changer. You don’t have to worry about your phone turning into a sluggish, unsupported brick a few years down the line. Instead, you get a device that stays fresh, secure, and functional for far longer than most Android alternatives.

But it’s not just about software. Apple’s hardware is built to last—and it shows. The iPhone 16e is engineered to age gracefully. Years in, it’ll likely still be zippy and reliable, while many Android phones of the same vintage start showing their age with lag and battery woes.

In that sense, the iPhone 16e is a smartphone that actually respects your long-term investment.

Apple iPhone 16e review: Camera

Just one rear camera is a complaint with the iPhone 16e. What it means is that there’s no telephoto lens, which impacts zoom capabilities and limits Portrait Mode options. The former might not be a problem for many but the latter certainly does.

The iPhone 16e takes a no-frills approach to photography, stripping things down to a single rear camera while its pricier siblings flaunt two or three. Apple made some smart choices, ensuring that the one lens it did include is the most essential of the bunch. But make no mistake—this is still an issue that will rankle a lot of buyers.

Let’s start with what’s missing. The 16e relies on digital zoom. Apple claims a 2x optical-quality zoom by cropping into high-resolution shots from its 48MP sensor. And to be fair, those images hold up well—at 2x, they’re just as sharp as an unzoomed photo from an iPhone 14’s 12MP camera. But push beyond that, and quality takes a hit.

The one loss I felt is the missing ultra-wide lens. Macro photography is out since there’s no second lens to handle close-ups. And then there’s Portrait Mode, which is where the single-lens setup really stumbles. Unlike other iPhones that use depth data from two lenses, the 16e relies on software. That means Portrait Mode only works on humans—attempts to blur the background behind a dog, cat, or even a cake were met with a frustrating “No person detected” message. While clicking portraits of humans, the artificial bokeh effect works nicely when outdoors. But indoors, at times it struggles. At best, it’s passable, but noticeably inferior to the results from an iPhone with dual lenses.

Having said that, for everyday shots, the 16e performs exceptionally well. Apple’s 48MP main sensor captures impressive levels of detail, and colors are bright yet realistic. Even in tricky lighting, Smart HDR 5 helps balance exposure, preventing bright skies from washing out or dark shadows from swallowing up details.

So, while the lack of extra lenses limits creative flexibility, the core photography experience remains solid. For the vast majority of users — those who just want great-looking point-and-shoot photos— the iPhone 16e delivers nice results.

Apple iPhone 16e review: Battery

Apple debuted its new in-house model C1 with the iPhone 16e. While it does improve speeds, it also makes the iPhone 16e more efficient. Combined with the larger battery in the 16e, this phone delivers impressive battery life. Apple rates it for up to 26 hours of video playback, outpacing the standard iPhone 16 (22 hours) and nearly matching the 16 Pro (27 hours). While I didn’t run a 26 hours of video playback test, I managed to get a day-long run easily on a single charge. You can use the iPhone 16e for all kinds of tasks and the battery should last a day without any problems.

Apple iPhone 16e review: Verdict

The iPhone 16e has landed with a starting price of Rs 59,999—a figure that definitely turned heads. Many assumed it would slide in as a successor to the iPhone SE, which debuted at Rs 44,900, but Apple had other plans. Instead of chasing the budget crowd, Apple has clearly pivoted, leaving the affordable segment behind.

And honestly, given the iPhone 16e’s premium specs and flagship-level performance, expecting it to match the SE’s price was always wishful thinking. This isn’t a cut-down iPhone—it’s a seriously capable device.

So the real debate isn’t whether it should cost Rs 44,900 (because that was never on the cards). The real question is: does the iPhone 16e deliver enough value to justify its Rs 59,999 price tag? That’s where things get interesting—and a lot less clear-cut.

The iPhone 16e is one of those devices that leaves you slightly confused — in a good way and a not-so-good way. On paper, it’s a solid package: lightning-fast performance, great battery life, a slick, modern design, and Apple’s shiny new Intelligence features, all at a price that, by Apple standards, seems almost reasonable. But then you hit a couple of puzzling omissions—a notch, 60Hz refresh rate, just a single rear camera—and suddenly the whole thing feels… a little lopsided.

There’s no denying that the chip inside is top-tier, and it’s there for one big reason: Apple Intelligence. That’s the company’s new AI push—ambitious, forward-looking, and, for now, not exactly a must-have. The real question is: do people actually care about AI on their phones right now? Probably not. But Apple’s clearly playing the long game, assuming the answer will be “yes” sooner than later.

Then there’s the camera situation. A single lens in 2025? Apple’s been putting two cameras on iPhones since the 7 Plus, and three since the 11 Pro. Sure, smartphone photography has come a long way, and yes, one good lens can still take great shots—but let’s be real, it doesn’t make for a good look on an iPhone.

So who exactly is the iPhone 16e for? That’s the tricky part. It’s powerful, modern, and future-ready, but also stripped down in ways that feel oddly out of step with the rest of the iPhone lineup. It’s impressive, no doubt.

If you’re stepping into the iPhone universe for the first time—or finally jumping ship from Android—the iPhone 16e is a pretty smart place to start. In fact, it’s a better choice than the iPhone 15 or even the 14, despite what the spec sheets might initially suggest. What you’re getting with the 16e is a fresh slice of Apple’s latest and greatest, minus the sky-high Pro pricing. Think of it as your gateway iPhone—modern, powerful, and built with the future in mind.

Now, you might be eyeing the iPhone 15 and thinking, “Hey, two cameras and a Dynamic Island sound like a good deal.” But here’s the thing: the iPhone 15 runs on the A16 chip, which first showed up in the iPhone 14 Pro. It’s still fast, sure — but it’s last-gen fast. More importantly, it won’t support Apple Intelligence, and it never will.

You might shrug off Apple’s AI features as gimmicky or not relevant to how you use your phone today. Fair enough. But knowing Apple, this is just the beginning—and the company tends to play the long game remarkably well. A year or two from now, those AI smarts might go from “meh” to must-have.

So yes, the iPhone 16e may not be cheap, but it’s very much a new-generation iPhone—future-proofed, fast, and surprisingly well-balanced.