After spending a couple of weeks using Apple’s new iPhone 16e as my main smartphone, I’ve realised that its true appeal lies not only in the lower price, minimalist features and pocketability – it’s the absolutely massive battery life. This has easily the best battery in a more compact iPhone, and it delivers this longevity with the power of Apple’s latest chip, used in its other iPhone 16 models.
The iPhone 16e isn’t without drawbacks, and I’ve detailed how it compares to the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 (which offers several key upgrades for only a little extra cash) below, but it’s the processing power and enormous battery life that make it so easy to recommend.
It’s not only the best budget iPhone right now, but the best minimalist iPhone too. We don’t all need loads of features, so if you’re happy with a single rear camera and a notch on the display, the iPhone 16e delivers big upgrades on the iPhone XR, 11 and SE models with its excellent OLED screen, Apple Intelligence builtin, a higherresolution camera and tremendous battery capabilities.
Yes, it would’ve been more convincing at a slightly lower price, as £599 is an increase from the iPhone SE, but it still delivers the best value of the models in Apple’s current range.
Apple iPhone 16e: At a glance
Apple iPhone 16e
Cons
Lack of colour options- No ultrawide camera
- No MagSafe
Key specifications
| Display | 6.1inch OLED |
|---|---|
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Cameras | 48MP main, 12MP frontfacing |
| Weight | 167g |
Apple iPhone 16e: Battery life
As I may have mentioned, the battery is the standout feature. Apple advertises this as the best battery life in any iPhone of its screen size, and it’s not wrong.
The iPhone 16e delivers the kind of life we’d expect from either the Plus or Pro Max handsets, but is much more comfortable to hold and use. With regular use, I’ve found it can realistically last for two days without needing a charge.
Even after more intense use, including navigation, streaming and a lot of messaging, I reached the end of the day with at least 40% of my battery left. You can also use battery health features on the 16e, such as preventing the phone from charging to full until you need to use it, or setting a maximum charge level, so the battery’s overall health is able to last longer.
While you can charge it wirelessly, it doesn’t offer the faster speeds or secure attachment of the MagSafe system. Instead, you get speedy charging through the USBC port, just like on the other iPhone 16 models, which I’ve found efficient in testing. The lack of MagSafe is one of the more disappointing omissions, as it’s been on almost all iPhones since the iPhone 12, and connects the devices to a wide range of accessories like chargers, wallets, the best power banks and ring grips.
Apple iPhone 16e: Display, design and colours
The 16e looks like a typical iPhone 16 design stripped back to only the core essentials. It only comes in either black or white, it has a single camera lens on the back, and has a notch on the display rather than the “Dynamic Island” display feature you may have spotted on iPhone 15 and 16 models.
It’s a shame it doesn’t come in any fun colours or have the handy MagSafe system, but this is still a sleek and minimal iPhone for anyone who doesn’t need something stuffed with features. If you’ve used an iPhone with multiple cameras and found you didn’t need or want them, or you’ve never looked into things like wireless charging or an “alwayson” display, it might be ideal for you.
Anyone upgrading from an iPhone SE is also sure to notice the big screen upgrade. This handset now has an OLED display, which makes everything look more rich and colourful than it did on the small 4.7inch LCD screen of the SE.
This also has an allscreen design, so there’s no home button anymore (it unlocks with Apple’s reliable and secure Face ID system), and it has a customisable “action” button rather than the mute switch on the lefthand side. I set this to open the camera, but it’s just as useful for turning on “Do Not Disturb” modes or the torch.
Apple iPhone 16e: Camera performance
The iPhone 16e only offers a single rear camera, with a 48megapixel sensor. If you find yourself not needing an ultrawide lens for dramatic vistas, group photos or landscapes, and also not needing to zoom longer than 2x, this camera should be great for your needs. As well as offering a wide lens, you can crop into that wide lens so it functions as a 2x telephoto zoom. That’s a benefit of all the extra megapixels in the sensor.
This should feel like a good upgrade for those with older iPhones, but it will depend on your needs. I personally love to take photos and videos with my phone, and I quickly found myself missing the ability to zoom further or to fit more in with an ultrawide lens.
iPhone 16e camera sample photos
In good lighting, shots will look pretty similar to other iPhone 16 models, but when the environment becomes challenging, you’ll start to see blurrier photos, especially in pictures with moving subjects.
Many of the latest iPhone camera features are left out here, too. The 16e doesn’t have a cinematic mode for background blur in videos; it doesn’t have action mode for stabilised videos; it doesn’t have Apple’s latest “Photographic Styles” for creating your own look; it doesn’t have automatic portrait mode in photos of people and pets; and it lacks macro photography for closeup images. The missing features mean it’s probably not one I’d recommend for serious mobile photographers.
Selfie fans should be happy, though, as the front camera is quite good, and better than many at this price point because it has autofocus. It still struggles with photos in low light, but it’s good value for what it offers. In general, the iPhone 16e works well as a decent pointandshoot camera system, but we should acknowledge that the photo and video results from either the iPhone 16 or the iPhone 15 are much better.
Apple iPhone 16e: Software, performance and AI
The new phone runs on the latest version of Apple’s iOS, and also supports Apple Intelligence features that you can’t get on the iPhone 15 model.
These can help you to create your own customised emoji, rewrite your emails, search your photos quicker, generate AI artwork, and remove distractions from the background of photos with the Clean Up tool.
Overall, the iOS interface is simple to understand and easy to navigate, whether you’re used to an iPhone or new to the device. And, when it comes to performance, the iPhone 16e is speedy and reliable thanks to the inclusion of Apple’s latest A18 processor.
The phone also has an Appledesigned modem, the C1, which is power efficient and contributes to the device’s excellent battery life.
The Good Housekeeping verdict on the Apple iPhone 16e
If you yearn for the days of simpler smartphones and don’t need three different cameras, an alwayson display, wireless charging and other features you’re not going to use, then the iPhone 16e may be the perfect upgrade for you. It delivers all the functionality you’ll want, along with an improved OLED display, a speedy processor, a highresolution camera and enormous battery life in a pocketfriendly 6.1inch size.
It’s still larger than the old “mini” iPhone models or the SE, and that may require a bit of an adjustment period if you prefer a compact handset. The extended battery life and smart features make it worth it, though.
However, it does lack many expected features like a more versatile camera system, colour options, faster wireless charging, and higher refresh rate screens. It may feel like a high price for the value it provides if you compare it to Android options.
While the 16e is now the most affordable new iPhone in the lineup, I also think it’s important to consider how you can get many comparable features and a much better camera system, from the iPhone 15 (launched in 2023).
That phone comes in some lovely pastel colours, has a dual camera layout, and has MagSafe charging, but lacks the Apple Intelligence capabilities. Interested in those features and a better camera? I’d recommend picking the latest iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models instead.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, ebook readers and smartphones. He’s reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and moneysaving advice guides and edited thousands of indepth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
