Rumours about the iPhone SE 4 have been circulating for quite some time, and now Apple finally teased its very own budget flagship—the new iPhone 16e (instead of the iPhone SE 4).
Set to launch on 28h February 2025, Apple iPhone 16e starts with a base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, followed by 256GB and 512GB storage models.
iPhone 16e Specifications
All iPhone 16e models come with the iPhone 16 chipset: the A18 bionic chip with 4-core GPU (instead of 5-core GPU specifically for iPhone 16 models). Apart from the missing camera control slider that we have on iPhone 16 models, the iPhone 16e also returns with a single camera module.
Apple mentions that the iPhone 16e uses a 2-in-1 camera system, so it combines that single lens with both wide and telephoto cameras. I’m not sure myself how Apple implements this combined camera system, but I suppose we’ll have to wait until the phone is finally released.
The rest of the specifications of this phone are pretty standard for today’s smartphones, except for the display refresh rate and battery type.
- 6.1” Super Retina XDR display
- Aluminium with glass back
- Action button
- 24MP and 48MP camera (with 12MP for telephoto)
- Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
- .5x, 1x, and 2x camera zoom options
- 3455 mAh Li-Ion battery (up to 26 hours of video playback)
- iOS 18.4
- 167 grams
- 2532 x 1170 pixels (with 60Hz display)
- IP68 waterproof and dustproof feature
With the soaring trends of silicon-carbon batteries found in modern smartphones that are far superior to Lithium-ion such as the OnePlus 13, Oppo Reno 13, Vivo X200, Redmi K80, Xiaomi 15, and more, I’m genuinely surprised to see iPhone 16e still uses Lithium Ion batteries. I’ve used Oppo Reno 13 and Oppo Find X8 Pro before, and both of these phones lasted insanely long. Lithium Ion batteries tend to drain out quite quickly, so I’m hoping we get to see newer iPhone models utilising this new battery technology.
The 60Hz refresh rate is… not exactly unexpected. But wouldn’t it be nice to see an option for a 120Hz screen at the very least? It’s already 2025.
iPhone 16e Price
There are three different price points for iPhone 16e for us to choose from:
- RM2,999 ($599 in the US) for a 128GB model
- RM3,499 ($699 in the US) for a 256GB model
- RM4,499 ($899 in the US) for a 512GB model
Design & Display
Similar to the iPhone 14, the display of the iPhone 16e features an edge-to-edge, a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED screen and a notch instead of the Dynamic Island present in other recent models. Apple hasn’t mentioned anything related to the Dynamic Island feature on the website, but the phone is promised to have Apple Intelligence. Touch ID is not present in this phone compared to the previous budget flagship models (SE, SE 2020, and SE 2022 models), and will most likely never return. It uses Face ID, the norm for every recent iPhone model.
iPhone 16e is made from “durable aerospace‑grade aluminium”, which is the same material used for iPhone 16 base models. It should be tough enough to handle accidental drops.
iPhone 16e Performance
The iPhone 16e is based on the A18 chip, which is of the latest 3nm architecture that we already saw on the new iPhone 16 series. But there’s a difference between the A18 chip used within the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models and that used within the budget-friendly iPhone 16e. The iPhone 16e A18 chipset comes with a 4-core GPU, whereas the A18 chip on the standard models of iPhone 16 comes with a 5-core GPU.
During the iPhone 16 launch event, Apple explained that the A18 chipset provides 30% improved CPU performance. In terms of the GPU, the A18 comes with a 5-core GPU with Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing and supports AAA games.
Apple also mentioned that this A18 bionic chip is 30% more efficient in utilising power. Looking further at the iPhone 16e, there is one abrupt but notable difference – Apple’s own 5G modem, boasted as “Superfast 5G cellular”. Apple C1, Apple’s native 5G modem, is featured on the iPhone 16e. It is a great milestone for Apple. Apple has been using Qualcomm’s 5G modems in its iPhones for a long time and the new iPhone 16e is the first iPhone to get an in-house developed modem. Whether it is exceptionally good remains to be seen when the product is officially launched.
iPhone 16e Camera
iPhone 16e features a single 24MP + 48MP Fusion rear camera with 2x telephoto. The previous flagship model, the Apple iPhone SE 3rd generation, used 12MP rear camera, but Apple includes a 48MP camera this time around on the iPhone 16e. It has the same camera module as the iPhone 16 except for the lack of the 12MP ultra-wide sensor. Apple is referring to it as a 2-in-1 camera system to boast the 2x telephoto for zooming, which is an absent feature in the previous three budget flagship models. The iPhone 16e also features Night Mode and Portrait mode.
The iPhone 16e can record video at 4K 60fps and also supports recording Spatial Audio videos, which can be played on Vision Pro using AirPods Pro. It also introduces Audio Mix functionality, which was initially launched last year in 2024.
iPhone 16e Battery
Apple doesn’t really display the battery capacity, as always, but the iPhone 16e is claimed to have up to 26 hours worth of video playback, compared to the iPhone SE 3rd generation (which can only last up to 15 hours of video playback). Considering that the iPhone 3rd generation has a 2,018 mAh battery capacity, we can safely assume the iPhone 16e at least stores a 3,200 mAh battery. Nanoreview.net claims the iPhone 16e has a battery capacity of 3,455 mAh, so let’s go with that.
Verdict
It’s the first ‘budget’ flagship from Apple that no longer has a massive bezel surrounding the upper and lower part of the phone, and instead follows the design of the iPhone X with a notch. The price range is very much expected, coming from Apple. It’s not something I’d complained about.
The phone is almost as big as the standard iPhone—it’s not “budget-sized” like the ones we see on the iPhone SE, SE 2020, and SE 2022 models. Let’s wait until the official launch, and we’ll see if it’s worth the price.
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A ’00 Malaysian freelance writer for MugenMilano. Occasionally writes for fun; otherwise, going to the gym and playing video games would be the R&R for Hariz. Having a keen interest in the area of gaming and technology, Hariz’s written materials would mostly be tech-related and gaming news, particularly in adventure, horror, and fighting genre. Doesn’t stop him from writing other interesting topics, though, as long as it is worth checking out.
