Apple has just dropped a fresh addition to its iPhone lineup, and it’s shaking things up in the budget smartphone space. Say hello to the iPhone 16e, unveiled on February 19, 2025, and hitting shelves as of February 28. Priced at $599 for the base 128GB model, this isn’t just a rehashed iPhone SE—it’s a full-fledged member of the iPhone 16 family, bringing premium features to a more accessible price point. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in.

A Modern Design with Familiar Roots

The iPhone 16e marks a significant departure from the aging iPhone SE design. Gone is the home button and Touch ID, replaced by a sleek, edge-to-edge 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a notch housing Face ID. If it looks familiar, that’s because it borrows heavily from the iPhone 14’s playbook—flat aluminum sides, Ceramic Shield glass, and a matte glass back. It’s available in just two colors: black and white, keeping things minimalist but stylish. At 167 grams, it’s lightweight yet feels solid, with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

One big design win? The switch to USB-C, finally retiring Lightning across Apple’s entire iPhone range. There’s also the Action Button, lifted from the iPhone 15 Pro, letting you customize quick access to features like the camera or flashlight. However, don’t expect the Dynamic Island or the new Camera Control button found on the pricier iPhone 16 models—this is still a budget play, after all.

Power Under the Hood

The iPhone 16e packs the A18 chip, the same powerhouse driving the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. With 8GB of RAM, it’s built to handle Apple Intelligence—Apple’s new AI suite—making it the most affordable iPhone yet to offer features like smarter Siri, writing tools, and photo editing tricks like Clean Up. The catch? It’s got four GPU cores instead of the five in the standard iPhone 16, so graphics-intensive tasks might take a slight hit. Still, for everyday use and even some gaming, this chip delivers flagship-level performance.

Apple’s also debuted its first in-house 5G modem, the C1, promising better efficiency and reliable sub-6GHz 5G connectivity. No mmWave 5G here, though—that’s reserved for higher-end models. Battery life is a standout, with Apple claiming up to 26 hours of video playback, thanks to the A18’s efficiency and a redesigned interior. That’s a massive leap from the iPhone SE’s 15 hours and even beats the iPhone 16’s 22-hour claim.

Camera: One Lens, Big Potential

Photography fans might raise an eyebrow at the single 48MP Fusion camera on the back—no ultra-wide lens here. But Apple’s leaning hard on computational photography to make it work. This “2-in-1” sensor offers a 1x main shot and a 2x telephoto crop, both at high resolution (24MP by default, 48MP optional). It’s not the same sensor as the iPhone 16’s main camera—some speculate it’s closer to the Pro’s ultra-wide in size—but it still supports HDR, Night Mode, and Portrait Mode with depth control. Video recording hits 4K at 60fps with Dolby Vision and Spatial Audio, plus a cool Audio Mix feature to tweak sound post-capture.

The 12MP TrueDepth front camera gets autofocus, a first for a budget iPhone, ensuring sharper selfies and smoother video calls. It’s not the dual-camera system of the iPhone 16, but for a single-lens setup, it punches above its weight.

What’s Missing?

At $599, the iPhone 16e makes some compromises. There’s no MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging—just standard Qi at 7.5W (though wired charging hits 20W). The display sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness tops out at 1,200 nits versus the iPhone 16’s 2,000. You also miss out on the ultra-wideband chip for precision AirTag tracking and the latest Ceramic Shield generation. For some, the lack of color options and the dated notch might sting, especially when rivals like the Google Pixel 8a offer more flair for less.

The Verdict

The iPhone 16e isn’t the dirt-cheap iPhone SE successor many hoped for—$599 is a $170 jump from the SE’s $429 starting line. But it’s a different beast: a modern, capable iPhone that slots between budget and mid-range, competing with the likes of the Pixel 8a ($499) and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE ($650). It’s got the power, the battery life, and enough camera smarts to satisfy most users, plus Apple’s ecosystem perks like satellite SOS and iOS 18’s customization.

Is it worth it? If you’re upgrading from an older iPhone or want Apple Intelligence without breaking the bank, absolutely. But if you crave cutting-edge features like MagSafe or a dual-camera setup, the $799 iPhone 16 might be worth the stretch—or wait for carrier deals to sweeten the pot. Either way, the iPhone 16e proves Apple’s budget game is evolving, even if it’s not quite the steal we dreamed of.