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Phones Apple

iPhone 16e

Apple's $599 entry-level iPhone gets mixed reviews

iphone-16e.png
+24 photos
78 Great
Media score 6 reviews · 6 positive
80 Great
Shortcut editor's score by Max Buondonno

Released February 27, 2025 at $599

The cheapest way into Apple Intelligence, with the best battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone. Skipping MagSafe and the ultrawide camera stings at $599, so wait for a sale or a trade-in deal.

Max Buondonno, The Shortcut

Price tracker

iPhone 16e lowest price

Lowest price from $599 to $449 $400$450$500$550$600Launch $599 Feb 2025Jul 2025Jan 2026Jul 2026

Lowest in-stock price across tracked US stores. Sample data until the price tracker is connected.

How much should I pay?

$499 after a basic trade-in

Upgrading from iPhone SE 3 will net you at least $100 toward the new iPhone 16e, making it $499 if you trade in your three-year-old basic iPhone. But the $799 iPhone 16 is an all-around better device.

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Review round-up

6 reviews, best first

  • CNET

    Patrick Holland

    85
    The iPhone 16E could be a solid option for teenagers as well as adults who don’t care about having the most cutting-edge phone tech, especially if they’re on an iPhone that’s four or five years old.
    8.5/10

  • TechRadar

    Lance Ulanoff

    80
    iPhone 16e represents a whole new class of affordable iPhone. It has an excellent screen, powerful performance, a cutting-edge CPU with Apple Intelligence, and even an all-new C1 modem.
    4/5 stars

  • AppleInsider

    Andrew O'Hara

    80
    This phone is predominantly for those users who are walking into an Apple Store, Verizon, Best Buy, or some other retail outlet and asking what is the newest and most affordable iPhone they can get.
    4/5 stars

  • Tom's Guide

    John Velasco

    80
    I would personally spend the extra $200 for the iPhone 16, but if your budget’s tight, then go with the iPhone 16e because of its sweet camera performance and Apple Intelligence features.
    4/5 stars

  • The Verge

    Allison Johnson

    70
    If you’re coming from an older iPhone like an 11, don’t want to spend a lot, and don’t care about MagSafe or an ultrawide camera, then the 16E kind of makes sense.
    7/10

  • Wired

    Julian Chokkattu

    70
    The best iPhone 16e feature? Battery life. Considering this is a 6.1-inch iPhone, which historically perform the lowest in battery tests, this is a welcome surprise.
    7/10
How the Shortcut Score works

We convert every outlet's rating to a 0–100 scale (4 out of 5 stars = 80) and average them into the media score. We show it once there are at least 3 reviews. Our own editor's score sits next to it, never inside it.

  • 75+ Great to must-have
  • 50–74 Good or mixed
  • 0–49 Skip it

Shortcut Certified means a media score of 80+, an editor's score of 85+ and at least 5 reviews.

Video reviews

  • MKBHD

    Marques Brownlee

    iPhone 16e Review: Who Are You?

  • iJustine

    Justine Ezarik

    iPhone 16e Review: BEST iPhone for Less!

  • GadgetMatch

    Michael Josh

    iPhone 16e Review: BEST iPhone for Less!

  • Mr Mobile

    Michael Fisher

    iPhone 16e Review: A Phone That (e)xists

  • TechOdyssey

    Adam Matlock

    iPhone 16E Review // Should You Buy It?

  • MacRumors

    Dan Barbera

    iPhone 16e Review: I Was Wrong About It