SpecEagle
SpecEagle review · Apple

iPhone 16e review: The 2025 budget iPhone — A18, USB-C, single 48 MP, Apple Intelligence.

SpecEagle Editorial·Feb 2025·$599
Overall
80/100
Class rank
#3 of 3
Tier
Premium
Buy?
At the right price
The verdict, up front

The cheapest way into Apple Intelligence.

iPhone 16e replaces the SE with a modern A18, USB-C, a 48 MP camera and the first in-house C1 modem. The 60 Hz screen and single camera are the cost-cutting tells.

01Display

76/100

76/100 trails the 79-point cohort average for premium phones of 2025.

TypeSuper Retina XDR OLED, 60 Hz
Size6.1 inches
Resolution2,532 × 1,170 px (460 ppi)
NotchStandard notch (no Dynamic Island)

02Camera

80/100

80/100 trails the 84-point cohort average for premium phones of 2025.

Main48 MP "Fusion", f/1.6, sensor-shift OIS
2× crop12 MP telephoto crop
Selfie12 MP
Video4K @ 60 fps Dolby Vision

03Performance

88/100

88/100 trails the 91-point cohort average for premium phones of 2025.

ChipsetApple A18 (4-core GPU)
RAM8 GB
Storage128 / 256 / 512 GB
AIApple Intelligence

04Battery

84/100

84/100 — right at the average for premium phones of 2025.

Capacity4,005 mAh
Wired~20 W USB-C
Wireless7.5 W Qi (no MagSafe)

05Build

84/100

84/100 trails the 87-point cohort average for premium phones of 2025.

06Value

80/100

80/100 trails the 84-point cohort average for premium phones of 2025.

What works
  • A18 + Apple Intelligence at $599.
  • Best-in-class battery life for the size.
  • First Apple C1 in-house modem.
  • 48 MP main with 2× crop.
What doesn't
  • 60 Hz display in 2025.
  • No MagSafe, no Dynamic Island.
  • Single rear camera.
  • No ultrawide.

How this review is built: every section score, spec row and comparison on this page comes from SpecEagle's tracked catalogue — scores weight measured specs against the 3-phone cohort of premium devices released around the same time. We don't publish invented lab anecdotes. Spot an error? .