After almost three years of hiatus, the iPhone SE is back, except this time, it isn’t called iPhone SE. It’s now dubbed the iPhone 16e. So, yeah for a new name? I guess?
Apple’s latest brainchild, the iPhone 16e, is here to woo the budget-conscious without skimping on the good stuff. Priced at US$599 for the 128GB model, it’s like getting champagne on a beer budget—well, by Apple’s standard, that is! It is not exactly affordable, affordable, in my opinion.
Design and Display
Remember the iPhone 11? Well, the 16e feels like a throwback as far as the screen size goes. The 16e sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, perfect for binge-watching cat videos or doom-scrolling through social media. It’s splash, water, and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating, so it can survive your clumsy coffee spills (but don’t do that intentionally).
Performance
Under the hood, the iPhone 16e boasts the A18 chip with a 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU, making it snappier than your grandma’s retorts. Plus, Apple’s new C1 modem ensures your 5G connection is faster than your ex’s rebound. There is no assurance on the quality of connection, though (side-eyeing at Apple).
Camera
For the selfie aficionados and amateur food photographers, the 48 MP Fusion camera system boasts optical image stabilization, Hybrid Focus Pixels, and super-high-resolution photos (24 MP and 48 MP). The same camera system—and yes, it has just one camera around the back—also enables 12 MP 2x Telephoto with optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels.
The 2-in-1 camera further offers up to 10x digital zoom and is rocking a sapphire crystal lens cover. As for video function, it also records 4K video at 60 fps, so your TikTok dances will look as smooth as you think they do. Why do I feel like Apple may be setting the 2-in-1 camera trend for entry-level devices? Though, at 600 bucks, the new iPhone 16e’s price is hardly considered entry-level. But you get the idea.
Battery Life
Worried about battery life? Fret not. The iPhone 16e offers up to 21 hours of video streaming, which is 11 hours more than the last iPhone SE. So, go ahead and watch that entire season in one sitting.
Other Notable Features
Say goodbye to the Home button, Lightning port, and Mute switch—all of which have been on the previous SEs. The iPhone 16e embraces the future with a USB-C port and a customizable Action Button. Available in sleek black and white finishes, it’s the minimalist’s dream.
Pre-orders kick off on February 21, with devices hitting shelves on February 28. Get ready to make your wallet and your tech-savvy heart happy.
Images: Apple.
