iPhone 16e

The iPhone 16e is the lowest-priced way into a recent iPhone. It has the A18 chip (with one fewer graphics core than the iPhone 16), an Action button and USB-C, and keeps the rest simple: one 48 MP camera, a notch rather than the Dynamic Island, and no MagSafe. It was the first iPhone with Apple's own C1 modem.

Highlights

• Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED).
• Chip: A18 with a 4-core GPU.
• Camera: 48 MP Fusion, which also gives a 2x optical-quality zoom. 12 MP front camera.
• Battery: up to 26 hours of video playback when new.
• Build: Ceramic Shield front, matte glass back, aluminium frame. Rated IP68 when new (6 metres for up to 30 minutes).

Good to know

• Charging: USB-C (USB 2 speeds for data) and Qi wireless pads at up to 7.5 W. No MagSafe.
• Apple Intelligence: supported.
• SIM: a nano-SIM and an eSIM, except on phones first sold in the US, which are eSIM-only.
• Water: seals age, and a repair can disturb them, so treat the water rating as protection from splashes and spills rather than a reason to take it swimming.