Apple has discontinued the iPhone SE and replaced it with the iPhone 16e. Although nearly $200 more expensive than its predecessor, the iPhone 16e boasts many of the same modern features as the newer generations.
Many international news outlets have reviewed the iPhone 16e, focusing on the C1 modem and the features that were removed. Despite its powerful chip and Apple Intelligence, the starting price of $600 (17 million VND in Vietnam) may make many people hesitate when choosing Apple's latest smartphone.
A big but "invisible" change.
The C1 is seen as a major step for Apple towards technological self-reliance in the iPhone. The company claims its self-developed modem consumes less energy, helping to extend the battery life of the iPhone 16e compared to other 6.1-inch devices.
Writing in The Verge , author Allison Johnson emphasizes that Apple overcame many challenges to perfect the C1. After her experience, she admits that she didn't feel much difference in speed between the C1 (iPhone 16e) and the Snapdragon X71 (iPhone 16).
“I used my iPhone 16e last week to make FaceTime calls, upload large videos in crowded places, and watch YouTube on the bus.”
"I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 with a Qualcomm modem – both using the Verizon network – and didn't see a significant difference in performance between the two devices," Johnson said.
iPhone 16e with a pink case. Photo: The Verge . |
Similarly, author John Velasco from Tom's Guide also didn't notice any difference when using 5G on the iPhone 16e compared to the iPhone 16. Of course, users should note that the iPhone 16e is Apple's first device to use its own manufactured modem.
"This is a change from the Qualcomm modem that Apple has relied on for years, but it's difficult to say which modem offers higher speeds."
“I used a speed test tool with the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 at three different locations in New York, and only once did the iPhone 16 outperform the iPhone 16e,” Velasco wrote.
Apple itself acknowledges that C1 is just the beginning. The company says it will integrate its self-developed 5G modem into many other devices in the future. Based on rumors, these include the iPad 11, iPhone 17 Air, Mac computers, and the next generation of Vision Pro glasses.
Is the battery life better?
According to Apple, the C1 is the "most power-efficient modem" ever. Specifications state that the iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of battery life when playing offline video, the longest among 6.1-inch models.
After testing it out, Engadget editor Cherlynn Low emphasized that the iPhone 16e can be comfortably used all day.
"I unplugged the device from the charger at 10 am on Sunday, and by 10 am on Tuesday, the battery still had 60% charge after a day of testing the camera."
In reality, this is still a very new device and I use it as a secondary phone, so the battery life might be slightly shorter with more usage. However, compared to my experience reviewing another new device, the iPhone 16 Pro, the iPhone 16e is less of a concern in terms of battery life,” Low wrote.
The Visual Intelligence feature on the iPhone 16e. Photo: The Verge . |
Similarly, The Verge reported that the iPhone 16e's battery capacity remained at 41% after an outing using maps, listening to podcasts, measuring 5G speed, and watching YouTube, with the screen on for approximately 5 hours. Of course, a week-long test period is not enough to conclude on long-term battery life.
Contrary to many reviews, Tom's Guide 's closed-circuit testing revealed surprising results: the iPhone 16e's battery life was shorter than that of the iPhone 16.
The average battery life of the iPhone 16e is 12 hours and 41 minutes, 2 minutes shorter than the iPhone 16. Taking the best results, the iPhone 16e recorded 12 hours and 49 minutes, while the iPhone 16 achieved 13 hours and 19 minutes.
The test website set the screen brightness to 150 nits and ran a simulation of typical web browsing tasks on a 5G network until the battery ran out.
On the Dave2D YouTube channel , reviewer Dave Lee stated that the iPhone 16e is equipped with a 3,961 mAh battery, which is 11% higher than the regular iPhone 16 (3,561 mAh).
Major shortcomings
The iPhone 16e is equipped with the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16, but it only has 4 graphics cores (GPU) compared to 5. While that might sound like a small difference, reviews have shown a noticeable difference.
“In graphics benchmarks, you really notice the difference the additional GPU core makes to the iPhone 16 compared to the iPhone 16e. Notably, the graphics performance of the iPhone 15 also surpasses that of the iPhone 16e,” CNET writer Patrick Holland noted.
The iPhone 16e features new capabilities such as satellite communication (pictured) but lacks MagSafe. Photo: WSJ . |
Similarly, Tom's Guide 's review using 3Dmark Wild Life Original Unlimited software showed that the average frame rate of the iPhone 16e reached 71.27 fps, while the iPhone 16 was 98.23 fps. Of course, users won't notice a significant difference if they are only running basic tasks or playing games.
The A18 chip in the iPhone 16e still retains 6 CPU cores. Therefore, the Geekbench scores are quite similar, with 3,328 points (single-core) and 8,132 points (multi-core).
Besides the GPU having one core cut, another controversial shortcoming of the iPhone 16e is the lack of MagSafe magnets, which allow for the attachment of various accessories and improve grip when using wireless charging.
Regarding this drawback, author Allison Johnson from The Verge stated that those who have used MagSafe before will find it lacking. However, if upgrading from iPhone generations that do not support MagSafe, users may not need the feature.
iPhone 16e (left) and iPhone 16. Photo: The Disconnekt . |
First introduced on the iPhone 12, MagSafe allows you to attach your device to a charging dock, power bank, or accessory using magnets.
Apple has not explained the reason for removing MagSafe from the iPhone 16e, although it has stated that this is unrelated to the C1 modem. However, the product still supports Qi wireless charging, with a maximum power of 7.5 W.
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