Why the iPhone 16e is secretly the best Apple product of the year

The best iPhone of this year was not a model from the 17 series, but the iPhone 16e that was released at the beginning of the year. This is why this ‘budget’ iPhone is my favorite Apple product of the year.

iPhone 16e: the product of the year

It’s the end of the year, so you see top lists popping up everywhere these days. You usually see the common suspectsso the products that you already knew would appear in this list.

I think my Apple product this year is a surprise, though. Apple has released a lot of new devices this year, all much better than their immediate predecessors. The iPhone 16e was the odd one out in that respect. It may technically be the successor to the iPhone 16 from 2024, but at the same time it is worse than its ‘predecessor’ in many areas. On the other hand, the 16e is priced much more favorably, and a nice surprise is that some specifications are actually better than the iPhone 16. And this is why the iPhone 16e takes the top position in my list of Apple products of the year.

The iPhone you actually want

What struck me most about Apple this year is that many products have become more impressive… but also more complex. More cameras, more buttons, more features, of which you only use a fraction in practice. The iPhone 16e does the exact opposite. This is an iPhone that focuses on what you need every day – and does it exceptionally well.

You get a modern design, a fast screen, a powerful chip and a camera that allows you to take good photos without thinking. No gimmicks, no unnecessary frills. Just an iPhone that’s always ready to use.

Battery life is secretly the biggest asset

The absolute reason why the iPhone 16e ends up at the top for me is the battery life. Apple itself talks relatively little about it, but in practice this is one of the longest-lasting iPhones of this year. You can easily get a full day of intensive use, and often there is enough left at the end of the evening to not even think about a charger. This is mainly due to the battery capacity of 3961 mAh. That is more than having the iPhone 16 and even the iPhone 17. And Apple may often emphasize that with a more efficient chip you can also maintain the same battery life with less capacity, but in the end it comes down to the raw amount of energy.

Such a large battery is not a small luxury, but a fundamental advantage. Your phone should be there when you need it – not the other way around. Precisely because the iPhone 16e has no energy-consuming and unnecessary extras, it feels more reliable than much more expensive models.

One camera, but exactly the right one

On paper it seems like a concession: one camera instead of two or three. In practice it turns out to be a relief. The iPhone 16e’s 48-megapixel camera delivers the same main images as the regular iPhone 16, including 2x zoom without loss of quality.

And let that 2x zoom be exactly the position you use most often. Portraits, detail shots, photos of children or pets: 2x is practical, natural and versatile. The 0.5x ultra-wide angle sounds nice, but for many people it mainly ends up as a gimmick that is rarely touched. Apple has clearly opted for quality over quantity here – and that works out surprisingly well.

Everything you need (and nothing you’ll miss)

The iPhone 16e runs on the A18 chip with 8 GB of RAM. That means everything feels fast, apps stay active in the background, and you even use all the features of Apple Intelligence. For everyday tasks there is simply nothing that falls short.

Do you miss the Dynamic Island? Maybe on paper. But in everyday life you will notice that this iPhone is light, handy and problem-free. It does exactly what a smartphone should do – and that is actually quite refreshing in 2025. The only real shortcoming is the lack of MagSafe, especially if you already have some accessories that work with it. It is better to charge wired, because that ensures that your battery lasts longer.

The price is no longer a disadvantage

While the iPhone 16e was accused of being too expensive for a budget model when it was introduced, that argument is now largely outdated. The price has dropped significantly in recent months, meaning the 16e now occupies a much more attractive position within Apple’s lineup.

In fact, at current prices the difference with the regular iPhone 16 (and with the iPhone 17 anyway) is big enough to seriously consider what you really need. And if you look at battery life, performance and camera, the iPhone 16e surprisingly often emerges as the more logical – and more pleasant – choice.

My Apple product of the year

The iPhone 16e is not the most spectacular iPhone of the year. He doesn’t have a wow factor due to a flashy presentation during a keynote. But it is the iPhone I have most enjoyed using this year. Reliable, fast, economical and competitively priced.

It is precisely because he does not want to be everything that he is so good at what he does. And that is why, for me, the iPhone 16e is secretly the best Apple product of the year. Curious what the iPhone 16e costs now? Then check the iPhoned price comparator and see immediately where you can find it cheapest at the moment. That can save you tens of euros.