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Apple’s major early-2025 consumer releases were the M4 MacBook Air and iPhone 16e. The latter was the product widely rumored as the “iPhone SE 4,” but Apple did not call it an SE: it launched as a lower-priced member of the iPhone 16 family. The iPhone 16e started at $599 in the U.S. and became available February 28, 2025; the M4 MacBook Air started at $999 and became available March 12, 2025.
Apple’s early-2025 release timeline
| Product | Announced | Pre-orders | Available | U.S. launch price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16e | February 19, 2025 | February 21 | February 28 | From $599 |
| M4 MacBook Air | March 5, 2025 | March 5 | March 12 | From $999 |
These are historical U.S. launch prices, not necessarily current retail prices. Apple’s Mac buying page and iPhone buying page should be checked for current availability.
The rumored iPhone SE 4 became the iPhone 16e
“iPhone SE 4” was a rumor-era and search-friendly name. Apple’s official product name is iPhone 16e, and Apple positioned it as the most affordable member of the iPhone 16 family at launch.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →It was a major redesign from the third-generation iPhone SE, not merely an old body with a faster processor. The 16e has a 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, Face ID instead of a Home button and Touch ID, USB-C instead of Lightning, and a substantially larger battery platform. It also supports Apple Intelligence, subject to compatible software, languages, regions, and feature availability.
#1 Best Overall
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
iPhone 16e specifications
- Chip: A18 with a six-core CPU, four-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine.
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED, 2532×1170 resolution, 460 pixels per inch.
- Camera: 48MP Fusion camera with an integrated 2x optical-quality telephoto option.
- Connectivity: USB-C, 5G sub-6GHz, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3.
- Modem: Apple C1, the company’s first cellular modem designed in-house.
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB.
- Battery claim: Up to 26 hours of video playback, according to Apple’s specifications.
- Protection: IP68 water and dust resistance.
- Colors: Black and white.
Apple’s technical specifications list Qi wireless charging; they do not present the iPhone 16e as a MagSafe model. It also has one rear-camera system rather than the broader camera setup on higher-priced iPhone models. Its four-core GPU is an A18 implementation, but not identical to every A18 configuration in the iPhone 16 lineup.
The C1 modem is an important Apple-designed milestone, but it is not proof that the phone will outperform Qualcomm-based devices in every network, location, carrier, or region. Likewise, Apple’s battery figures are controlled-company estimates rather than a guarantee of real-world runtime.
See Apple’s iPhone 16e announcement and technical specifications for the full details.
M4 MacBook Air: two sizes and a stronger base model
The M4 MacBook Air launched in 13-inch and 15-inch versions. The 13-inch model started at $999 in the U.S.; the 15-inch model started at $1,199. Education pricing began at $899 and $1,099 respectively.
The starting configuration included 16GB of unified memory, improving the value of the base model compared with the earlier 8GB starting configuration. The M4 chip has a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, with configurations available up to 32GB of unified memory.
Key M4 MacBook Air specifications
- Display: 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display.
- Battery claim: Up to 18 hours, according to Apple’s testing.
- Camera: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View.
- External displays: Up to two external 6K displays while retaining the built-in display.
- Ports: MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
- Colors: Sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
- Design: Fanless operation.
The ability to run two external 6K displays alongside the laptop’s own screen was one of the most practically significant changes for developers, office users, and multi-monitor desks. The 12MP Center Stage camera was also more meaningful to students and hybrid workers than a modest processor-speed increase.
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
The fanless design keeps the Air quiet and portable. However, sustained rendering, compiling, 3D work, or large local AI workloads may favor a MacBook Pro with active cooling, more ports, higher memory options, or a stronger GPU. Apple’s performance and battery claims should be read as company claims based on specified systems and workloads, not independent benchmark results.
Read Apple’s M4 MacBook Air announcement for the launch specifications and comparisons.
Which product fits which buyer?
These products are not direct alternatives. One is a laptop and the other is a phone.
| If you need… | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Schoolwork, coding, office software, or desktop apps | M4 MacBook Air |
| A phone replacement with cellular connectivity | iPhone 16e |
| Apple Intelligence on a large screen | M4 MacBook Air |
| The lowest-cost modern Face ID iPhone at launch | iPhone 16e |
| A two-external-display desk setup | M4 MacBook Air |
| A pocketable device with supported satellite safety features | iPhone 16e |
Choosing between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air
- Choose 13-inch if you carry the laptop daily, prioritize portability, or usually work from one display.
- Choose 15-inch if the built-in screen is your main workspace and you regularly use split-screen windows. It offers more screen area, not a fundamentally different performance class.
- Consider an older M2 or M3 Air if a discounted or refurbished 16GB model is substantially cheaper and you do not need two external displays.
- Choose a MacBook Pro for routine sustained professional workloads, extensive ports, active cooling, or higher-end GPU and memory configurations.
Choosing the iPhone 16e
The iPhone 16e makes the most sense for buyers who want a modern 6.1-inch OLED iPhone, Face ID, USB-C, Apple Intelligence support, and strong battery life at the family’s lower launch price. It was a particularly large upgrade from an older iPhone SE, iPhone 11, or earlier model.
Pay more for a standard iPhone 16 or newer model if MagSafe, multiple rear cameras, a brighter or more advanced display, or a broader feature set matters more than the lowest entry price. A refurbished older iPhone may be better value if Apple Intelligence is not important and you prefer features such as MagSafe or multiple cameras.
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That depends primarily on the discount. By 2026, Apple had introduced the M5 MacBook Air and iPhone 17e, so the 2025 models were no longer the newest versions. Apple’s 2026 availability announcement confirms the newer lineup.
Rank #3
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
The M4 MacBook Air remains a sensible option when it is meaningfully cheaper than the M5 model, especially in a 16GB configuration. Avoid paying a price close to the newer model simply because the M4 Air was excellent value at launch. Compare configuration, memory, storage, warranty, and return terms—not just the processor name.
The iPhone 16e can still be attractive as a discounted or refurbished phone if you want its 6.1-inch OLED design, long claimed battery life, USB-C, and Apple Intelligence support. Before buying, confirm the current price and warranty, and decide whether the lack of stated MagSafe support and the single rear-camera system are acceptable. Apple’s refurbished iPhone listings may change by region and inventory.
For either product, current prices, availability, trade-in values, and AppleCare+ terms should be checked immediately before purchase. Launch pricing and promotional trade-in offers from 2025 should not be treated as current deals.
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The most important correction is that Apple’s rumored iPhone SE 4 became the iPhone 16e. It delivered a modern 6.1-inch OLED design, A18 performance, Apple Intelligence support, USB-C, and a 48MP camera, while omitting or reducing features such as MagSafe and multi-camera flexibility.
The M4 MacBook Air was the stronger mainstream-laptop story: a fanless 13-inch or 15-inch notebook with 16GB standard memory, a better camera, support for two external displays, and a $999 starting price at launch. In 2026, both products should be judged against their successors and bought primarily when the remaining-stock or refurbished price provides a clear discount.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
