The iPhone 17e Is a Big Step Up for Apple’s Most Affordable Phone

3 min read

As a tech journalist with a love for both Android and iOS devices—and a long history of testing both—the iPhone 17 series is one of my favorite smartphone lineups to date. I own the Pro Max, which is incredible for content creation, with sharp cameras that deliver crisp videos for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and whatever else you want to post to your adoring followers. But it’s expensive, really dang expensive. It’ll set you back $1,200; that’s half a rent check where I’m from. That’s where Apple’s iPhone “e” lineup comes into play.

The iPhone 17e, which starts at $599, offers a more budget-friendly entry into the Apple ecosystem. But the question is, how does it compare with the plain iPhone 17 that’s $200 more? And if you have an iPhone 16e (the first in this new class of price-minded models), is it worth upgrading?

Dear reader, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for more clarity on Apple’s new iPhone.

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17

Saving the $200 comes with some compromises, obviously. The iPhone 17e has a smaller 6.1-inch display compared with the iPhone 17’s slightly larger 6.3-inch screen. You’re also sacrificing the iPhone 17’s brighter display (3,000 nits peak brightness) for the 17e’s dimmer panel (1,200 nits peak brightness).

The iPhone 17e’s display is slightly smaller than the iPhone 17’s panel.

While both models share the 48MP wide camera, the iPhone 17e doesn’t have an ultrawide lens, meaning you won’t get as broad a field of view for landscapes, group shots, or architecture. The front-facing cameras differ as well: The iPhone 17e has a 12MP sensor, while the iPhone 17 steps up to 18MP. That said, the slight drop in megapixels on the 17e may be negligible for an average user.

The iPhone 17e has limited camera capabilities compared with the iPhone 17.

On the plus side, the iPhone 17e is marginally lighter, weighing 6 ounces compared with the iPhone 17’s 6.2 ounces. They have the same A19 chipset, which, according to Apple, delivers powerful performance, a massive speed boost, and better energy efficiency (i.e., better battery life).

iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e

There are four main differences between the iPhone 17e and its predecessor, the iPhone 16e. Firstly, the iPhone 17e has MagSafe capabilities, something that the iPhone 16e lacked. In other words, you’ll now have the option to charge wirelessly using a MagSafe power bank or a charging station.

The iPhone 16e didn’t have MagSafe capabilities; the iPhone 17e changes that.

Secondly, the iPhone 17e offers more storage for the same price. The $599 iPhone 16e started at 128GB, but the iPhone 17e now begins at 256GB for $599. That’s a meaningful upgrade, because 128GB fills up fast with photos and videos.

The third thing is that the iPhone 17e has the same chip as the iPhone 17; both are powered by the newest A19 chipset. This means you’ll get the same core performance boost that the standard iPhone 17 model got last year, including faster speeds and improved power efficiency, without paying for the higher-tier device. And finally, Apple upgraded the modem from C1 to C1X. In other words, you can expect faster cellular speeds, stronger signal performance, and potentially better battery life while you’re streaming, uploading, or browsing.

In my opinion, for the new MagSafe addition alone, the iPhone 17e is worth the upgrade.

How to buy the iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e comes in soft pink, white, and black. It starts at $599 for the 256GB model, and if you want more storage, the 512GB configuration bumps your price up to $799.

The iPhone 17e comes in three colors.

It is available for preorder in the Apple Store as of March 4 and will start shipping on March 11.

Shop the iPhone 17e