This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The iPhone 17e is a powerhouse, but it also comes with sacrifices | Image by Apple
The iPhone 17e arrived with a bang and further refined Apple's idea of an affordable powerhouse. The compact device offers the iOS experience without robbing the bank with one of the fastest processors on the market, an upgraded modem, and one single camera.
But what if you're an Android user and want a similar experience for about the same money? Fret not, there are options, and some of them are even better than what the iPhone 17e has in store.
Google Pixel 10a
The Pixel 10a offers some nice features at a great price | Image by Google
The quintessential midrange Android phone, the Pixel 10a, offers quite a package for $100 less than what you'd pay for the iPhone 17e. It has a high-refresh screen, something the 17e is still lacking, one additional ultrawide camera, and Google's swift Android support.
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The screen is also brighter, and the Pixel comes equipped with a bigger battery and slightly faster charging. On the flip side, the chipset inside the iPhone 17e is much faster, and you also get MagSafe charging and accessories on the Apple device.
It's also worth mentioning that the Pixel 10a is slightly larger and heavier than the iPhone 17e, and the storage starts at 128GB, while the 17e has double that number at 256GB. Still, at $499, the Pixel 10a is a wonderful Android alternative to the iPhone 17e.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE
Two more cameras and a bigger, faster screen - the Galaxy S25 FE | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung created its own line of so-called "affordable flagships" with the Fan Edition phones, or FE for short. The latest model in the series, the Galaxy S25 FE, challenges even Samsung's own full-fledged flagships, and it offers some features that the iPhone 17e is missing.
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From the bright and large 6.7-inch AMOLED screen to the flexible triple camera system and the bigger battery and faster charging. The phone scored an impressive 143 points (out of 158) in our camera benchmark, and its wide, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras will give you much more freedom than the single snapper on the iPhone 17e.
Once again, the S25 FE is not as fast as the 17e, especially in synthetic benchmarks, and the price is a tad higher, but you get quite a lot for that $50 extra.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro
This phone features an aluminum unibody and a periscope camera! | Image by PhoneArena
Carl Pei created Nothing with the idea to challenge big phone companies and offer great design and features at a reasonable price. The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro takes that idea to new heights. The phone costs just $499 but features a unique design, a triple camera system with a periscope zoom lens, and a large 6.83-inch OLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate.
These specs alone are enough to challenge some of the flagships out there and for sure can give the iPhone 17e serious headaches, especially in the camera department. The 5080mAh battery also charges fast at 50W wired, but on the flip side, there's no wireless charging.
Among other drawbacks, we can point out the slower chipset and the shorter software support cycle, as well as the lower base storage, but the pros more than make up for the cons on this one, especially compared to the iPhone 17e, its 60Hz screen and single camera on the back.
OnePlus 15R
True flagship power and a huge battery | Image by PhoneArena
Last but not least, the OnePlus 15R rounds up this list. The cheaper alternative to the flagship OnePlus 15 features a bang for the buck, and it can take on the iPhone 17e in almost every area. The screen can go up to 165Hz, which is amazing when you compare it to the 60Hz display of the iPhone 17e.
The chipset this time is much more potent in the face of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and the base storage starts at 256GB, just like the iPhone 17e. There's one additional ultrawide camera, and the battery is a huge 7400 mAh silicon-carbon cell that charges at up to 80W.
This is the most expensive phone on the list, starting at $699, a Benjamin more than the iPhone 17e, but the OnePlus 15R is very close to challenging even the regular iPhone 17 and even the Pro models in some areas, so it's money well spent.
Samsung Galaxy S25 (refurbished)
A refurbished phone with a warranty is always an option | Image by PhoneArena
There’s one additional option worth considering. Getting a refurbished phone from places such as BackMarket, for example. You can get an unlocked Galaxy S25 with a 1-year warranty and 30-day return policy for around $459, cheaper than a new iPhone 17e.
The S25 is very close in size to the iPhone 17e, and it’s also a true flagship. The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor inside is still one of the best out there, the triple camera system is the same as the one used on the latest model, and you will have six years of software support left, which is more than enough.
Of course, you could browse and get a refurbished model of your liking, just don’t forget that this is a valid option as well.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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