Apple iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: Main differences to expect
Apple has just officially unveiled the iPhone 17e, its new most affordable iPhone.
The iPhone 17e replaces the iPhone 16e and adds a few big upgrades including MagSafe support, double the storage and a faster chip, all at the same $600 starting price.
With so many improvements, is the iPhone 17e now the iPhone most people should go for? And how does it compare against the $800 iPhone 17?
iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17 differences:
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Display with a notch | Display with Dynamic Island |
| No Camera Control button | Camera Control button |
| Smaller 6.1-inch OLED display | Larger 6.3-inch OLED with higher brightness |
| 60Hz | 120Hz ProMotion |
| No Always-on display | Has Always-on display |
| Apple A19 chip with 8 GB of RAM | Almost the same A19 chip with the same 8 GB of RAM |
| Unknown battery size, but likely around 4,000 mAh | 3,692 mAh battery |
| 20W wired charging | Faster 40W wired charging |
| 15W MagSafe | 25W MagSafe |
| A single 48MP rear camera | Dual camera system with one 48 MP main and 48 MP ultrawide |
| Apple C1X chip and N1 chip for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread support | Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 5G modem |
| Cheaper starting at $600 | More expensive at $800 |
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Design and Size
Similarly small with some small differences
Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 are compact phones, but there are some slight differences.
The two share the familiar iPhone aesthetics of the flat aluminum/glass design and similar dimensions. This means it will likely be 7.8 mm thin and weigh around 167 g.
Unlike more premium iPhones, the iPhone 17e wouldn't feature the new Camera Control button and will also skip the new Dynamic Island notch, as it will be equipped with the older-style notch.
The iPhone 17, aside from being very similar in terms of aesthetics, is a bit more premium in comparison. It has the full scoop of buttons: the Action Button and the Camera Control button, as well as the new vertical-style camera and the more compact Dynamic Island notch. The iPhone 17 is a bit taller, thicker, and heavier in comparison with the iPhone 17e.
Both phones share the same IP68 water- and dust-resistance.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.8 mm | Thickness 7.95 mm |
| Dimensions 146.7 x 71.5 | Dimensions 149.6 x 71.5 |
| Weight 169 g | Weight 177 g |
In terms of color options, the iPhone 17 arrives in Black, White, Sage, Lavender, and Mist Blue, while the iPhone 17e has a more limited color palette of white, black and soft rose.
Display Differences
In terms of display options, the iPhone 17e will rely on the same 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display that was found on the iPhone 16e. It will only go up to 60 Hz, true, and will have a peak brightness of "just" 1,200 nits, but will still offer the great iPhone display experience with rich color and great viewing angles.
The iPhone 17 screen, however, is superior in most ways. It's a larger 6.3-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that supports 120 Hz ProMotion and has a much higher 3,000-nit peak brightness. It also has a smaller notch and has that anti-reflective coating that passively eliminates the harshest reflections.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Size 6.1" | Size 6.3" |
| Brightness 1,200 nits (peak) | Brightness 3,000 nits (peak) |
Face ID is the biometric functionality of choice on both devices.
Performance and Software
Similar performance, probably
Both devices arrive with the same Apple A19 chip, built on a 3 nm node. This means the two will certainly deliver the same overall performance, which should be plentiful for pretty much any task you might throw at it.
The iPhone 17e will come with the improved Apple C1X modem for more efficient data connectivity, as well as the N1 chip for enhanced Wi-Fi/Bluetooth stability and Thread support. Interestingly, the iPhone 17 skipped Apple's own line of in-house modems and relies on the Snapdragon X80 5G modem.
Both phones also share the same amount of RAM, 8 GB, and come in 256 GB and 512 GB storage versions. Only the iPhone 17e will be available in 128 GB, though.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Chip Apple A19 | Chip Apple A19 |
| Process 3nm | Process 3nm |
| RAM, Storage 8/256 GB 8/512 GB | RAM, Storage 8/256 GB 8/512 GB |
iOS 26 will be the software of choice on both phones. The most significant change that came with that was the Liquid Design overhaul. Hate it or love it, it's here to stay.
Camera
A great dual camera meets a good single one.
Just like on the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e will come with just a single 48 MP camera at the back with a 2X optical-grade zoom level, and I'm convinced it would be more than enough to cover 95% of your needs. You won't be able to take an ultrawide shot or zoom too far, but otherwise, you'd be able to take excellent regular photos, which is what most people actually do.
The iPhone 17 comes with the same main camera but adds a 48 MP ultrawide in the rear as well, thus expanding the versatility quite a lot. It is the same predictable and reliable iPhone camera that we've come to cherish and be able to rely on.
One major difference is the Camera Control button, which the iPhone 17 has but the iPhone 17e lacks. It's not a gamechanger by any means, but is a nice-to-have.
The iPhone 17 comes with the new 18MP square Center Stage selfie camera, which lets you take a photo in either portrait or landscape no matter how you hold your phone, a real game-changer for selfies and video calls.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm | Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm |
| - | Ultrawide 48 MP, F2.2 |
| Front 12MP | Front 18 MP Center Stage |
Battery Life and Charging
Who's coming out on top? The newcomer, likely
The iPhone 17e will come with the same 4,005 mAh battery as the iPhone 16e, and that's pretty impressive considering the same-sized iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 come with smaller batteries. Paired with the A19 and the C1X chips, the efficiency of the device will likely help it achieve excellent battery life.
The iPhone 17 came with a 3,692 mAh battery, and it generally fared well in the PhoneArena battery tests, but it definitely wasn't a two-day phone. If the iPhone 17e can beat that––and it likely will––then I'd be a happy camper.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|
| Battery size 4,005 mAh | Battery size 3,692 mAh |
Charging speeds 20W wired 15W wireless charging MagSafe | Charging speeds 40W wired 25W wireless charging Magsafe |
Charging-wise, the iPhone 17 can be topped up at up to 40 W with a compatible charger, while the iPhone 17e will likely bottom out at 20 W.
The iPhone 17e is also scoring MagSafe, albeit the first 15W generation, which was notably missing on the iPhone 16e. This lets you attach magnetic accessories to the back of your iPhone. The iPhone 17 also has MagSafe, though version 2.0, which bumps the charging speeds to 25 W.
Specs Comparison
|
|
| Apple iPhone 17e | Apple iPhone 17 |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm (~9.3 mm with camera bump) | |
| Weight | |
| 177.0 g | |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.1-inch | 6.3-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, 60Hz | OLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A19 (3 nm) | Apple A19 (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (NVMe) 8GB/256GB 8GB/512GB |
8GB (LPDDR5)/256GB 8GB/512GB |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 3692 mAh | |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
|
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (OIS, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.6 Focal length: 26 mm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.6 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.56" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, Autofocus) | 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 17e vs Apple iPhone 17 specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
With the iPhone 17e, Apple is reinvigorating its new affordable lineup, and it shapes up to be a great addition that will be fixing some of our criticisms about the iPhone 16. At the same unchanged price tag of $600, this one will likely sell like hotcakes, especially in emerging markets where it will be the most affordable up-to-date entry point to the Apple ecosystem.
The iPhone 17, on the other hand, is a bit pricier, but it's also nicer and has some significant quality-of-life features that aim to upsell most consumers.
Which one should you get? If you have the iPhone 17 already, don't bother waiting for the iPhone 17e, as it is unlikely to offer anything much better in terms of overall experience.
If you're on the fence between the two, however, weigh up your options carefully, take your budget into account, and pick one of those. Both will serve you well for years to come.
If you're on the fence between the two, however, weigh up your options carefully, take your budget into account, and pick one of those. Both will serve you well for years to come.
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