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Our Apple iPhone 17e Review

The iPhone 17e continues Apple’s “entry flagship” approach, sitting below the standard iPhone 17 while replacing and improving upon the iPhone 16e.

This year’s model brings meaningful upgrades over its predecessor, including the new A19 chip, improved durability with Ceramic Shield 2, MagSafe support and doubled base storage - all while maintaining a relatively accessible price point.

Compared with the iPhone 17, however, the 17e is clearly positioned as the more budget-friendly option, offering many of the same core features but cutting back on display quality, camera versatility and charging speeds.

Apple iPhone 17e: Design

The iPhone 17e keeps a familiar design, closely resembling the iPhone 16e and earlier models like the iPhone 13. It features an aluminium frame with a glass back and Ceramic Shield 2 front, offering improved scratch resistance compared to the previous generation.

It’s available in Black, White and Soft Pink, with a lightweight and compact feel at around 169g.

Compared with the iPhone 16e, the design is largely unchanged, but the durability upgrade is a notable improvement. Meanwhile, compared with the iPhone 17, the 17e lacks more modern design elements like the Dynamic Island, sticking with a more traditional notch.

Apple iPhone 17e: Display

The iPhone 17e features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with excellent colour accuracy and contrast, along with HDR support and True Tone technology.

However, this is one of the areas where the 17e clearly differs from the standard iPhone 17. The 17e sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 17 moves to a smoother 120Hz panel with significantly higher peak brightness (up to ~3,000 nits vs ~1,200 nits).

In everyday use, the display still looks sharp and vibrant, but users upgrading from higher refresh rate phones may notice the difference in smoothness, and even in the mid-range bracket, the lower peak brightness is a big drawback compared to rivals such as the Google Pixel 10a.

Apple iPhone 17e: Camera

Apple equips the iPhone 17e with a 48MP Fusion camera system, capable of producing detailed images and offering a 2× telephoto crop for optical-quality zoom.

There’s also a 12MP front-facing TrueDepth camera for selfies and video calls.

Compared with the iPhone 16e, image quality is improved thanks to better processing and enhanced portrait features, including smarter depth detection.

However, compared with the iPhone 17, the 17e lacks a full multi-camera system - the standard model includes an ultrawide lens and additional camera features, giving it more flexibility for photography.

Apple iPhone 17e: Performance

The iPhone 17e is powered by Apple’s A19 chip, delivering strong performance for everyday tasks, gaming and Apple Intelligence features.

It shares the same chip as the iPhone 17, meaning performance is broadly similar in day-to-day use - a major advantage at this price point.

With 8GB RAM and iOS 26, the phone feels fast and responsive, and benefits from Apple’s long-term software support.

Compared with the iPhone 16e, this is a noticeable upgrade in both performance and efficiency, helping future-proof the device for years to come.

Apple iPhone 17e: Battery & Charging

The iPhone 17e offers solid battery life, with up to 26 hours of video playback thanks to its 4005mAh battery, making it reliable for all-day use. The battery matches the 16e but is improved compared to the iPhone 17.

A key improvement over the iPhone 16e is the addition of MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging, bringing it in line with the rest of Apple’s ecosystem.

However, compared with the iPhone 17, charging speeds are slower - the standard model supports faster wired and wireless charging options.

How much is the Apple iPhone 17e?

The iPhone 17e starts at around £599, making it one of the most affordable modern iPhones in Apple’s lineup.

Storage options include:

• 256GB - £599
• 512GB - £799

Notably, Apple has doubled the base storage compared to the iPhone 16e, which launched with 128GB.

This pricing positions the 17e roughly £200 cheaper than the iPhone 17, making it a strong value option for users who don’t need premium features.

Apple iPhone 17e: Our Verdict

The iPhone 17e is a solid and sensible upgrade over the iPhone 16e, offering better performance, improved durability and more storage while keeping the same affordable price point.

Its biggest strength is that it delivers core iPhone features - performance, camera quality and software - at a lower cost, making it a great entry point into Apple’s ecosystem.