iPhone 17e Review: The Core Apple Experience and Nothing More

Worth When Reviewed

$599

Greatest Costs As we speak: Apple iPhone 17e

$599

You’d be forgiven for wanting on the present iPhone vary and feeling a bit of confused. Even when you solely think about the fashions offered by Apple itself, you’re taking a look at six choices now, with the iPhone 17e positioned because the entry level and the iPhone 17 Professional Max on the prime quality. Within the center, there’s the iPhone Air, with the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 under, and the iPhone 17 Professional above.

It’s not a simple resolution, particularly if finances isn’t the one consideration. As you’d count on, the entry-level iPhone 17e makes some compromises in comparison with the iPhone 17 Professional and the iPhone 17, however it gives a number of cellphone for its sub-£600 value level.

Sure, there are Android telephones obtainable for comparable costs with options reminiscent of 120Hz screens, devoted telephoto cameras, and always-on shows. However when you’re in search of an iPhone and also you don’t wish to spend greater than £600, the iPhone 17e has nearly all of what most individuals want in a smartphone.

Design & Construct

• Three colors 
• Inbuilt MagSafe
• IP68 water- and dust-resistance

There’s rather a lot to like concerning the iPhone 17e’s design. In a world the place smartphones are getting larger and heavier by the second, the iPhone 17e retains issues light-weight and compact, making it refreshing to make use of. That features one-handed, too, which I completely can’t say for my iPhone 17 Professional Max.

It weighs solely 170g and measures 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm, making it smaller and lighter than the iPhone 17. 

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The flat edges of the aluminium body guarantee it matches the remainder of the iPhone 17 fashions, too, whereas the comfortable, matt end of the glass rear feels nice and now contains MagSafe beneath too, so you possibly can connect equipment or chargers to the inbuilt magnets with no separate case.

Just like the iPhone 16e, the left fringe of the iPhone 17e options quantity buttons, a SIM tray and the customisable Motion Button – one thing I’d battle to be with out now. I’ve programmed the Motion Button to open WhatsApp and I’d hazard a guess that I press it over 100 instances a day, however you need to use it as a shortcut for something from the torch to the digicam. 

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The best fringe of the iPhone 17e has the facility button, however not like the iPhone 17, that is all you’ll discover on this facet. There’s no Digicam Management button for fast entry to digicam and video controls and, when you received’t miss this when you’re upgrading from an older iPhone or coming to iPhone for the primary time, it’s a function I do miss from the dearer choices in Apple’s smartphone lineup.

As for colors, the iPhone 17e is available in Black, White and Comfortable Pink, which is a pair fewer choices than the iPhone 17 however another than the iPhone 16e and I’m all in favour of the pink. It’s significantly extra delicate than each the Nothing Telephone (4a) and the Berry color of the Google Pixel 10a, and it’s rather more fascinating than the Black and White choices, even when pink isn’t your factor.

Display & Audio system

• 6.1-inch, 60Hz, 2532 x 1170, OLED
• 1200 nits peak brightness
• Stereo audio system

On the entrance of the iPhone 17e, you’ll discover a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina OLED show, as on the iPhone 16e. A notch sits on the high of this show, housing the entrance digicam, which I’ll get onto later, in addition to the Face ID sensors for facial recognition with regards to unlocking and authenticating funds and entry to passwords.

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In case you’re conversant in Apple’s different iPhones, you’ll seemingly know that the notch means the iPhone 17e doesn’t have the intelligent Dynamic Island function that launched a number of years in the past on the iPhone 14 Professional and has been current on the common fashions because the iPhone 15.

Dynamic Island replaces the notch with a pill-shaped reduce out that transforms right into a display inside a display, permitting you fast entry to issues like timers and music controls with out leaving the principle display. It’s sensible and one thing that might have moved the iPhone 17e on a bit of additional. 

Nonetheless, the show is nice however, with punchy and vibrant colors, good viewing angles and sufficient brightness to see what’s on it when the solar is shining. It’s not as vivid because the iPhone 17, so whites is usually a little yellower of their tone, however you’d solely discover this if evaluating facet by facet. 

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What could also be extra apparent, relying on the cellphone you’re coming from, is the 60Hz refresh price. That is in all probability the place the iPhone 17e falls down probably the most as a result of there are a variety of Android telephones at an identical value level, and cheaper, with 120Hz refresh price shows and always-on performance as commonplace. With the 60Hz refresh price of the iPhone 17e, scrolling isn’t as easy as it could be on a 120Hz display, and the shortage of an always-on show means you at all times need to activate the display to see the time.

Somebody coming from an older iPhone, an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 for instance, wouldn’t have had these. Nonetheless, a 60Hz show is imply when the competitors is so fierce. Some sacrifices should be made someplace, although, and I’d somewhat it was right here than the design and construct high quality.

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When it comes to audio system, the iPhone 17e has twin audio system and, whereas I like to recommend utilizing headphones for the most effective expertise and to make sure you don’t annoy fellow passengers when commuting, the audio high quality is sweet sufficient to observe a YouTube video, play your favorite tune or take heed to a voice notice.

Specs & Efficiency

• Apple A19
• 8GB RAM
• As much as 512GB storage

Working on Apple’s A19 processor, the iPhone 17e gives the identical efficiency because the iPhone 17. Nicely, nearly. The identical 6-core CPU energy is right here, although this mannequin solely has a 4-core GPU in comparison with the 5-core GPU within the iPhone 17. 

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In concept, which means the iPhone 17e received’t be pretty much as good for gaming because the iPhone 17, however I confronted no points when enjoying Mini Motorways throughout my evaluate interval. I’d say that when you’re planning on doing a number of gaming in your iPhone, it’s best to think about the iPhone 17 Professional fashions with a vapour chamber to assist with warmth dissipation. Whereas the iPhone 17e didn’t get highly regarded when enjoying, it did heat up at instances.

Efficiency was in any other case wonderful, nonetheless, with apps loading shortly and effectively and switching between duties with no downside. I didn’t expertise any noticeable lag and I got here to the iPhone 17e from the iPhone 17 Professional Max, which runs the sooner A19 Professional chip.

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Elsewhere, the iPhone 17e has the C1X modem, just like the iPhone Air, however a barely totally different chip than within the iPhone 16e. Final yr’s iPhone 16e was the primary to incorporate Apple’s personal 5G modem as a substitute of utilizing a Qualcomm choices, and the C1X is designed to enhance on that providing. In all honesty, although, so long as a cellphone makes calls and accesses the web with out a problem, I don’t care who makes the chip and the iPhone 17e does each with out issues. 

There’s excellent news on the storage entrance too, with the bottom storage leaping from 128GB to 256GB on the iPhone 17e. There may be additionally a 512GB choice when you really feel such as you may want extra. As with all iPhones, nonetheless, neither have microSD assist for any storage enlargement past that.

iPhone 17e benchmarks

Cameras

• 48Mp, f/1.6 sensor
• 12Mp, f/1.9 entrance sensor
• 2x optical zoom

The iPhone 17e has a single rear digicam sensor, which Apple calls a 48-megapixel Fusion digicam. It’s the identical sensor as on the iPhone 16e and, for a single sensor system, it gives wonderful outcomes. Like most iPhones, it gives a easy point-and-shoot method, so even when you realize nothing about pictures, it’s best to nonetheless get some respectable pictures.

Picture outcomes have been good in all lighting situations and almost on par with the Google Pixel 10a. In low mild, the Pixel 10a was marginally higher, with a bit of extra element, however the iPhone 17e nonetheless carried out nicely. Processing might take a few seconds, however when you maintain regular, you’ll be rewarded. In good lighting situations, there was good consistency, pure color accuracy and loads of element.  

You don’t get the ultrawide sensor you’ll discover on the iPhone 17, nor the telephoto lens you’ll get on the iPhone 17 Professional fashions, however there’s a 2x optical zoom from the only fundamental sensor and for some, this will likely be a lot with regards to grabbing a snap of their children or pets.

Talking of pets and children, you additionally get what Apple calls ‘subsequent technology portraits’ with Focus and Depth Management on the iPhone 17e, which not solely allow you to add a bokeh impact to pictures after they’ve been taken, but in addition management the depth of the blur.

The most important criticism I’ve with the digicam on the iPhone 17e isn’t to do with the rear digicam, however the entrance. Sadly, although not surprisingly, the iPhone 17e misses out on the brand new 18-megapixel sq. sensor that launched on the iPhone 17 fashions.

That sensor lets you do issues like take a portrait or panorama selfie by simply flicking a toggle on the display somewhat than rotating the cellphone and it’ll mechanically zoom out and in relying on who’s within the shot. 

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As a substitute, the iPhone 17e has a 12-megapixel entrance digicam, which is greater than enough and can take a great selfie, however it’s positively not as achieved as the brand new entrance digicam on this yr’s dearer iPhone fashions.

Battery Life & Charging

• As much as 26 hours
• 20W wired charging
• 15W wi-fi charging assist

With regards to battery life, the iPhone 17e is superb. On paper, it shouldn’t final so long as the iPhone 17, with as much as 26 hours of video playback in comparison with 30 hours, however I didn’t expertise any battery nervousness when utilizing this cellphone throughout the evaluate interval. 

I’ll proceed to make use of the iPhone 17e for the following couple of weeks to see how the battery stands up after all of the background downloads have occurred, however sometimes, you’d count on to see it carry out worse within the first couple of days – and it nonetheless delivered wonderful efficiency. 

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On a typical day, I’d take the iPhone 17e off cost round 7am and put it again on cost round 11pm and I completed day-after-day throughout my evaluate interval with over 40 per cent left. It expenses slower than the iPhone 17, nonetheless, with the iPhone 17e solely supporting 20W wired charging, whereas the iPhone 17 helps 40W wired. 

It’s not horrendous in that you just nonetheless get 50 per cent cost in half-hour which, primarily based on my expertise, will see you thru the day no downside, however it’s not as fast because the 20 minutes it takes the iPhone 17 to get to 50 per cent. What needs to be praised, although, is that the iPhone 17e now gives MagSafe as I discussed above, with 15W wi-fi charging supported, in comparison with the 7.5W wi-fi assist on the iPhone 16e.

Software program & Apps

• iOS 26
• Normally 7 years of software program updates

The iPhone 17e runs iOS 26 straight out of the field. It’s the identical software program obtainable on all the newest iPhone 17 fashions, in addition to fashions from the iPhone 11 onwards. So, you don’t must splash out on the latest {hardware} to entry the refreshed interface and new options, however the newer units do are likely to deal with every thing with a bit extra polish. Take into account that to entry Apple Intelligence options, you’ll want a minimum of an iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 16, or any iPhone 17 mannequin.

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The software program itself brings a daring new look and, arguably, probably the most dramatic redesign since iOS 7. The so-called ‘Liquid Glass’ design options new translucent parts, with menus and panels that layer over on-screen content material somewhat than hiding it. Scrolling or tapping produces a magnifying-glass-like impact, too, which is each fluid and satisfying to make use of.

Past the brand new design, iOS 26 provides a number of options. The Telephone app has been reworked, the Digicam app is easier, and there’s a devoted Video games app. Messages now helps customized backgrounds, which add a pleasant private contact, and now you can set your alarm snooze wherever between 1 and quarter-hour, lastly ditching the arbitrary 9-minute default.

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On the AI entrance, the iPhone 17e (and different Apple Intelligence fashions) nonetheless trails what Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy provide, although iOS 26 nudges issues ahead a bit of.

Shortcuts now helps clever actions for extra succesful automation, and taking a screenshot prompts Visible Intelligence, which is a better, context-aware function that may do issues like spot a date in your display and drop it straight into your calendar.

A extra succesful, personalised Siri capable of go toe-to-toe with Gemini Reside stays a piece in progress, however the each day software program expertise on the iPhone 17e is strong and reliable. Apple doesn’t publicly decide to a assist timeline the way in which that some Android cellphone producers do, however iPhones sometimes obtain round 7 years of updates, which means the 17e needs to be nicely supported nicely into 2032.

Worth & Availability

The Apple iPhone 17e went on sale on 11 March 2026 after being introduced on 4 March 2026. It is available in color choices of Black, White and Comfortable Pink and two storage choices of 256GB and 512GB, with pricing beginning at £599 within the UK. 

The 512GB mannequin prices £699 within the UK. Each storage choices can be found in any respect main retailers, together with Apple itself, Amazon, Very, and networks reminiscent of EE and Vodafone.

Within the US, costs begin from $599 for 256GB of storage and you should buy from quite a lot of retailers, together with Apple and Greatest Purchase.

Must you purchase the Apple iPhone 17e?

Whether or not you should purchase the iPhone 17e is determined by what you’re upgrading from. In case you’re coming from an older iPhone, such because the iPhone 11, or making the leap from Android to iPhone for the primary time, the iPhone 17e is a simple advice and an ideal cellphone to contemplate. 

The iPhone 17e has a tougher process on its palms than the iPhone 16e did, given how wonderful the iPhone 17 is that this yr, however for anybody upgrading from an older iPhone or switching from Android, the 17e gives just about every thing that issues most, with out breaking the financial institution.

It has wonderful efficiency and a compact and well-built design, a succesful single rear digicam and spectacular battery, all for beneath £600/$600. It delivers a number of cellphone for the cash, and it’ll really feel like an honest step ahead in lots of areas from older units.

I might nonetheless suggest the iPhone 17 as the most effective mannequin to purchase from the present line-up, but when your finances doesn’t stretch that additional £200, the iPhone 17e doesn’t ask you to compromise on an excessive amount of. You’ll have to simply accept the 60Hz show, the lacking Digicam Management button, the slower charging, the older entrance digicam and the shortage of ultrawide sensor, however it nonetheless delivers within the areas that matter – design, software program, and day-to-day reliability.

At £599, the iPhone 17e makes a compelling case for itself. It’s not the iPhone to get if you would like each function Apple gives this yr, however it’s the iPhone to get if you would like the core expertise with out paying over the percentages.

Specs

• iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence
• 6.1-inch, 2532 x 1170, 60Hz OLED show  
• Apple A19  
• 8GB RAM  
• 256GB/512GB storage  
• 48Mp, f/1.6, OIS fundamental digicam  
• 12Mp, f/1.9, selfie digicam
• As much as 26 hours battery 
• 20W wired charging  
• 15W wi-fi charging 
• Stereo audio system  
• IP68 water and dirt resistance  
• Glass again
• Ceramic Protect 2 entrance
• 5G  
• 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm 
• 170g  
• Black, White, Comfortable Pink