Entry-level devices always have a tough gig. They have to hit a certain price point to justify their existence, but they also have to live up to the hype set by their more expensive counterparts. The iPhone 17e, then, had its work cut out for it.
It had to remain under £600, which is £200 cheaper than the iPhone 17, but it needed to offer enough to make it appealing for more than just the price. This year’s iPhone 17 offers serious value, and it’s hands down the phone I would recommend buying from the models that launched in September. It not only has an Always-On display but also Apple’s new Centre Stage front camera, which is superb.
You won’t find either on the iPhone 17e, nor will you find Dynamic Island, despite some rumours suggesting Apple would ditch the notch in favour of the pill-shaped cut out that Apple announced with the iPhone 14 Pro a few years back.
IMAGE CREDIT: APPLE
What’s new about the iPhone 17e?
But before you dismiss this entry-level iPhone for looking the same as its predecessor and not incorporating one of the Apple iPhone 17’s best features in that new front camera, there are a number of upgrades under the hood that make the iPhone 17e a decent update.
The first is a doubling of base storage, moving from 128GB in the iPhone 16e to 256GB. No one is going to be disappointed with extra storage, so this is always a win, especially when the price has remained the same.
The second is the addition of MagSafe. This is one of the things I was disappointed not to see on the iPhone 16e, so I am thrilled to see that the omission has been rectified in this iteration and that charging speeds have increased from 7.5W to 15W.
IMAGE CREDIT: APPLE
Elsewhere, the front is tougher glass, with the iPhone 17e offering the same Ceramic Shield 2 as the iPhone 17. It also runs on the same processor as the iPhone 17, the A19, with support for Apple Intelligence and all the features that come with it. I can’t say I bother with things like Image Playground, but I love Priority Inbox and Priority Notifications, and Clean Up is good for removing the odd bin in an otherwise decent photo.
Apart from the lack of an Always-On display, Centre Stage front camera, and a couple of other features, like the Camera Control button and a secondary ultra-wide camera, the iPhone 17e offers most of what most people will need from their iPhone.
The 6.1-inch display is a little smaller than the iPhone 17’s, and peak brightness is fractionally lower, while battery life is a couple of hours shorter at 27 hours compared to 30 hours. The basics are definitely here, though, including a single 48-megapixel main rear camera, like the iPhone Air.
The Apple iPhone 17e will be available to pre-order from 4 March, with an on-sale date of 11 March. It starts at £599 for the 256GB model, increasing to £699 for the 512GB model and it comes in Black, White, and Pink. Last year, the iPhone 16e only came in black and white so it’s nice to see an extra option this year too.
