iPhone 17E Review: Professional Features, Affordable Price -

Apple's new $599 budget phone offers a premium feel, complete with MagSafe compatibility and an A19 chip.That makes small businesses easier to swallow.

- Superior feeling

- The camera is strong

- Compatible with MagSafe

- High base storage of 256 GB

- A19 chip

- Fun pink color option

- Sen Illa Dynamic

- Thick bezels

- No ultra-wide angle camera or cinematic video.

- Only 60Hz refresh rate is not always displayed

I didn't think MagSafe's haptic feedback could be so satisfying.

Finally, Apple's $599 iPhone 17E brings MagSafe's magnetic technology to its lowest-priced phone.Besides the added convenience of being able to easily attach chargers and accessories, this signals Apple's commitment to bringing premium features to its entire iPhone lineup, regardless of how much users are willing to pay for them.Moreover, the addition of fresh colors warmed my love for pink.

The iPhone 17E carries over more features from the $829 iPhone 17. The budget option includes the same A19 chip (albeit with a quad-core GPU instead of five), an action button, and a 48-megapixel primary camera.It starts with 256GB of storage, which makes the $599 price tag more attractive—even if it pushes the boundaries of what's considered a "budget" phone.But the fact that I have to double-check whether I'm reaching for the iPhone 17E or the 17 is certainly a sign that the gap between the two and the right one is closing.it's a good sign that it's in the right direction.

Some aspects of 17E are a reminder that you get what you pay for.The bezels are thicker than Apple's premium options.There is no dynamic island for system notifications and live activity, just an old school one at the top.A fixed 60Hz display also means nothing is always on display, so I can't easily see the time or my notifications.

There are many things that make the iPhone 17E feel like a cheap option, and for most people the flexibility shouldn't be too scary, especially if you save a few hundred dollars.

The iPhone 17 is now available.

iPhone 17E look, feel and display

One of the things I love about the iPhone 17E is that it doesn't sacrifice the premium look and feel of its more expensive counterparts.Like the other iPhone 17 models, the back glass of the iPhone 17E has a satisfying texture that resists fingerprints.The aluminum frame makes it feel nice and light at 169 grams, compared to 177 grams on the iPhone 17.

The iPhone 17E's 6.1-inch screen is slightly smaller than the 6.3-inch screen on the iPhone 17, a barely noticeable difference.The cheaper option shares the same Ceramic Shield 2 glass cover, which Apple says has three times the resistance of the iPhone 16E screen and a 33% thinner screen.my phone even with daily use but my iPhone 17E screen is still intact.

The 60Hz refresh rate is a step down from the 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate you get on other Apple phones, but it's not a noticeable difference unless you're gaming. The biggest downside to this limitation is the lack of an always-on display. I rely on it to look up and see my notifications at a glance.Going without this feature may take some getting used to.

While iPhone 17 supports 1,600 nits of HDR peak brightness, iPhone 17E’s HDR peak brightness tops out at 1,200 nits.I can tell the difference when holding the phones side by side, but even in bright California sunshine the 17E looks pretty good.

The smaller size of the iPhone 17E can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your preferences.I tend to gravitate towards larger phones, so typing and scrolling on a smaller bezel was a minor adjustment.However, if you want a more compact device that can fit into almost any pocket, you'll like the 17E's dimensions.I appreciate feeling like I'm holding a more compact phone more tightly, especially when I bravely remove the case.

This year, Apple decided to branch out and add a soft pink color option to its budget line in addition to the usual black and white.Luckily for me, the pink model was chosen, which takes on a pastel, reddish hue that is definitely more muted than the iPhone 17 Pro's bold orange.The subtle shade is nice if you want a bit of color without making too much of a statement.I'm always happy when fun colors aren't limited to more expensive models.

The iPhone 17E camera has some minor improvements

Like last year's budget iPhone, the iPhone 17E features a single 48-megapixel rear camera.With the sensor clutch, it can also capture 2x telephoto images, which to my eyes look as good as 1x photos.A bonus benefit of having a single rear camera is that it's much less noticeable than the camera bump on other iPhone 17 models, especially the Pros.Dare to go back to a phone that I can hold without brushing my fingers against the ever-moving camera platform.

As I experienced with the iPhone Air, the lack of an ultra-wide camera feels limiting.Taking landscape photos or capturing a wide scene is more difficult - although if I had to choose between an ultra-wide camera and a telephoto camera, I would always choose the latter.I'm probably more of someone who shows more detail than getting a broad picture.

The iPhone 17E features a 12-megapixel selfie camera, drawing another parallel with the iPhone 16E.The 17E doesn't have the Center Stage camera feature that debuted on the iPhone Air and 17, which can automatically switch between portrait and landscape orientations when more people are in the frame, without rotating the phone.I don't consider it a big loss;in fact, I disabled Center Stage on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, largely because old habits die hard, and I still had to rotate the phone manually.

The lack of cinematic space in the video budget is still a problem, as I rely on it for more professional-looking clips with blurry backgrounds.But if a compromise has to be made, it is manageable.

One hardware feature I've come to live without is the Camera Control button -- not because I use it as a shortcut to Apple's Visual Intelligence, but because that's pretty much how I started using the iPhone camera.I like having a physical button that's easy to throw (maybe too easy for some) when I want to take a quick photo.Without Camera Control on the iPhone 17E, I have to open the camera.the old-fashioned way by tapping the screen, swiping the lock screen left or using the Action button as a camera shortcut.Although I don't think most people would mind, especially if you're coming from a phone that didn't have Camera Control in the first place.And you can access Visual Intelligence in the iPhone 17E's Control Panel (or assign it to the Action button if you really want to access that feature faster).

Portraits get a nice boost on the iPhone 17E, compared to last year's budget phone. Apple says the advanced image pipeline allows subjects to stand out more naturally against their bokeh-effect backgrounds. For example, a person will appear in sharper focus, including fringe details like their hair or the corner of their glasses, and the transition to the image's blurred background looks a bit more gradual and realistic.

When you're snapping pictures in the camera's standard Photo mode, it'll now automatically detect cats and dogs in addition to people, and enable portrait shots without you having to switch to that mode.

Now, you can also adjust the focal point of the photo after you take it by going to the watch in the Apps app and tapping on the place you want to focus.You can adjust the amount of background blur as well.It's nice to see flexibility and adaptability in a low-end Apple phone.

Here are some of my favorite photos I took with the iPhone 17E:

iPhone 17E battery and MagSafe compatibility

The iPhone 17E shows the same 26 hours of video playback as the iPhone 16E.On Apple's EU product page, where the battery capacity is required to be disclosed, it is listed as 4,005 mAh (same as the 16E).Apple says the battery is helped by the power-saving A19 chip, the new C1X cellular modem, and "advanced power management from iOS 26."

The battery can last more than a day.For example, I started with a full battery at 10:12 am on Saturday, and I had 48% health at 8 pm.When I woke up the next morning at 5:15 am (yes, my sleep schedule was thrown off by jet lag from Mobile World Congress), the phone was at 38%.The next day, I took my phone with a 77% charge at 1:45 pm, and down to 32% at 11:25 pm.I feel like I can go about my day without worrying about the iPhone 17E dying in the middle.

The iPhone 17E supports 20-watt wired charging.And with MagSafe and Qi2 compatibility, it can charge up to 15 watts wirelessly – double the 7.5 watts on the iPhone 16E.That's still less than the 25-watt wireless charging (Qi2.2) that the iPhone 17 supports, but it's a decent step up from last year.

When charging wired, the iPhone 17E went from 8% to 61% in 30 minutes.Using wireless charging, it went from 0% to 23% in 30 minutes.

In the 45-minute endurance test, which includes streaming, scrolling through social media, combining video calls and gaming, the iPhone 17E's battery goes from full to 97%.It beats the Google Pixel 10A, which achieved a score of 95%, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, which achieved a score of 92%.It also beat the iPhone Air, which scored 95%, but was surpassed by the iPhone 17, which scored 98%.

In a 3-hour Wi-Fi streaming test, when I watched a YouTube video in full-screen mode at full brightness, the 17E's battery dropped from 100% to 86%.That put it ahead of the Pixel 10A, which finished at 78%, and the Galaxy S25 FE, which hit 83%.It was slightly overtaken by the iPhone 17 with an indicator of 89%, and on a par with the iPhone Air (85%).

I've loved attaching MagSafe accessories like cases and wallets to the iPhone 17E, simply because I can.I also took advantage of Apple's StandBy feature, which displays widgets while the phone is charging in landscape mode, including a calendar, clock, and photos.

CPU benchmark tests on Geekbench 6 put the iPhone 17E well ahead of other budget phones like the Pixel 10A and Galaxy S25 FE.It is compatible with iPhone 17 and iPhone Air.

In a graphics test using 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme, the iPhone 17E also outperformed the Pixel 10A and fell in line with the Galaxy S25 FE's results.The 17E outperforms the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air.

See the graphs below for more details.

Final thoughts: Should you buy the iPhone 17E?

The iPhone 17E brings subtle but welcome changes to Apple's budget line - namely MagSafe charging, higher levels of base memory, and an improved A19 chip.This year's phone shares a lot with the iPhone 16E, especially when it comes to cameras and battery capacity, but it still shines in both areas.

More importantly, the iPhone 17E carries over some of the features that cost $200 more than the base iPhone 17.The phone has the same feel, the main camera is 48 megapixels and the A19 chip.You'll find some notable design differences, including the famous iPhone 17E notch, a wider bezel, and a Camera Control button.

If you're switching from an older iPhone like the iPhone 11 or 12, that's a trade-off you'll hardly notice, especially given all the relative upgrades.Likewise, if you're coming from another budget phone that's a few years old, like the iPhone SE (2020) or its older Android counterpart, the improvements certainly outweigh any missing premium features.

If you're using last year's iPhone 16E, the additional changes don't justify an upgrade, even with the long-awaited addition of MagSafe.Apple doesn't appear to be targeting this audience however, as its promotional materials mostly compare the iPhone 17E to older models like the iPhone 11. This is where the differences really stand out.

The iPhone 17E is a solid choice for those who want the basics—a good camera, long battery life, and good performance—without sacrificing a premium feel.The $599 price tag is a bit steep for a budget phone, but for what you get, it might be worth it.

Apple iPhone 17E Specs and Google Pixel 10A, Apple iPhone 17, Apple iPhone 16E

|iPhone 17E |Google Pixel 10A |Apple iPhone 17 |Apple iPhone 16E ||

|Display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate |6.1-inch OLED display;2,532x1,170 pixels;60Hz refresh rate | 6.3-inch POLED, 2,424x1,080 pixels, 60-120Hz variable refresh rate |6.3-inch OLED;2622x1206 pixels;1-120Hz variable refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532x1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate |

|Pixel Density |460 ppi |422 ppi |460 ppi |460 ppi |

|Litecnyo (Li-inch) |5.78x2.82x0.31 |6.1x2.9x0.4 |5.89x2.81x0.31 |5.78x2.82x0.31 |

|Dimensions (mm) |146.7x71.5x7.8 |154.7x73.3x8.9 |149.6x71.5x7.95 |146.7x71.5x7.8 |

|Pwa (gramo, ons) |167g (5,88 oz.) |183 g (6,5 oz.) |177g (6,24 oz.) |167g (5,88 oz.) |

|Mobile software |iOS 26 |Android 16 |iOS 26 |iOS 18 |

|Front camera |12MP |13MP |18MP |12MP |

|Battery |4,005mAh |5,100mAh |3,692mAh |4,005mAh |

|Special Features |MagSafe,Qi2 charging system (up to 15W);action button;Apple C1 5G modem;Apple Intelligence;Ceramic ShieldEmergency SOSsatellite connection;IP68 Protection |7 years of OS;Security and natural Pixel drop;Gorilla Glass 3 glass cover;IP68 Dust and Water Resistance: 30 nit;10000 brightnessProportionDifferent 30W fast charging to 45W charging adapter (not included);10W wireless charging;10W wireless charging system Qi SOSE;Wi-Fi Wi-Fi,Bluetooth 6;Wi-FiWi-Fi.dual-SIM (nano SIM + eSIM);camera masteradd meto remove the bestTop Magic Eraser,to edit light;To find CircleSuper Cle Color: Lavender;tissuesmokeobsidian (black) |Apple N1 wireless network chip: 2x2 MIMO;Bluetooth 6;Threadaction button;camera control button;Dynamic IslandApple Intelligence;Visual Intelligence;dual eSIM,10 to 30s bright display 30s;Color: Black,whiteblueorangelavender,Quick discount of up to 50% in 20 minutes using a 40W adapter or higher via charging cable.Fast charging up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger |action button;Apple C1 5G modem;Apple Intelligence;Ceramic ShieldEmergency SOSsatellite connection;IP68 Protection |

Price starts |$599 (GB256) |$500 (128GB) |$829 (GB256) |$599 (128GB) |

How we test phones

The review team tests each phone in real-world use.We test phone features, play games, and take photos.We check the screen to see if it is bright, sharp and vibrant.We analyze the design and construction to see how it holds up and if it has an IP rating for water resistance.High return.

All cameras have been tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes.We test special features such as night mode and picture mode, and compare our results similarly to competitively priced phones.We also check life in daily use and a series of battery drain tests.

All cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes.We test special features like night mode and portrait mode, and compare our findings to similar competing phones.We will also check the battery life by using it every day, and running a series of battery tests.