The iPhone 17E is the successor to last year’s $599 iPhone 16E.
On Monday, Apple unveiled its new budget phone, the iPhone 17E. Like last year, it starts at $599 (£599, AU$999), but comes with 256GB of basic storage — double last year’s entry-level. iPhone 16E. Perhaps the biggest improvement: the iPhone 17E supports MagSafe, so you can charge wirelessly quickly and attach accessories such as stands, wallets and cases.
The latest generation Apple A19 chip powers the iPhone 17E, the same as the original. iPhone 17. But there is a small caveat: the iPhone 17E has a quad-core GPU, against five cores in the regular iPhone 17. Apple’s C1X cellular modem is also on board, which the company says is twice as fast as the C1 in the iPhone 16E.
The iPhone 17E has a 48-megapixel rear camera and, with sensor cropping, offers 2x magnification. While the camera hardware may be the same as last year, adding the A19 chip to the 17E could boost image quality. There’s also a 12-megapixel selfie camera, but no Center Stage camera — a feature that first appeared on the iPhone Air and a 17-inch plan that can automatically switch between portrait and landscape orientation without rotating the phone.
The 6.1-inch display is protected by Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says provides three times the scratch resistance of the iPhone 16E and reduces glare. There is none Dynamic Island or the always-on display, separating it from the iPhone 17 base.
Apple has finally brought MagSafe to its budget iPhone.
I iPhone 17E it has an aluminum frame and weighs 169 grams — making it just 2 grams heavier than the iPhone 16E, despite the addition of MagSafe. It has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
He still isn’t there Camera control buttonbut you can reach Visual Intelligence from the phone’s Control Panel. You will find out more Apple Intelligence features on board, including Live Translation, Call Screening and Cleaning. There is an Action button for quick access to your favorite features and apps.
The iPhone 17E battery can last up to 26 hours of video playback, according to Apple. That’s helped by the A19 processor, the C1X cellular modem and “advanced power management iOS 26,” notes Apple. Because the new phone has the same battery capacity as last year’s iPhone 17E and should hold up well despite its budget-friendly price, given how the iPhone 16E performed in CNET’s battery test.
With wired charging, the iPhone 17E can reach 50% battery in about 30 minutes, according to Apple. MagSafe increases wireless charging from 7.5 watts on the iPhone 16E to 15 watts on the 17E.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 17E begin on Wednesday, March 4, at 6:15 am PT, and the phone will go on sale on March 11. It comes in black, white and soft pink, and there’s a 512GB storage option, as well as a base 256GB.
iPhone 17E specs vs. iPhone 16E,
| Apple iPhone 17E | Apple iPhone 16E | Apple iPhone 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622×1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 460 pp | 460 pp | 460 pp |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 in. | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 in. | 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 in |
| Dimensions (mm) | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm | 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 169g (5.96 oz.) | 167g (5.88 oz.) | 177g (6.24 oz.) |
| Mobile software | iOS 26 | iOS 18 | iOS 26 |
| Camera | 48-megapixel (width) | 48-megapixel (width) | 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Front facing camera | 12-megapixel | 12-megapixel | 18-megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| The processor | Apple A19 | Apple A18 | Apple A19 |
| RAM + storage | RAM unknown + 256GB, 512GB | RAM is unknown + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable storage | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing |
| Battery | 4,005 mAh | 4,005 mAh | 3,692 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Nothing, Face ID | Nothing, Face ID | Nothing, Face ID |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing |
| Special features | MagSafe, Qi2 charging (up to 15W), action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connection, IP68 resistance | Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connection, IP68 resistance | Apple N1 wireless network chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, blue, smart, lavender. Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using a 40W adapter or more with a charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W adapter or more with the MagSafe Charger. |
| US pricing starts at | $599 (128GB) | $599 (128GB) | $829 (256GB) |
