Apple has just launched iPhone 17e, the latest member of the iPhone 17 family. Here’s what’s the same and different between iPhone 17e and iPhone 17.
iPhone 17e and iPhone 17: Features that are the same
iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 have some features in common, including:
- Both have the A19 chip, Apple’s latest generation processor—though iPhone 17e has one less GPU core
- Both have Ceramic Shield 2 on their display for the best scratch resistance in iPhone
- Base storage is 256GB in both models
- MagSafe is included in both
But that’s largely where the similarities end.
iPhone 17e has the same basic chip as iPhone 17 minus a single GPU core, so from a performance standpoint it should be about on par.
Otherwise though, it’s a very different model. And two of the biggest differences involve cameras and displays.
Biggest iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17 differences: Cameras and Displays
When it comes to differences between iPhone 17e and iPhone 17, the most important ones fall into two buckets:
For cameras, the iPhone 17 has an 18MP Center Stage camera that lets you take selfies with auto-adjusting frames, no matter how you hold your iPhone.
Despite rumors that this feature was coming to iPhone 17e, that ended up not being the case. iPhone 17e has the same 12MP TrueDepth camera that was standard on many previous iPhone models.
And on the back of the device, iPhone 17e only has a single rear camera vs two on iPhone 17—there’s no Ultra Wide lens.
iPhone 17e’s 48MP Fusion Main camera is comparable in many respects to iPhone 17’s, but with some drawbacks. For example, its optical image stabilization feature isn’t as advanced, and it doesn’t support the latest-generation Photographic Styles.
If you’re interested in iPhone 17’s Dual Capture feature, that’s also missing from iPhone 17e.
The display is another big area of disparity.
iPhone 17e does not offer the 120Hz ProMotion support with Always-On display that iPhone 17 has. It also has a slightly smaller display at 6.1 inches vs 6.3 inches on iPhone 17.
The notch on iPhone 17e also means it’s the only modern iPhone without a Dynamic Island. iPhone 17’s Dynamic Island gives it a more premium look.
iPhone 17’s display also gets brighter than iPhone 17e’s by about 25%.
Are these ultimately huge differences? It depends on your priorities. But there are even more feature disparities in iPhone 17e worth noting.
iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: What else is missing or different?
Some miscellaneous differences between iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 include the following:
- Battery: iPhone 17e has 26 hours video playback vs 30 hours on iPhone 17
- Cellular: iPhone 17e uses Apple’s in-house C1X modem, while iPhone 17 has a Qualcomm modem
- Wireless: iPhone 17e lacks the new N1 wireless chip that iPhone 17 has
- Buttons: iPhone 17’s Camera Control button is not included on iPhone 17e
- Charging: iPhone 17 has slightly faster fast charging capabilities over iPhone 17e
- Colors: iPhone 17e comes in Soft Pink, Black, and White; iPhone 17 comes in Lavender, Sage, Mist Blue, Black, and White
Pricing is the big difference: iPhone 17e starts at $599, while iPhone 17 is $799.
iPhone 17e has some nice changes over last year’s iPhone 16e, particularly the addition of MagSafe and the C1X modem. But otherwise, the iPhone 17 is so strong that it’s hard for Apple’s budget model to stack up.
My recommendation: if you can find a way to splurge and buy iPhone 17 over the iPhone 17e, I think you’ll get your money’s worth.
Are you interested in buying iPhone 17e? What’s motivating your decision? Let us know in the comments.
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