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On March 2, Apple announced the iPhone 17e, its newest budget-friendly smartphone with a $599 price tag. Visually, the smartphone is nearly identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 16e from 2025, but it packs a few very important changes, albeit a few. In this Specs Appeal, we compare the iPhone 17e with the iPhone 16e and the iPhone SE3, the last iPhone with a TouchID Home button.
The iPhone 17e is visually identical to the iPhone 16e. It has the same design, the same display, the same single-lens camera with some software improvements, and the same aluminum chassis. What is different is the new color. Now, in addition to black and white, the iPhone 17e is available in pink, offering users on the lower end of the price spectrum a bit of color. That is all that the iPhone 17e has to offer outside.
Inside, we have three main changes: a newer processor, a newer modem, more storage, and MagSafe. Apple bumped the processor to the latest A19 chip (still a six-core chip with two performance and four efficiency cores), doubled the storage (now starting at 256GB with optional 512GB), and added the custom-made C1X modem. The latter offers double the speed of the C1, while consuming 30% less energy for better battery life.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16e | iPhone SE 3 |
|---|---|---|
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|
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Finally, the iPhone 17e supports MagSafe, something that was missing in the 16e. It is now fully compatible with all first and third-party MagSafe accessories, including chargers, stands, power banks, and more. Apple also has a lineup of official cases with MagSafe support. Besides giving the iPhone 17e MagSafe support, Apple bumped the wireless charging spec to Qi2 at 15W.
With the biggest upgrades covered, here are key changes summed up in a list:
- A newer A19 processor
- 256GB base storage, with an optional 512GB configuration
- Improved rear camera with "next-gen portrait mode."
- New color
- MagSafe and Qi2 support
And here is a more detailed spec-by-spec (main changes highlighted in bold):
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16e | iPhone SE 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display |
6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED 2,532 x 1,170 (460 ppi) 800 nits max brightness 1,200 nits HDR brightness 2M:1 contrast ratio Wide Color P3 True Tone |
4.7" IPS Retina HD, 1,334x750 (326 ppi) 625 nits max brightness 1400:1 contrast ratio True Tone Wide Color P3 |
|
| Dimensions |
5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31" 5.88oz 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm 167g |
5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29" 5.08oz / 5.22oz 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm 144g / 148g |
|
| Physical controls |
Power Button Volume Button Action Button |
Power Button Volume Button Home Button Mute Switch |
|
| Security | FaceID | TouchID | |
| CPU |
Apple A19 6-core CPU (2P, 4E) 4-core GPU 16-core NPU |
Apple A18 6-core CPU (2P, 4E) 4-core GPU 16-core NPU |
Apple A15 Bionic |
| Apple Intelligence | Supported | Not supported | |
| RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB. |
| Network |
Apple C1X modem
5G (sub-6 and mmWave) |
Apple C1 modem
5G (sub-6 and mmWave) |
5G (sub-6 only), LTE-Advanced, UMTS/HSPA, and GSM/EDGE. |
| SIM |
eSIM-only |
Dual-SIM support. Single nano-SIM and single eSIM (simultaneous). |
|
| Rear Camera |
2-in-1 camera system
Single-lens 48MP camera with f/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization |
Single-lens wide 12-megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization. |
|
| Features |
Next-generation portraits with Focus, Depth Control, and six lighting effects Smart HDR 5 Photographic styles True Tone Flash Photonic Engine Deep Fusion Night Mode |
Portrait mode with Depth Control and six lighting effects Smart HDR 5 Photographic styles True Tone Flash Photonic Engine Deep Fusion Night Mode |
Portrait mode with Depth Control and six lighting effects Smart HDR 4 Photographic styles True Tone Flash Deep Fusion |
| Video |
4K Dolby Vision at 60 FPS |
4K and FullHD video 60 FPS
|
|
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth Camera with f/1.9 aperture and Retina Flash | 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with f/2.2 aperture and Retina Flash. | |
| Battery |
? mAh Fast charging via USB-C Qi2 wireless charging MagSafe |
4,005 mAh Fast charging via USB-C Qi wireless charging |
2,018 mAh Fast charging via the Lightning port Qi wireless charging. |
| Battery life | Up to 26 hours of video playback | Up to 15 hours of video playback. | |
| Protection | IP68 water and dust-resistant | IP67 water and dust-resistant | |
| Colors | White, Black, Pink | White, Black |
Starlight, Midnight, Product Red. |
| Price | $599+ | $599+ | $429+ |
That is the difference between the iPhone 17e, 16e, and the iPhone SE3. If you are coming from older models, the iPhone 17e could be a good upgrade at a decent price tag. However, it is worth noting that Apple still offers the iPhone 16, and the base iPhone 17 is a tremendous value at a slightly higher price tag. While the iPhone 17e might still be a tough sell with its single-lens camera and a 60Hz display, it now feels like a more mature, budget-friendly iPhone.
The iPhone 17e will be available for preorder on March 4, with shipments scheduled for March 11.
Are you interested in buying the iPhone 17e, or would you rather purchase an older iPhone? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.
Posted Tuesday 3 March 2026 at 10:17 am AEST (my time).
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