00:00Do you buy the Apple iPhone 17 for $800, or save $200 and grab the iPhone 17e for $600?
00:06Because on paper, they really look similar.
00:10Same processor, similar main camera, nearly identical battery life.
00:15So, is the extra $200 actually worth it?
00:17I review phones for a living, and after spending time with both,
00:20the answer really comes down to a few key differences.
00:23So if you're trying to decide which one to put in your card,
00:25or which one to ask for at the Apple Store, here's the short version.
00:31I want to start with what's pretty much exactly the same between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e.
00:37Apple didn't cheap out on the performance for the 17e.
00:39Both phones run the same A19 processor, so everyday app usage feels basically identical.
00:45Having the same chip also probably plays a role in these phones having similar battery lives.
00:50In my testing, the iPhone 17 lasted 12 hours and 47 minutes,
00:55while the 17e hit 12 hours and 35 minutes.
00:58That's a difference of about 10 minutes, which is essentially negligible by my standards.
01:03Side note, if you're into battery testing,
01:05be sure to check out the Tom's Guide Battery Test Series here on the channel for the latest rankings.
01:12The iPhone 17e's biggest upgrade arguably is MagSafe,
01:16so now it has more in common with the rest of the iPhone family
01:18when it comes to charging and accessory support.
01:21You also get the same 48 megapixel main camera,
01:23which means the core photography experience is very similar.
01:27If you're mostly taking standard photos, portraits, food, pets, sunsets,
01:31you won't see a big difference,
01:33but I'll talk about the camera differences that actually do matter in just a few minutes.
01:37Both phones also include the action button.
01:39Some people love it, some people ignore it,
01:41but in case you're coming from an iPhone without it,
01:44it's basically just a shortcut button that you can assign to whatever you want.
01:48So to recap, if performance, the main camera, and battery are what you care about most,
01:53the cheaper phone already covers a lot of the basics.
01:57The first and biggest difference is the display.
02:00The iPhone 17e has a 6.1-inch 60Hz display with a notch.
02:05The iPhone 17 has a larger 6.3-inch display with dynamic island and 120Hz refresh rate.
02:12And if you've ever used 120Hz phones before, going back to 60Hz feels rough.
02:18Honestly, in 2026, a 599 phone with 60Hz and a notch feels very dated.
02:23The next big difference is camera versatility.
02:26The iPhone 17 includes an ultrawide, while the 17e only has a single lens.
02:31That means no dramatic landscape shots, no tight indoor group photos,
02:36and fewer creative shooting options.
02:38The iPhone 17 also supports spatial photos and spatial video,
02:42which the iPhone 17e can't do.
02:44And there are a couple smaller, non-deal breaker differences too.
02:48For example, the iPhone 17 has the camera control button,
02:51which the iPhone 17e doesn't.
02:53So while the core experience is similar,
02:55the iPhone 17 definitely has more features and flexibility.
02:59Here's the part where I have to be honest as someone who reviews phones all year.
03:03As much as it's a great value for an iPhone,
03:05some of the compromises on the iPhone 17e feels pretty aggressive
03:09in the scope of the entire smartphone market in the year 2026.
03:13A single camera, a 60Hz display, and a notch.
03:17For example, the Google Pixel 10a and the Nothing Phone 4a Pro
03:21both offer multiple lenses, hole-punched selfie cameras, smoother displays.
03:25Nothing Phone even pushes up to 144Hz, and did I mention both are $100 less.
03:31So if you're not locked into iOS,
03:33there are definitely some interesting alternatives out there
03:36that give you more modern hardware for a lower price.
03:39No matter what you decide though, check the deals.
03:42Because if you can find the iPhone 17 discounted or on carrier trade-in,
03:46that $200 price gap can really shrink fast.
03:49And if the difference drops closer to $100,
03:51the upgrade becomes a lot easier to justify.
03:54I'll drop the best deals I can find in the description below.
03:57If this video helped you decide between the iPhone 17 and 17e,
04:01hit like and subscribe,
04:02and let me know in the comments which one you'd pick.
04:04I'm John V.
04:05Thanks for watching.
04:24I'm John V.
04:24Michael V.
04:24Thanks for listening.
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