00:04The iPhone 17e is Apple's most affordable new iPhone, but this year it's also a noticeably
00:10better value than the previous iPhone 16e. You're getting double the starting storage,
00:15the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17, and finally MagSafe support, something the previous model
00:21surprisingly lacked. And the best part? Apple kept the same starting price. So, is this now the best
00:27budget iPhone that Apple sells? I've been testing the iPhone 17e for over a week now,
00:32and here's how it's been in daily use. Let's dive in.
00:39At first glance, the iPhone 17e looks almost identical to the previous generation,
00:43and honestly, that's not a bad thing. It still feels like a modern iPhone built with an aluminum
00:48frame and glass back, with Apple's durable ceramic shield 2 protecting the display on the front.
00:54The phone feels solid, balanced, and comfortably sized for one-handed use.
00:58There are three colors this year, black, white, and a new soft pink, which is the color I've been
01:03using. It's subtle, almost blush, and depending on how the light hits it, the pink can be really soft
01:09or a bit more noticeable. I especially like how the color wraps around the aluminum sides on the
01:13iPhone 17e. On the back, you'll find a single camera sitting in a small raised lip, compared to
01:18Apple's higher-end iPhones. With larger camera bumps, the design here is clean and simple,
01:23pretty minimalistic if you ask me. But the biggest design change is actually hidden underneath the
01:27back panel. The iPhone 17e now supports full MagSafe, meaning the magnetic ring works with Apple's
01:33accessories like the MagSafe wallet, as well as a ton of third-party gear. It might sound like a small
01:39addition, but this was a major missing feature on the previous model, and its return makes the iPhone 17e
01:45feel much more like a full member of Apple's lineup.
01:51The display is also familiar, but still pretty good. The iPhone 17e features a 6.1-inch Super
01:57Retina XDR OLED display, and like most Apple panels, it looks excellent. Text is crisp, colors are vibrant,
02:04and HDR videos really pop. Whether you're watching YouTube, scrolling photos, or just browsing the web,
02:10everything looks sharp and natural. Brightness is also strong enough to stay readable outdoors,
02:14even under direct sunlight. There are two limitations here, the refresh rate and the notch. The display
02:20here still runs at 60Hz rather than the smoother 120Hz ProMotion found on Apple's more expensive
02:26models, and rather than a dynamic island that intelligently adapts, there is a notch centered
02:31at the top, which ages this a bit. However, if you're upgrading from an older iPhone or an SE,
02:36you probably won't notice it. But if you used a higher refresh rate before, scrolling here won't feel
02:42quite as fluid. Even so, for everyday tasks like messaging, social media, watching videos,
02:47it's a sharp, reliable display that fits the price point well.
02:54On the back, the iPhone 17e features a single 48-megapixel Fusion camera. There's no ultrawide
03:00or telephoto lens here, which is one of the tradeoffs for the lower price. But Apple's computational
03:04photography does a lot of work to make that single lens versatile. Photos come out sharp,
03:09with strong color and good dynamic range. Apple's Fusion Processing combines high resolution and
03:15standard images to preserve detail, while keeping the photo looking natural. There's also a 2x crop
03:20zoom, which effectively gives you a tighter frame that I find works great for portraits.
03:24One thing Apple has improved is portrait mode with a single lens, which now does a better job
03:29detecting subjects and separating them from the background. In my testing, portraits came out sharp,
03:34with realistic depth and natural skin tones. Better yet, you can add the depth effect after you take the photo.
03:39Under the hood, the iPhone 17e runs Apple's A19 chip, that's the same processor used in the
03:44standard iPhone 17, just with one less GPU core. Even so, performance here is excellent.
03:50Apps open instantaneously, multitasking is smooth, and even heavier tasks like gaming or video editing
03:55don't slow the phone down. More importantly, the A19 chip should give the phone plenty of longevity,
04:01meaning it should stay fast and supported with updates for years.
04:07Battery life is solid, though it hasn't really improved compared to the previous model, the
04:12iPhone 16e. In my testing, the iPhone 17e comfortably lasted a full workday with typical use. Think
04:17messaging, browsing, taking photos, watching some video, and scrolling social media. Charging happens
04:23through USB-C, and with MagSafe now on board, it's also much easier to top up with a wireless charger
04:28or a
04:28magnetic battery pack. Software-wise, the phone ships with iOS 26, which brings Apple's latest design
04:34changes and features. The new liquid glass interface looks sleek, with translucent layers and fluid
04:39animations across the system. And while Apple intelligence is still evolving, the features
04:43that are already here, things like smarter notifications and cleanup and photos, run smoothly on the A19 chip.
04:52So, should you buy the iPhone 17e? Well, if you want the most affordable way into Apple's modern
04:58iPhone lineup, this is easily the best option. You're getting the fast A19 chip, double the starting
05:04storage to 256GB, a capable 48MP camera, and now MagSafe support, all without paying the price of the
05:11standard iPhone 17. You do give up a few things though, like multiple camera lenses, a high refresh
05:16rate display, and an always-on screen. Even so, for most people, those trade-offs won't matter much
05:21day-to-day. It really just performs well. Starting at $599 or 599 pounds, the iPhone 17e comes in black,
05:29white, and soft pink, with storage options up to 512GB. And if you simply want a reliable,
05:34fast, and well-priced iPhone, the 17e might just be the sweet spot in Apple's lineup this year.
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