00:04Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is now complete, with the iPhone 17e having joined the base iPhone 17,
00:10the 17 Pro and the 17 Pro Max on store shelves. A direct successor to the iPhone 16e, the 17e
00:15is
00:15intended to be an affordable, no-frills entry point into the iPhone ecosystem. But how does
00:19it compare to the next cheapest model in Apple's lineup, the iPhone 17? In this video, we'll be
00:23comparing the two phones' key specs and features to help you decide which iPhone 17 model is best
00:27for you. And as always, for the latest deals on both phones, check out the description box below.
00:34The iPhone 17e and 17 are very similar looking devices. They're almost identical in size and
00:39weight. They both have aluminium frames with ceramic shield 2 protection on their respective displays,
00:43and both are rated IP68 for water and dust resistance. The iPhone 17e also gets the same
00:48customizable action button as the iPhone 17, which was once an exclusive feature of Apple's top-end
00:53iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone 17 does have a larger 6.3-inch display than its cheaper sibling,
00:58but the two phones feel very similar in the hand owing to the iPhone 17e's chunkier display bezels.
01:02The key design differences are functional. The iPhone 17 benefits from camera control and an
01:06extra lens on the back, which we'll talk about more later, while the iPhone 17e has no such cutout
01:10and only one rear camera. They're also available in different colours. Both come in black or white,
01:15but the iPhone 17e also ships in pink, while the iPhone 17 comes in blue, green or lavender.
01:22As mentioned, the iPhone 17 gets a larger 6.3-inch OLED display than the iPhone 17e's 6.1-inch
01:28display,
01:28but it's fitted into largely the same frame size. That means the iPhone 17's bezels are wafer-thin,
01:33while the iPhone 17e has to make do with some slightly thicker, less premium-looking black borders.
01:37The iPhone 17 also gets the dynamic island cutout at the top of its display,
01:41where the iPhone 17e is stuck with a physical notch.
01:43If you haven't used the dynamic island before, you probably won't know what you're missing,
01:46but it's essentially a pill-shaped area that's capable of displaying real-time alerts,
01:50notifications and background activities. As for display detail, both phones are just
01:54as sharp as one another, but the iPhone 17 can get a lot brighter, boasting a peak brightness
01:58of 3000 nits to the iPhone 17e's 1200 nits. Mind you, in most everyday scenarios,
02:02you can expect to get around 800 nits from the iPhone 17e and around 1000 nits from the iPhone 17.
02:07The biggest display difference comes in the refresh rate department. The iPhone 17e's screen is
02:11locked to 60Hz, while the iPhone 17 gets an always-on 120Hz display.
02:16That basically means the scrolling experience on the iPhone 17 is far smoother than that of the
02:20iPhone 17e, though again, if you're used to the 60Hz refresh rate of Apple's older iPhone models,
02:24you're not likely to be disappointed by the way the 17e feels to navigate.
02:30The biggest difference between the iPhone 17e and the 17 can be spotted by someone who knows
02:34absolutely nothing about phones. The more expensive device has a whole extra lens on the back.
02:38Specifically, it's a 48MP ultrawide lens, which lets you capture expansive subjects like
02:42landscapes and tall buildings with ease. The iPhone 17e does at least get the same 48MP
02:47fusion camera as the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, including the Pro and the Pro Max.
02:51This lens lets you capture shots at either 1x or 2x, and it uses some smart pixel-binning
02:55wizardry to maintain image quality at that larger distance, though you'll need to go pro if you want
02:59to zoom further than 2x. Notably, you also get the next-gen portrait mode, which automatically
03:03detects depth and lets you adjust the focus of an image post-capture on both the iPhone 17e and the
03:08iPhone 17, which is a nice win for Apple's cheapest iPhone. Several other features though,
03:12like spatial photo capture and Dolby Vision video capture, are exclusive to the iPhone 17.
03:16In the selfie department, the 17 boasts an 18MP centre-stage camera, which can switch the
03:21orientation from vertical to horizontal to help you fit more people into the frame. Meanwhile,
03:25the 17e gets a run-of-the-mill 12MP front-facing lens.
03:31Both the iPhone 17e and the iPhone 17 use an almost identical A19 chipset, meaning they're
03:36just as powerful as one another. Technically, the iPhone 17 benefits from an extra GPU core,
03:40but even with one less, the iPhone 17e still flies through everyday tasks and can run mobile games
03:45just as easily as on the 17. The software experience is also the same across both phones. The 17e,
03:50like the rest of the iPhone 17 line, runs iOS 26 out of the box, it's compatible with Apple
03:54intelligence, and it offers the customisable action button for handy software shortcuts.
03:58As for software support, you'll get between 5 and 7 years of major iOS updates, regardless of which
04:02iPhone you choose. When it comes to battery life, the 17e and 17 offer similar levels of endurance,
04:10owing to their shared A19 chipset and CX1 modem. Apple rates the former phone for 26 hours of video
04:15playback and the latter for 30 hours, and that proved to be largely accurate in our testing. You'll get at
04:19least a full day of juice from either model. The gaps begin to appear in the charging department.
04:23While both devices benefit from MagSafe compatibility, which is a big win for the
04:2617e since the 16e offered no such compatibility, the iPhone 17 offers faster charging speeds across
04:32the board. Specifically, the 17 gets 40W wide, 25W wireless and 4.5W reverse-wide charging,
04:38while the 17e offers 20W wide and 15W wireless speeds. Those aren't deal-breaking disparities,
04:43but for reference, you can expect to reach 50% charge in around 30 minutes with the iPhone 17e,
04:47and the same figure in around 20 minutes with the iPhone 17, if you're using chargers that support
04:51their respective max wattages. On paper, the iPhone 17e doesn't triumph over the 17 in any area except
04:59price. But if you're looking for a no-for-ills iPhone that will remain powerful and supported
05:03for years to come, it's still a great value product. Keen photographers, though, will be
05:07better served by one of Apple's more expensive iPhones. And if you're someone who values the
05:10display experience above all else, then the iPhone 17's faster refresh rate and higher brightness do
05:15justify its price premium. Let us know in the comments which iPhone you think offers better value,
05:19and again, head to the description box below for the latest iPhone 17 deals.
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