Apple’s iPhone 17e is a worthy alternative to the pricier iPhone 17

(Bloomberg) -- Having recently updated the regular iPhone with a raft of meaningful upgrades, Apple Inc. set a high bar for its entry-level “e” series.

There are significant differences between the iPhone 17e and its pricier sibling, and it’s easy to argue someone should just spend an extra $200 for a more well-rounded product. But the new budget device brings enough meaningful improvements of its own to make it a better value for shoppers who just want the most affordable but still dependable option.

This is a phone for people who care more about price than having the very best camera or the flashiest hardware features. Not everyone can easily afford an additional $200 for the standard 17. Many people just want an iPhone. Any iPhone. I feel much better recommending the 17e to that audience than its uninspired predecessor.

Apple has refreshed the 17e with its current A19 chip and 256 gigabytes of base storage — guaranteeing that it will last well into the future without owners hitting slowdowns or running out of space for photos, videos and music. It now includes built-in magnets for compatibility with a vast range of MagSafe accessories and charging stands.

The trade-offs necessary to reach that $599 price will be obvious to tech enthusiasts. But most of them won’t matter to the 17e’s target audience.

Apple iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e’s Downsides

Like its predecessor, the 17e’s screen is limited to a basic 60-hertz refresh rate, whereas the 17, 17 Pro and iPhone Air can all scroll and play games at a smoother 120 hertz. Some people — myself included — will be able to spot the difference. But many won’t care. That display also sticks with Apple’s inelegant notch for housing the Face ID sensors and front-facing camera. Other iPhones tuck these components into the smaller, more interactive Dynamic Island cutout. There’s no Always On Display mode for showing the time or your notifications when the phone is out of reach — like on a table or charging stand. Easily the most noticeable compromise is the camera system. The main 48-megapixel camera is below par compared with the 17e’s pricier cousins. There’s no ultrawide camera for capturing expansive perspectives. This also means you lose out on macro photography. The front-facing camera lacks the innovative square-shaped sensor found in the 17, 17 Pro and Air that lets users instantly switch from portrait to landscape images without physically rotating the device. iPhone 17e buyers must live without Apple’s latest photographic styles, which provide more flexibility and a greater selection of filters for editing images. This will only matter to serious shutterbugs; here, too, I can’t imagine most people will mind. Video recording supports 4K and high dynamic range, but not extras like Action Mode for super-effective stabilization or Cinematic mode for blurring the background behind your subject.

Apple iPhone 17e

But There Are Improvements, Too

Even if the 17’s screen matches the 16e in brightness and resolution, the glass on top of it is more hardened against the elements because it uses the same Ceramic Shield as pricier models.

That means the 17e has three times better scratch resistance compared with the 16e, reducing the need for a third-party screen protector. (I’ve given up that practice with my 17 Pro Max.) There’s also now an antireflective coating on the glass to help reduce glare. It makes a difference, but isn’t game changing.

And while the $599 iPhone’s camera is very similar to what was in the 16e, it will still feel like a step-up for anyone carrying an iPhone that is now several years old. The shots I’ve captured so far are sharp and colorful. If you’re the type of person who snaps dozens of photos daily, it could be worth saving up for the regular 17’s better optics, but what you get here is quite capable for shooting from the hip.

Apple iPhone 17e

For many buyers, the 17e’s 256 gigabytes of base storage should be more than enough. It’s workable even for me, and I’m a techie. Apple’s A19 chip helps the iPhone 17e feel responsive and speedy when navigating around iOS 26 and its Liquid Glass interface. This version of the processor has fewer graphics processing cores (four) compared with the five offered in the regular 17 and iPhone Air. That said, I haven’t had any problems playing graphically intensive games with it.

Even so, if you like to play games on the go, or frequently use your phone for watching videos, the bigger displays and better speakers on the upper-tier iPhones could be tempting.

There’s a lot that comes with spending more, and Apple’s record-breaking revenue last quarter confirms that many people are doing just that. But with its faster performance, tougher screen and MagSafe charging — plus many years to come of software support — the iPhone 17e feels less like settling for the bare minimum than the 16e before it.