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iPhone 17e Reviews: Two Key Upgrades

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The first reviews of the iPhone 17e were published today by selected publications and YouTube channels, ahead of the device launching on Wednesday.

Apple-iPhone-17e-feature.jpg

iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gained Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, and Apple's second-generation C1X cellular modem. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at the same $599 as the iPhone 16e did, but it has a doubled 256GB of base storage.

The Verge's Allison Johnson recommended that customers purchase the standard iPhone 17 for an extra $200 over the iPhone 17e, if they can afford to. The standard iPhone 17 has been very popular, and it offers some features the iPhone 17e lacks, including a 120Hz ProMotion display, a Dynamic Island, and an extra Ultra Wide rear camera.

If you do opt for the iPhone 17e, though, MagSafe and the 256GB of base storage are the two key upgrades over the iPhone 16e.

CNN Underscored's Mike Andronico called MagSafe a "huge" addition:
While the iPhone 17e looks and feels just like last year's model, there's one huge change under the hood: MagSafe support. Apple's latest entry level phone works with the wide ecosystem of magnetic accessories out there, including MagSafe wallets, MagSafe battery packs and MagSafe charging stands. It's been so nice being able to plop my iPhone 17e on my Belkin Boost Charge stand while I'm at my desk and snap on my Baseus PicoGo battery pack when I'm on the go, two major conveniences I often have to give up when testing a cheaper phone. MagSafe allows for twice the wireless charging speed at 15W versus 7.5W, and while Google just joined the party with its similar PixelSnap tech, you won't find that feature on the new $500 Google Pixel 10a.
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Google's budget Pixel 10a smartphone lacks an equivalent MagSafe feature.

iPhone 17e benchmarks already surfaced last week, revealing that the device's A19 chip is up to 15% faster than the iPhone 16e's A18 chip and unsurprisingly on par with the standard iPhone 17. In other words, performance is totally fine.

iPhone 17e features Apple's latest C1X modem for cellular connectivity. Apple says the C1X is up to twice as fast as the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e.

On AT&T's network in New Jersey, PCMag's Eric Zeman said the iPhone 17e achieved a peak download speed of 419 Mbps, but he did not test any other devices for comparison. In a study published in September, Ookla said the iPhone 16e achieved a median download speed of 169 Mbps on AT&T, so it seems like twice-as-fast 5G is roughly accurate.

CNET, Engadget, and WIRED also shared iPhone 17e reviews, among others.

Video Reviews





Article Link: iPhone 17e Reviews: Two Key Upgrades
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/review/iphone-17e/
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If only it was a better deal than a used or refurbished 15 Pro. Selling this for the same price (depending on region) as the Neo but still considerably more than a 15 Pro (albeit only with 128GB) seems weird. The only real upside I see is a genuine and full length Apple warranty, apart from that I’d not recommend this phone to anyone. Especially the 512 version, that sets you back more than a (256) iPhone 17, which is despite the standard memory still more than double the phone and a way better experience over all.
Maybe next year.
 
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The best thing about the 17e is that you can trade in an iPhone 11 or 12 and get it for under $100 with those carrier trade in deals. seriously, some of those are wild. if you know people who don't follow apple stuff and have an aging phone, one of those is crazy good. and you can 0% finance for like $2-$3 a month? perfect deal for most people and an obvious upgrade. People are going to want it to have promotion, more storage, more cameras...etc. but in reality a bunch of people just want to have a pro model phone at around $600.
 
Parowdy said:
If only it was a better deal than a used or refurbished 15 Pro. Selling this for the same price (depending on region) as the Neo but still considerably more than a 15 Pro (albeit only with 128GB) seems weird. The only real upside I see is a genuine and full length Apple warranty, apart from that I’d not recommend this phone to anyone. Especially the 512 version, that sets you back more than a (256) iPhone 17, which is despite the standard memory still more than double the phone and a way better experience over all.
Maybe next year.
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if buying second hand vs brand new, yes the used 15pro is better, but if you trade in an 11 or 12 and get the 17e for under 100$ it is a clear upgrade for people. most people aren't keeping old phones and just go to their carrier store and get a new one when theirs is old. if you frequent tech related forums and keep your older devices, it isn't the phone for you.
 
I think so many people (even reviewers) miss the point of this phone, especially when viewed from within their own tech bubbles.

Next time you're in a Starbucks or a bar or on public transport, look around you at all the people using iPhones and ask yourself how many of those would care about or even be aware of ProMotion displays or Dynamic Islands. If I told my wife that instead of buying a brand new 17e for her I was spending an extra 33% on a 17 or buying a refurbished 15 Pro for the same price just so she could have features she didn't care about, she'd justifiably ask me why.
 
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NightFox said:
I think so many people (even reviewers) miss the point of this phone, especially when viewed from within their own tech bubbles.

Next time you're in a Starbucks or a bar or on public transport, look around you at all the people using iPhones and ask yourself how many of those would care about or even be aware of Promotion displays or Dynamic Islands. If I told my wife that instead of buying a brand new 17e for her I was spending an extra 33% on a 17 or buying a refurbished 15 Pro for the same price just so she could have features she didn't care about, she'd justifiably ask me why.
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True but I think it’s not a good look that these don’t have precision finding for AirTags.

Was going to buy AirTags for my older in-laws (who will most likely get the 17e) but didn’t realize that Apple cheaped out in a bizarre way
 
To me, no Dynamic Island is really sad.
It's a 4 year old software update for some widgets and this new $600 phone can't run it just because they developed its graphics around the pill cutout.
I'm fine with a cheap-ish phone looking older but they basically software-locked some old features on it.
 
cicalinarrot said:
To me, no Dynamic Island is really sad.
It's a 4 year old software update for some widgets and this new $600 phone can't run it just because they developed its graphics around the pill cutout.
I'm fine with a cheap-ish phone looking older but they basically software-locked some old features on it.
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The island takes up more space than the notch because the space above it is dead space. I wouldn't say its better and the widgets are a little silly because they're still way away from your thumbs. iOS is smooth enough to not really need VRR like the iPad or Mac. In reality its whether or not the ultrawide is worth $200. I would question that.
 
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Honestly as a 17 Pro user, if this 17e had a telephoto camera I'd be just as happy (maybe more since it would be lighter).

Let's be real the experience for MOST across these phones is darn near the same. I hate how heavy the 17 pro is. All I care about is iOS and cameras.
 
I was playing with a 16e in the store yesterday (didn't have 17e's on display yet) and it really is pretty cheap feeling.

I was a little bummed about that.

When using it, it reminded me constantly that it is the low end budget crap iPhone. 😕
 
FSMBP said:
True but I think it’s not a good look that these don’t have precision finding for AirTags.

Was going to buy AirTags for my older in-laws (who will most likely get the 17e) but didn’t realize that Apple cheaped out in a bizarre way
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Precision finding is just Apple marketing upsell. My phone don’t support it and I never felt I needed it.
 
What_Is_George said:
The best thing about the 17e is that you can trade in an iPhone 11 or 12 and get it for under $100 with those carrier trade in deals. seriously, some of those are wild. if you know people who don't follow apple stuff and have an aging phone, one of those is crazy good. and you can 0% finance for like $2-$3 a month? perfect deal for most people and an obvious upgrade. People are going to want it to have promotion, more storage, more cameras...etc. but in reality a bunch of people just want to have a pro model phone at around $600.
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Because carriers are ripping people off with plans that cost 2-3x what they should.
 
A great phone if you don’t value a fancy camera. Yeah you could probably find a used 3 year old iPhone pro for a similar price but the battery will probably be lousy and come with half the storage.

Too bad it’s harder to find deals on iPhones now that most carriers lock the phone for 6-12 months. Better off buying Apple gift cards on sale and buying direct from Apple.
 
The price point makes even less sense now that the Macbook Neo is out. Before that, comparing the e phones against what you can get on the Android side™ for the same or less money has always been a factor.

Pixel 10a
  • has a larger screen
  • has a full screen (no notch)
  • has 120hz refresh
  • MUCH higher nits (screen brightness) 2000 with 3000 peak
  • Additional ultra wide camera
  • USB 3.2 speeds (Apple only supports USB-2 @ 480Mb/s) (WHY DOES APPLE THROTTLE THIS PORT!?)
  • 7 years of updates (Apple doesn't list but will likely be the same)
  • $100 less (Pixel 10a does have less starting & overall storage)

I get that people wanting Apple's ecosystem will not consider Android regardless of who makes the device. There are differences in the ecosystem. I also get that the 17e has a far faster processor as compared to Tensor.

The point of my comparison is the fact that you get a fair bit of kit for less money (this is just one example) in other areas. Perhaps there is more economics to it on the side of Apple manufacturing, but why put in an A19 processor when the A18 is still in production (even better, maybe use culled copies from the Neo or regular iPhone 16)?
 
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840quadra said:
The price point makes even less sense now that the Macbook Neo is out. Before that, comparing the e phones against what you can get on the Android side™ for the same or less money has always been a factor.

Pixel 10a
  • has a larger screen
  • has a full screen (no notch)
  • has 120hz refresh
  • MUCH higher nits (screen brightness) 2000 with 3000 peak
  • Additional ultra wide camera
  • USB 3.2 speeds (Apple only supports USB-2 @ 480Mb/s) (WHY DOES APPLE THROTTLE THIS PORT!?)
  • 7 years of updates (Apple doesn't list but will likely be the same)
  • $100 less (Pixel 10a does have less starting & overall storage)

I get that people wanting Apple's ecosystem will not consider Android regardless of who makes the device. There are differences in the ecosystem. I also get that the 17e has a far faster processor as compared to Tensor.

The point of my comparison is the fact that you get a fair bit of kit for less money (this is just one example) in other areas. Perhaps there is more economics to it on the side of Apple manufacturing, but why put in an A19 processor when the A18 is still in production (even better, maybe use culled copies from the Neo or regular iPhone 16)?
Click to expand...

Pixel 10a will also be able to run GrapheneOS at some point I presume?

That'd be what I would do with a Pixel.
 
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MacRumors said:

If you do opt for the iPhone 17e, though, MagSafe and the 256GB of base storage are the two key upgrades over the iPhone 16e.
Click to expand...

Awkward thing to write. This phone is largely bought by corporations, who refresh phones every 5 years or so.

Why would you point out two key upgrades over last year’s model?
 
orangeadrenaline said:
A great phone if you don’t value a fancy camera. Yeah you could probably find a used 3 year old iPhone pro for a similar price but the battery will probably be lousy and come with half the storage.

Too bad it’s harder to find deals on iPhones now that most carriers lock the phone for 6-12 months. Better off buying Apple gift cards on sale and buying direct from Apple.
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a 256GB 14 pro in good condition is going to cost ~ $275 on the used market. Immediately take it to Apple to have the battery replaced for$99 and you are below the cost of the 17e.

Go a year newer at ~$479 256gb get USB-C (at full 3.1 speed), likely not need a new battery (but may as well get it @ $99), and still be (ever so slightly) below the cost of a 17e.

Granted, these phones will likely need to be replaced sooner (iOS update limitations will be a factor), however you will have a more capable phone with regards to cameras, and better caliber displays to enjoy your content.
 
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840quadra said:
a 256GB 14 pro in good condition is going to cost ~ $275 on the used market. Immediately take it to Apple to have the battery replaced for$99 and you are below the cost of the 17e.

Go a year newer at ~$479 256gb get USB-C (at full 3.1 speed), likely not need a new battery (but may as well get it @ $99), and still be (ever so slightly) below the cost of a 17e.

Granted, these phones will likely need to be replaced sooner (iOS update limitations will be a factor), however you will have a more capable phone with regards to cameras, and better caliber displays to enjoy your content.
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I think the crust on a 3 year old used phone is also a factor.
 
orangeadrenaline said:
I think the crust on a 3 year old used phone is also a factor.
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Not sure what you are on about. Not going to be able to list any phone with a "crust" on any of the reputable sites such as Swappa under the headline of "good" or "Mint" condition.

There are also reputable refurbished options out there for similar prices if you need one that is "professionally" cleaned.

If you insist on new, well there is no other option. I simply responded to your incorrect assessment on the used market pricing with equivalent storage, and addressed your concerns with the batteries.
 
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840quadra said:
Not sure what you are on about. Not going to be able to list any phone with a "crust" on any of the reputable sites such as Swappa under the headline of "good" or "Mint" condition.

There are also reputable refurbished options out there for similar prices if you need one that is "professionally" cleaned.

If you insist on new, well there is no other option. I simply responded to your incorrect assessment on the used market pricing with equivalent storage, and addressed your concerns with the batteries.
Click to expand...
Wouldn’t A19 be faster than the A17pro?
 
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