Apple iPhone 17e review: Ticks every box but one

Apple’s first iPhone “e” model, the iPhone 16e, wasn’t just a review unit for me; In fact, I used it as my primary phone for over half a year. And while I stand by what I wrote in my review last year – it was surprisingly powerful for a “cheap” phone, with excellent battery life – the one thing I couldn’t stand was its camera.

On paper, the camera was the same as the main camera on the iPhone 16. In reality, it was the same. similarbut it produced much worse photos in low light. Pictures of my kids dancing in the living room at night, of friends chatting over dinner, or of a band playing at a small club? Most of them turned out pretty bad.

With the iPhone 17e, released in March, Apple fixed most of the other annoyances that plagued the original model. The camera is a little better, but is it enough?

Same look, but now with MagSafe

Focusing on previous grievances, the iPhone 17e supports MagSafe, Apple’s magnetic wireless charging technology that makes it easy to place various accessories on the phone.

Support for MagSafe means MagSafe cases are also available for the iPhone 17e.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Apple sent me an iPhone 17e for review, and I was happily able to use my Apple Wallet and magnetic chargers. Apple also sent me a Clear Case with MagSafe, and while it may not be my favorite case in terms of design, it was a relief to be able to charge the phone magnetically without removing the case.

However, the ability to use MagSafe chargers and accessories is about the only physical difference between the iPhone 17e and 16e. The iPhone 17e looks exactly like its predecessor, with the only difference being the new color, Soft Pink. The device that Apple sent me was this color, and I can tell you that it’s a very pretty pink, but very soft indeed.

On the front side, there is still no dynamic island; the Face ID sensors and selfie camera are still hidden in a notch at the top of the screen. The dimensions have remained exactly the same (your old iPhone 16e case will do), and the weight is almost the same (169 grams for the new model, 167 grams for the old one).

Unfortunately, the display still only goes up to 60Hz.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The screen is still a 6.1-inch OLED that maxes out at 60Hz, and it’s very obvious if you move from a 120Hz phone; transitions and animations aren’t as smooth on the iPhone 17e.

New chip, more storage

The biggest improvements in the iPhone 17e are inside the phone. It has a new chip, Apple’s powerful A19, that can power the latest AI shenanigans. Apple’s C1X modem replaced the older C1 modem, although it’s hard to say what kind of improvements it brought.

Perhaps more importantly, the iPhone 17e starts at 256GB, compared to 128GB of starting storage for the iPhone 16e. Considering the iPhone 17e’s starting price remains unchanged at $599, that’s a big deal. You can also configure the iPhone 17e with 512GB of storage, but that brings the price to $799.

The Soft Pink color is the softest pink imaginable.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The combination of Apple’s latest chip and a decent amount of storage means this phone will be relevant for at least four to five years. In fact, that makes it extremely similar to the $799 iPhone 17, although the iPhone 17e’s A19 chip has one fewer GPU core, meaning it will be slightly worse for gaming. If you don’t care about having the flashiest phone and just need something that gets the job done, the iPhone 17e is a compelling choice.

When I reviewed the iPhone 16e, I was happy with the battery life and power. But after using the phone for several months, I came away disappointed with the camera. The phone has a single 48-megapixel rear camera with similar specs to the iPhone 16. But it just wasn’t the same; it was fine during the day, but night photos, or even photos taken in the relative darkness of my living room, just weren’t good enough.

About this camera

The bad news is that the iPhone 17e has the same camera specs as the iPhone 16e. And yes, that means no dedicated telephoto lens or ultra-wide camera; just a single 48-megapixel main camera on the back. Apple says the new A19 chips will unlock better photos, and some new camera features are indeed here, including next-generation portraits with focus and depth control. But is it better where it really matters, namely low-light photos?

Here’s why to emphasize low-light camera performance. The new iPhones, especially the Pro line, as well as the best Android phones, have really spoiled me (and probably most of you, dear readers).

One of the new camera features on the iPhone 17e is support for Apple’s next-generation portraits. I managed to capture some nice photos, but the iPhone 17e’s camera still seemed to struggle with focus and depth.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

It’s easy to forget how difficult it was to get a decent low-light photo on a smartphone just a few years ago. These days, though, I’m used to being able to take a photo in a dark pub or on an evening stroll, and having the phone automatically increase the brightness and exposure while adapting to the movements of my shaky hand. It’s hard to go back to a phone that doesn’t work as well.

So yes, the iPhone 17e takes good photos in broad daylight. All modern phones do this. Selfies are good too, but nothing special.

The selfie camera is still the old one, 12 megapixels. The other iPhones in the 17 series all have a better 18-megapixel camera.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

If you want to zoom in with the iPhone 17e, you can, but it’s purely digital: you’ll just get a smaller cutout of what the camera sensor captured, and while the quality of the shot will remain the same, the resolution will be lower.

LEFT:
The enlarged image is just a digital cutout, but it can give decent results.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

RIGHT:
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Indoors and in the evening, this is where the camera’s weaknesses manifest themselves. Sometimes Apple’s Night Mode kicks in and saves the day, producing a decent photo (although it’s still not as good as the main camera on my iPhone 17 Pro Max). But sometimes you’ll just get a blotchy, blurry photo, or the tones will be too yellow.

The photo on the left was taken with the iPhone 17e, the one on the right with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

LEFT:
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

RIGHT:
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The good news is that it looks like the iPhone 17e’s camera is a bit better than the iPhone 16e’s when it comes to low-light shots.

Perhaps the biggest problem is expectations. Check out Apple’s official tech specs for the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17e, and they’re all listed as having a “48MP Fusion Main” camera, which might lead you to believe these cameras are identical. This isn’t the case, so keep that in mind when shopping for a new iPhone.

A pretty good entry-level iPhone

It’s improved, it’s affordable, but the iPhone 17 may be a better option if you need a good camera.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

All things considered, the iPhone 17e is a decent upgrade over its predecessor and a good choice if you want the cheapest new iPhone possible. It has MagSafe, more storage, and Apple’s powerful, inexpensive A19. But if you need a better, more versatile camera, the iPhone 17 is a better choice.

This text is an extended version of the iPhone 17e hands-on article that you can read on Mashable.