Apple’s iPhone 17E vs. iPhone 17, Air, Pro, Pro Max: Comparing the Full Lineup
Apple’s latest addition to its iPhone 17 range is the cheapest iPhone17E. Just like last year iPhone16EThe iPhone 17E costs $599 and is supposed to be Apple’s entry-level offering for the year. But the 17E features a number of improvements over its predecessor, such as double the starting storage space to 256GB, MagSafe compatibility, and a faster A19 chip.
However, it remains quite basic compared to the Air and the rest of the iPhone 17 range. The 17E has only one camera, no dynamic island and no camera control button. Additionally, even though it has a 12-megapixel selfie camera, the 17E lacks the Center Stage feature – which automatically switches between portrait and landscape – which is present on the Airwaves and the rest of the iPhone 17 series.
Here’s how the iPhone 17E compares to the Air lineup and the iPhone 17.
Watch this: The iPhone 17E offers more features for the same $599 price
Design and display
With a 6.1-inch OLED display, the iPhone 17E has the smallest screen compared to the rest of its siblings. The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro both have a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen, while the iPhone Air has a 6.5-inch screen and the 17 Pro Max has the largest screen of all with a 6.9-inch OLED display.
While the Air and the rest of the iPhone 17 models have a variable refresh rate of 120Hz, the iPhone 17E is the only one with a variable refresh rate of just 60Hz. This means that animations won’t be as smooth and you won’t get an always-on display. However, if you’re upgrading from an older iPhone like the iPhone 16, you may not notice as big a difference.
Design-wise, the iPhone 17E doesn’t have the Dynamic Island found on air and the rest of the iPhone 17 series. It also doesn’t have a physical camera control button.
It does, however, come in an aluminum frame and is protected by the Ceramic Shield 2, which is on par with the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. The exception is the iPhone Air, which has a titanium frame. At 0.31 inches thick, the iPhone 17E is just as thin as the iPhone 17 – certainly not as thin as the 0.22 inch thick iPhone Air. It’s quite light, though, at 169 grams (5.96 ounces), which is just a bit heavier than the Air’s weight of 165 grams.
The iPhone 17E has a single rear camera.
Cameras
Like the 16E, the iPhone 17E only has a single 48-megapixel rear camera. It has sensor cropping, which offers 2x magnification. The iPhone Air also only has a single 48-megapixel rear camera. The iPhone 17 has two: a 48-megapixel wide one and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide one. The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have three: a 48-megapixel large, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 48-megapixel telephoto lens that has 4x optical zoom but can double up to 8x at 12 megapixels.
The 17E has a 12-megapixel front camera, while the Air, 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max all have an 18-megapixel selfie shooter. Additionally, the 17E lacks the Center Stage feature that automatically switches between portrait and landscape orientations.
The iPhone 17E starts with a base storage of 256GB.
Storage, processors and battery
The iPhone 17E starts with a base storage of 256GB, double that of the 16E and puts it on par with the Air and the rest of the iPhone 17 series. All phones are also available with 512GB, while the Pro and Pro Max are the only ones available in a 1TB configuration.
The 17E is powered by Apple’s latest A19 chip, which is the same as in the iPhone 17, except the 17E has a quad-core GPU while the 17 has five cores. The iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max are all powered by Apple’s A19 Pro.
As for the battery, the 17E has the same battery as the 16E, with a 4,005 mAh battery and around 26 hours of video playback, according to Apple. That’s actually slightly bigger than the iPhone 17’s 3,692 mAh battery and the Air’s 3,149 mAh battery. The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max complete the battery rankings with a 4,252 and 5,088 mAh battery respectively. Still, the iPhone 17E’s battery should hold up well thanks to the A19 processor, the C1X cellular modem and the energy management of iOS 26.
The 17E gets MagSafe, which was sorely lacking in the 16E. This allows the iPhone 17E to work with magnetic chargers and accessories. It also has Qi2 wireless charging up to 15 watts. The iPhone Air and the rest of the 17 lineup offer fast charging up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30-watt or higher adapter with MagSafe charging.
Check out the table below to see all the ways these phones match.
Apple iPhone 17E vs. iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max
| Apple iPhone 17E | AppleiPhone 17 | Apple iPhone Air | Apple iPhone 17 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED screen; 2532 x 1170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 6.3-inch OLED; 2622 x 1206 pixels; Variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz | 6.5-inch OLED; 2736 x 1260 pixels; Variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz | 6.3-inch OLED; 2622 x 1206 pixels; Variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz |
| Pixel density | 460 dpi | 460 dpi | 460 dpi | 460 dpi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.78×2.82×0.31 | 5.89×2.81×0.31 | 6.15×2.94×0.22 | 5.91×2.83×0.34 |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 146.7×71.5×7.8 | 149.6×71.5×7.95 | 156.2×74.7×5.64 | 150.0×71.9×8.75 |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 167 g (5.88 ounces) | 177 g (6.24 ounces) | 165 g (5.82 ounces) | 206 g (7.27 ounces) |
| Mobile software | iOS26 | iOS26 | iOS26 | iOS26 |
| Camera | 48 megapixels (wide) | 48 megapixels (wide) 48 megapixels (ultra-wide) | 48 megapixels (wide) | 48 megapixels (wide) 48 megapixels (ultra-wide) 48 megapixels (4x, 8x telephoto) |
| Front camera | 12 megapixels | 18 megapixels | 18 megapixels | 18 megapixels |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A19 | Apple A19 | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A19 Pro |
| RAM + storage | Unknown RAM + 256 GB, 512 GB | RAM N/A + 256 GB, 512 GB | RAM N/A + 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | RAM N/A + 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Expandable Storage | None | None | None | None |
| Battery | 4005mAh | 3,692mAh | 3,149mAh | 4,252mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | None, Face ID | None, Face ID | None, Face ID | None, Face ID |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None | None |
| Special Features | MagSafe, Qi2 charging (up to 15W), action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance | Apple N1 Wireless Network Chip: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 6, Thread, Action Button, Camera Control Button, Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Visual Intelligence, Dual eSIM, Brightness Display Range 1-3000 nits, IP68 Resistance; colors: black, white, mist blue, sage, lavender; fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using a 40W or higher adapter via charging cable; Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W or higher adapter via MagSafe Charger | Apple N1 Wireless Network Chip: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 6, Wired, Action Button, Apple C1X Cellular Modem, Camera Control Button, Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Visual Intelligence, Dual eSIM, Brightness Display Range 1-3000 nits, IP68 Resistance; colors: space black, cloud white, light gold, sky blue; fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 20W or higher adapter via charging cable; Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W or higher adapter via MagSafe charger | Apple N1 Wireless Network Chip: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 6, Thread, Action Button, Camera Control Button, Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Visual Intelligence, Dual eSIM, ProRes Raw Video Recording, Genlock Video Support, 1-3000 nits Brightness Display Range, IP68 Resistance; colors: silver, cosmic orange, deep blue; fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using a 40W or higher adapter via charging cable; Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W or higher adapter via MagSafe Charger |
| The American price starts at | $599 (256 GB) | $829 (256 GB) | $999 (256 GB) | $1,099 (256 GB) |
