iPhone 17e: What makes it different from the other iPhone 17 models?

Design

Kicking this off with its design, the iPhone 17e is touted to be "built to last." It features a strong yet lightweight aerospace-grade aluminum design, and is splash, water, and dust resistant with an IP68 rating.

Like the rest of the iPhone 17 models, it has the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover that is "tougher than any smartphone glass."

However, it has a slightly smaller 6.1-inch display compared to the 6.3-inch screen of the iPhone 17 and Pro models. The Pro Max, meanwhile, has a 6.9-inch display.

The budget phone also dons the notched display, whlie the 2025-released iPhone 17 devices come with the Dynamic Island.

While the standard model can output 3,000 nits of brightness, the iPhone 17e only has 1,200 nits.

As for the colors, the new model is available in three elegant colors in matte finish: black, white, and a beautiful new soft pink. On the other hand, the iPhone 17 comes in black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white, while the Pro and Pro Max versions come in deep blue, cosmic orange, and silver.

Camera

The iPhone 17e can still take "gorgeous photos with excellent detail" as with its predecessors, including in low light with Night mode. 

It is still equipped with a 48MP Fusion camera that enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto, allowing users to get closer to the subject and easily frame their shot. It also continues to record videos in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps.

However, the iPhone 17e only has a single rear camera, meaning there's no Ultra Wide lens.

The new model does improve the camera's portrait mode through an advanced image pipeline. With this, it delivers a natural depth and smooth bokeh that "gracefully blurs the background while keeping subjects sharp."

It can also recognize people, dogs, and cats, and automatically saves depth information, allowing users to adjust the focus point in the Photos app.

The Pro and Pro Max models still have the edge when it comes to camera hardware. Both are equipped with the 8x optical zoom at 200mm, the longest ever on iPhone, and provide longer reach and more creative choices.

Performance

The new model is still equipped with the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17. The iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Air carry the more powerful A19 Pro chipset. All models also support Apple Intelligence. 

For its battery, you can enjoy up to 26 hours of video playback, which is shorter than the iPhone 17, which allows up to 30 hours of video playback.

Its charging speed is also slower, powering up to 50% in around 30 minutes, whereas the iPhone 17 can charge up to 50% in just 20 minutes.

The Pro and Pro Max models, meanwhile, feature a larger battery that allows up to 39 hours of video playback and can charge up to 50% in 20 minutes.

The iPhone 17e's storage capabilities are also the same as the standard version, offering 256GB and 512GB of storage. The Pro is meanwhile available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, while the Pro Max is expanded with a 2TB storage.

Prices

Here's how much each of the iPhone 17 models is priced:

• iPhone 17e (256GB) - P44,990
• iPhone 17e (512GB) - P59,990
• iPhone 17 (256GB) - P57,990
• iPhone 17 (512GB) - P72,990
• iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) - P79,990
• iPhone 17 Pro (512GB) - P94,990
• iPhone 17 Pro (1TB) - P109,990
• iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB) - P86,990
• iPhone 17 Pro Max (512GB) - P101,990
• iPhone 17 Pro Max (1TB) - P116,990
• iPhone 17 Pro Max (2TB) - P146,990

Apart from the price, the iPhone 17e does not stray away too much from the standard version of the iPhone 17 as it still retains the same generation processor, scratch resistance, storage capabilities, among others.

However, it does pale in comparison when it comes to the camera, display, and battery.

Nevertheless, if you're living on a tight budget and simply want to upgrade your phone, the iPhone 17e still hits the sweet spot.