This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The iPhone 17e is coming. But it has problems. Big ones that actually started with the first “e” model.
When Apple ended the iPhone SE era back in February with the release of the iPhone 16e, people were thrilled. The SE line finally received its much-needed refresh in the form of a rebrand.
Now, as we're gearing up for the second generation of the "e" model, I think it will be Apple's most disappointing release yet. Yep, more disappointing than the original iPhone 16e.
Where did Apple go wrong with the iPhone 16e in the first place?
The original iPhone SE was a great success | Image by PhoneArena
The idea of a small, affordable iPhone with a fast chipset was coined back with the original SE. It was the gateway to Apple's ecosystem, and it worked like a charm. The formula was powerful performance in a classic design for not a lot of money.
With the iPhone 16e, Apple lost most of the key ingredients of that formula. The starting price of $599 still positioned the phone as the cheapest iPhone on the market, but it was too close to the regular iPhone 16 and not the entry-level budget iPhone anymore.
Furthermore, you can buy a Pixel 10 for that kind of money (currently on sale) or a Galaxy S25 FE. Both are arguably better phones, albeit being Android ones.
When you factor in the fact that the phone uses the same display panel from an iPhone 14, with a 60Hz refresh rate and not very bright as well; there's only one camera; the GPU lacks one core; and the phone uses Apple's own modem that reviews found inferior to the Qualcomm chip in previous iPhones, you're left with a compromised device with no target audience to appeal to.
The concerning rumor about the iPhone 17e
We might get the same 60Hz iPhone 14 screen on the iPhone 17e | Image by PhoneArena
As we're gearing up for the second iteration of the iPhone "e," there's a scary rumor going around.
The phone will feature the same 60Hz panel from the iPhone 14 with the same notch and the same brightness levels.
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The iPhone 14 only managed 841 nits at 100% APL in our display test, and that's quite low by 2025 standards. I'll continue to bash the 60Hz refresh rate; it's just not acceptable, as even $199 phones such as the Galaxy A16 now sport a 120Hz refresh rate.
With a 60Hz display and a single camera, the iPhone 17e is doomed | Image by PhoneArena
This year Apple made one of the biggest overhauls of its iPhone portfolio with a brand-new design for the Pro models, the return of the aluminum as a building material, and the best upgrades to the vanilla iPhone 17 in years.
The base iPhone 17 now has a ProMotion display with a 120Hz display refresh rate; it also has a brand-new 48MP ultrawide camera, the same as the one on the Pro models, and given it's also made of aluminum, the main differences are the lack of a telephoto camera and the non-Pro chipset.
Meanwhile, Apple managed to keep the starting price of the iPhone 17 at $799, which makes it one of the best iPhone deals in years. The gap between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 16e seems to be much bigger now, in terms of specs. $200 extra now buys you a lot of phone, compared to the entry-level "e" version.
And if we're to believe the rumors about the iPhone 17e, this gap will remain quite big. The phone will feature the same display as the iPhone 16e (taken from the iPhone 14), the same Apple A19 chipset as the iPhone 17, and one single camera on the back, and it's expected to launch at the same $599 price.
Are there any aces left in the iPhone 17e’s sleeve?
We still don't know all details about the upcoming iPhone 17e | Image by PhoneArena
Well, the phone is still the cheapest iPhone you will be able to buy new, and it might cater to people who like the minimalist design, and don’t care much about the single camera. The raw performance for the price is also expected to be superb, at the level of the iPhone 17.
Furthermore, we still don’t know the full specs sheet of the 17e, and whether or not Apple is going to bring other upgrades that might tip the scales in 17e’s direction. But as it stands now, there’s little to no reason to be excited about the iPhone 17 e.
Would you buy the iPhone 17e?
The affordable phone that's not really affordable - Apple, take a page from Google's book! | Image By PhoneArena
For people in the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 17e will remain the cheapest option out there, but I'm skeptical they would pick it up rather than getting a regular iPhone 17 instead. I wouldn't. What about you? Would you buy the iPhone 17e if the rumors about the 60Hz display turn out to be true? Vote in our poll and share your comments below.
Meanwhile, I think that the iPhone 17e is shaping up to be Apple's most disappointing phone release, with virtually no upgrades where they are needed the most. Trying to sell a phone with a 60Hz display for $599 boggles my mind.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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