Apple iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17e: Read This Before Spending the Extra $200

Price: A Significant Difference

Obviously, this is the clearest difference between the two: The iPhone 17 starts at $799 and goes up to $999, while the iPhone 17e starts at $599 and goes up to $799, depending on your choice of onboard storage. If you’re looking to save money, the choice here is clear.

Winner: iPhone 17e

Design: The Same, Except for Colors

The iPhone 17e comes in black, white, or soft pink. (Credit: Apple)

If not for the number of cameras, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the iPhone 17 and 17e at a glance. They’re nearly identical in size and weight, with the 17e just a tenth of an inch shorter and a third of an ounce lighter. They both have aluminum frames with Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and are rated IP68 for water and dust resistance (both can withstand submersion to 20 feet for up to 30 minutes).

Both phones are available in black or white. The iPhone 17e also comes in pink, while the iPhone 17 also comes in blue, green, or lavender.

Winner: Tie

Display: One Is Sharper, Smoother, and Always On

The iPhone 17’s screen is brighter and has an up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The screen is one of the first pieces of hardware to be compromised when making a cheaper model of phone, and that’s the case here. The iPhone 17e’s 6.1-inch screen is a Super Retina XDR display just like the iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch screen. They feature the same P3 wide color gamut and 460-pixels-per-inch sharpness.

Unlike the higher-end model, though, the 17e’s screen isn’t always on, and it doesn’t have a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz; it’s locked to 60Hz, so scrolling isn’t as smooth. It’s also dimmer at 800 nits in most cases, 1,200 nits with HDR content, and lacks a brighter outdoor mode, compared with the iPhone 17 (1,000 nits typical, 1,600 nits with HDR, and up to 3,000 nits outdoors).

Winner: iPhone 17