{"id":573224,"date":"2026-03-30T01:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T01:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/573224\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T01:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T01:46:10","slug":"our-honest-first-impressions-of-the-new-iphone-17e","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/573224\/","title":{"rendered":"Our honest first impressions of the new iPhone 17e"},"content":{"rendered":"

I remember desperately wanting Apple\u2019s super cool first-gen iPhone when I was younger, and later receiving a MyPhone my parents bought in the Philippines. More than 20 years on and I\u2019m back to using a budget alternative<\/a>, but this time, it\u2019s still the real deal. <\/p>\n

RELATED: Apple reveals \u2018breakthrough\u2019 affordable laptop<\/a><\/p>\n

The global leader promised serious bang for buck in the Apple iPhone 17e<\/a>*, packing the latest A19 chip along with MagSafe compatibility, and faster performance than the previous iPhone 16e<\/a>. And you\u2019ll be surprised how much you can get out of the single 48MP Fusion camera.<\/p>\n

Plus, its starting price is $400 cheaper than the latest iPhone 17<\/a> (and a whopping $1200 difference compared to the premium iPhone 17 Pro Max<\/a>). <\/p>\n

But is this new budget smartphone reallyApple\u2019s best affordable item yet<\/a>? To find out, I stored away my Android device and became an iPhone newbie for the first time in a long while. Check out my first impressions below.<\/p>\n

NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n

\u2022 Unlike the previous iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e supports MagSafe and Qi2 for faster and convenient charging.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The iPhone 17e starts with 256GB storage, which is double what was offered in the older model.<\/p>\n

HOW DID WE TEST THE APPLE IPHONE 17E?<\/p>\n

I spent the last two weeks road-testing the iPhone 17e<\/a> as my ultimate work companion and travel buddy, mainly checking out the battery life, camera quality and speed.<\/p>\n

1-MINUTE REVIEW: APPLE IPHONE 17E<\/p>\n

SETTING UP FROM ANDROID TO IPHONE<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s been a hot minute since I had an iPhone as my main device, I regularly use a MacBook Air<\/a> and iPad<\/a> so I\u2019m not a total stranger to the Apple ecosystem. In saying that, there\u2019s still definitely a learning curve and while the switch is fairly simple, you can make the transfer process much easier by having an eSIM and using Apple\u2019s Move to iOS app. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth pointing out eligible customers can also score a few extra perks with the iPhone 17e<\/a>, including free three-month subscription trials: <\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple TV+<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple Music<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple Arcade<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple Fitness+<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple News+<\/p>\n

DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE<\/p>\n

The iPhone 17e<\/a> might have been for budget conscious Apple fans, but it certainly doesn\u2019t feel like you\u2019re sacrificing the good stuff. <\/p>\n

This device features the latest A19 Chip and iOS 26 software, plus a C1X cellular modem to offer a smartphone that\u2019s twice as fast as the previous iPhone 16e<\/a> and bring on par with the iPhone 17 models and iPhone Air<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Got butter-fingers? The gadget also is made with Ceramic Shield 2, which is said to offer three times better scratch resistance than the older model.<\/p>\n

Plus, it\u2019s a nice looking phone overall. I absolutely adore the soft pink shade and the 6.1-inch OLED display (and three seasons of Ted Lasso) was enough to keep me happily entertained on a nine-hour flight. <\/p>\n

CAMERA QUALITY<\/p>\n

Unlike the rest of its iPhone 17 family<\/a>, the iPhone 17e<\/a> only comes with a single 48MP rear camera. Thankfully, it takes surprisingly great photos and videos so it won\u2019t feel like you\u2019re missing out on much. <\/p>\n

On the downside, overcast weather and poorly lit environments can lead to grainy shots. There\u2019s also no option to do ultra-wide or macro photography. <\/p>\n

But for the most part, the iPhone 17e<\/a> still provides decent camera quality that will satisfy most people \u2013 especially if you\u2019re after a more affordable alternative to the flagship range.<\/p>\n

BATTERY LIFE<\/p>\n

The iPhone 17e<\/a> offers impressive battery life and provides more than enough juice for daily tasks. I only switched on Low Power Mode whenever I forgot to charge the device overnight, and even then I could still comfortably doom scroll on the train the next morning.<\/p>\n

However, the battery drained noticeably faster when I used Naver Maps to navigate around Seoul. On the plus side, I never needed a power bank<\/a> and still managed to take plenty of touristy photos and search the web on top of getting directions. <\/p>\n

HOW MUCH DOES THE APPLE IPHONE 17E COST?<\/p>\n

With a starting price of $999, the iPhone 17e<\/a> is still pricey but definitely a more affordable option if you\u2019re wanting to shop from the latest Apple line-up. <\/p>\n

The new release<\/a> will be available in two storage options, 256GB<\/a> and 512GB<\/a>, with prices starting from $999.<\/p>\n

\u2022 256GB: $999<\/p>\n

\u2022 512GB: $1399<\/p>\n

You can choose from three colours, including soft pink<\/a>, white<\/a> and black<\/a>. <\/p>\n

VERDICT: SHOULD YOU BUY THE APPLE IPHONE 17E<\/p>\n

While I\u2019ve been a loyal MacBook<\/a> and iPad<\/a> user, it\u2019s been a while since I\u2019ve had an iPhone<\/a> as my main smartphone. Apple\u2019s iPhone 17e<\/a> felt like the perfect \u2018gateway iPhone\u2019 to help sway anyone back into the ecosystem, especially if you don\u2019t want to splurge on the pricier models or sacrifice a big chunk of the flagship experience.<\/p>\n

The device is a solid performer that\u2019s fast, provides long-lasting battery life, and offers good camera quality. Plus, it\u2019s a nice pick if you prefer a lower priced Apple smartphone<\/a> and don\u2019t want to look into the older models, or want more storage for less. <\/p>\n

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSHow does the price of the iPhone 17e compare with other Apple iPhones?<\/p>\n

The new iPhone 17e<\/a> is the cheapest option from the latest iPhone 17 series<\/a>. Here\u2019s how it compares to other recent models:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 17e<\/a>: $999 (256GB) or $1399 (512GB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 17<\/a>: $1399 (256GB) or $1799 (512GB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone Air<\/a>: from $1799 (256GB) to $2599 (1TB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 17 Pro<\/a>: from $1999 (256GB) to $2799 (1TB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max<\/a>: from $2199 (256GB) to $3799 (2TB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 16: from $1249 (128GB)<\/p>\n

\u2022 Apple iPhone 16 Plus: $1399 (128GB or $1599 (256GB) <\/p>\n

How long does the Apple iPhone 17e battery last?<\/p>\n

The latest iPhone<\/a> offers all-day battery with up to 26 hours of video playback. Charging doesn\u2019t take long either and can reach up to 50 per cent within 30 minutes, provided you\u2019re using a 20W adaptor<\/a> or higher.<\/p>\n

What accessories can you get for the iPhone 17e?<\/p>\n

Here are a few accessories we\u2019re loving for Apple\u2019s latest smartphone.<\/p>\n

*Product was kindly loaned by Apple for a 100 per cent honest, independent review.<\/p>\n

Sign up to our free shopping newsletter<\/a> to stay in the loop on the latest product reviews, roundups and sale events.<\/p>\n

\"Tahnee-Jae<\/a>Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito<\/a>Senior Shopping Writer<\/p>\n

Tahnee-Jae has years of reviewing experience, specialising in all the appliances and products that can help improve your home and life. From finding the best budget sheets to the mattresses that can help you get a better night\u2019s sleep, she does all of the research to save you time and money.
\nShe previously worked as a content producer for one of Australia\u2019s top comparison sites Canstar Blue, where she spent her days learning what Australian shoppers really think by translating detailed national survey data into hundreds of highly respected consumer ratings \u2013 helping shed light on how well brands offer value for money and more.
\nArmed with a Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology, she knows that detail matters and is dedicated to creating in-depth shopping guides to help you find the right product.<\/p>\n

Read related topics:Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I remember desperately wanting Apple\u2019s super cool first-gen iPhone when I was younger, and later receiving a MyPhone…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":573225,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[64,63,203,105],"class_list":["post-573224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-mobile","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=573224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573224\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/573225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=573224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=573224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}