First Apple iPhone 17e reviews are in: Two important improvements
The first test reports on the Apple iPhone 17e were published today by selected publications and YouTube channels, ahead of the device’s official launch on Wednesday.
The Apple iPhone 17e has the same design as the iPhone 16e. However, it is equipped with Apple’s A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, and Apple’s second-generation C1X cellular modem. The iPhone 17e costs the same as the iPhone 16e, €698/$599, but offers twice the base storage at 256 GB.
Apple iPhone 17e reviews
Allison Johnson from The Verge recommended the regular iPhone 17 for €250/$200 more than the Apple iPhone 17e to customers who could afford it. It offers several features the iPhone 17e lacks, including a 120Hz ProMotion display, Dynamic Island, and an additional ultra-wide rear camera. The two most significant improvements over the iPhone 16e are MagSafe and the 256GB base storage.
Mike Andronico from CNN described MagSafe as a “huge” enhancement. While the Apple iPhone 17e looks and feels the same as last year’s model, MagSafe support makes Apple’s latest entry-level smartphone compatible with the wide range of magnetic accessories, including MagSafe wallets, MagSafe batteries, and MagSafe charging stations.
“It’s really convenient to simply place my iPhone 17e on my Belkin Boost Charge docking station at my desk and connect my Baseus PicoGo power bank when I’m on the go – two major advantages I often have to do without with cheaper smartphones. MagSafe enables 15 watts of wireless charging speed, twice that of 7.5 watts. While Google has also entered the market with its similar PixelSnap technology, this feature is missing from the new Google Pixel 10a for 500 US dollars.”
The benchmark results of the Apple iPhone 17e already surfaced last week showing that the device’s A19 chip is up to 15% faster than the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e and, as expected, performs on par with the standard iPhone 17. In other words, there’s more than enough power.
The iPhone 17e also comes with Apple’s latest C1X modem for cellular connections. According to Apple, the C1X is up to twice as fast as the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e.
According to Eric Zeman from PCMag, the Apple iPhone 17e reached a maximum download speed of 419 Mbit/s on the AT&T network in New Jersey. However, he did not test any other devices for comparison.
In a study published in September Ookla reported that the iPhone 16e achieved an average download speed of 169 Mbps on the AT&T network. The statement that 5G is twice as fast therefore seems roughly accurate.
