When Apple launched the primary “e” mannequin iPhone, the iPhone 16e, tech reviewers (me included) set free a collective: “WHY?”
It wasn’t about battery life, or the chip powering it (each have been fairly nice), and nobody was actually phased in regards to the gadget’s archaic design. It was the dearth of MagSafe, Apple’s magnetic, wi-fi energy charging tech that makes it straightforward to slap varied equipment onto the telephone. It appeared like such a bizarre omission. Ditching MagSafe most likely minimize some manufacturing prices for Apple, however it meant telephone homeowners wouldn’t purchase any of the equipment from Apple’s wealthy MagSafe ecosystem.
I’m happy to report that this yr’s Apple finances telephone, the iPhone 17e, fixes this difficulty.
Same outdated design, with one massive distinction
MagSafe is right here, and so is the Clear Case with MagSafe.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable
Apple despatched me an iPhone 17e unit for evaluate, and I used to be fortunately in a position to make use of my Apple Wallet and magnetic chargers with it. Apple additionally despatched me a Clear Case with MagSafe, and whereas it might not be my favourite case when it comes to design, it was a aid to have the ability to cost the telephone magnetically with out eradicating the case.
I’m conscious that individuals who purchase a finances telephone are maybe much less occupied with splurging on further equipment. But MagSafe is a straightforward, cool function that additionally works with cheaper, third-party equipment, and it does not get in the best way should you do not look after it. I’m glad that Apple got here to its senses and included it within the new iPhone 17e.
The capacity to make use of MagSafe chargers and equipment is nearly the one bodily distinction between the iPhone 17e and 16e, although. The iPhone 17e seems precisely the identical as its predecessor, with the one distinction being the brand new coloration, Soft Pink. The unit Apple despatched me was on this coloration, and I can let you know that it’s a very good, however certainly a really smooth pink.
On the entrance, there’s still no Dynamic Island; the Face ID sensors and the selfie digital camera are nonetheless hidden inside a notch on the highest of the show. The dimensions have remained precisely the identical (your outdated iPhone 16e case will work), and the burden is nearly the identical (169 grams for the brand new mannequin, 167 grams for the outdated one).
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The show remains to be a 6.1-inch OLED that maxes out at 60Hz, and that is very obvious should you change from a 120Hz telephone; the transitions and animations aren’t almost as easy on the iPhone 17e.
The greatest upgrades are on the within
The iPhone 17e Silicone Case (this one is within the Bright Guava coloration) might be connected to Apple’s Crossbody Strap.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The greatest enhancements on the iPhone 17e are contained in the telephone. It has a brand new chip, Apple’s highly effective A19, which may energy the most recent AI shenanigans. Apple’s C1X modem has changed the outdated C1 modem, although it is exhausting to inform what kind of enhancements this has introduced.
Perhaps most significantly, the iPhone 17e begins at 256GB, in comparison with the iPhone 16e’s 128GB beginning storage. Given that the iPhone 17e’s beginning worth remained unchanged at $599, this can be a fairly massive deal. You may also configure the iPhone 17e with 512GB of storage, however that takes the worth to $799.
The mixture of getting Apple’s newest chip and a good quantity of storage means this telephone will probably be related for not less than 4 to 5 years. In reality, this makes it extraordinarily just like the $799 iPhone 17, although the A19 chip on the iPhone 17e has one much less GPU core, which means it will be barely worse for gaming. If you do not care about having the flashiest telephone, and simply wants one thing that will get the work finished, the iPhone 17e is a really attention-grabbing selection.
What in regards to the digital camera?
The digital camera on the again has the identical specs because the one on final yr’s iPhone 16e, however it does have some enhancements.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
When I reviewed the iPhone 16e, I used to be happy with battery life and the way highly effective it was. But having used the telephone over a number of months, I got here away dissatisfied with the digital camera. The telephone has a singular, 48-megapixel rear digital camera with very comparable specs to the one on the iPhone 16. But it simply wasn’t the identical; it was alright in daytime, however evening pictures, and even pictures taken within the relative dimness of my front room, simply weren’t adequate.
The dangerous information is that the iPhone 17e has the very same digital camera specs because the iPhone 16e. Apple says that the brand new A19 chips will unlock higher pictures, and a few new digital camera options are certainly right here, together with next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control. But it is exhausting to say what the enhancements are this early on.
On first look, the digital camera is just a little higher than earlier than. I used to be capable of take some first rate pictures in pretty darkish environments. But I’ll want extra time to evaluate simply how a lot better it’s.
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