9 reasons to buy the new iPhone 17e

Apple has announced a new model of its most affordable iPhone, the iPhone 17eby press release on March 2, 2026.

Compared to last year’s iPhone 16e, the new iPhone 17e has more base storage, supports MagSafe accessories, and comes in a new pink color, which may appeal to more buyers.

Here are 9 reasons to help you decide if you’re on the fence about buying the iPhone 17e.

1. 256 GB of initial storage

Apple updated the entire iPhone 17 lineup last year with 256 GB as the base storage option and didn’t release the cheaper 17e for this treatment. Even with the same initial price as the iPhone 16e, the new 17e offers twice the storage, allowing you to store more photos, videos, games, and other files on the device.

2. MagSafe support

The new iPhone 17e supports MagSafe, allowing you to seamlessly align and attach supported wireless chargers, phone stands, wallets, and other accessories to the back of your phone. While MagSafe was introduced with the iPhone 12, its omission from the iPhone 16e was a major setback, which Apple has faced with the latest iteration.

3. A new soft pink color

While I love the white/silver models of Apple products, many people think plain white or black is boring. The iPhone 17e upgrades it by adding a new light pink color, in addition to the white and black versions (which were the only two color options for the 16e).

4. Ceramic Shield 2

Apple didn’t cut corners on the protection of the front display of the iPhone 17e and used the same Ceramic Shield 2 glass as on the rest of the iPhone 17 series. Apple says that Ceramic Shield 2 is stronger than any smartphone glass and ‘Apple-designed coating offers 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and improved anti-reflection to reduce glare.’

5. Mobile modem and enhanced privacy

The iPhone 16e was designed for Apple C1 5G mobile modem chip. The new iPhone 17e gets bumped-up C1X chip, similar to the iPhone Air, and should be 2 times faster in mobile data processing than before. Apple also claims that the new C1X chip uses 30 percent less battery than the modem in the iPhone 16 Pro.

Additionally, both the C1 and C1X chips support the new ‘Limit Specific Area‘ a privacy feature, which reduces the accuracy of location data available on mobile networks, so that they can only determine your location.

6. Advanced wireless fast charging

Like the iPhone 16e, you can quickly charge your iPhone 17e to 50 percent in about 30 minutes using a 20-watt or higher power adapter and a USB-C cable. But the real improvement comes in wireless charging, with the iPhone 17e supporting the fast Qi2 protocol, delivering up to 15 watts when using a 20W adapter or more.

Note that the iPhone 17 can charge wirelessly up to 25 watts.

7. A19 chip

The cheapest iPhone in Apple’s current lineup (Apple kept the iPhone 16, but it costs $100 more than the 17e) gets a powerful A19 chip, the same as the one in the iPhone 17. But note that the A19 chip in the iPhone 17e has four GPU cores, while the GPU is called the same 17 chip.

8. Other things

Like last year’s iPhone 16e, the new iPhone 17e keeps:

• same size in all parameters (height, width, and depth)
• the same 6.1-inch OLED display with the same brightness levels (brightness 800 nits max again 1200 nits maximum brightness when viewing HDR content)
• the same battery that Apple claims can support video playback for up to 26 hours
• the same IP68 splash, dust, and water resistance
• the same Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6
• Similar emergency features (Satellite Messaging, Satellite Emergency SOS, Satellite Roadside Assistance, and Vehicle Collision Detection)
• almost the same 48MP Fusion Main camera with the same zoom options (1x and 2x), and the same video recording capabilities (up to 4K at 60 fps)
• the same TrueDepth front camera, which captures 12MP photos
• Action button
• Apple Intelligence support

9. Same starting price of $599

Apple hasn’t raised the price of the iPhone 17e, and the base storage version (256 GB now) still starts at $599. The 512 GB version costs $799.

But note that in some countries, like India, the price of the new iPhone 17e has increased compared to the iPhone 16e, in a subtle way like the entire iPhone 17 system. The iPhone 16e started at 59900 Indian rupees, while the 17e starts at 64900 rupees.

Who should buy the new iPhone 17e?

Even though the iPhone 17e lacks a 120Hz refresh screen and has the old Face ID notch, which quickly makes the device look dated, it’s still a good buy for existing iPhone users looking to upgrade their iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, or iPhone SE.

Older devices like the iPhone 11 lag a lot on iOS 26, something you won’t hear on the new iPhone 17e with the powerful A19 processor. Also, the new phone is expected to receive at least 5 years of software updates, while the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 may not support the upcoming iOS 27, which will be announced in 3 months.

If you’re into iPhone 15, the notch-based design will be a downgrade to the modern-looking Dynamic Island, but if you’re among the few who want Apple Intelligence, the new iPhone 17e might be worth considering.

If you’re on an iPhone 16e, the only reason to upgrade will be the lack of MagSafe.

And if you have an iPhone 16, I don’t think the iPhone 17e is for you. If you’re on the 128GB model, consider using these tips to manage space, instead of getting the new 17e.

Buy iPhone 17e

Pre-orders for the new iPhone 17e in the United States begin on March 4, 2026, at 6:15 AM Pacific Time. And the first customers will start getting it on March 11th. You can order it at apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-17e/

Will you be buying for yourself or a family member?

Also, check out: 7 things to love about the iPhone 17