Tom's Guide80
The reviewer says Apple corrected course, delivering what the 16e should have been with more storage, MagSafe and a fast chip at the same price.
Apple iPhone 17e
6 expert reviews#65 of 79 smartphones
Image: Apple3/6critics
recommend
recommend
Best entry-level iPhone
Critics’ consensus
6 professional reviewers tested the Apple iPhone 17e, and 3 recommend it. Most praised: performance and battery life.
Reviewed by Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, Expert Reviews and 3 more
The catch: It has one rear camera and a 60Hz screen, and the regular iPhone 17 is better.
Critics agree
Scores run from 70 to 80All 6 scores printed by the outlets
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What do critics say about the Apple iPhone 17e?
Trusted Reviews80
A very good, basic iPhone that fixes many 16e shortcomings, but it is overshadowed by the standard iPhone 17.
Expert Reviews80
Price and performance make it an easy seller and nothing is badly wrong, but the reviewer finds battery life mediocre and says Android rivals give far more for the money.
Tech Advisor80
A strong entry-level iPhone delivering the core Apple experience with great performance and battery for under 600.
The Verge70
It is a decent minimum viable iPhone and better value than its predecessor, but the reviewer advises spending the extra $200 on the regular iPhone 17 if possible.
WIRED70
A better entry-level iPhone thanks to MagSafe and solid battery and performance, though the reviewer finds it somewhat overpriced with a limiting single camera and no ultra-wideband.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
What critics praise most
Performance5 of 6
Battery life2 of 6
Design2 of 6
What critics dislike most
No clear pattern.
Alternatives
Not sure about the Apple iPhone 17e?
Also reviewed, not yet scored
- Motorola Moto G Power (2026) · 3 reviews so far
- Nothing Phone (3a) · 3 reviews so far
- Oppo Find X9 Pro · 3 reviews so far
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 · 3 reviews so far
Common questions
Is the Apple iPhone 17e worth it?
Critics are divided: 3 of 6 recommend it. It has one rear camera and a 60Hz screen, and the regular iPhone 17 is better.
Do critics agree about the Apple iPhone 17e?
Critics agree: scores range from 70 (The Verge) to 80 (Tom's Guide), a spread of 10 points across 6 reviews. Reviewers broadly agree.
What is the best alternative to the Apple iPhone 17e?
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra (critic score 94), best overall.