Apple iPhone 17e White 512GB

The iPhone 17e is a rocket ship with a tiny fuel tank. Great chip, great display, but the battery life will have you hunting for outlets by dinner.

The A19 chip is the star here. It's sitting at the 81st percentile in our database, which means it's well above average and will chew through AAA games, 4K streaming, and everyday multitasking without breaking a sweat. What surprised us is how much raw power Apple stuffed into a budget-tier phone. The 512GB storage option is also a nice touch for anyone who hoards photos and offline playlists. But that battery score of 32/100 is a real buzzkill. All-day battery life? Maybe if your day ends at 3pm.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra absolutely demolishes this phone on camera and battery, but it's also a much bigger, heavier device. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the smarter buy if photography matters to you, with a camera system that makes the 17e look like a toy. The OnePlus 15 undercuts it on price while offering better battery life. But none of them give you iOS, and for a lot of people, that's the whole point. The 17e is for iPhone loyalists who refuse to spend flagship money.

At $900 USD, this is a weird spot. It's cheaper than the iPhone 17 but not exactly cheap. You're paying for the A19 and the Apple ecosystem, not for battery endurance or camera versatility. If you want a phone that lasts all day and takes stunning photos, this isn't the best use of $900. But if you want iPhone speed without the iPhone Pro price, it's a solid deal.

The iPhone 17e is Apple's attempt to make a budget iPhone that doesn't feel like a punishment. And honestly, it mostly works. You get the A19 chip, a 48MP camera, MagSafe, and that gorgeous 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, all in a package that weighs just 169g. The one thing to know? This is a performance-first phone that cuts corners on battery and camera versatility to hit a lower price.

If you're a heavy user who needs all-day battery life, skip this. The 35th percentile battery score means you'll be reaching for a charger by late afternoon. Go get the OnePlus 15 or Pixel 10 Pro XL instead. And if you care about camera quality, the 17e's 39th percentile camera will leave you wanting more. This phone is for people who want iOS speed and don't mind the trade-offs.

Buy the iPhone 17e if you want the fastest budget iPhone Apple has ever made and you don't mind charging it more often than you'd like. The A19 chip is legitimately impressive, and MagSafe finally arriving on the budget line is a big deal. But if battery life or camera quality are your top priorities, spend your money elsewhere. This is a performance phone with budget compromises, not a budget phone with no compromises.