For those who want the very best iPhone for photographers, the iPhone 17 Pro / Max is probably the option you’ll go for. However, those are out of reach for many, as they come with a hefty price tag.
As alternatives, Apple has two great more budget-friendly options, in the shape of the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 17 is the phone I’d recommend most people actually buy – surprisingly so considering the iPhone 17 Pro has more advanced specs. But I think it offers the best balance of affordability and specs for the average consumer.
But if you want to save even more cash, is it worth considering the iPhone 17e? I tried swapping my iPhone 17, with an iPhone 17e to see if there was anything I simply couldn’t live without.
Find out what happened below…
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17e: Specs
In the table below, you’ll see a comparison between some of the main specs of the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17e.
As you’ll note, the main difference between the two is that you get just one camera with the 17e, whereas there’s two for the 17.
Both have an excellent 1x lens, being high resolution and outputting at 24MP. Apple calls these “Fusion” cameras, meaning that they offer 2x “optical quality” shooting by using the central part of the sensor.
The iPhone 17 also gives you an additional ultrawide lens, which is a nice bonus to have, though arguably not a dealbreaker. Neither have a third telephoto lens like you find on the most expensive iPhone 17 Pro / Max.
Another difference is with the selfie cameras. The iPhone 17 uses Apple’s newest square format sensor, which essentially means you can shoot horizontal selfies even when holding the phone vertically. It’s also higher in resolution than that found on the iPhone 17e.
Elsewhere, many of the photography specifications are reasonably similar. Neither can shoot in raw format, and both have a Portrait mode that can be used for both people and animals, as well as adding the portrait effect after the fact.
| Specifications | iPhone 17 | iPhone 17e |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP f/1.6, OIS, 24MP output, 26mm | 48MP f/1.6, OIS, 24MP output, 26mm |
| Ultra-wide camera | 48MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera, 24MP output, 13mm | N/A |
| Selfie camera | 18MP f/1.9 with square sensor | 12MP f/1.9 |
| Image format | HEIF, JPEG stills | HEIF, JPEG stills |
| Video | 4K 60fps video | 4K 60fps video |
| Screen | 6.3-inch XDR OLED Super Retina 2622 x 1206 pixels, 3000 nits max brightness, 120Hz Ceramic Shield 2 front only | 6.1-inch XDR OLED Super Retina 2532 x 1170 pixels, 1200 nits max brightness, 60Hz Ceramic Shield 2 front only |
| Weather sealing | IP68 splash, water and dust resistant | IP68 splash, water and dust resistant |
| Processing & AI | Apple Intelligence, A19 processor | Apple Intelligence, A19 processor |
| Battery life | 30 hour battery life, wireless and fast charging (40W) available | 26 hour battery life, wireless and fast charging (40W) available |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB | 256GB/512GB |
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95mm, 177g | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80mm, 170g |
Looking outside of the photography specs, there are some other differences to think about.
The screen of the iPhone 17e is smaller than the iPhone 17, and it’s also significantly dimmer too. Battery life is less with the iPhone 17e, which is to be expected thanks to the smaller size.
Both have a Ceramic Shield 2 front and are IP68 water / dust resistant though, which is especially good news for the budget variety.
You can use Apple Intelligence with either model, and both have an A19 Processor.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17e: Image Quality
I used both phones to take photos in a variety of different shooting situations which allows me to compare directly both models. Please note that the image taken with the iPhone 17 is always shown first, followed by that with the iPhone 17e.
Images from the 1x lens are great, from both models. I can’t really spot much of a difference here, so if you’re somebody (like me) who for 90% of their photos uses the 1x lens at the 1x setting, then you can feel assured that no matter which you buy you’ll be getting good images in good light settings. Colours are nice and vibrant and there’s plenty of detail with both models.
There’s no ultrawide option with the 17e, as it has just one lens. Here’s a picture taken with the 17’s ultrawide so you can see what you’re missing out on. I wouldn’t like to be without it, but it’s probably not a deal breaker for everybody – whether you’re bothered about it is down to personal preference.
ZOOM 2X
Both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17e have an in-camera 2x crop option, which uses the central portion of the sensor. For this reason, Apple calls them “2-in-1” lenses. Both are pretty good, but there does seem to be a touch more detail in the image taken with the iPhone 17. I’m not entirely sure why this would be, and it’s only really noticeable if you zoom in, but it’s worth thinking about.
ZOOM 10x
Both also have a 10x digital zoom option. I would avoid using this for either model in all honesty. If zooming is something you want to do with any regularity, then I’d say neither of these phones are right for you – in terms of an iPhone you’ll be needing one of the Pro models. Not necessarily the 17 Pro, as you could save cash by going for something like a iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro instead.
MACRO/CLOSE-UP
Only the iPhone 17 has a macro setting. This is because it uses the ultrawide lens to achieve the close-up focus. As the iPhone 17e doesn’t have one of those, it’s not something the phone can offer. We can see what that translates to in the pictures above. Although you can get reasonably close with either model as seen in the first shot, if you want to get properly close, only the iPhone 17 can focus correctly. Try to take the same shot with the 17e and you’ll just get a blur.
LOW LIGHT
In low light, both of the models perform pretty well, when using the 1x lens. Here, we can see there seems to be a touch more detail in the shadows with the iPhone 17, but there’s not a lot in it. You can use the 2x digital crop but the results aren’t quite as good. I’d say that the results here are fine, but if you’re somebody who likes to shoot after dark a lot, there are better smartphones for low light out there.
PORTRAIT
One of the biggest gripes I had with the iPhone 16e was that while portrait mode was fine for human subjects, it didn’t give you the option to convert to portrait mode after you’ve taken a shot, and, what’s more, you couldn’t photograph pets with it either. Thankfully, Apple has changed that for the iPhone 17e, so you can do both things with the newer model. To celebrate, here’s some portraits of my dog. The shallow depth of field effect is fine on both models, with a reasonably smooth outline from both. If you like portraits, I’d be happy with either model really.
SELFIE
The iPhone 17 has Apple’s new square sensor for the selfie camera. It’s higher in resolution, and you can see perhaps a touch more detail here, though there’s really not a lot in it. I prefer being able to shoot horizontal selfies without having to turn the camera, but that’s hardly a big problem in one’s life.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17e: Price and Value for Money
You can save a decent chunk of change by opting for the iPhone 17e, so if you don’t think you’ll need all the additional features you get from the iPhone 17, it’s certainly worth considering.
Prices for the iPhone 17 start at $799/£799, whereas the iPhone 17e starts at $599/£599.
So what do you get for that extra $200/£200? Well, of course you get the extra lens, but you also get a better selfie camera, a bigger and brighter screen, plus a better battery life.
I’d say overall, these things are worth the extra outlay for most – but, perhaps you never shoot ultrawide, or don’t care too much for selfies. In which case, opting for the iPhone 17e comes down to whether you’re OK with a smaller / dimmer screen.
It’s not a bad screen, especially if you’re not putting it next to another, brighter one, but it’s perhaps a little on the small size for a phone in 2026 – it’s up to you whether you’re OK with that.
I’d actually argue that unless you’re desperate to save cash and want the latest iPhone, then the iPhone 17e isn’t fantastic value for money. It might save you $200, but you do get significantly less for it – cheapness isn’t always akin to good value, remember.
For most, I’m still of the opinion that the iPhone 17 is the one you should get.
Verdict
Having used both of these models extensively now, there’s a fairly clear-cut winner.
The iPhone 17 is a great all rounder. It’s not exactly “cheap”, though arguably it is by Apple standards, but you get a decent amount for your money, including two good lenses, and a decent screen.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17e is fine – and if you really do want to spend under $600, then it’s worth considering. But, I’d be inclined to either save for a bit longer and get the better all-round value phone, or maybe think about looking at second hand models, even in the pro range, such as the iPhone 16 Pro.
Still, in terms of this specific comparison, then of course it’s the iPhone 17 that wins, pretty much hands down. Definitely get that if you’re stuck between the “cheaper” iPhone 17 series models.
Related reading:
- iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 Pro: I tried swapping my iPhone 16 Pro for Apple’s budget phone – here’s what I discovered
- iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17: Is the telephoto camera worth the extra money
- Using this button on my iPhone has saved me so much time – here’s how you can do the same
- This iPhone Camera feature completely changed how I shoot photographs
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