iPhone 17e arrives with A19 chip upgrade and MagSafe

Apple’s new iPhone 17e brings more speed, better wireless connectivity, and corrects the biggest flaw in the iPhone 16e.

Just one year after the introduction of the iPhone 16e, Apple has replaced it with a new model. The iPhone 17e is now the new entry-level device in the iPhone roster, providing essential functionality for those on a budget.

The new model is pretty much an update to the previous version, rather than a complete overhaul. It is still a device with a 6.1-inch OLED screen, with it still clinging on to the notch at the top for Face ID instead of moving to the modern Dynamic Island.

The overall design is also unchanged, with flat sides, the Action Button, and a single camera on the back sans bump as before. However, the main changes are internal.

Change from within

This year’s edition upgrades the A18 to the A19, matching the chip used in the base version of the iPhone 17. It still provides the same level of performance and access to Apple Intelligence as the standard model.

The A19 has a combination of two performance cores and four efficiency cores for the CPU, while the GPU has four cores. This is one GPU down from the five-core version in the iPhone 17’s version, but the Neural Accelerators added to each GPU core will give a significant boost to machine learning tasks.

Another internal change is the use of Apple’s newest wireless chips, including the C1X cellular modem. You’re still not getting mmWave here, but it’s doubtful that will matter for its target user.

Features like Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via Satellite are still available for users who find themselves in trouble.

The new iPhone 17e adds MagSafe charging — image credit: Apple

One more addition is MagSafe, which was oddly missing from the iPhone 16e despite its inclusion of Qi wireless support. Its use means it will work with MagSafe charging accessories, and will work at up to 15W, up from 7.5W support.

Returning functionality

That single camera is the same as in the previous model. The 48MP Fusion Camera has an integrated 12MP 2X Telephoto, a virtual camera that is really a cropped-in shot taken from the same camera sensor.

It also has Apple’s usual array of features, including Deep Fusion computational photography, Portrait Mode with Portrait Lighting, Photographic Styles, Night Mode, and a 10x digital zoom. Video capabilities extend to 4K Dolby Vision at 60fps, 1080p Slo-mo at 240fps, and a 6x digital zoom.

The new iPhone 17e uses Apple’s Ceramic Shield protective layer — image credit: Apple

The front has a 12MP TrueDepth camera with Portrait Lighting, Animoji and Memoji support, 4K Dolby Vision at 60fps, 1080p 120fps Slo-mo, and Cinematic Stabilization.

Battery life continues to be high, at up to 26 hours of video playback, 21 hours when streamed, and up to 90 hours of audio playback.

The new model continues to be made available in a choice of Black and White finishes, plus a new soft pink.

Pre-orders begin on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, and the iPhone 17e will be shipping from March 11, 2026. The iPhone 17e starts from $599 for the base 256GB model, and $799 for 512GB.