Apple’s bumper week of product launches is being led by a serious upgrade to its most affordable phone: the iPhone 17e.
While it might look familiar on the outside (it's still clinging to the classic display notch found on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 16e, rather than the modern Dynamic Island) Apple has given the internals an overhaul. The headline addition is the latest A19 processor (the exact same chip found in the standard iPhone 17), alongside the new C1X cellular modem first seen on the iPhone Air, which promises to be twice as fast and more efficient than its predecessor.
The iPhone 17e also finally embraces MagSafe. This unlocks 15W wireless charging and opens the door to the vast ecosystem of magnetic accessories that budget iPhone buyers have been missing out on for years. With pre-orders opening today and a starting price that keeps it firmly under £600, it’s a huge step up for Apple’s cheapest phone.
When can you pre-order the iPhone 17e in the UK?
Pre-orders for the iPhone 17e opened on Wednesday 4 March at 2.15pm GMT. It will go on general sale on Wednesday 11 March.
The handset comes in two storage configurations. The 256GB model starts at £599, while the 512GB model starts at £799. It comes in white, black and soft pink.
iPhone 17e: From £599, Apple.com
The all-new iPhone 17e features a 6.1in Super Retina XDR OLED display. That’s the same size as the iPhone 16e, but it now gets Apple’s tougher Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and an aluminium frame, which should make it a little more durable.
Inside, it’s powered by the A19 chip and Apple’s new C1X modem, meaning it’s just as powerful as the regular iPhone 17 and, thanks to the more-efficient silicon, should last longer on a charge.
On the rear, there’s still a single 48MP fusion camera with an optical 2x zoom. It’s not pro-level but the improved image processing should do most of the heavy lifting. On the front, there’s still the same 12MP camera for selfies and Face ID.
The biggest hardware change is that it now supports MagSafe. Annoyingly, it’s only Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W, rather than 25W, so won’t charge as quickly as the regular iPhone 17, but it’s still nice to have. There’s a wealth of MagSafe accessories out there, too.
The best iPhone 17e pre-order deals
iPhone 17e with 100GB data: £28.99 per month, £9 upfront, Carphonewarehouse.com
This 24-month contract with iD Mobile is the best deal I’ve seen. Over the two-year contract, you’ll pay a total of just over £700. Once you subtract the £599 retail price of the handset, you’re effectively paying a mere £4.50 a month for your airtime. You’ll also get an extra £50 when you trade in an iPhone XS or later.
iPhone 17e with 100GB data: £32 per month, £9 upfront, Carphonewarehouse.com
This Vodafone deal via Carphone Warehouse gets you a massive 100GB of 5G data for £32 a month and a tiny £9 upfront fee. Crunching the numbers over the 24-month contract, the total cost comes to less than £800. Take away the £599 cost of the phone, and you are paying the equivalent of around £7.50 a month for a 100GB data plan.
iPhone 17e with 400GB data: £33 per month, £19 upfront, Mobilephonesdirect.co.uk
This O2 deal offers a colossal 400GB of monthly data and, bizarrely, comes with a free case of wine, free cafetière and an Amazon Prime Video trial. The catch here is that you’re signing up for a lengthy 36-month contract, with an option to swap phones at 24 months. The maths means that your airtime works out to about £17 a month - not the cheapest way to buy the phone, but a decent price for that many gigabytes.
For more, I’ve also found the best Samsung Galaxy S26 pre-order deals
