As an iPhone 13 Pro user, I assumed the iPhone 16e would feel like a compromise, both in design and performance. But the new iPhone 17e genuinely caught me off guard. During my day-to-day use, it holds its own against my 13 Pro, even edging ahead in certain areas, making it one of the most compelling options at this price point. If you’re set on an iPhone under RM3,000, the 17e delivers where it counts—covering nearly everything most people actually need.
The Latest A19 Chip & Super Retina XDR Display
One of the biggest updates is the A19 chip, built with advanced 3-nanometer technology, which delivers exceptional performance for everything you do on the phone. Apps stay fluid even under heavy multitasking, thanks to the 4-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, and there’s a kind of effortlessness when jumping between editing photos, scrolling, and running background tasks that feels unforced.
The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display delivers an impressively immersive viewing experience, whether you’re streaming in Dolby Vision or gaming on the go. With up to 1,200 nits of peak HDR brightness—on par with my iPhone 13 Pro—it holds up comfortably under Kuala Lumpur’s unforgiving sun, while reduced glare makes outdoor viewing noticeably easier.
If you’re anything like me and slightly careless with your devices, there’s reassuring news. The iPhone 17e introduces Ceramic Shield 2, now standard across the iPhone 17 family. It’s tougher than any smartphone glass, with an Apple-designed coating that offers up to three times better scratch resistance than the previous generation.
The “Two-in-One” Camera
As someone who frequently attends events and relies on my iPhone to capture photos and Reels, I was initially worried that the single camera setup on the 17e wouldn’t deliver the same sharp, high-quality photos as the Pro models. But once I got my hands on it, my concerns proved unfounded. The iPhone 17e’s 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning images, with impressive detail even in low light, aided by Night mode. It also features an optical quality 2x Telephoto lens, effectively giving you two cameras in one, making it easy to get closer to your subject and frame your shots perfectly. Need to zoom even further? Digital zoom lets you reach up to 10x.
The camera’s capabilities don’t stop at photos. The iPhone 17e can also record video in 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps—super useful for content creators—with Spatial Audio for an immersive experience when paired with AirPods and lets you fine-tune sound with Audio Mix. Wind noise reduction and powerful machine learning algorithms automatically minimise unwanted noise for clearer audio.
MagSafe (Finally Here) & Long Battery Life
The iPhone 17e brings MagSafe back as a core feature—a feature absent in its predecessor. With MagSafe, users benefit from fast wireless charging and seamless access to a wide range of accessories, from chargers and cases to stands and wallets.
Surprisingly, the iPhone 17e delivers impressive all-day battery life. Fast wired charging via USB-C can replenish the battery up to 50% in roughly 30 minutes. On the wireless side, iPhone 17e supports MagSafe and Qi2, allowing up to 15W charging—double the 7.5W Qi wireless charging on the iPhone 16e.
Action Button: Game Changer
This is my first time using the Action Button, but I clearly underestimated it. Whether it’s mapped to the camera, voice memos, or shortcuts, it introduces a layer of immediacy that the traditional mute switch never quite achieved. It’s a small shift in hardware that subtly changes how you interact with the device.
A New Colour & Pricing
Another key factor for many buyers is colour. The iPhone 17e comes in three matte finishes—classic black, crisp white, and a new soft pink (my personal favourite)—starting at 256GB for RM2,999, which is double the entry-level storage of the previous generation at the same price.
The iPhone 17e may be the most affordable model in the iPhone 17 lineup, but for anyone hunting for a phone under RM3,000 that actually delivers, the 17e might just be your next upgrade.
READ MORE
Apple dropped 7 new products—Here’s what you need to know