Unlike its predecessor, the iPhone 17E supports MagSafe. | Image: AppleThe iPhone 17 lineup now has a “budget” option. Announced this week, the iPhone 17E will hit stores on Wednesday, March 11th, starting at $599, with preorders opening on March 4th. The 6.1-inch phone joins the rest of Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup, which includes the iPhone 17 ($799), the more powerful iPhone 17 Pro ($1,099), and the iPhone 17 Pro Max ($1,199), as well as the ultra-thin iPhone Air ($999).Unlike last year’s iPhone 16E, the 17E features MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging, along with the faster A19 chip found in the iPhone 17 and twice as much base storage (256GB vs. 128GB). It also features a sharper, more durable display, retains support for Apple Intelligence, and includes a 48-megapixel “fusion” camera that enables 2x telephoto shots, all of which bring it closer to Apple’s more premium phones.But at $599, the 17E doesn’t include all of the bells and whistles found in the rest of Apple’s current iPhone lineup. For example, it only has a 6.1-inch 60Hz display — the smallest display of any iPhone 17 series phone — and lacks features like an always-on display and Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped cutout that shows info, like ride-share updates, at a glance. It’s also noticeably dimmer, with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits.Camera hardware is another differentiator. While the 17E, Air, and standard iPhone 17 all share a 48-megapixel main sensor, the iPhone 17 has a dedicated ultra-wide camera, which also enables macro photography for close-up shots. The 17 and Air also offer an 18-megapixel front-facing camera — the 17E only has a 12-megapixel shooter — which could translate to sharper selfies and clearer video calls. The Pro and Pro Max models expand further with more advanced camera arrays, including the addition of dedicated telephoto cameras. Plus, all except the 17E include the Camera Control button, which is designed to help people quickly launch the camera and adjust various settings.Unsurprisingly, charging speeds and battery life also differ. The 17E supports MagSafe charging with Qi2 support, allowing for wireless charging at up to 15W, while the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and both Pro models support faster 25W wireless charging. Apple says the 17E can charge up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, compared to about 20 minutes for the higher-end models. Battery life increases as you move up the lineup, with the 17E rated for up to 26 hours of video playback, while the iPhone Air and the larger Pro Max models last longer (up to 39 hours, in some instances).Those are just some of the main highlights, though. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, we’ve compiled all the specs together below, letting you see how each phone stacks up to the others.CategoryiPhone 17EiPhone AiriPhone 17iPhone 17 ProiPhone 17 Pro MaxOperating systemiOS 26iOS 26iOS 26iOS 26iOS 26Apple Intelligence supportYesYesYesYesYesDisplay6.1-inch (2532 x 1170-pixel) OLED6.5-inch (2736 x 1260) OLED6.3-inch (2622 x 1206) OLED6.3-inch (2622 x 1206) OLED6.9-inch (2868 x 1320) OLEDDisplay refresh rate60Hz120Hz120Hz120Hz120HzPeak brightness1,200 nits3,000 nits3,000 nits3,000 nits3,000 nitsMinimum brightnessN/A1 nit1 nit1 nit1 nitAlways-On displayNoYesYesYesYesGlass displayCeramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2BuildAluminum frameCeramic Shield back, titanium frameAluminum frameCeramic Shield back, aluminum unibodyCeramic Shield back, aluminum unibodyDimensions146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.8mm156.2mm x 74.7mm x 5.64mm149.6mm x 71.5mm x 7.95mm150.0mm x 71.9mm x 8.75mm163.4mm x 78.0mm x 8.75mmWeight5.96 ounces (169 grams)5.82 ounces (165 grams)6.24 ounces (177 grams)7.27 ounces (206 grams)8.22 ounces (233 grams)Battery capacityUp to 26 hours video playbackUp to 27 hours of video playbackUp to 30 hours of video playbackUp to 33 hours of video playbackUp to 39 hours of video playbackWireless chargingYes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 15W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 20W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Fast charge-capableYes; up to 50 percent in 30 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 30 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 20 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 20 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 20 minutesProcessorA19 A19 ProA19A19 ProA19 ProProcessor cores6-core CPU / 4-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 5-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 5-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 6-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 6-core GPU / 16-core neural engineRAMNot sharedNot sharedNot sharedNot sharedNot sharedStorage256GB, 512GB256GB, 512GB, 1TB256GB, 512GB256GB, 512GB, 1TB256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TBPortsUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB speedsUSB 2 USB 2 USB 2 USB 3 USB 3 Rear cameras48-megapixel (f/1.6) main48-megapixel (f/1.6) main48-megapixel (f/1.6) main, 48-megapixel (f/2.2) ultrawide48-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephoto48-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephotoHighest optical magnification2x2x2x8x8xMacro modeNoNoYesYesYesFront camera12MP18MP18MP18MP18MPVideo recordingUp to 4K at 60fpsUp to 4K at 60fpsUp to 4K at 60fpsUp to 4K at 120fps (ProRes with external recording)Up to 4K at 120fps (ProRes with external recording)BiometricsFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDSIM supportDual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Action ButtonYesYesYesYesYesCamera Control buttonNoYesYesYesYesDynamic IslandNoYesYesYesYesWi-FiWi-Fi 6Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Bluetooth version5.36.06.06.06.0Satellite SOS featureYesYesYesYesYesMessages via satelliteYesYesYesYesYesCrash DetectionYesYesYesYesYesApple PayYesYesYesYesYesIP ratingIP68IP68IP68IP68IP68Starting price$599$999$799$1,099$1,199AvailabilityMarch 11thAlready availableAlready availableAlready availableAlready availableColorsBlack, pink, whiteSky blue, light gold, cloud white, space blackLavender, sage, mist blue, white, blackCosmic orange, deep blue, silverCosmic orange, deep blue, silver