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Apple iPhone 12 vs Apple iPhone 17e

Apple iPhone 12 ($140) vs Apple iPhone 17e ($699) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartphone.

Apple iPhone 12
Apple
iPhone 12
$140
MagSafe
Check Price →
Apple iPhone 17e
Apple
iPhone 17e
$699
Check Price →
Spec-by-spec
SpecApple iPhone 12Apple iPhone 17e
Price$140$699
Weight164g169g
ChipA14 BionicA19
Display6.1" 60Hz OLED6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED
Camera12MP dual48MP Fusion
RatingIP68IP68
Weight164g (Apple published)169g (Apple published: 5.96 oz)
Battery—up to 26h video
Storage—256GB / 512GB
Released—2026-03-11
Pros & Cons

Apple iPhone 12

  • MagSafe accessories all still work
  • Flat-sided design that Apple still uses
  • 164g, light for a 6.1-inch phone
  • Ceramic Shield front
  • Battery is likely well degraded by now
  • Lightning
  • No Apple Intelligence
  • Nearing the end of iOS support

Apple iPhone 17e

  • Cheapest current iPhone
  • A19 chip
  • 48MP Fusion camera with 2x telephoto crop
  • Up to 26 hours of video playback
  • One rear camera
  • Apple lists it from $699 for 256GB (launched at $599)
Apple iPhone 12 is the better value at $140. Both are part of our curated smartphone index — tap through to check current pricing.
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