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Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) vs Apple iPhone 17e

Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) ($41) vs Apple iPhone 17e ($699) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right smartphone.

Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)
Apple
iPhone SE (1st generation)
$41
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Apple iPhone 17e
Apple
iPhone 17e
$699
Check Price →
Spec-by-spec
SpecApple iPhone SE (1st generation)Apple iPhone 17e
Price$41$699
Weight113g169g
ChipA9A19
Display4" 60Hz LCD6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED
Camera12MP single48MP Fusion
RatingIP67 (later revisions)IP68
Weight113g (Apple published)169g (Apple published: 5.96 oz)
Battery—up to 26h video
Storage—256GB / 512GB
Released—2026-03-11
Pros & Cons

Apple iPhone SE (1st generation)

  • Smallest, lightest phone in the entire catalog
  • Touch ID and a real home button
  • Genuinely one-handed usable, unlike anything from 2018 onward
  • Extremely cheap, the least expensive working iPhone here
  • iOS support has ended
  • A9 chip is a decade old and it shows in modern apps
  • Single camera, no portrait mode or night mode
  • Battery on any used unit will be significantly degraded

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 SE (1st generation) is the better value at $41. Both are part of our curated smartphone index — tap through to check current pricing.
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