On March 2, 2026, Apple released the “budget” iPhone 17e, which became the most affordable in the 17th series. Its price in the US starts at $599 (~46,500 ₽), and in Russia it will be significantly more expensive. By Apple’s standards, such amounts are pocket change, but any Android smartphone costing 2 or even 3 times less offers far more capabilities. And if you’re still in doubt, you’ll soon realize you shouldn’t be.
The new iPhone 17e falls short of Android smartphones in many ways. Image: TT Technology
120 Hz Phone Display
A 120 Hz refresh rate display is the baseline for the Android market. Even ultra-budget phones costing 5,000 rubles now offer 90 Hz displays, and 120 Hz is ubiquitous in the 10K+ price range. Ubiquitous, that is, unless we’re talking about Apple, which uses a 60 Hz screen in its new iPhone 17e.
120 Hz, and even 90 Hz, compared to the refresh rate Apple offers, provides smoother on-screen animations. Your social media feed glides rather than stutters, and using the smartphone simply becomes more pleasant. You won’t get that feeling with the iPhone 17e.
Display Notch and Bezels
The iPhone 17e display even looks outdated visually. And this is noticeable not only compared to other new releases but also against affordable Android smartphones released several years ago. For example, the POCO M6 Pro, which just a year or two ago could be ordered for 10-15 thousand rubles.
iPhone 17e — on the left, POCO M6 Pro — on the right
Setting aside the iPhone 17e notch, you still have to acknowledge: the Android smartphone’s bezels are thinner. The display looks more pleasant and modern, while the new Apple model looks like a device from the past.
How Many Cameras Does a Smartphone Need
Additionally, the iPhone 17e has only one rear camera. Yes, among budget Android smartphones, there’s a common practice of supplementing the main sensor with useless macro fillers. However, the same POCO M6 Pro and its successors at least offer an ultra-wide-angle module in addition.
One camera in a 50K smartphone — that’s embarrassing. Image: Apple
And if you approach the 30,000 ruble mark, the Android market offers affordable camera phones with optical zoom. All of this makes the camera far more versatile and suitable for photography, while the iPhone 17e remains a device for taking photos of utility meters.
Modern Smartphone Charging Speed
With a modest 4,005 mAh battery on board, the iPhone 17e charges very slowly — nearly an hour and a half. And this is despite the fact that something like the POCO M8 Pro 5G, even with its 6,500 mAh battery, replenishes its energy in 45 minutes — that’s twice as fast!
Need we mention that, unlike the iPhone 17e, almost any Android smartphone comes with a charger included, and nearly every one has a case in the box, plus the device’s screen comes with a pre-applied protective film.
iOS Limitations on iPhone
Finally, the very fact that the iPhone 17e is made by Apple makes it worse than an Android smartphone. Simply because of the iOS operating system, which has a huge number of restrictions. And it wouldn’t be so bad if it were just about the inability to install pirated software — even basic apps can’t simply be installed on the iPhone 17e.
These are the kind of stickers iPhone 17e owners will have to buy
You can’t use contactless NFC payments, to install a banking app you need to visit a branch office, and that’s not even mentioning the difficulties with file sharing if your PC isn’t running macOS. So why suffer when for 10-20 thousand rubles you can get an Android that’s better in almost every way?
