iPhone 17e: A19 Chip Benchmarks Reveal Strong Performance with a Graphics Trade-off

The iPhone 17e, Apple’s upcoming mid-range offering, is generating buzz following the release of initial benchmark results. These benchmarks provide a first seem at the performance capabilities of the A19 chip, particularly when compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 16e, and other models in the iPhone 17 lineup.

iPhone 17e Benchmark Scores: A Closer Look

Early Geekbench 6 results indicate impressive performance gains with the iPhone 17e. The device achieves an average single-core score of around 3,320 and an average multi-core score of approximately 8,373. [MacObserver] These scores position the iPhone 17e slightly ahead of the iPhone 16e and very close to the standard iPhone 17 in CPU performance.

More recent benchmarks from Geekbench 6 show the iPhone 17e achieving a multi-core score of 9,241. [MacRumors] The standard iPhone 17 averages a multi-core score of approximately 9,249, demonstrating near-identical CPU performance between the two models.

A19 Chip: CPU vs. GPU Performance

The A19 chip, built on TSMC’s refined 3nm process, features a 6-core CPU architecture (2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores). [TechStory] While CPU performance is comparable to the standard iPhone 17, a key difference lies in the GPU. The iPhone 17e has a 4-core GPU, while the iPhone 17 boasts a 5-core GPU.

This difference translates to slightly lower graphics performance for the iPhone 17e. Early Metal scores for the iPhone 17e range from approximately 30,800 to 31,600, averaging around 31,163, compared to around 37,000 for the iPhone 17. [MacObserver] [MacRumors] However, Apple suggests that most users are unlikely to perceive a significant difference in graphics performance. [MacRumors]

iPhone 17e: Features and Availability

The iPhone 17e retains the overall design of the iPhone 16e but introduces several key upgrades, including:

• Doubled base storage to 256GB
• Apple’s A19 chip
• MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and accessories
• Apple’s second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G

In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, the same price as the iPhone 16e. [MacRumors] Pre-orders began on March 4, and the device launched on March 11. [MacRumors]

iPhone 17 Lineup Comparison

Source: [MacRumors]