Technologies

Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus Review: It’s All About the Battery Life

These new phones fix the Galaxy S22’s biggest problem.

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung’s most popular products.

Samsung hasn’t been shy about flaunting the cameras on its new phones. It even wrangled endorsements from acclaimed directors Ridley Scott and Na Hong-jin during its Galaxy S23 announcement. However, in a surprising move for Samsung, the camera plays second fiddle to battery and performance upgrades in the new Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus.

The Galaxy S23 ($800, 849, AU$1,349) and Galaxy S23 Plus ($1,000, 1,049, AU$1,649), which are available today alongside the $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra ( 1,249, AU$1,949), feel like a half-generation upgrade compared to last year’s Galaxy S22.

Performance is faster, and battery life is thankfully a bit longer, which addresses the biggest complaint I had about the Galaxy S22. But unlike the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s cameras, which have noticeable improvements in color tone and dynamic range along with a new 200-megapixel sensor, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus’ cameras largely feel the same as last year.

And that’s OK. We’re past the point of revolutionary annual upgrades, and the Galaxy S23 is the perfect example of that. Instead, Samsung focused on making practical refinements to one of the areas that matters most in a phone: how long it lasts on a single charge. Still, you shouldn’t upgrade to the S23 or S23 Plus unless your phone is more than two years old since it’s not a radical change.

One of the Galaxy S23’s biggest drawbacks, however, isn’t a flaw with the phone itself, but rather the tough competition from Google. The $899 Pixel 7 Pro falls in between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus pricewise and offers a stellar camera that bests Samsung’s in some scenarios. Samsung, however, does offer compelling trade-in bargains that could make the S23 lineup more compelling.

8.9

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus

$800 at Samsung

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Like

Attractive design
4 generations of Android OS updates
Longer battery life than the Galaxy S22
Fast performance
More storage in the base S23 Plus

Don’t Like

Cameras are basically the same as last year
Expensive
No improvements to fast charging
Regular Galaxy S23 lacks base storage upgrade

Overall, the Galaxy S23 is ideal for Android fans that prioritize fast performance, solid cameras and having a spacious and bright screen in a compact package. The Galaxy S23’s cameras don’t always measure up to Apple’s and Google’s, but they’re still good enough to fit most peoples’ needs.

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus get a battery upgrade

Like the Galaxy S22, the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23 remains a top choice for Android fans that prefer smaller phones. But there was just one problem with the Galaxy S22: Its battery life sometimes felt too short to get through a full day.

It looks like Samsung took these concerns to heart. Both the regular Galaxy S23 and the larger 6.6-inch Galaxy S23 Plus get a longer battery life compared to their predecessors. The Galaxy S23 has a 3,900-mAh battery, up from the Galaxy S22’s 3,700-mAh capacity, while the Galaxy S23 Plus has a 4,700-mAh battery instead of the S22 Plus’ 4,500-mAh battery. The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor inside the Galaxy S23 series, which has been optimized for Samsung’s new phones, should also bring some improvements to power efficiency.

Even though I’ve only used the new phones for a few days, these upgrades are already noticeable. When I used the 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 as my daily smartphone for roughly a month, I noticed that the battery dipped down to between 30 and 40% by 9 p.m., especially after a long day in the office.

With the Galaxy S23, the battery was down to 46% by 9:45 p.m. after a day of heavy usage (running benchmark performance tests, taking lots of photos and videos, etc.). With light usage after a day that started at 10 a.m, I had 64% left by the time I went to sleep just past 12:30 a.m. The Galaxy S23 Plus had 73% of its battery left by bedtime (around 11 p.m.) after a full day in the office.

Of course, battery life will vary depending on how you use your device. Tasks like making video calls and recording video will drain the battery faster, and settings such as screen brightness typically impact battery life. During my tests, I usually had the screen set between 25% and 50% of the phone’s maximum brightness; since Samsung’s phones have fairly bright screens, there’s usually no need to set it any higher.

I also tested the battery life by putting each phone through a 45-minute endurance test to see how quickly the battery drains after routine tasks like scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, playing games and making a video call. The Galaxy S23 dipped to 91% after that test, while the Galaxy S23 Plus decreased to 95%. Both scores represent a mild improvement over the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, which reached 89% and 92%, respectively.

To get a more thorough sense of the Galaxy S23’s battery life, I also ran a three-hour YouTube streaming test in which I cranked the display brightness all the way up while watching a video and measured the battery level at every hour. As you can see in the table below, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus fared better than their predecessors during these tests, especially by the end of the third hour. Both phones also beat the Galaxy S22 Ultra in this test, and the Galaxy S23 matched the performance of the $599 Pixel 7.

While battery life improved, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have the same charging speeds as last year. The Galaxy S23 supports 25-watt fast-charging and 45-watt fast-charging for the Galaxy S23 Plus. But in practice, those charging speeds didn’t feel that different. The Galaxy S23 went from 47% to 86% after 30 minutes, while the Galaxy S23 Plus went from 59% to 94%.

While charging speed isn’t a deal-breaker when buying a new phone, it would have been nice to see Samsung push forward in this area. That’s especially true considering rivals like Xiaomi and OnePlus continue to shorten the time it takes to replenish their respective phones’ batteries.

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus’ new processor is fast

The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus feel snappy and fast in everyday use, as phones in their price range should. Playing games with the graphics and frame rate at the highest settings felt smooth, and apps launched instantly. All three new phones have an adaptive refresh rate that reaches up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, which also contributes to the devices’ peppiness.

The one area where the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor seems to make a difference in everyday use is exporting video. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus both exported a 30-second 4K video to 1080p faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone 14, however, was the fastest of the bunch. The Galaxy S23 lineup runs on a special customized version of Qualcomm’s latest mobile chip that’s been optimized for these phones, meaning it’s different from the version inside the OnePlus 11.

Benchmarks meant to test general computing (Geekbench 5) and how a processor handles high performance in short bursts (3DMark) told a similar story. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus performed well compared to the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7 Pro, and even outperformed the iPhone 14 on most tests. The OnePlus 11 was their closest competitor, which isn’t surprising considering it has a similar processor. But the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus did outpace the OnePlus 11 in the test meant to evaluate a processor’s single-core performance, which makes sense considering Samsung overclocked one of the CPU cores.

That said, real-world usage matters more than benchmarks. Other than the faster video export speeds, I didn’t experience anything on the Galaxy S23 lineup that felt unusually fast compared to most other phones in the same price range.

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus camera is similar to the S22

The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus each have a triple rear camera that consists of a 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra wide and a 10-megapixel telephoto. Thanks to a technique called pixel binning, you can choose to shoot photos at the full 50-megapixel resolution or 12 megapixels depending on the scenario. The 12-megapixel option, for example, is usually better for poorly lit circumstances since it groups multiple pixels together to serve as a larger pixel for gathering more light. Samsung also integrates the controls from its Expert Raw app right into the main camera, making it more convenient for those who want easy access to the full, uncompressed version of an image.

This camera system is largely the same as the one on the S22, although Samsung has made some processing improvements, particularly when it comes to low light photography. That’s the biggest difference I noticed during my time testing the new phones against the Galaxy S22.

Check out the photos of my husband in a dim restaurant below. His face is brighter and his beard is more detailed.

Still, I preferred the iPhone 14’s and Pixel 7 Pro’s images, mostly because they captured more accurate skin tones. The Galaxy S23’s photo is brighter and more detailed than the Pixel 7 Pro’s, but it also makes his face look a little washed out.

The Galaxy S23 performs well in dim conditions overall, which isn’t surprising considering low-light photography has been a big area of focus for Samsung in recent years. Even though the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro performed better in the examples above, the S23 easily challenges Apple and Google in other low-light photography scenarios, like taking photos of pets and still objects.

In the photos of a book stack below, for example, the Galaxy S23 did a great job at retaining detail and color. The iPhone 14’s photo isn’t as colorful and has some noise compared to Samsung’s, although the Pixel 7 Pro’s image was a close competitor.

Otherwise, there isn’t anything that feels new or surprising about the Galaxy S23’s camera. While the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus can both capture crisp and clear images, there were instances in which colors either looked exaggerated or blown out compared to the same photos taken on the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7.

You can see an example of the exaggeration in this photo of my husband below. The shade of blue in his denim jacket is brighter than it looked in real life, while the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro’s photos look more natural.

But as I said in my review of the S23 Ultra, this isn’t always a bad thing. It can make certain photos pop and look more attractive overall, as is the case with the photo below. The pink flowers look more colorful and vibrant in the S23’s photo compared to the rest.

Samsung also upgraded the Galaxy S23’s selfie camera with a 12-megapixel sensor compared to the S22’s 10-megapixel front camera. However, I didn’t notice much of a difference under normal circumstances.

But Samsung’s phones easily took better selfies in low light compared to the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro. The photos from Google and Apple’s phones are both noisier and grainier than Samsung’s, which I noticed when comparing the photos on a large monitor. The Galaxy S23’s selfie is also a bit clearer than the S22’s, but the difference isn’t as dramatic.

The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have a 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom, just like the S22 and S22 Plus. You’ll need to splurge on the $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra to get the 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom.

But the S23 and S23 Plus still have more to offer than the $799 iPhone 14, which has a 1x optical zoom and a 5x digital zoom.

Samsung is usually the king of zoom, but in this scenario Google takes the cake. The Pixel 7 Pro has a 5x optical zoom and a 30x digital zoom that looks far crisper than Samsung’s, as shown below.

As far as video recording is concerned, the S23 and S23 Plus can record at 8K resolution up to 30 frames per second. When recording video at the highest supported resolution and frame rate for each phone (4K at 60 frames per second for the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro), I noticed the Galaxy S23’s footage had more accurate color tones compared to the Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone’s video, however, looked a bit crisper.

I also noticed that video stabilization improved slightly on the Galaxy S23 compared to the Galaxy S22, enabling it to better compete with Apple’s Action Mode.

The Galaxy S23’s camera isn’t a leap forward, but it’ll feel significant to those upgrading from a phone that’s several years old.

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have a slightly new design

The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have largely the same appearance and feel as the Galaxy S22. And that’s a good thing in my opinion, because I loved the Galaxy S22’s sleek and colorful look.

The main difference is that Samsung did away with the camera island on the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, instead opting for standalone lenses that sit arranged in a vertical column on the back of the device. It’s the same aesthetic as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it makes the S23’s design feel more consistent. Otherwise, the phones are available in new color options that include lavender, black, cream and green.

All three phones come in the same size options as the S22 lineup. There’s the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23, 6.6-inch Galaxy S23 Plus and 6.8-inch Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung does a better job than most at squeezing spacious screens into small devices. The Galaxy S23 Ultra still feels massive, but the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus feel surprisingly petite for their size.

The Galaxy S23 Plus, for example, only feels slightly larger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 despite the amount of extra screen space it provides. The Galaxy S23 is also one of the few Android phones with a 6.1-inch screen other than the Pixel 6A, making it a compelling choice for those who prefer compact devices.

All three new Galaxy phones launch with Android 13 and the One UI 5.1 overlay. Samsung also provides four generations of Android OS version upgrades, which is noteworthy considering Google only commits to three generations of updates on its Pixel phones. That means your Galaxy S23 will last for at least four years from a software perspective, so it shouldn’t feel outdated anytime soon.

Consistent with Samsung’s theme of making practical changes this year, the Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra now start at 256GB of storage rather than 128GB. That means you get double the storage capacity for the same price as last year’s devices. While it’s a great value for Samsung’s pricier phones, I’m disappointed Samsung didn’t do the same for its entry-level Galaxy S23. It would have been a good way for Samsung to further justify the Galaxy S23’s higher price compared to the $599 Pixel 7 while also giving potential Pixel 7 Pro shoppers another reason to consider Samsung instead.

Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus: Buy or skip?

The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus are moderate improvements over the Galaxy S22, bringing quality-of-life improvements like longer battery life, more base storage for the Plus and faster performance. Since this isn’t a major update, I don’t recommend upgrading unless you have a phone that’s more than two years old at the very least. Those who have an older phone will get the benefits that came with last year’s camera upgrade and redesign, along with the S23’s better battery life.

If you’re shopping in the $900 price range, the Pixel 7 Pro is also worth considering. The camera generally captures more accurate colors and crisper zoom shots than Samsung’s and you get a slightly larger screen for a cheaper price than the Galaxy S23 Plus. However, just remember that Google only offers three generations of Android OS updates for the Pixel 7 line, so you might want to upgrade sooner. Both Samsung and Google provide five years of security updates for their higher-end devices, so you’ll still have years before the phones may be susceptible to vulnerabilities.

The Galaxy S22 is also a tempting option at its new price of $700. But if you can afford it, I’d recommend going for the Galaxy S23 because of its longer battery life and newer processor. Let’s face it, your phone’s battery isn’t going to get any better over time, so you might as well invest in a device that will last longer.

How we test phones

Every phone tested by CNET’s reviews team was actually used in the real world. We test a phone’s features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it’s bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s performance to the extremes using both standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.

All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using it daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests.

We take into account additional features like support for 5G, satellite connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus support, fast charging speeds, foldable displays among others that can be useful. And we of course balance all of this against the price to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value.

Technologies

AI Agents at Work: Microsoft Copilot Is Getting Its Own Version of Claude Cowork

Built in collaboration with Anthropic, Microsoft’s new tool can create spreadsheets, run reports and do research autonomously.

Microsoft Copilot probably isn’t something you think about a lot, unless your company pays for you to use it at work. Microsoft has been fighting for consumers whose hearts and minds were quickly captured by other AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. The company’s latest wave of agentic updates, announced Monday, is its sharpest weapon yet.

The biggest new feature is Copilot Cowork, built in collaboration with Anthropic. If you’ve heard of or used Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, Microsoft’s version will feel similar. Copilot Cowork can use information in your files, email and calendar to independently complete assignments, no human supervision needed. It can create spreadsheets, run reports and do research for you.

«Cowork is the new chat. It’s the new way of interacting with AI,» said Charles Lamanna, Microsoft president of business apps and agents. Instead of overseeing AI and chatting with it, we can now entirely delegate tasks to it like a fellow team member. «With chat, you’re babysitting every step — this is much more like ‘fire and forget’ with Cowork to get the job done.»

For example, Lamanna said he used Cowork to analyze his meeting calendar for the next three months. The AI used his email and calendar history to understand what upcoming meetings may not be necessary for him to attend, and it pulled together its recommendations in an easy-to-view chart. After Lamanna reviewed it, Cowork declined some meetings, with AI-written meeting notes attached if needed. The AI’s 40-minute «delightful and practical» process saved him and his executive assistant hours worth of time so they could focus on more important duties.

Cowork is rolling out now on a limited basis as it’s a research preview concept. Microsoft also announced it will be making its AI agent platform, Agent 365, generally available on May 1. Agent 365 is a way for companies to oversee and manage all of the agents, or bots, that employees are using for their work. Microsoft itself has created more than a half-million AI agents using Agent 365, the company shared in a statement. New AI models from Anthropic and OpenAI will also be made available in Copilot. Smartly, the company isn’t picking a side in the growing feud between the AI startups.

Agentic AI at work

Agentic AI tools like the ones Microsoft is building are extremely popular for workers. Despite only being a research preview, Claude Cowork has garnered a lot of fans — and sparked a lot of worry on Wall Street. Major tech stocks fell at the end of January as Anthropic’s AI developments cast doubts on the future of work.

New AI tools like Cowork, Claude Code and even OpenAI’s Codex are becoming increasingly capable of replacing traditional software products, like the kind Microsoft is known for. So it makes sense that Microsoft would want to bring that agentic prowess to its own AI. Agentic AI has been a major area of focus for AI companies recently. OpenClaw, an open source agentic project that went viral this year, is one of many examples of why tech execs think 2026 will be the year of agentic AI.

Lamanna said that «the shape of what we do on a day-to-day basis will change,» but AI ought to give time back to people to focus on high-value tasks. We’re entering a new arc, going from having a human use AI to do a task quicker to delegating it entirely to an AI agent, he said.

As this tech becomes more available, there are a lot of questions about the best way to integrate AI into our work lives. Many workers are worried about having their jobs replaced by AI, fueled by AI-centric layoffs at Amazon and Block. For those who manage to keep their jobs, one study found that AI may actually make their work days longer and less enjoyable. Like any new tech, the implementation of AI will determine how effective it is — and how much it actually helps you.

Technologies

My iPhone 17E Review in Progress: The Appeal Is Magnetic (and Pink)

Apple’s new $599 budget phone brings MagSafe compatibility, higher base storage and an A19 chip. That makes the trade-offs easier to swallow.

I never thought MagSafe’s haptic feedback could be so satisfying.

I’ve been using Apple’s $599 iPhone 17E, which brings MagSafe’s magnetic technology to its lowest-priced handset. Beyond the added convenience of easily attaching chargers and accessories, this signals Apple’s efforts to expand once-premium features across its full iPhone lineup, no matter how much you’re willing to pay. Plus, the addition of a fresh color warms my pink-loving heart.

The iPhone 17E borrows other features from the $829 baseline iPhone 17. The budget option packs the same A19 chip (albeit with a four-core GPU instead of five), an action button and a 48-megapixel main camera. It starts with 256GB of storage, making that $599 price more enticing — even if it’s arguably pushing the limits of what’s considered a «budget» phone. But the fact that I have to double-check whether I’m reaching for the iPhone 17E or the 17 is surely a good sign that the gap between the two is narrowing — and in the right direction.

Other aspects of the 17E serve as a reminder that you get what you pay for. The bezels are noticeably thicker than on Apple’s more premium options. There’s no Dynamic Island for system notifications and Live Activities, but rather an old-school notch at the top. A fixed 60 Hz display also means there’s no always-on display, so I can’t quickly glance at the time or my notifications — something that’s been hard to get used to.

There’s a lot that makes the iPhone 17E feel like a worthy lower-priced option. And for most people, the compromises shouldn’t feel too glaring, especially when you’re saving a couple hundred dollars.

The iPhone 17E is available to preorder now, and hits store shelves on March 11.

iPhone 17E look, feel and display

One of my favorite things about the iPhone 17E is that it doesn’t sacrifice the premium look and feel of its pricier counterparts. Like the other iPhone 17 models, the iPhone 17E’s back glass has a satisfying matte finish that’s resistant to fingerprints. An aluminum frame keeps it feeling nice and light at 169 grams, compared to 177 grams on the iPhone 17.

The iPhone 17E’s 6.1-inch display is just slightly smaller than the 6.3-inch display on the iPhone 17, a difference that’s hardly noticeable. The lower-priced option shares the same Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass, which Apple says has three times better scratch resistance than the iPhone 16E’s display, and 33% less reflection.

The 60Hz refresh rate is a step down from the 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate you’ll get on Apple’s other phones, but it’s a nearly imperceptible difference unless you’re gaming. Personally, the biggest downside to this limitation is not having an always-on display, which I rely on extensively to peek at the time and see all my notifications at a glance. Going without that feature has taken some getting used to.

While the iPhone 17 supports 1,600 nits HDR peak brightness, the iPhone 17E tops out at 1,200 nits peak HDR brightness. Holding the phones side by side, I can see the difference, but the 17E looks just fine, even in the California sunshine.

The iPhone 17E’s smaller size can either be a benefit or a drawback, depending on your preferences. I tend to gravitate toward larger phones, so typing and scrolling on a smaller frame was a bit of an adjustment. But if you want a more compact device that’ll fit in practically any pocket, you’ll dig the 17E’s dimensions.

This year, Apple decided to branch out and add a soft pink color option to its budget line, along with the standard black and white. Luckily, I got paired with a pink model that takes on a pastel-like, blush hue that’s certainly more subdued than the bold orange of the iPhone 17 Pro. The subtle shade is nice if you want some color without making too much of a statement. I’m always happy when fun colors aren’t limited to the pricier models.

iPhone 17E camera gets some minor upgrades

Similar to last year’s budget iPhone, the iPhone 17E has a single 48-megapixel rear camera. With sensor cropping, it can also snap 2x telephoto images, which look as good as 1x photos to my eyes. A bonus perk of having just one rear camera is that it’s significantly less obtrusive than the camera bumps on other iPhone 17 models, particularly the Pros. It’s refreshing to go back to a phone I can hold without my fingers brushing against an ever-expanding camera platform.

Like my experience with the iPhone Air, the lack of an ultrawide camera feels limiting. It’s harder to take landscape photos or capture a wider scene — though if I had to choose between an ultrawide and a telephoto camera, I’d always pick the latter. I’m much more likely to punch into something to show more detail than take a dramatically wider shot.

The iPhone 17E has a 12-megapixel selfie camera, drawing another parallel to the iPhone 16E. The 17E doesn’t get the Center Stage camera feature that debuted on the iPhone Air and 17, which can automatically switch between portrait and landscape orientation as more people come into the frame without you rotating your phone. I don’t see this as much of a loss; in fact, I keep Center Stage disabled on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, largely because old habits die hard and I just end up rotating my phone manually anyway.

Not having Cinematic mode for video on the budget line is still a bummer, since I rely on it for more professional-looking clips with blurred backgrounds. But if trade-offs have to be made, that’s a manageable one.

The hardware feature I’ve struggled without is the Camera Control button — not because I ever use it as a shortcut to Apple’s Visual Intelligence, but because that’s how I almost exclusively launch the iPhone’s camera now. I like having a physical button that’s easy to trigger (perhaps too easy for some) when I want to quickly snap a photo. Without Camera Control on the iPhone 17E, you’ll have to open the camera the old-fashioned way by tapping on your screen, swiping the lock screen to the left or using the action button as a camera shortcut. Though I don’t think most people will mind that, especially if you’re coming from a phone that never had Camera Control in the first place. And you can access Visual Intelligence from the iPhone 17E’s Control Panel.

Portraits get a nice boost on the iPhone 17E, compared to last year’s budget phone. Apple says the advanced image pipeline allows subjects to stand out more naturally against their bokeh-effect backgrounds. For example, a person will appear in sharper focus, including fringe details like their hair or the corner of their glasses, and the transition to the image’s blurred background looks a bit more gradual and realistic.

When you’re snapping pictures in the camera’s standard Photo mode, it’ll now automatically detect cats and dogs, in addition to people, and enable portrait shots without you having to switch to that setting.

And now, you can also adjust the focus point of a photo after you’ve snapped it by going to Edit in the Photos app and tapping where you want to focus. You can modify the amount of background blur, too. It’s great to see that flexibility and customization on Apple’s lower-tier phone.

Here are a few of my favorite photos I’ve taken on the iPhone 17E:

iPhone 17E battery and MagSafe compatibility

The iPhone 17E touts the same 26 hours of video playback as the iPhone 16E. On Apple’s product pages in the European Union, where it’s required to disclose battery capacity, that’s listed as 4,005 mAh, (the same as the 16E). Apple says the battery is aided by the power-efficient A19 chip, the new C1X cellular modem and the «advanced power management of iOS 26.»

In my first few days with the phone, the battery has held up impressively well. I started with a full battery at 10:12 a.m. on Saturday, and still had a healthy 48% by 8 p.m. When I woke up the next morning at 5:15 a.m. (yes, my sleep schedule has been completely thrown off by Mobile World Congress and jet lag), the phone was at 38%. I feel confident I can go about my day without worrying about the phone dying prematurely.

The iPhone 17E supports 20-watt wired charging. And with MagSafe and Qi2 compatibility, it can charge wirelessly up to 15 watts — double the 7.5 watts on the iPhone 16E. That’s still less than the 25-watt wireless charging (Qi2.2) the iPhone 17 supports, but it’s a worthy step up from last year.

With wired charging, the iPhone 17E went from 8% to 61% in half an hour. I look forward to testing MagSafe charging speeds as well.

I’ve enjoyed snapping MagSafe accessories such as cases and wallets onto the iPhone 17E simply because I can. I’ve also been tapping into Apple’s StandBy feature, which displays widgets while you charge your phone in landscape mode, including a calendar, clock and photos.

Final thoughts for now: Should you buy the iPhone 17E?

The iPhone 17E brings subtle yet welcome changes to Apple’s budget line — namely, MagSafe charging, a higher base storage level and a more advanced A19 chip. This year’s phone shares a lot in common with the iPhone 16E, especially when it comes to the cameras and battery capacity, but it still shines in both areas.

More notably, the iPhone 17E borrows a handful of features from the baseline iPhone 17, which costs $200 more. The phones have a similar feel, a 48-megapixel main camera and that A19 chip. You’ll spot some notable design differences, including the iPhone 17E’s prominent notch, wider bezels and the lack of a Camera Control button.

If you’re switching from an older iPhone like the iPhone 11 or 12, these are trade-offs you’ll hardly notice, especially in light of all the relative upgrades. Similarly, if you’re coming from another budget phone that’s a few years old, like the iPhone SE (2020) or an older Android counterpart, the improvements are sure to outweigh any missing premium features.

If you’re using last year’s iPhone 16E, the incremental changes don’t justify the upgrade, even with the long-awaited addition of MagSafe. Apple doesn’t appear to be targeting this demographic anyway, since its promotional materials largely compare the iPhone 17E to older models like the iPhone 11. That’s where the differences really stand out.

Apple iPhone 17E specs vs. Google Pixel 10A, Apple iPhone 17, Apple iPhone 16E

	Apple iPhone 17E	Google Pixel 10A	Apple iPhone 17	Apple iPhone 16E
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate	6.3-inch POLED, 2,424×1,080 pixels, 60-120Hz variable refresh rate	6.3-inch OLED; 2,622×1,206 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	460 ppi	422 ppi	460 ppi	460 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.78×2.82×0.31	6.1×2.9×0.4	5.89×2.81×0.31	5.78×2.82×0.31
Dimensions (millimeters)	146.7×71.5×7.8	154.7×73.3×8.9	149.6×71.5×7.95	146.7×71.5×7.8
Weight (grams, ounces)	167g (5.88 oz.)	183 g (6.5 oz)	177g (6.24 oz.)	167g (5.88 oz.)
Mobile software	iOS 26	Android 16	iOS 26	iOS 18
Camera	48-megapixel (wide)	48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)	48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide)	48-megapixel (wide)
Front-facing camera	12-megapixel	13-megapixel	18-megapixel	12-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K	4K	4K
Processor	Apple A19	Google Tensor G4	Apple A19	Apple A18
RAM + storage	RAM unknown + 256GB, 512GB	8GB + 128GB, 256GB	RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB	RAM unknown + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage	None	None	None	None
Battery	4,005 mAh	5,100 mAh	3,692 mAh	4,005 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	None, Face ID	Under display	None, Face ID	None, Face ID
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None	None
Special features	MagSafe, Qi2 charging (up to 15W), Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance	7 years of OS, security and Pixel feature drops, Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass, IP68 dust and water resistance, 3,000-nit peak brightness, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 30W fast charging with 45W charging adapter (charger not included), 10W wireless charging Qi certified, Satellite SOS, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 6, dual-SIM (nano SIM + eSIM), Camera Coach, Add Me, Best Take, Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, Super Res Zoom, Circle to Search; colors: lavender, berry, fog, obsidian (black)	Apple N1 wireless networking chip: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 6, Thread, Action button, Camera Control button, Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Visual Intelligence, dual eSIM, 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range, IP68 resistance; colors: black, white, mist blue, sage, lavender; fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable; fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger	Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance
US price starts at	$599 (256GB)	$500 (128GB)	$829 (256GB)	$599 (128GB)

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, March 9

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 9.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.