iPhone 17e Geekbench listing emerges — but you'd be right to be skeptical

The listing also indicates the chip will feature eight cores, as well as a bump in RAM. Reportedly, the upcoming mid-ranger will pack 10GB RAM, up from 8GB on the iPhone 16e. 

Now, the entry might look exciting, but there are a few areas that raise questions. One indication that it might have been spoofed is the base frequency of 3.76GHz. Some earlier leaks have indicated that the iOS device would come with a binned A19 chipset, suggesting a base frequency of 4.26GHz. 



Another thing that doesn't quite fit is the model name. The previous iPhone 16e bears an iPhone17,5 identifier. Judging by this, shouldn't the successor feature an iPhone18,5 name instead of iPhone99,11? 



As if that's not enough, the motherboard name doesn't match recent Apple iPhone releases:

• iPhone 17: V57AP 
• iPhone 16e: V59AP

Evidently, that's nowhere near the supposed motherboard of the iPhone 17e, which is VPHONE600AP, according to the Geekbench listing. 

What else do we know? 

The confusing Geekbench listing aside, earlier leaks have hinted at some main specs of the new Apple mid-ranger. The iPhone 17e will reportedly feature wireless charging of 25W and MagSafe. Some leaks also imply the device might pack an 18MP selfie camera with Center Stage capabilities.

An additional tidbit indicates the asking price will remain the same as the iPhone 16e. If this sticks, we're looking at a starting price of $599 for the iPhone 17e. 

Is the iPhone 17e worth it? 

While getting 10GB RAM on a budget Apple phone sounds almost too good to be true, I'm increasingly doubting the whole Geekbench 6 listing. Regardless, the introduction of MagSafe and 25W charging speeds sounds promising.

We probably won't have to wait too long to see just which leaks turn out to be true and which ones are pure speculation. But I, for one, find the iPhone 17e an option worth waiting for.