The 17e does run warmer than the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro Models of the 17 that includes a Vapor Chamber cooling system to allow those devices to cool even more. The 17e has a 4 core GPU with neural accelerators as compared to the standard iPhone 17 that has 5, so the 17e must push those 4 cores harder when processing the same tasks.
The 17e is not overheating and still operating in the acceptable heat range.The way you know if it gets too hot is if you see the thermometer on the screen requiring the device to cool down and I don't think that is what you are experiencing, nor I have seen that on either of my phones.
Speed equals heat and I certainly did not buy my 17e to operate at the speed of an iPhone 12. The technician you spoke to is absolutely correct that there is nothing wrong with your device, otherwise you would be seeing the thermometer screen. If you would like a toggle on your 17e so it will run at the speed of an iPhone 12 so it runs cooler, you can certainly send Feedback to Apple. Using Low Power Mode will do that to a certain extent by limiting the devices capabilities, but maybe some would like it to throttle the CPU more to run even cooler.
Feedback - iPhone - Apple
Since cooling of the device is done through heat dissipation to the aluminum chassis where you are feeling the heat, you can try a Silicone case which acts as an insulator. It does have the effect of trapping the heat inside the device, but won't feel as hot to the touch. Not sure about your region, but for most when purchased from Apple you have 14 days to evaluate the phone and if you don't like it for any reason you can return it for a full refund. For a cooler running device you could spend the extra money on a Pro model that includes the Vapor Cooling system.
I have seen some users say they will just buy an Android phone, but if you have spent any time over on the Android Support Forums, you will see the same concerns for any of the high end models where the speed is comparable to the iPhone 17. You even see posts over there saying they are going to buy an iPhone, so I suspect that says more about the user and their motives that make them feel better. In any case it is each users decision on what phone they want to purchase and you have many options to choose from. For a user that wants the latest iPhone featuring the A19 CPU for speed and only pay $599(US), the iPhone 17e is a great option, and yes it is going to feel warmer.
