iPhone 17 review: Why go Pro?

Last year, I said the Phone 16 was the first time a non-Pro iPhone didn’t feel like a FOMO-inducing compromise. Twelve months later, that sentiment has only grown stronger with the iPhone 17. It’s got upgraded front and rear cameras, a bigger, better and brighter display, faster charging, and slimmer bezels than ever before.

The chasm that once existed between the base model iPhone and its Pro-monikered family members has filled in to the point where now, it’s barely a pothole.

While the Pro and Pro Max received significant design overhauls this year, the base iPhone 17 is the spitting image of its predecessor, albeit a slightly larger and heavier version. While the frame is the same aluminium as last time, the iPhone 17 now boasts a Ceramic Shield 2 front, which Apple claims is three times more scratch-resistant than the previous gen. Having used the phone for a week without a screen protector, I can attest that it’s looking as good as new, even after a couple of drops and an encounter with the car keys.

Apple has also swapped last year’s bold, vibrant hues of Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine for the more muted pastel shades of Lavender (which I tested), Sage, and Mist Blue. Perennial favourites Black and White are also available.

The most substantial visual change to the iPhone 17, however, isn’t visible until you turn the screen on. Yes, it’s slightly larger than last year’s model (6.3 inches vs 6.1 inches), but even that’s not it. Finally, after four years of gatekeeping its 120Hz display (a feature found on most mid-range and flagship Android phones since 2020), Apple has finally brought ProMotion—and Always-On Display with it—to the base model iPhone 17.

If you’re coming from an older iPhone model (or an iPhone 12 Pro or earlier), you’ll immediately notice the difference. The display is smooth, dynamic, and boasts the same peak outdoor brightness (3,000 nits) as the Pro and Pro Max. In fact, there’s now nothing separating the base iPhone 17 from its pricier siblings, at least in terms of displays. The only minor sticking point is the fact that the Plus has been discontinued, so if you want a larger screen, you’ll have to fork out for the iPhone Air or iPhone 17 Pro Max.

I don’t know about you, but after six years, the iPhone’s 12MP TrueDepth selfie camera was getting a bit tired. Sure, it’s had some software tweaks over the years, but the hardware has been in dire need of an upgrade for quite some time. Fortunately, that’s exactly what it got with the launch of the iPhone 17. All phones in the lineup share the brand-new 18MP Center Stage front camera, which has a square sensor that allows users to take ultra-wide-angle selfies in both portrait and landscape orientations with the click of a button, making group selfies easier than ever.

The rear camera, too, has had a nice boost. Although the 48MP Fusion main lens remains the same, Apple has swapped out the old 12MP ultrawide lens for a 48MP Fusion ultrawide, bringing the iPhone 17’s camera hardware even closer in line with the Pro and Pro Max. As a result, it’s capable of capturing some gorgeous photos with colours that pop yet still feel true-to-life even in lower-light situations.

The only thing missing is a standalone telephoto lens, which has long been the case with base model iPhones, but is starting to feel a bit lacking compared to the competition. The iPhone 17’s 2x optical zoom is better than nothing, but pales in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S25’s dedicated telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and the Google Pixel 10’s with 5x optical zoom. But then, it’s already hard enough to justify the Pro and Pro Max over the iPhone 17 this year, so a third lens would probably render it overkill.

As someone who uses their phone a lot (it is my job, after all), I’ve found the iPhone 17 to be quite the battery powerhouse. It survived a full day of me rotting in bed thanks to a cold, which included hours of Balatro and Marvel Snap, doomscrolling on TikTok, online shopping, and taking a ridiculous number of photos of my fluffy, four-legged nurse, Hazel. After a good seven hours of screen time, I still had a little under 25% left in the tank, leaving it at least on par with its predecessor. It also charged faster than the iPhone 16, going back up to full in less than an hour.

The new A19 chip doesn’t feel noticeably faster than last year’s A18, but we are at the point of incremental upgrades, anyway. Regardless, it’s still more than zippy enough to power you through a day of mobile gaming if that’s your thing, and the new 120Hz refresh rate brings a noticeable improvement to graphics performance.

Last year’s headline feature, Apple Intelligence, didn’t exactly blow me away—in fact, it wasn’t even available at launch—so perhaps it isn’t a huge surprise that the tech giant barely mentioned its AI efforts in September’s keynote. Although it’s still generally as underbaked as it was 12 months ago, I do appreciate that it’s not nearly as in-your-face and unavoidable as other brands’ attempts.