For years, the “common” iPhone gained hand-me-downs from the Professional fashions. This was once much less so with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, however the trickle-down philosophy was once nonetheless there to a point. For 2025 and the iPhone 17 ($799) is not the compromise that the bottom style was. Apple in the end blessed it with a 120Hz show and this yr’s most enjoyable digicam function, Middle Level.
Whilst it’ll look like Apple is not forcing iPhone customers to compromise, or no less than to not the stage it used to, there’s nonetheless one huge factor to believe. With the creation of the iPhone Air, the corporate has shaken up the display sizes around the iPhone 17 lineup. As a substitute of the former 6.1-inch iPhone and six.7-inch Plus style, Apple is splitting the adaptation with the iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch display. That still aligns it size-wise with the iPhone 17 Professional, whilst the Air sits in the midst of the collection at 6.5 inches.
I suppose I’m a big-phone man now, as it’s been a coarse week transitioning from the 16 Plus to the iPhone 17. Now and then I believe like my cellphone is a toy, and at others it’s like I stepped again in time. I don’t in particular like both sensation.
Hanging my display length personal tastes apart, the iPhone 17 stays the most efficient iPhone for most of the people. Since Apple introduced its perfect new options to this common style this yr, you don’t need to really feel such as you’re looking forward to the thrilling equipment from the Air or Professional to make it to a extra reasonably priced iPhone style in three hundred and sixty five days. The upgraded show and new entrance digicam are undoubtedly the highlights, however the iPhone 17 stays a solidly constructed tool with loyal all-day battery existence and succesful efficiency.
Apple/Engadget
The “common” iPhone were given a giant refresh this yr with the addition of a ProMotion show and Middle Level digicam.
- In the end, a 120Hz show
- Middle Level entrance digicam works nice
- Twin 48MP Fusion rear cameras take sharp footage
- 6.3 inches shall be too small for some
- Perfect digicam efficiency is reserved for the 17 Professional
In the end, a 120Hz show
A large alternate at the iPhone 17 is the 6.3-inch ProMotion 120Hz show. No longer simplest is it fairly larger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, nevertheless it in the end refreshes quicker now. The upper refresh price was once some of the final closing pieces Apple had but to deliver down from its Professional fashions, and this one makes a giant distinction to the full revel in. Swiping round iOS 26 feels so much smoother. Apps like Instagram and Safari the place I up to now encountered some jitters now transfer easily. When it’s time to challenge outdoor, you’ll be satisfied that Apple boosted the height brightness to a few,000 nits — a 1,000-nit build up from the iPhone 16. It’s a welcome improve for the days you wish to have to make use of your cellphone in direct daylight.
The corporate additionally supplied the iPhone 17 with an always-on show, which comes in handy for updates at a look for those who’ve ignored a notification. And naturally, Dynamic Island remains to be there, offering ongoing data for growth on such things as reside sports activities, tune playback, navigation, experience sharing and extra.
You gained’t in reality understand the show improve till you get started the use of the telephone, so a handy guide a rough look gained’t disclose any glaring {hardware} adjustments. Until you do a side-by-side with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, the place the dimensions variation shall be obvious, you gained’t locate any distinction. Turn over to the again even though and there’s a virtually fully new colour palette. Black and white stay, however Lavender, Sage and Mist Blue have changed final yr’s Ultramarine, Teal and Purple choices. I favor this yr’s hues, as they aren’t as pastel-y because the 2024 lineup, and that Sage inexperienced appears in reality sharp in consumer.
Undertaking again to the entrance and there’s every other necessary replace that isn’t visual. Apple upgraded the scratch resistance with Ceramic Defend 2, which the corporate says supplies 3 times higher coverage than at the iPhone 16. I had to stay my iPhone 17 pristine for footage right through my evaluation, so I haven’t put it in eventualities with the potential of damage simply but. My mischievous cocker spaniel did come up with it for a couple of mins, however there aren’t any visual tooth marks or scratches from that harrowing (for me) incident.
Digicam updates take Middle Level
For lots of, digicam efficiency is probably the most very important facet of an iPhone, and this yr’s style were given a vital improve there. The largest alternate is the brand new 18MP Middle Level entrance digicam that replaces the 12MP TrueDepth digicam. This new model has a sq. sensor that permits the iPhone 17 to robotically transfer from portrait to panorama when extra other folks input the body for a selfie.
After the use of Middle Level for approximately per week, it’s simply the most efficient new digicam function Apple has launched in years. I will be able to concede that the addition of macro mode and Photographic Types in earlier iPhones have been additionally very good, however Middle Level seems like magic. I’m now not even a giant selfie taker, but if I do want to snap one on a circle of relatives time out, this 41 yr outdated not seems like a Boomer conserving his cellphone sideways. The changes occur briefly so that you’re now not left ready, and for those who don’t adore it, you’ll be able to disable the car rotation, auto zoom or each.
Middle Level additionally works with video calls to stay you within the body. That is in particular useful for those who’re strolling or another way transferring round whilst seeking to have a talk. It does take a 2d for the device to make its adjustment after you progress from the middle of the body, nevertheless it’s easy and gained’t be a distraction to somebody at the name.
Any other replace to the front-facing digicam is a brand new Twin Seize mode. This concurrently data pictures with the entrance and rear cameras for such things as response movies. Because the dad or mum of 2 youngsters in adolescence sports activities, I will be able to see the software for such things as championship video games, and even milestone moments in school. I believe a large number of other folks can even movie themselves making a song alongside at concert events, however I’m now not one among them.
The one factor I’ve with Twin Seize is that it’s a problem to stay each the motion and your self in body. You’ll’t glance in two puts without delay, so if you wish to take care of a focused response shot or ongoing statement, you’ll have to determine a technique to juggle the pictures. I’ve but to grasp it myself and also you’ll most likely combat for those who favor your selfie clips shot from a downward attitude.
The front-facing digicam isn’t the one photography-centric improve at the iPhone 17. Round again, there at the moment are two 48MP Fusion cameras. At the iPhone 16, simplest the principle was once a Fusion digicam whilst the ultra-wide has a 12MP sensor. You’ll get the similar 0.5x, 1x and 2x zoom choices as ahead of, automated macro mode, True Tone flash and the remainder of the to hand options from the iPhone 16 — like Portrait Lighting fixtures. If you happen to’re into Apple’s Photographic Types, there’s a brand new one referred to as Vivid that complements pores and skin tones and makes the remainder of the picture extra colourful. My colleague Cherlynn Low when compared it to the now-retired Oslo clear out on Instagram, and I believe that’s an apt comparability.
Through default, the principle digicam delivers pictures in 24MP answer for a stability of element and brightness. Generally, the footage I took with the iPhone 17 looked to be fairly sharper than the ones I captured with my iPhone 16 Plus, particularly in main points like texture (as evidenced through the footage of pumpkins and my canine Biscuit). There isn’t an enormous jump in rear digicam efficiency right here, however I realized a slight growth.
In lower-light settings, like in my photos underneath the awning of my native produce stand and inside of a neighborhood bar, colours remained correct and crisp. Macro pictures have been simply as sharp and detailed as ahead of, judging from my close-up of a sunflower which you’ll be able to see right here. Evening time pics nonetheless produce correct colours, particularly when rendering the heat or coolness of side road lighting, and the ones parts aren’t missing in readability both. Change your digicam settings to 48MP and also you’ll understand enhanced element in pictures that include landscapes, as one instance. Simply needless to say the ones max-res footage are restricted to 1x zoom and any Evening mode or flash pictures will continuously be stored at 12MP.
But even so the truth that it makes use of the non-Professional A19 processor, the cameras are the principle space the iPhone 17 lags in the back of the 17 Professional and 17 Professional Max. They’ve a 3rd digicam round again — a 48MP Fusion telephoto — that’s supplied with three-D sensor-shift optical symbol stabilization. That three-camera array additionally supplies further zoom choices at 4x and 8x. Additionally they free up ProRAW for stills and each ProRes and ProRes Uncooked for video, and include a four-microphone setup for “studio-quality” audio seize. If you happen to want the head of Apple’s photographic prowess (lately, anyway), the iPhone 17 Professional begins at $1,099 — $300 greater than the iPhone 17.
Efficiency
Whilst Apple supplied the iPhone 17 with its newest A19 chip, there’s nonetheless a six-core CPU and five-core GPU — identical because the iPhone 16. The adaptation this is that the GPU now has Neural Accelerators on each and every core, which Apple says will spice up top computing energy for AI duties. Until you’re coming from an older iPhone, you almost certainly gained’t understand an excessive amount of of an growth year-to-year. Apple explains that the CPU efficiency within the iPhone 17 is as much as 50 % quicker than the iPhone 13, however that cellphone is from 4 years in the past — mainly an eternity. Clearly, you’d be expecting to peer a big uptick in pace when evaluating the flashy new style to such an growing older tool.
That stated, the iPhone 17 speedily treated any job I threw at it. All the way through my on a regular basis use, I didn’t stumble upon a unmarried time the telephone stuttered or struggled to finish the task. The one time I needed to stay up for anything else was once for Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT to generate my newest urged or make a Genmoji in Symbol Playground (I don’t suggest soliciting for “a scorching canine thunderstorm,” through the best way). What’s extra, I by no means spotted the iPhone 17 getting heat when the use of those AI equipment on their very own, nevertheless it did begin to warmth up after I concurrently began multitasking (enjoying tune, and so forth.). The iPhone 17 by no means were given greater than noticeably heat to touch, even though.
I’m now not an avid cellular gamer, however I did play some Future: Emerging (a advice from the Engadget team of workers) at the iPhone 17 for my due diligence. The combo of the A19 chip and the 120Hz show equipped silky easy motion for the first-person shooter, even in chaotic skirmishes. Plus, the iPhone 17 did not get scorching right through my gaming periods, regardless of now not having the vapor chamber that the Execs do. This most probably led me to play so much longer than I must every now and then, because the tool by no means were given heat sufficient to ring a bell in me of the way a lot time had handed. The iPhone 17 Professional, Professional Max and Air all have the extra robust A19 Professional chip, however the common iPhone this yr is a succesful cellular gaming tool too.
The coming of iOS 26
My colleague Mat Smith lined the entire new options of iOS 26 intimately, so I’ll refer you to his information for the nitty gritty at the replace. I will be able to be offering some fast ideas at the new instrument general, beginning with Liquid Glass. After per week with the most recent design, I’m nonetheless now not a fan. In some spaces the refresh comes in handy: I in particular just like the adjustments to CarPlay, the telephone app and Messages. I’m additionally beginning to get onboard with the tweaks to the Digicam app. However for each one replace that’s useful, I to find 5 extra I hate. I don’t like the brand new menu in Apple Track that once in a while calls for an additional faucet to show the choices, which is one among my greatest annoyances.
I do love the combo of the iPhone 17’s always-on show and iOS 26’s Precedence Notifications. It’s immensely useful to look over at my cellphone and notice if there’s anything else I want to cope with in an instant. This pairing may be to hand when it presentations me issues after I may’ve ignored a notification because it first popped up. It’s simplest been per week, so I’m prone to to find different parts I will be able to put to just right use as I spend extra time with the brand new OS. And because iOS 26 is a larger visible overhaul than Apple’s standard annual refresh, the iPhone 17 seems like much more of an improve.
Since I’ve additionally been the use of the AirPods Professional 3 for the final a number of days, two options I’ve examined so much are the earbuds’ heart-rate monitoring and Reside Translation. It’s great not to need to put off a exercise if my Apple Watch is charging, since I now know the AirPods Professional 3 will observe my motion and correctly credit score my Task Rings. I may’t wait to trip in a foreign country with Reside Translation, because the checks I’ve performed at house have already produced strangely useful effects.
Battery existence
As soon as once more, Apple guarantees “all day” battery existence at the iPhone 17. In fact, the corporate doesn’t quantify that word, as opposed to a dedication to 30 hours of video playback or 27 hours of streaming time. My colleague Sam Rutherford were given just about 25 hours whilst streaming a video as a comparability for his evaluation of the iPhone Air. All the way through an afternoon of what I’d believe “common” use — checking electronic mail, responding to Slack messages, taking note of tune, calls, texting, scrolling Instagram and gazing a couple of episodes of The Endure — I nonetheless had 16 % battery left through mattress time. That’s after an afternoon that began at 7AM and ended at 12AM, and I had the always-on show lively all the time.
Apple fairly greater the MagSafe wi-fi charging wattage at the iPhone 17. It’s now as much as 25W (with a 30W adapter), which works the iPhone 16 Plus, and is a 3W build up from the iPhone 16. If you happen to don’t thoughts cables, you’ll be able to be expecting to recharge to 50 % in 20 mins with a 40W (or upper) adapter and to get midway with a 30W charging accent in part an hour. That charging-to-50-percent time at the iPhone 17 is quicker than what you get at the 16 and 16 Plus through 10 and quarter-hour respectively.
The contest
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a non-Apple selection, Google’s Pixel 10 is your perfect guess. It has stepped forward efficiency in comparison to its predecessor in conjunction with an upgraded telephoto digicam with 5x zoom. There’s toughen for Google’s tackle MagSafe (Pixelsnap) and the Gemini-powered Magic Cue function is strangely to hand. Plus, the Pixel 10 begins at $799, similar to the iPhone 17.
Samsung’s newest entry-level flagship, the Galaxy S25, is much less of an glaring selection. Because the collection has lengthy been a rival of Apple’s iPhone, it deserves inclusion right here. The S25’s show and cameras haven’t been upgraded over the S24’s, nevertheless it has a formidable new processor and very good battery existence. Gemini works higher at the S25 than it did previously and there’s the forged construct high quality that Samsung continuously provides at this value vary. Talking of value, the S25 additionally prices the similar because the iPhone 17.
Wrap-up
With probably the most vital replace in years, the iPhone 17 is a simple selection for an improve for most of the people. Although you’re coming from the iPhone 16, you’ll benefit from the overhauled show and stepped forward cameras. I don’t say any of that frivolously as I’m now not an individual who recommends getting a brand new cellphone annually. More often than not, there merely are not compelling sufficient adjustments to warrant it. That’s now not the case this yr, and for those who’re coming from an iPhone that’s a couple of years outdated, you’ll most likely really feel as for those who’ve stepped into the long run.
I went into this evaluation anticipating to be keen to go back to my iPhone 16 Plus when I used to be via checking out. And whilst I do favor the bigger tool after the use of it for a yr, the updates Apple has collected at the iPhone 17 — particularly the Middle Level digicam — have appeased that want… for now. I don’t have a lot use for the efficiency boosts that the iPhone 17 Professional or Professional Max supply, and I will be able to’t justify splurging simply for a larger show. So, I will be able to hopefully say that despite the fact that there’s one much less choice within the common iPhone lineup than there was once a yr in the past, the iPhone 17 remains to be the most efficient iPhone for many people.
