I’ve really enjoyed using the iPhone 17 Pro over the last six months, and the new design along with the orange color option and internal upgrades make it noteworthy. Of course, the iPhone Air is plenty intriguing in its own right, but after using these devices extensively, I think the iPhone 17 may just be the biggest upgrade if you’re considering a new phone this year.
While not as flashy as the iPhone 17 Pro or as svelte as the Air, the iPhone 17 comes with upgrades you’ll actually end up using, with Apple finally delivering features that have been missing on previous generations. Although it doesn’t look too different, I guarantee that you’ll notice an immediate difference when you switch to the iPhone 17, particularly if you’re coming from an iPhone 13 or older.
The key highlight of the iPhone 17 is the display — the device finally gets ProMotion technology, bringing it on par with the iPhone 17 Pro. This means the panel on the phone is now able to do 120Hz, and it makes a noticeable difference. You can feel the smoothness when you start using the iPhone 17, and it’s great to be able to use 120Hz on the base model as well.
What’s great is that you get the exact same panel as the iPhone 17 Pro, with the same level of brightness and color vibrancy. You also get LTPO tech, with the panel able to go down to 1Hz when viewing static content, going up to 120Hz while navigating the interface, scrolling through social media, or playing games. The dynamic switching makes a difference in battery use, and the iPhone 17 holds up astonishingly well.
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With the switch to 120Hz, always-on mode is now available on the regular iPhone 17, and it’s exciting to see these features no longer limited to the Pro models. When it comes to color dynamism itself, I didn’t see any difference between the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, nor did I run into any issues while using the device outdoors — it gets just as bright as the Pro model.
It’s just as good as the iPhone 17 Pro in daily use
One advantage of all the AI hullaballoo is that phones are generally more powerful, and the iPhone 17 gets the brand-new Apple A19 platform. Honestly, it is one of the fastest mobile platforms around, and in all the time I used the iPhone 17, I didn’t see any slowdowns or felt like the device was being limited in any way — even when playing intensive games.
Sure, the iPhone 17 gets just 8GB of RAM and not 12GB like the Pro model, but that doesn’t really make a difference in daily use. If anything, the bigger difference is that the base model also gets 256GB of storage; there’s no 128GB model this time, thankfully.
There’s 25W MagSafe, Face ID, Emergency SOS, UWB, and IP68 dust and water resistance. The biggest difference between the regular iPhone 17 and the Pro model is that it misses out on the 48MP telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. The lens is fantastic, and I use it often on my iPhone 17 Pro — it does a great job up to 8x.
That said, the iPhone 17 has a fabulous 48MP main camera, and it has the same 48MP wide-angle lens as the Pro model. The phone takes great photos in its own right, and if you don’t need the dedicated zoom lens, you’re not missing out on much else with the regular iPhone 17.
You get great battery life
Although the battery on the standard iPhone 17 isn’t as big as the Pro model, I didn’t have any issues getting it to last an entire day. That’s notable in itself, and there is a noticeable difference in battery life from previous years, even including the iPhone 16. Some of that has to do with the new 120Hz panel, but in general, I don’t have any issues with the longevity of the phone.
It may not have a new design or flashy colors, but the introduction of the 120Hz panel and 256GB storage with the starting $799 model makes the iPhone 17 a great choice if you’re mulling a switch from your older iPhone. Yes, the Pro model is a better overall phone, but it isn’t quite as good a value against the regular model, and honestly, there isn’t that much missing from the iPhone 17 other than the cameras that justifies shelling out an additional $300.
The iPhone 17 is a fantastic choice if you’re using an older iPhone and are considering an upgrade this year.
