iPhone 17 & 17 Pro/Pro Max Review: Should You Really Upgrade from iPho

The iPhone 17 lineup is finally here, and if you’re holding onto an iPhone 16 or 16 Pro, you’re probably asking the same question everyone else is: is it worth upgrading, or should you sit this one out?

On paper, Apple has sprinkled in just enough changes to tempt you. Brighter displays, a new telephoto camera, aluminum cooling, bigger batteries, and that long-awaited 120Hz ProMotion display finally trickling down to the standard iPhone. But here’s the real talk: some of these upgrades are genuinely game-changing, while others are more… marketing sparkle.

I’ve spent time with both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and in this review we’ll walk through everything that’s new — not just the specs, but how they actually feel in daily use. By the end, you’ll know exactly which model (if any) deserves your hard-earned cash this year.

The display: where the base iPhone finally grows up

Let’s start with the thing you look at every second of the day: the screen.

The iPhone 17 Pro does get some nice upgrades — peak brightness jumps from 2,000 to 3,000 nits (translation: much easier to see in blazing sunlight), plus a new seven-layer anti-reflective coating and Ceramic Shield 2 that’s supposedly three times tougher against scratches. Handy if, like me, you’ve ever thrown your phone into a bag with keys and regretted it instantly.

But the real story here is the standard iPhone 17. For the first time ever, the non-Pro model gets the same silky-smooth 120Hz ProMotion display we’ve had on Pro models since the iPhone 13. It’s also an LTPO panel that drops down to 1Hz, which means you finally get an always-on display — and it’s not the battery killer you might fear. Add a slightly bigger 6.3” size with slimmer bezels, and this feels like the first year the “vanilla” iPhone isn’t living in the Pro’s shadow.

If you’ve been tolerating 60Hz scrolling on an iPhone 16, this upgrade alone makes the 17 feel like an entirely new phone. The Pros? Their screen was already excellent — brighter is nice, but not life-changing.

Cameras: small steps for Pro, big leaps for selfies

Now, cameras. Because let’s be honest — half of us justify new iPhones to ourselves purely through the lens of “better photos of my dog.”

On the Pro side, Apple has swapped in a brand new 48MP telephoto with 4x optical zoom. That’s technically a step back from the 5x optical zoom we saw on the 16 Pro Max, but thanks to the bigger sensor and higher resolution, the results are actually sharper and more detailed. Still, if you’re hoping for Samsung-style 10x zoom or something dramatic, this isn’t it.

The ultrawide and main cameras on the Pro? Exactly the same as last year. And yes, that’s the fourth year in a row Apple’s recycled the same main sensor. Great sensor, sure, but it’s starting to feel a bit safe.

Meanwhile, the regular iPhone 17 quietly got the better deal: its ultrawide jumps from 12MP to 48MP. That’s the same leap the Pro models had, and it makes a huge difference for travel shots and landscapes.

But the biggest win across all models is the new 18MP selfie camera. Apple finally ditched the old 12MP sensor we’ve been stuck with since the iPhone 11. This one is sharper, wider, and even lets you take landscape selfies while holding your phone vertically (handy if you’ve ever tried to squeeze friends into a shot and cut someone’s head off). Add better stabilization and Center Stage tracking in video calls, and this is a genuine “you’ll notice it every day” kind of upgrade.

Performance: faster, cooler, and better for gamers

Apple’s chip updates are usually hard to feel unless you’re pushing the phone to its limits, and that’s the case again here.

Standard iPhone 17: jumps from A18 to A19, giving you ~10% faster CPU and ~20% faster graphics. Nice, but you won’t notice while scrolling Instagram.
Pro models: the new A19 Pro is where things get spicy. GPU performance is up to 40% faster, and combined with the new aluminum frame + vapor chamber cooling, it finally solves the overheating issues that plagued the 15 Pro. Add in 12GB of RAM (up from 8GB), and the Pro/Pro Max are the best gaming iPhones ever.

If you’re a Genshin Impact addict or you push your phone with heavy editing apps, the Pro models will feel like a genuine step up. Everyone else? The iPhone 16 was already absurdly fast.

Battery life and charging: big wins for the base 17

Here’s where things get interesting.

The iPhone 17 gets a massive bump — up to 30% more battery life than the iPhone 16. Apple’s official number is 22 hours of video playback jumping to 30, which in the real world means you can finally get through a long day without nervously eyeing your percentage by mid-afternoon.

The Pros also improve, but the gains are smaller — think ~14–22% more on the 17 Pro, ~12–18% more on the Pro Max. If you live in the US or Japan and get the eSIM-only models, those come with a slightly bigger battery for even better life.

Charging is faster too: up to 35W instead of 25W. With the right charger, you’ll hit 50% in about 20 minutes. That’s finally catching up with Android rivals, though it’s still not “super fast” charging territory.

Design: subtle for 17, bolder for Pro

The iPhone 17 looks almost identical to the 16 — unless you get one of the new colors (Sage and Lavender). That’s pretty much your visual cue.

The Pro models, though, get a proper redesign. The back has a new camera plateau, the Apple logo is repositioned, and you’ve got the bold new Cosmic Orange finish, plus a blue that looks suspiciously like last year’s Blue Titanium. No black option at launch, which will disappoint purists (myself included).

One thing worth noting: the new Ceramic Shield 2 is supposed to be tougher, but people are already reporting “scratchgate” with the Pro colors marking up easily. If you’re going caseless, beware.

Pricing & storage: some good news

Here’s a rare bit of good news: prices stay the same.

The iPhone 17 now starts at 256GB for the same $799 the iPhone 16 launched at with just 128GB. That’s a solid upgrade in value.
The 17 Pro keeps the $1,099 entry price (but Apple quietly killed the old $999 128GB tier).
And the 17 Pro Max? It now comes in a whopping 2TB option for creators, priced at $1,999. Painful, yes, but niche.

So, should you upgrade?

From iPhone 16 / 16 Plus:

iPhone 17: Yes, absolutely. This is the first base model in years that feels like a real jump. ProMotion, LTPO always-on, bigger display, vastly better battery, faster charging, and camera improvements all add up to a phone that feels new.
17 Pro/Pro Max: Not unless you need specific features — the new telephoto, ProRes/Log 2 video, or the gaming/thermal improvements. For everyone else, it’s a refinement, not a reinvention.

From anything older than iPhone 15:

100% yes. The jump is huge whichever 17 you pick.

Creators & gamers:

The Pro models are worth it for the performance and pro video tools.

Final thoughts

This year, Apple has finally flipped the script: the iPhone 17 (non-Pro) is the one to buy. It’s the model that got the meaningful changes — the display, the battery, the ultrawide, the selfie camera — while the Pro models got incremental refinements.

If you’re already on a 16 Pro or Pro Max, don’t feel pressured. You’re not missing out on much unless you’re a creator or a hardcore gamer. But if you’re on a 16, 15, or older non-Pro, the iPhone 17 is easily the most exciting “vanilla” iPhone in years