I’ve actually loved utilizing the iPhone 17 Professional over the past six months, and the brand new design together with the orange colour choice and inside upgrades make it noteworthy. After all, the iPhone Air is loads intriguing in its personal proper, however after utilizing these units extensively, I believe the iPhone 17 could be the most important improve should you’re contemplating a brand new telephone this 12 months.
Whereas not as flashy because the iPhone 17 Professional or as svelte because the Air, the iPhone 17 comes with upgrades you may really find yourself utilizing, with Apple lastly delivering options which have been lacking on earlier generations. Though it does not look too completely different, I assure that you will discover a direct distinction if you change to the iPhone 17, notably should you’re coming from an iPhone 13 or older.
The important thing spotlight of the iPhone 17 is the show — the gadget lastly will get ProMotion expertise, bringing it on par with the iPhone 17 Professional. This implies the panel on the telephone is now in a position to do 120Hz, and it makes a noticeable distinction. You possibly can really feel the smoothness if you begin utilizing the iPhone 17, and it is nice to have the ability to use 120Hz on the bottom mannequin as nicely.
What’s nice is that you just get the very same panel because the iPhone 17 Professional, with the identical stage of brightness and colour vibrancy. You additionally get LTPO tech, with the panel in a position to go all the way down to 1Hz when viewing static content material, going as much as 120Hz whereas navigating the interface, scrolling via social media, or enjoying video games. The dynamic switching makes a distinction in battery use, and the iPhone 17 holds up astonishingly nicely.
With the change to 120Hz, always-on mode is now accessible on the common iPhone 17, and it is thrilling to see these options now not restricted to the Professional fashions. On the subject of colour dynamism itself, I did not see any distinction between the iPhone 17 and 17 Professional, nor did I run into any points whereas utilizing the gadget outside — it will get simply as brilliant because the Professional mannequin.
It is simply nearly as good because the iPhone 17 Professional in day by day use
One benefit of all of the AI hullaballoo is that telephones are typically extra highly effective, and the iPhone 17 will get the brand-new Apple A19 platform. Actually, it is without doubt one of the quickest cell platforms round, and in on a regular basis I used the iPhone 17, I did not see any slowdowns or felt just like the gadget was being restricted in any method — even when enjoying intensive video games.
Positive, the iPhone 17 will get simply 8GB of RAM and never 12GB just like the Professional mannequin, however that does not actually make a distinction in day by day use. If something, the larger distinction is that the bottom mannequin additionally will get 256GB of storage; there is not any 128GB mannequin this time, fortunately.
There’s 25W MagSafe, Face ID, Emergency SOS, UWB, and IP68 mud and water resistance. The most important distinction between the common iPhone 17 and the Professional mannequin is that it misses out on the 48MP telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. The lens is unbelievable, and I exploit it usually on my iPhone 17 Professional — it does a fantastic job as much as 8x.
That stated, the iPhone 17 has a wonderful 48MP most important digital camera, and it has the identical 48MP wide-angle lens because the Professional mannequin. The telephone takes nice images in its personal proper, and should you do not want the devoted zoom lens, you are not lacking out on a lot else with the common iPhone 17.
You get nice battery life
Though the battery on the usual iPhone 17 is not as massive because the Professional mannequin, I did not have any points getting it to final a complete day. That is notable in itself, and there’s a noticeable distinction in battery life from earlier years, even together with the iPhone 16. A few of that has to do with the brand new 120Hz panel, however typically, I haven’t got any points with the longevity of the telephone.
It might not have a brand new design or flashy colours, however the introduction of the 120Hz panel and 256GB storage with the beginning $799 mannequin makes the iPhone 17 a fantastic selection should you’re mulling a change out of your older iPhone. Sure, the Professional mannequin is a greater general telephone, but it surely is not fairly nearly as good a price in opposition to the common mannequin, and actually, there is not that a lot lacking from the iPhone 17 apart from the cameras that justifies shelling out a further $300.
The iPhone 17 is a unbelievable selection should you’re utilizing an older iPhone and are contemplating an improve this 12 months.

