I Tested the iPhone 17: Long-Overdue Upgrades Make a Notable Difference

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. The iPhone 17 brings many long-awaited features, like an always-on display. Abrar Al-Heeti/ Zooey Liao/CNET It's easy to overlook the iPhone 17, especially in a year when the ultraslim iPhone Air has stolen the spotlight -- and the bright orange iPhone 17 Pro is hulking next to it. But subtle upgrades to Apple's baseline model add up to notable improvements that make the iPhone 17 worth your attention. The iPhone 17 may not be the flashiest device in Apple's latest lineup (yes, it looks strikingly similar to the iPhone 16). But in the week I've used the phone, updates to the display, cameras and battery have helped this entry-level device feel like it's narrowing the chasm separating it from its pricey Pro counterparts. Watch this: iPhone Air Review: A Joy to Hold, at a Cost 10:06 The iPhone 17 starts at $829 (or $799 if you activate with a carrier), which means there thankfully hasn't been a price increase over last year's model. In fact, you're technically getting more bang for your buck with the iPhone 17, since it starts with a higher 256GB storage option, doing away with the 128GB starting point on the iPhone 16. Here are my early impressions of the iPhone 17, which is available for order now and goes on sale Friday. You can also check out my in-depth review of the $999 iPhone Air. At last: 120Hz displays on the baseline iPhones. CNET iPhone 17 gets big display upgrades At long last, Apple has extended a 120Hz display across all of its phones, not just the Pro models. As a result, the iPhone 17 gets smoother scrolling and, perhaps most thrillingly for me, an always-on display that lets you glance at the time and notifications without waking the screen. On the one hand, it feels odd in 2025 to be applauding something as basic as a 120Hz display, but on the other, I'm just glad it's finally there. The iPhone 17 also gets a higher 3,000-nit peak brightness and an anti-reflective coating that makes it easier to see in the bright outdoors. I didn't have any issues looking at my screen even in peak daytime hours. Altogether, these display upgrades help the iPhone 17 feel like less of a major step down from the top-of-the-line iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 17 comes in five colors. I tested the lavender option and immediately fell in love. Abrar Al-Heeti/Zooey Liao/CNET iPhone 17 is more durable -- and colorful Despite the similar appearance of the iPhone 17 and 16, the newer model has a slightly larger frame and a 6.3-inch display, as opposed to the 6.1-inch display on last year's baseline phone. The bezels are impressively thin, especially when compared to a phone like the Pixel 10, which helps content viewing feel more immersive. A Ceramic Shield 2 display offers three-times better scratch resistance, according to Apple. That's welcome news for me, as I somehow have a tendency to etch into my phones' displays. So far, though, I'm happy to report there have been no scuffs or scratches, even without a case or screen protector. The iPhone 17's aluminum frame has a satisfying matte texture. It carries over the color on the phone's backing all along the sides for a cohesive appearance. I have the iPhone 17 in lavender, which may be one of my favorite hues of any phone I've used. It's a gentle shade that's easy on the eyes, with a cloudy-white soft undertone. I checked out the other colors -- black, white, sage and mist blue -- at Apple Park during the fall iPhone event, and each was just as pleasing to the eye. One key advantage the iPhone 17 has over the pricier iPhone Air is its dual-speaker system, which delivers more balanced sound. The Air, by contrast, has just a single top speaker. It's one way the baseline model outshines the flashier Air. But, as per usual, the iPhone 17 packs a slightly less powerful processor than its counterparts: an A19 chip, rather than the A19 Pro on the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. In my experience, that hasn't led to any noticeable differences in how videos or games look on the baseline 17 versus the iPhone Air. I wasn't able to run benchmark testing during this review cycle, but will update this story with the results when I have them. iOS 26 brings more customization The iPhone 17 comes with iOS 26 on board, which includes the new Liquid Glass design. After a bit of adjustment, I've grown fond of how clean the interface looks and the more translucent controls, which let you see more content across the screen. You can go all-in on the new look and make your app icons transparent, but that's a step too far for me. Group texts get an upgrade with the option to add fun backgrounds, and you can conduct polls to simplify planning hangouts. It's a minor detail, but I'm enjoying the option to expand the height of the time on the lock screen and watch it squish as notifications roll in. The Spatial Scene setting gives your wallpaper a three-dimensional effect as you move your phone -- so my Hogwarts lock screen looks a little more alive. I don't often call or text people who speak languages I don't understand, but if the need arises, especially during travels, Live Translation will automatically translate what someone is saying over voice calling, FaceTime and iMessage. There's a slight lag when I use the automated voice translation on calls and it can be a bit awkward to hear it speak over the person on the other line, but it's still a neat capability. The feature isn't quite as advanced as Google's Pixel 10, which uses AI to mimic the speaker's voice. And while I'm still bummed Google's Circle to Search has yet to arrive on iPhones, an update to Apple's Visual Intelligence feature introduces a similar capability. When you take a screenshot, you can now ask ChatGPT for more information about what's on your screen, or you can squiggle on something to see relevant links and more information from platforms such as Google, Etsy and Poshmark. The iPhone 17 has a wide and ultrawide camera, which are both 48 megapixels. Abrar Al-Heeti/Zooey Liao/CNET iPhone 17 camera gets sharper Unlike the iPhone Air's solo rear camera, the iPhone 17 packs two rear cameras: a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide. That's an upgrade over the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera on the iPhone 16. It's interesting to have more photo-taking flexibility on a less expensive iPhone model, since the iPhone Air can't take 0.5x photos or Cinematic mode videos. It's another way this baseline device makes a case for itself. Enlarge Image The iPhone 17 masterfully captures all the different colors and materials in this art installation. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Enlarge Image If you're new here, I like to take pictures of teacups. This 2x shot pulls this cup to the foreground and helps it pop. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Enlarge Image The crisp details in the flower petals are striking. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Enlarge Image This 2x portrait mode shot adds some depth to these chandeliers. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Enlarge Image Portrait mode is great for added drama. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Like the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 takes 12-megapixel 2x telephoto images, which maintain a solid level of detail as you punch in. Photos default to 24 megapixels, but you can switch to 48 megapixels to capture a bit more detail. Enlarge Image Here's a globe shot at 24 megapixels. There's a good amount of texture and the colors are balanced, even without resorting to a 48-megapixel image. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Enlarge Image It's subtle, but the 48-megapixel photo brightens up shadows throughout and makes the text a bit sharper. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Like the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, the entry-level model includes an 18-megapixel selfie camera with Center Stage, which automatically -- or manually, if you prefer -- shifts your shot from portrait to landscape as more people enter the frame, so you don't have to rotate your phone. As an added perk, everyone's gaze will also look more centered because the camera isn't so far off to the side. You can set this to work automatically, but since it can be a little glitchy, I usually just tap the dedicated button above the shutter instead. Enlarge Image Center Stage flipped this selfie into a horizontal image -- without me having to turn the phone. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET Dual Capture is a fun feature that lets you simultaneously record from both your front and back cameras, which appear as a FaceTime-style picture-in-picture rectangle that you can move around the screen. Concert videos are about to get a lot more fun. iPhone 17 battery Apple doesn't share specific battery specs for its phones, but says the iPhone 17 has up to 30 hours of video playback. It can charge at up to 40 watts. In CNET's 45-minute endurance test, which includes streaming, scrolling through social media, joining a video call and playing games, the iPhone 17's battery went from full to 98%. Impressively, that matches the results of the iPhone 17 Pro. (And for added comparison, the iPhone Air finished off at 95%, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max ended at 99%.) I'll be running more battery tests on this phone in the coming days, so be sure to check back for those results. What I can say is the iPhone 17 can easily last a little over a day, even after snapping photos, scrolling through social media, texting and watching videos. (Apple says the iPhone 17 has up to 8 hours more of video playback compared to the iPhone 16.) An iOS 26 feature called Adaptive Power Mode is designed to help extend battery life even more by automatically adjusting your iPhone's performance based on how you're using it at that moment. That might mean lowering your display's brightness, scaling back on CPU speeds and turning off some background activities. It could also activate low power mode. It takes about a week for Adaptive Power to kick in, so I have yet to see it in action. Here is the iPhone 17 in sage (left) and lavendar. CNET Final thoughts: Should you buy the iPhone 17? The baseline iPhone is never really meant to turn heads when stacked against the rest of an Apple lineup, but some notable upgrades on the iPhone 17 make it a worthy contender if you're in the market for a new device that ticks the basics. Improvements to the display and camera help the iPhone 17 feel like it's really worth that $829 price, and can make it an enticing option if you don't want to spend upwards of $1,000 on a Pro model. Many of the newest features, such as Center Stage and Dual Capture, are available across Apple's latest lineup -- you won't have to cough up more cash and upgrade to the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max to tap into them. While Apple tends to debut new features like Dynamic Island, the Action button and the Camera Control button on Pro models before extending them to the baseline devices, the differences between the iPhone 17 and its Pro counterparts feel a little less glaring this year. If you have an iPhone 14 device or a non-Pro iPhone 15, jumping to the iPhone 17 might be a worthwhile upgrade, since you'll be able to tap into Apple Intelligence and newer hardware features such as the Camera Control button. But if you're using an iPhone 16, there's probably not enough cause to upgrade -- even if features like Dual Capture and Center Stage are pretty neat. iPhone 17 vs. iPhone Air vs. iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max undefined Apple iPhone 17 Apple iPhone Air Apple iPhone 17 Pro Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.5-inch OLED; 2,736 x 1,260 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.9-inch OLED; 2,868 x 1,320 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate Pixel density 460ppi 460ppi 460ppi 460ppi Dimensions (inches) 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 in 6.15 x 2.94 x 0.22 in 5.91 x 2.83 x 0.34 in 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.34 in Dimensions (millimeters) 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.64 mm 150.0 x 71.9 x 8.75 mm 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm Weight (grams, ounces) 177 g (6.24 oz) 165 g (5.82 oz) 206 g (7.27 oz) 233 g (8.22 oz) Mobile software iOS 26 iOS 26 iOS 26 iOS 26 Camera 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (4x, 8x telephoto) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (4x, 8x telephoto) Front-facing camera 18-megapixel 18-megapixel 18-megapixel 18-megapixel Video capture 4K 4K 4K 4K Processor Apple A19 Apple A19 Pro Apple A19 Pro Apple A19 Pro RAM + storage RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB Expandable storage None None None None Battery Up to 30 hours video playback; up to 27 hours video playback (streamed) Up to 27 hours video playback; up to 22 hours video playback (streamed). Up to 40 hours video playback, up to 35 hours video playback (streamed) with iPhone Air MagSafe Battery Up to 33 hours video playback; up to 30 hours video playback (streamed). Up to 39 hours video playback; up to 35 hours video playback (streamed). Fingerprint sensor None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID) Connector USB-C USB-C USB-C USB-C Headphone jack None None None None Special features Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, mist blue, sage, lavender. Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Apple C1X cellular modem. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: space black, cloud white, light gold, sky blue. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 20W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. ProRes Raw video recording. Genlock video support. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: silver, cosmic orange, deep blue. Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. ProRes Raw video recording. Genlock video support. 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range. IP68 resistance. Colors: silver, cosmic orange, deep blue. Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. US price starts at $829 (256GB) $999 (256GB) $1,099 (256GB) $1,199 (256GB) How we test phones Every phone CNET's reviews team tests is used in the real world. We test a phone's features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it's bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP rating for water resistance. 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