It’s a tricky year to review the iPhone Pro. It’s long been the go-to choice for anyone who wants an iPhone with the nicest screen, longest battery, and great cameras. But the display is no longer unique to the Pro, cameras have largely gotten “good enough” on most phones, and Apple has a new model, the Air, which might be even more compelling.
This is the first time the iPhone Pro feels like it’s truly targeted at creators — people who need the longest battery life and the best cameras to record video and photos. I’m not a creator, but I’ve always bought the Pro Max for its bigger, higher-refresh-rate screen as much as for its beefy battery. But now I don’t have to for the former, and neither do you, because, also for the first time, the regular iPhone 17 has the same bright, smooth, always-on screen as the Pro (and Air). And it starts at $799, compared to the $1,099 starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro and $1,199 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 is the new iPhone for most people, and the iPhone Air is the most exciting new iPhone, at least given its totally new ultra-thin design. So the iPhone 17 Pro is for people who really want more camera options, even longer battery life, slightly faster charging, and… orange.
Orange you glad?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max in orange really pops.
I like the new look of the iPhone 17 Pro. It has rounded edges again, which we haven’t seen since the iPhone 11 Pro. I prefer them to the sharp sides on the other models. And I dig the contrast between the lighter orange of the ceramic-and-glass square panel and the darker orange of the aluminum body. The color difference is also a bit of a guide. It screams “This is where the accessories go,” as if to tell the user, “Plop the MagSafe charger here.” Or “Stick the magnetic wallet on me.” (The wallet covers the rectangle perfectly on the iPhone 17 Pro.) The orange is bold, arguably more so than any other color Apple has launched on a Pro phone. I love it, but there are navy or white versions for folks who don’t. (Perhaps coincidentally, navy blue and orange are the colors of Auburn University, where Apple CEO Tim Cook went for undergrad.)
The camera bar (or “plateau,” as Apple calls it) replaces the small camera island on the earlier Pro models. It houses the three 48-megapixel cameras: main, wide-angle, and telephoto, the last of which is an upgrade from the 12-megapixel sensor in last year’s phones. The cameras sit above Apple’s new “Ceramic Shield” back, which is more resistant to cracks if you drop the phone. The front glass is also more scratch-resistant.
The Pro and Pro Max are also available in blue, but there isn’t a black option.
Quick anecdote: The iPhone 17 Pro Max fell out of my pocket and face down onto a rocky trail during a camping trip with my son and was fine. My 16 Pro Max probably would have been, too. And not to belabor the orange, but it was easy to spot on the ground. During a hike, I couldn’t see a big difference in the new max peak brightness compared to my iPhone 16 Pro Max. No huge surprise there; we’re quickly approaching the darker days of autumn, and that high brightness is reserved for the brightest of days. Regardless, most phone screens look OK in direct sunlight now, unless the brightness is being throttled from overheating while you’re on the beach.
I don’t like that the Pro Max is slightly heavier, at 8.2 ounces, right between the 8-ounce titanium iPhone 16 Pro Max and the 8.4-ounce steel iPhone 14 Pro Max. After touting titanium’s strength for two years, Apple switched to an aluminum body for the Pro, paired with the new vapor chamber, to help keep it cooler during processor-intensive tasks, like rendering videos or gaming.
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