When Apple announced the iPhone 17 Pro last week, it touted that the addition of the iPhone Air in the lineup allowed it to take the Pro models “to an entirely new level of performance and capabilities.”
I’ve been testing the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max for the last week to find out just how far Apple has pushed those limits.
Design
Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro features an aluminum unibody design that is “crafted with a lightweight aerospace-grade 7000-series aluminum alloy.” It’s not the first time Apple has described the iPhone as having an aluminum unibody design. That title belongs to the iPhone 6. On paper, the new unibody aluminum design might not sound like a big change.
In reality, however, the unibody design of the iPhone 17 Pro feels fantastic in the hand. In contrast to the iPhone 16 Pro, the iPhone 17 Pro is a seamless device that feels cohesive rather than multiple different parts held together by a titanium or stainless steel band. I didn’t expect to notice a big difference, but the curvature of the front to the back of the device is a clear improvement in how comfortable the iPhone 17 Pro is to hold.
The iPhone 17 Pro’s design, however, doesn’t play it safe. The unibody aluminum casing is stunning, yes, but there are other changes that have proven to be polarizing. I’d say it’s the most polarizing iPhone design in years. The two-tone design on the back, in particular, has been the subject of much debate. The reason for that design choice is clear: the glass cutout is what’s used for wireless charging. I’d much prefer better consistency here. The cutout feels awkward and breaks up the seamlessness of the unibody design.
Model Thickness / Depth Weight iPhone 16e 7.80 mm 167 g iPhone 16 7.80 mm 170 g iPhone 16 Plus 7.80 mm 199 g iPhone 16 Pro 8.25 mm 199 g iPhone 16 Pro Max 8.25 mm 227 g iPhone 17 7.95 mm 177 g iPhone 17 Pro 8.75 mm 206 g iPhone 17 Pro Max 8.75 mm 233 g iPhone Air 5.64 mm 165 g
The other polarizing design choice on the iPhone 17 Pro is the plateau across the back. Apple says that the plateau design created additional space for internal components, including a bigger battery.
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: Friendship ended with camera bump, now plateau is my best friend
The plateau, I think, is mostly harmless. In some ways, I think it actually looks better than the camera bump as it creates more consistency across the back of the phone. With the camera bump, it always felt like Apple was awkwardly trying (and failing) to acknowledge its existence. The plateau is an unabashed component of the iPhone 17 Pro design.
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