The iPhone 17 is the lower-tier 19th-generation iPhone that was introduced on 9 September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone Air. This is the most affordable iPhone in its generation class. However, despite its positioning, it is packed with features that can compete against and even outclass premium mid-rangers from Samsung and Google Pixel.
Pros of iPhone 17
Apple brings top-tier features once exclusive to Pro models to the standard iPhone 17 without the premium price tag. It is designed for users who want future-proof performance without overpaying for extras they will not use.
• 120 Hz ProMotion Display for Smooth Navigation: The standard iPhone model now has an adaptive high refresh rate LTPO screen to deliver fluid scrolling, responsive interactions, and a noticeably premium feel compared to older 60 Hz panels.
• Double the Base Storage at No Extra Cost: Apple retained the previous starting price of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 but upgraded the base storage from 128 GB to 256 GB. This gives users more breathing room for apps, photos, and videos.
• Significant Upgrades in the Camera System: The main sensor captures more detail, while the new 48 MP ultrawide camera and sharper front-facing lens deliver brighter and cleaner images even in poorly lit environments and nighttime use.
• Efficient A19 Chip for Everyday and Creative Tasks: Apps launch instantly, gaming is smooth, and multitasking remains lag-free. This is possible all without excessive battery drain thanks to the refined chip efficiency of the A19 system-on-a-chip.
• All-Day Battery Life Under Normal Usage: Both average-level and stress tests showed that the iPhone 17 comfortably lasts an entire day of moderate to heavy use. This makes it dependable for travel, work, or content consumption.
Refreshed Design with Stronger Ceramic Shield 2 Glass: Apple claims that the device is about 3x more scratch-resistant compared to prior models because of its Ceramic Shield 2. The aluminum frame maintains a premium look and feel.
• Modern Connectivity and Software Upgrades: This device is equipped with the N1 chip to support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and Thread low-powered mesh networking. It also comes with iOS 26 out of the box with its Liquid Glass user interface.
Cons of iPhone 17
It is powerful but compromised. The iPhone 17 remains an almost premium smartphone device from Apple. Signs of cutting corners range from slow USB speeds to thermal throttling and absence of dedicated zoom camera.
• No Dedicated Telephoto Lens for Optical Zoom: The absence of a telephoto lens means zooming is done via cropping from the main 48 MP sensor. This produces lower-quality images. It might not be ideal for wildlife and concert shots.
• Thermal and Performance Throttling Under Heavy Load: In demanding game titles like Genshin Impact, the iPhone 17 can stutter or heat up, since it does not have a vapor chamber cooling system, unlike the iPhone 17 Pro variants.
• USB-C Port Limited to Slow USB 2.0 Transfer Speeds: This device supports USB-C but only at USB 2.0 or 480 Mbps for data transfers. This is slower than the USB 3.0 or 10 Gbps data transfer speed of the iPhone 17 Pro models.
• AI and Apple Intelligence Features Still Underdeveloped: Some artificial intelligence tools under the Apple Intelligence branding feel simple or unreliable. It is immature compared to devices with better artificial intelligence integration.
• Not Future-Proofed Due to 8GB of RAM in the Base Model: The base model comes with 8GB of RAM. This is enough for now due to the software-hardware optimization of Apple. Future use cases will demand more system memory.
• Refreshed Design Might Be Unappealing For Some: Apple is known for its minimalist designs. The new iPhone 17 model abandons this design philosophy and embraces one that is reminiscent of designs used in several Android brands.
• Notable Durability and Other Vulnerability Concerns: The pronounced camera bump can be considered a vulnerable area since it is more likely to come in contact with surfaces more often. The aluminum frame is also not as durable as a titanium frame.
Discussions
A display this good rarely comes at USD 799. With top-tier refresh rates, and strong everyday performance, the iPhone 17 finally delivers flagship features to the non-Pro tier. Just do not expect the entire suit of Pro-level features.
The display is one of the strong selling points of the iPhone 17. Apple finally brings ProMotion to the standard iPhone model with its LTPO OLED tech that supports an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The Always-On display has a standard maximum brightness of 1000 nits that can peak up to 2000 nits. This premium panel is protected by Ceramic Shield 2.
Both the rear and front-facing cameras also mark another improvement from the previous standard iPhone 16. The upgraded 48-megapixel main camera is an ultrawide shooter that captures cleaner low-light images. Both the rear and front cameras support the Center Stage feature that tracks faces and ensures they remain at the center of the frame while taking videos.
The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens might be a deal breaker for some. This is true for outdoor mobile photographers and concertgoers. Tests also show occasional exposure glitches under harsh lighting. Moreover, under ideal lighting conditions, the main camera on the rear can be compared to the main camera of the iPhone 16 in terms of image and video quality.
Powering the iPhone 17 is the A19 chip. This is less powerful than the A19 Pro found in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models and the new iPhone Air, but it remains very capable. Single-core score from Geekbench is 38000. This is at the higher end of the ranking versus several upper-tier mid-range Android smartphones powered by Snapdragon and MediaTek chips.
Specific graphics performance is also impressive. 3DMark scores surpassed 40 frames per second in stress benchmarks. Gaming titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile run at maximum settings effortlessly. Video editing in Premiere Rush exports noticeably faster than most competing Android phones like the Samsung S25 FE or the Xiaomi 15T.
However, without a dedicated cooling system, the iPhone 17 tends to struggle to maintain peak performance during extended gaming or rendering sessions. Thermal throttling gradually reduces frame rates, while smartphones with vapor chamber or other cooling systems can maintain higher long-term performance stability despite weaker initial benchmark scores.
The iPhone 17 stands as the most affordable iPhone for its 2025 lineup at USD 799. This is more affordable than the iPhone Air, which retails at USD 999. Both the better OLED panel and the A19 chip make it a better upgrade from the standard iPhone 16 and a serious alternative not only to high-tier midrange Android devices but also to premium models.