Apple iPhone 17 Review

Design

• Same look, but still iconic
• Great colour options
• Durable and lightweight

Apple had an absolute corker of a year where iPhone design is concerned; not only did we see a totally redesigned iPhone 17 Pro with new colourful finishes, but we were treated to the ultra-slim, impressively light iPhone Air. The iPhone 17, on the other hand? That’s business as usual.

Unlike others in the most recent iPhone collection, the iPhone 17 looks a lot like the iPhone 16 – though I don’t mean that as a criticism. 

I love the look of the base-level iPhone; the flat edges and rounded corners imitated by the rest of the smartphone industry still look just as iconic as when it debuted on the iPhone 12, with nice touches like a frosted glass panel that adds a bit of depth to the rear of the phone without any kind of in-your-face patterns or finishes. 

That’s especially true of the iPhone 17 in colourways like Sage and Mist Blue – these shades just look great, and it’d be a shame to hide it behind a case, even if that’s what literally everyone will do when they get their new iPhone. If you’re devoid of joy in your life and prefer subtler shades, the matte black finish has a premium feel about it without being too in-your-face – but hey, live a little. 

Really, though, it’s a familiar design. You’ll find the programmable Action button on the left side of the phone, sitting just above the volume rockers, with the power button and the infamous Camera Control on the right. 

I’d have loved for Apple to tweak the placement of the Camera Control, as it still sits just too far from my finger to be comfortable enough to use to swipe to change settings or even take a photo, but it’s handy enough to squeeze to access the Camera app quickly. But, then again, you could also do that with the Action button… Hm.

Apple has also upped the durability of this year’s entry-level iPhone with the use of Ceramic Shield 2 protection on both the front and back, which should help protect the glass from micro-scratches as well as shattering from falls – though I’m not about to drop the iPhone from a balcony to test that. I’ll leave that to the YouTubers and TikTokers.

Elsewhere, IP68 dust and water resistance make a return for added peace of mind at the pool, at the beach, or in my case, in a dust-ridden room I’m redecorating. You can even dunk the phone to wash it off – though I should probably also mention that Apple won’t replace a water-damaged iPhone, so do that at your own risk. 

You’ve no doubt seen upgraded IP69 and even IP69K ratings appear on some of the best Android phones, but I’m of the opinion that it’s more of a marketing ploy than genuinely useful; why would my phone need protection from high-pressure hot water jets, anyway? IP68 is all you really need, and that’s what you get here. 

Screen

• 120Hz ProMotion is finally here
• Bigger 6.3-inch screen but still nice to use
• Super bright

The iPhone 17 has fixed the one big issue I’ve had with entry-level iPhones for years; it finally features a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. 

The ProMotion tech that was once exclusive to the Pro models is now available across the range, and it’s the same LTPO-enabled tech, allowing it to drop down to 1Hz – unlike some 120Hz phones that don’t drop far below 60Hz. It’s more power efficient, which is a massive boon for battery life, and it just feels much smoother in day-to-day use.  

It might not sound like a big change, but apps feel more responsive, games feel faster and scrolling is completely jitter-free – and I haven’t ever been able to say that about the base-level iPhone. In fact, since its debut on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion tech has been one of the biggest drivers behind my decision to opt for Apple’s Pro models. With the iPhone 17, I no longer feel that need. 

It’s not just a much slicker panel; it’s actually a little bigger at 6.3 inches compared to 6.1 inches, though with the same physical footprint as its predecessor, thanks to shrunken-down bezels that also help it look premium without stepping on the toes of the Pro models too much. 

As such, the 6.3-inch screen is a joy to use in day-to-day life, offering the ease of one-handed use associated with smaller panels while still being big enough to enjoy a spot of Monument Valley 3 or an hour-long TikTok binge without feeling like I need a bigger screen. 

It’s also packed with other high-end tech as you’d expect from a flagship iPhone, with a boosted 3000nits peak brightness (1600nits HBM) that makes outdoor viewing a doddle while also making HDR-compatible videos truly pop on-screen. The OLED nature of the screen means it’s vivid and colourful while maintaining dark, inky blacks that lends itself well to most everyday smartphone tasks. 

Frankly, it’s the best screen yet on an entry-level iPhone, and an upgrade that I’m confident that everyone – even the high refresh rate nay-sayers – will appreciate. 

Cameras

• New 48MP ultrawide alongside 48MP main
• Innovative 18MP selfie camera
• Consistently solid performance across the board

I’ll get this out of the way early; if you’re serious about photography, the iPhone 17 Pro is the model to go for – the high-res tetraprism telephoto sensor adds serious versatility to the shooting experience, along with pro-level video recording capabilities that content creators will appreciate. 

That said, I think the iPhone 17’s dual camera setup is pretty solid for most people. 

The headline act is, of course, the main 48MP sensor. It delivers a consistently sharp, colour-accurate image with the kind of “always good” processing that Apple is known for. Skin tones look great, and there’s very rarely a hint of overprocessing – even in more complex lighting situations – that you sometimes see from Android alternatives. 

Of course, a dedicated telephoto would be preferable, but the 2x in-sensor zoom delivers good quality shots at a tighter angle. In good light, you can push it to around 4x before things look a little spotty, and for most people, that’s more than enough. 

The main sensor really helps narrow the gap between the regular and Pro models, delivering a simple point-and-shoot premise with generally solid results, even once light levels begin to drop. 

This year’s upgraded 48MP ultrawide shouldn’t be sniffed at though. The jump from 12MP to 48MP on the secondary sensor is as big a jump as it sounds, not only in terms of overall resolution but also in the quality of images captured from the lens, especially in low-light, one of the weak points of the lower-res alternative. 

I’ll admit, I’m not usually one to use an ultrawide lens in shots – I much prefer getting closer to the action with zoom lenses – but even I’ve been tempted to use the iPhone 17’s ultrawide more often. It matches the main sensor both in terms of overall detail and colour, even when light levels are less than ideal. 

Don’t get me wrong, it won’t quite match the main lens in truly dark conditions – it has a narrower aperture and smaller sensor after all – but for scenic vistas, group shots and even macro photography, it’s a solid shooter.  

Arguably just as exciting is this year’s selfie camera upgrade. While a jump from 12MP to 18MP doesn’t exactly get the blood pumping, the square sensor used should. Why? Because it allows you to shoot full-res portrait and landscape shots without actually having to rotate the phone. 

It makes taking selfies, and especially group shots, much easier, with dynamic zoom to make sure everybody’s in the shot. It’s probably the best selfie camera around right now, ideal for photos, videos (at up to 4K@60fps) and, of course, video chats. 

Performance

• Apple A19 power
• Great for everyday use
• Boosted 256GB base-level storage

As is par for the course with Apple’s iPhone collection, the iPhone 17 features an Apple-designed chipset – in this case, the Apple A19. While not the top-end A19 Pro featured in the iPhone 17 Pro, it comes pretty close in many respects – it just lacks the additional GPU core of the Pro to get that extra bit of graphical grunt for gaming and creative work. 

For most users, the difference between the two will be unnoticeable in day-to-day use; apps open instantly, you can scroll through media-heavy timelines on social media without a hint of stutter and you can get comfortably high frame rates in games – especially with that new ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate.

Really, it’s only those playing demanding high-res AAA console games like Death Stranding or editing multiple 4K video streams in LumaFusion who are likely to notice any performance dips. That’s where not only the A19 Pro, but Apple’s upgraded cooling system in the Pro model, truly shines. 

That’s pretty much borne out in benchmark tests too; the iPhone 17 trails behind its Pro sibling in many tests, but not by as much as you might expect given the price difference. It’s also worth noting that some Android rivals actually offer better benchmark test results than either iPhone – phones like the OnePlus 15 with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. 

Still, like with using the two iPhones side-by-side, I doubt anyone would notice a significant difference between the performance of the iPhone 17 and a Snapdragon-powered phone. At this point, pretty much every flagship phone has ample power for whatever you need. 

I’m also a massive fan of Apple ditching the original 128GB storage option for 256GB, with 512GB also available if you need a little extra local storage. 128GB was fine back in 2021, but with the size of apps, games and even photos and videos ballooning, it’s much easier to fill up your storage than it once was. 256GB, though, should be comfortable enough for all but the most hardcore users. 

And, as you might expect, connectivity is top-notch; you’ll find staples like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 alongside satellite communications and dual SIM and eSIM support – in most regions outside of the US, anyway. 

Software

• iOS 26
• New Liquid Glass UI is charming
• Apple Intelligence still isn’t great

Apple’s hardware is solid, but I think the main reason that people keep buying iPhones is software. Apple’s iOS is a polished, easy-to-use operating system that, despite the occasional visual change and new feature, has largely stayed the same for years. 

It’s familiar, it’s comfortable and, most importantly for those in Apple’s walled garden, it plays exceptionally well with other Apple hardware – to a level that Android manufacturers still can’t quite match. 

That said, iOS 26 – which rolled out to all iPhones back in September – does come with a visual upgrade in the form of Liquid Glass. The transparent UI design is a bit like Marmite, you’ll either love it or hate it; I’m in the former camp. 

It adds a whole new layer to the iPhone experience, with elements that not only refract light and shapes beneath the surface like real glass would, but also move and bounce when you interact with the phone. It feels more fluid, more alive and more responsive, even if it is the same old iOS with a new lick of paint. And for those who truly hate the transparent look, you can adjust its intensity in the Settings app. 

Elsewhere, Apple continues its big Apple Intelligence push with upgrades to Visual Intelligence that let you search the world around you for answers, but it’s still a rather underwhelming experience compared to what you’ll get on the Android side of things. 

The Clean Up feature in Photos often leaves you with pretty obvious signs that something has been erased, the transcription accuracy is hit-and-miss, and Image Playgrounds is looking pretty child-like compared to Gemini’s Nano Banana image generation tech. There’s a reason why Apple is working with Google to upgrade its Siri experience, after all.

That said, if you’ve liked the iPhone software of old, there’s nothing to dislike about iOS 26 on the iPhone 17 – and with Apple’s commitment to long-term use, it’ll get plenty of timely iOS upgrades in the coming years too. 

Battery Life

• Solid all-day battery life
• Boosted 40W charging
• Faster 25W wireless charging

iPhones were once best described as middling when it came to battery life, but Apple has invested a lot of time, effort, and cash in improving that over the past few generations. 

Now, with the iPhone 17, I think we’re finally at a point where the regular iPhone can comfortably last all day with pretty intense use. It’s not quite as long-lasting as the Pro Max with its much bigger battery, but it’s a phone I haven’t scrambled to charge during the day over the past few weeks of use. 

I can usually get around 4-5 hours of screen time over the course of a 12-14-hour-ish day, split across social media scrolling, replying to messages on WhatsApp, using Google Maps and even a bit of gaming to pass the time, and make it to bed with around 20% left in the tank.

Of course, that also means it’s not quite a two-day phone, and I’m sure that true power users will push the battery right to its limits, at which point it’s probably worth investing in the larger Pro Max – but for the vast majority of day-to-day users that use their iPhone to take the occasional snap, post a funny video on TikTok or use it to make contactless payments, you’ll have no complaints. 

Plus, when it comes to charging, you’ve got multiple options available. There’s the reliable method of charging via USB-C at up to 40W – a boost compared to last year’s entry-level model – along with Qi2-powered MagSafe charging, allowing you to charge wirelessly at 25W (up from 15W) and snap on a whole bunch of accessories to supercharge the iPhone experience. 

Actual charge times are pretty solid, managing 50% in 26 minutes with a 65-watt charger and a full charge in 85 minutes – though expect slightly longer charge times if you opt for a wireless alternative. 

SQUIRREL_PLAYLIST_10207955

Should you buy it?