The iPhone 17 Lineup: A Subtle Revolution
View(s):Written by Mahesh de Andrado
Another year, another iPhone. But this time, there’s something different. With the launch of the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air (note the lack of the number 17 in the name), Apple has made some dramatic and significant changes (both internally and externally) we’ve seen in years. While the design language remains familiar, a closer look reveals a lineup that’s not only more refined and powerful, but also (finally), more unified in its core experience.
The iPhone 17: The “ProMotion” we were all waiting for
Kicking off things at $829, the standard iPhone 17’s biggest improvement is that it now comes with a 120Hz ProMotion display. This finally brings the base model iPhone 17 in line with not only the iPhone Pro models, but also the competition, where 120Hz displays are somewhat of a standard nowadays, especially for this price point. Scrolling is obviously buttery smooth, as well are the fluidity of animations, making the phone just feel faster. That’s not all though. The 3,000 nits peak brightness display (with 1600nits typical brightness) means the phone is very usable even under direct sunlight and packs all other other bells and whistles like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, so you can watch your favorite videos and movies the way it was meant to be.
Meet the iPhone 17 (Image Credits: Wired)
Apple has also slimmed down the bezels, fitting a larger 6.3” display into a body that’s nearly identical to the iPhone 16. The camera system has gotten an upgrade as well. While the primary lens is a 48MP wide angle lens, there’s also a 48MP ultrawide sensor if you want sharper, more detailed wide-angle shots. Under the hood, the new A19 chip provides a modest but noticeable performance boost over the A18, and base storage has also been doubled to 256GB.
For the Pro-fessionals out there
For those seeking the best of what Apple has to offer with the iPhone 17, there’s the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Starting at $1,099 and $1,199 respectively, these models are powered by the A19 Pro chip, offering quite a significant leap in graphical performance thanks to a new 6-core GPU, as well as a vapor chamber for better thermal management. This means less overheating, more gaming, and better overall performance when it comes to creative workflows. But the Pro isn’t just about the pro-cessor (pun intended).
All three cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro lineup (main, ultrawide, and telephoto) boast 48MP fusion sensors, meaning that they can combine image data from all 3 sensors to create highly detailed images. Furthermore, the telephoto lens on the Pro Max gets an even bigger upgrade with a 4x optical zoom that can be digitally extended to a whopping 8x zoom.
A phone lighter than Air?
A surprising addition to the lineup is the iPhone Air. Seemingly replacing the ‘Plus’ model, the Air is a super thin and light device with a single 48MP main camera. It’s primarily aimed at those who are all about portability and aesthetics.
While it packs the powerful A19 Pro chip, the single camera and smaller battery make it a compromise for most users, especially when the standard iPhone 17 offers a more complete package for a similar price.
Should you upgrade to the iPhone 17?
That depends entirely on what you’re coming from. For example, if you’re on an older iPhone (12,13,14), then the new iPhone 17 base model offers a substantial improvement in terms of the 120Hz display, A19 chip, upgraded storage as well as other creature comforts such as USB -C (if you already have USB-C devices. For Pro users, especially the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max though, I feel that the decision is a bit tougher. There’s no denying that there are real world gains of the A19 Pro chip, as well as substantial improvements for photography enthusiasts, but for daily use, it’s hard to recommend the upgrade from the previous generation to the new iPhone 17.
Then you have the competition. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra continues to be a powerhouse with its S Pen and advanced camera zoom capabilities as well as nifty features such as Samsung DeX. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro also retains its title as the champion of computational photography, often producing more natural-looking images. However, with the iPhone 17, Apple has closed the gap in key areas, particularly with the display on the standard model. The ecosystem, with its seamless integration of hardware and software, remains Apple’s trump card.
The iPhone 17 base model now offers a lot more, making it the perfect choice for most people. On the other hand, if you’re a professional power user or a camera aficionado, and you’re willing to fork over your life savings, then the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will suit you to a “T”.
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