The iPhone 17 retains a similar design to the iPhone 16, but in closer comparison there is a significant difference: the screen is larger at 6.3 inches compared to the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display. The iPhone 17’s dimensions are also slightly larger than the older model. The new phone is available in Lavender, Mist Blue, Sage, Black and White with an aluminium frame. No bold ‘look at me’ colors here.

The ProMotion and Always-On screen are now present, as found on the Pro models. It has a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and a minimum brightness of 1 nit allowing for the always-on feature that was previously only available on the Pro models. The new Ceramic Shield 2 on the front is three times more scratch-resistant, claims Apple. It also features an anti-reflective coating. 

The 18MP Centre Stage front camera features a new square sensor that enables photos in any orientation without requiring the user to rotate the phone. Both rear cameras are now 48MP. The main camera integrates an optical-quality 2x Telephoto and the new 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera (up from 12MP) captures up to four times the resolution of the previous generation. It also features 0.5, 1x and 2x optical zoom and macro photography capabilities – this means that, unlike the Air, the iPhone 16 can ‘unzoom’ back to 0.5x. 

The iPhone 17 features a A19 chip with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU alongside the N1, Apple’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip which should improve Personal Hotspot and AirDrop, and the C1X, a cellular modem designed by Apple. 

Battery life is 30 hours (video playback), an increase of eight hours compared to the iPhone 16. Should you run out of battery charging the iPhone 17 is quicker than ever: according to Apple, using Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter ($39) can add a 50 percent charge to the iPhone 17 in 20 minutes. Just 10 minutes of charge results in about 8 hours of video playback, perfect when you are in a rush to leave the house.

The entry-level model offers 256GB of storage, double that of the previous generation for the same price. Starting at $799 for 256GB storage, 512GB storage is priced at $999. 

Who should buy the iPhone 17?

The iPhone 17 is a good allrounder and the best iPhone for most people. It’s got a bigger display, ProMotion and Always On, a more powerful chip, two 48MP cameras on the rear, the new improved selfie camera, and twice the storage for the same price as 2024’s iPhone 16. As long as you aren’t desperate for a telephoto camera, or a super thin phone, there is no reason to look elsewhere.

iPhone 17 further considerations:

Starting at $799 for 256GB storage this is a good iPhone at a good price. If you already have an iPhone 16 you probably don’t need to upgrade, but if you are deciding whether to upgrade to the iPhone 17, iPhone 16 (128GB for $699) or iPhone 16e (128GB for $599) we recommend paying the extra money; not only will you get a better phone, you’ll get twice as much storage!

iPhone 17 Pro has a 6.3-inch display with 120Hz ProMotion and Always-On, like the iPhone 16 Pro, but it now offers 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimum brightness, up from 2,000. All the late 025 iPhones offer 3,000 nits max, Pro Motion and Always On, though, so these aren’t the differentiators they once were.  

The phone comes in Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver with an aluminium frame. The 16 Pro was titanium, as is the iPhone Air due to it being more durable. Apple’s switched back to aluminium on the Pro iPhones for better thermal performance. Heat management is via a new internal vapor chamber that has deionised water sealed inside for cooling. Heat is thus drawn away from the A19 chip and distributed around the iPhone. The heat management should mean the iPhone can sustain high levels of performance for longer periods of time.

The iPhone 17 Pro should still be durable though: There is the new Ceramic Shield 2 on the front for 3x better scratch resistance and a Ceramic Shield on the back.

The A19 Pro processor features a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU (one more GPU than the Air). It includes Neural Accelerators built into each GPU core, a larger cache, and more memory than A18 Pro.b You’ll also find the N1, the Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, and the C1X, Apple’s new cellular modem. 

On the front is the same 18MP Center Stage front camera with square sensor. The main difference it the three 48MP Fusion cameras on the rear and the fact that the optical zoom can extend to 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x for the equivalent of eight lenses, according to Apple. Video is Dolby Vision 4K at 120fps, with support for ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and Genlock.

The plateau (as Apple is now calling it) doesn’t just house the camera. Apple has placed other internal components inside the ‘plateau’ – Apple’s name for the camera housing. By placing more components in there Apple has made room for a larger battery. Additionally, the antennas are incorporated around the edge of this plateau, a move that Apple claims makes it “the highest-performing antenna system ever in an iPhone”. Hopefully, this will also mean Apple avoids another antennagate.

This better thermal design and larger battery mean that battery life is 31 hours of video playback. That’s up from 27 hours on the predecessor. Like the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro fast-charges up to 50% in 20 minutes with the new 40W adapter.

Who should buy the iPhone 17 Pro?

The iPhone 17 Pro is designed for those looking for advanced photography and video capabilities. It is also the phone to choose if you consider yourself to be a power user, a professional creator, or if you are a gamer.

iPhone 17 Pro further considerations:

It’s not only the high-end Pro models in the iPhone 17 line that get the A19 Pro; the iPhone Air does as well, although with only a 5-core GPU. However, the cooling improvements Apple has made are likely to mean that the Pro iPhones can make better use of the powerful chip.

The iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone to date at 5.64mm (0.22in) thick. While some may question the need for such a thin iPhone, its popularity is evidenced by the MacBook Air. However, a thin device can be less durable. The iPhone 6, the previous thinnest iPhone at 7.1mm, was affected by bendgate. Hopefully those issues won’t plague the iPhone Air, which Apple describes as “the most durable iPhone ever.”

This durability is achieved through various features. The iPhone Air is crafted from titanium and features the new Ceramic Shield 2 on both the front and back. The new Ceramic Shield offers three times better scratch resistance and four times better crack resistance. It is available in Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White or Space Black.

The 6.5-inch display features 120Hz ProMotion and Always-On functionality. It has a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and a minimum brightness of 1 nit.

The iPhone Air features a A19 Pro processor with a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU. That’s one less graphics core than the iPhone 17 Pro models, but a better processor than the A19 in the iPhone 17.  

Like the other late 2025 iPhones, the iPhone Air features the 18MP front-facing Centre Stage camera with a square sensor capable of taking photos in any orientation without requiring the user to rotate the phone. All phones can record video from both the front and back cameras simultaneously.

The iPhone Air offers a single 48MP “Fusion” rear camera (26mm equivalent). However, a 2x telephoto effect can be achieved digitally, enabling 12MP optical-quality 2x Telephoto (52mm equivalent). This system is similar to the 16e model. The Air lacks the macro and spatial photography features available on other iPhones. The optical zoom options are limited to 1x and 2x.

The iPhone 17 Air’s battery capacity is slightly lower than the other iPhone 17-series phones. The case’s reduced thickness means that Apple has to use a smaller battery, but it still delivers 27 hours of video playback, which is sufficient. For additional battery life, Apple offers an iPhone Air-specific $99 MagSafe Battery accessory. In addition, a 40W adapter can fast-charge the iPhone Air to 50 per cent in 20 minutes.

Who should buy the iPhone Air?

The iPhone Air is for users who prioritize a cutting-edge, ultra-thin design. Sure, there are some trade-offs: reduced battery life and a single rear camera, but this is a phone with wow factor and bragging rights.

iPhone Air further considerations:

The iPhone Air has a single camera on the rear, which will be one disadvantage too far for some shoppers. Aside for the various iterations of the iPhone SE and the iPhone 16e, every iPhone since the iPhone XS in 2018 has had at least two lenses on the back. However, this is unlikely to be a huge limitation unless you are an avid photographer, in which case we recommend the iPhone 16 Pro instead. Another thing to note is that the SIM card slot has been removed, making the iPhone eSIM only.

The Pro Max is essentially the same phone as the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a larger display and better battery life.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the same 6.9-inch display as the 2024 model, which is slightly larger than the 6.7-inch 15 Pro Max from 2023.

There’s the same A19 Pro and Fusion 48MP trio of cameras on the back, as well as the 18MP front-facing camera with Centre Stage and Dual Capture, for merging video from the front and rear cameras to capture your reactions.

Battery life is the big beneficiary, though, with iPhone 17 Pro Max getting up to 37 hours of video playback, compared to 33 hours for the 16 Pro Max and 31 on the iPhone 17 Pro. That’s the best battery life ever in an iPhone.

Who should buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max?

The iPhone 17 Pro Max shares its key features with the iPhone 17 Pro so if you are looking for advanced photography and video capabilities, consider yourself to be a power user, a professional creator, or a gamer, it will suit you. In fact, we think it’s a good choice for gaming because of the screen size. The main difference is the size: there are people who want a big screen and this is the biggest iPhone you can get, especially now that Apple isn’t selling a Plus model.

iPhone 17 Pro Max further considerations:

If you are choosing between the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max then the decision comes down to whether you want the big screen or not. If a big screen is important to you, but power and photography aren’t then you might want to look at the older iPhone 16 Plus while Apple is still selling it.

The iPhone 16e has the same processor as the iPhone 16 and offers better battery life than that phone for $100/£100 less, but there are a number of tradeoffs you will have to accept if you want to save your money.

The iPhone 16e, which arrived in February 2025, is Apple’s new ‘budget’ iPhone starting at $599/£599. That’s quite a bit more expensive than the old budget iPhone, the iPhone SE, which cost $429/£429 until it was discontinued by Apple at the beginning of 2025.

If you were a lover of the Home button on the iPhone SE, this is gone. The iPhone 16e doesn’t have a Dynamic Island either. The iPhone 16e has a notch, like that on the iPhone 14. So if you feel strongly about how much space at the top of your iPhone is given to the Face ID gubbins may affect your choice. The notch really isn’t that bad that we’d spend more to get the Dynamic Island, which isn’t really that much smaller.

One other thing that the iPhone SE was, that the iPhone 16e isn’t, is a small phone. It is a similar size to the iPhone 15 and 16 with a slightly lower weight. So if you are happy with that size, but fancy a lighter handset it could be a good choice for you.

There is one other thing in favor of the iPhone 16e – it has longer battery life than the iPhone 16. You can expect 26 hours of video playback on the 16e, compared to 22 on the 16, according to Apple. Our own battery tests were less favourable. In the battery component of Geekbench 4, the 16e managed 13 hours and 38 minutes, lower than any other 16-series iPhone.

Who should buy the iPhone 16e?

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s most affordable iPhone designed for the budget-conscious. It’s a good price for those looking for a phone for a child. It supports Apple Intelligence features, which is a good reason to upgrade from older iPhones.

iPhone 16e further considerations:

You could consider the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 as an alternative. Both of those iPhones offer a wider choice of color options rather than the boring black or white of the 16e, a dual camera set up that means you can get ultra wide-angled photos and can take macro photos, Cinematic mode and Action mode. If you were considering spending the extra $100/£100 to get the iPhone 16 we wouldn’t. If you were thinking of spending $200/£200 more to get the iPhone 17 that would be more worthwhile.

The iPhone 16 Plus is essentially a bigger version of the iPhone 16. It features the same camera and processor. Everything we mention about the iPhone 16 (below) applies here too. However, there are both benefits and disadvantages to the larger form factor. 

The iPhone 16 Plus offers 27 hours battery life. That is better than the iPhone 16 (22 hours) and the 16e (26 hours) but behind the iPhone 17 (30 hours). It’s still long way behind the other big phone Apple sells – the iPhone 17 Pro Max – which boasts 37 hours.  

The Camera Control button may be a bit of a stretch to use comfortably on the iPhone 16 Plus if you have small hands. If you have small hands the Plus probably isn’t going to be that comfortable to hold anyway. If you are lucky enough not to be disadvantaged by hand size, the big screen is a good reason to choose the Plus size over the smaller iPhone.

For some users the bigger screen means that the text can be bigger, and if your eyes aren’t what they once were, and you struggle tapping on the tiny keyboard, then this phone might be the best choice for you.

Who should buy the iPhone 16 Plus?

The iPhone 16 Plus is best for users seeking a large-screen iPhone without having to pay the premium price of the Pro Max. It suits individuals who want a big display and a good battery life, but don’t care about the camera features of the iPhone 17 Pro Max (or want to pay the high price for that phone).

iPhone 16 Plus further considerations:

The iPhone 16 Plus lacks many of the features of the iPhone 17, such as the brighter (3,000 nits) screen with Pro Motion and Aways-On. Two 48MP cameras on the back and an 18MP camera on the front. The iPhone 17 comes with 256GB storage for $799, while the iPhone 16 Plus is $799 for 128GB or $899 for 256GB. So frankly you would really ned to want the big screen to pay more for the same capacity phone.

The iPhone 16 Plus screen is 6.7-inches. Now the iPhone 17 screen is now larger, at 6.3-inch rather than 6.1-inch the size difference isn’t as big as it once was.

Read our full
iPhone 16 Plus review

The iPhone 16 was a big leap from the previous generation, at the time we felt that it was catching the Pro model up. In the iPhone 16 we had a new phone with a better processor, the Camera Capture and Action buttons, and improved battery life.

The colors on offer are Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, Black. Color choices are a matter of personal preference, but we would suggest that choosing a new iPhone based on the color would be a bad idea as you will be keeping it in a case if you are sensible.

The iPhone 16 gained a two-in-one ‘Fusion’ camera offers built in 2x telephoto functionality and a new 48-megapixel sensor for better resolution and light intensity. On the iPhone 17 both rear cameras boast this same 48-megapixel sensor.

The 12MP Ultra Wide camera on the front had a larger aperture and bigger pixels than the previous generation – able to capture 2.6x more light and can now shoot close‑up macro photos or wider photos. The new iPhone 17, like the other late 2025 phones, offers a better 18MP camera on the front.

When it comes to video the iPhone 16 can shoot 4K/60fps, which is more than enough for most people. It features Audio Mix, that lets you adjust the way voices sound in videos. You can decrease background sound, or just focus on the voices that are in frame, for example.

The A18 was an impressive chip. In our Geekbench 6 multi-processor test the iPhone 16 shows a significant 25% increase in performance from 6,242 points in the previous generation to 7,828 points. Performance jumps in the graphics benchmarks were even more pronounced.

Who should buy the iPhone 16?

The iPhone 16 is only really suited to someone upgrading from a much older iPhone, but we recommend that you look elsewhere because the iPhone 16 does not represent good value for money now the iPhone 17 starts at 256GB storage.

iPhone 16 further considerations:

There is no good reason to buy the iPhone 16. You can save $100/£100 and buy the iPhone 16e instead, or spend $200/£200 more to get the iPhone 17 with twice as much storage, which is worth every penny. The only reason to pick the iPhone 16 is if you see a good deal on one. We also look at the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16.

Also read: Best iPhone 16 deals (US) and Best iPhone 16 deals (UK)