Apple’s 2025 iPhones are here, and for the first time in years, the base iPhone feels truly worth its money. In fact, the iPhone 17 sounds like a much better deal than the iPhone 17 Pro. Not only has the base model finally gained a smooth 120Hz ProMotion display, but it also has a new 48 MP ultrawide camera and the same new 18 MP selfie camera as the Pro.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Pro differences:

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The iPhone 17 continues with an aluminum frame and glass back, but introduces Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, which Apple says is three times more scratch resistant than before. The back remains reinforced glass.

The iPhone 17 Pro moves away from last year’s titanium and adopts a new forged aluminum unibody. Apple highlights this as lighter, stronger, and more thermally efficient, as it integrates the vapor chamber cooling system directly into the frame. Unlike the base model, the Pro is protected by Ceramic Shield 2 on both the front and the back, making it more resistant to scratches and cracks.

The Pro also debuts a redesigned rectangular “camera plateau”, which houses its triple 48 MP camera system and sets it apart visually from the dual-camera iPhone 17.

When it comes to size and weight, the iPhone 17 comes in at 149.6 × 71.5 × 7.95 mm and weighs 177 grams. The iPhone 17 Pro is slightly taller, wider, and thicker at 150.0 × 71.9 × 8.75 mm, and it’s also noticeably heavier at 206 grams.

The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro colors:

• iPhone 17: Black, Lavender, Mist Blue, Sage, White
• iPhone 17 Pro: Black, Silver, Gold, and a new standout Orange

One of the biggest upgrades this year is that the iPhone 17 now has a 120Hz ProMotion OLED display. Apple withheld this feature for years, leaving the base iPhones stuck at 60Hz, but it’s finally here. The result will be smoother scrolling, animations, and gaming — bringing the regular iPhone up to par with rivals and even the Pro in basic refresh rate.Both models use 6.3-inch OLED panels with the same resolution (2622 × 1206, 460 ppi) and peak brightness of 3000 nits outdoors, making them much easier to read under sunlight compared to the 2000 nits of the iPhone 16 series. In HDR content, both peak at 1600 nits, and typical brightness remains 1000 nits.

The Pro, however, still pulls ahead with its LTPO technology, allowing the refresh rate to scale down to 1Hz. This unlocks Always-On Display support and greater power efficiency. The base iPhone 17 can hit 120Hz but cannot go as low, so it still lacks Always-On.

The Dynamic Island is unchanged across both phones, and Face ID remains the only biometric option.

Both phones run on Apple’s latest 3nm chips, but the Pro uses the more powerful A19 Pro. The A19 chip inside the iPhone 17 has a 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency), a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The A19 Pro adds a 6-core GPU, giving it more headroom for gaming, creative work, and Apple Intelligence features.

The Pro also gains a vapor chamber cooling system, allowing it to sustain peak performance for longer without overheating — useful for gaming and professional workloads.

The iPhone 17 comes with 8 GB of RAM and storage up to 512 GB storage, while the Pro is equipped with 12 GB of RAM and offers storage up to 1 TB (both start at 256 GB). That makes the Pro better suited for workflows that include larger files.

Another important difference is the USB-C port. The iPhone 17 only supports USB 2 speeds, meaning file transfers are limited. The iPhone 17 Pro supports USB 3 at up to 10Gbps, making it much faster for moving ProRes video or large files.On the software side, both models ship with iOS 26, which introduces the new Liquid Glass design language, Live Translate, Call Screening, and the first wave of Apple Intelligence features.

Both iPhones use stacked battery technology for better energy density and durability. The iPhone 17 comes with a 3,692 mAh battery, while the iPhone 17 Pro is slightly larger at 3,988 mAh (Nano SIM) or 4,252 mAh (eSIM).

Apple rates the iPhone 17 for up to 30 hours of video playback (27 streamed), while the Pro lasts up to 33 hours (30 streamed). These are Apple’s best runtimes yet for this size.

Charging speeds have also improved. With Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, both models can reach 50% in about 20 minutes. Wireless charging remains capped at 25W, but both phones now support Qi2, so third-party magnetic chargers can finally match MagSafe’s top speeds.Both models support reverse wired charging, but still no reverse wireless charging, even on the Pro.

This year software contributes to the battery life too. iOS 26 introduces Adaptive Power Mode, which uses AI to learn user habits and subtly adjust performance and background activity to extend battery life.

The iPhone 17 finally feels like the iPhone most people wanted years ago. With a 120Hz display, brighter screen, 48 MP ultrawide, and 18 MP Center Stage selfie camera, it no longer lags far behind the Pro. Add in the longer battery life and faster charging, and the $799 model sounds like a much better deal, especially considering the unchanged price tag with double the storage of its predecessor.

The iPhone 17 Pro is still the choice for power users. Its telephoto zoom camera, larger main sensor, A19 Pro chip with vapor chamber cooling, and USB 3 port make it the obvious pick for creators. The advanced video suite (ProRes RAW, Apple Log, Genlock) further solidifies it as the iPhone for professionals.

For most people, though, the regular iPhone 17 seems to cover the essentials so well that the Pro is harder to justify. Unless you need pro-grade video tools, extended zoom, or 1TB of storage, it sounds like the base iPhone 17 will finally do the job — and do it well.