iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: The upgrade the base iPhone needed, and why you probably don't need the Pro
Yes, you should probably upgrade.
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The iPhone 16 was one of Apple’s least exciting releases, offering little beyond a faster chip, the awkward Camera Control button, and the same old 60Hz screen.
The iPhone 17 finally fixes those shortcomings. It’s the first base model with a 120Hz ProMotion display, has a brighter screen for outdoor use, a sharper and smarter 18 MP selfie camera, longer battery life with faster charging, and an upgraded ultrawide camera.
In short, the standard iPhone has caught up. For many users, these updates make the regular iPhone 17 worth the upgrade, unless you really need the Pro’s telephoto camera.
The iPhone 17 finally fixes those shortcomings. It’s the first base model with a 120Hz ProMotion display, has a brighter screen for outdoor use, a sharper and smarter 18 MP selfie camera, longer battery life with faster charging, and an upgraded ultrawide camera.
In short, the standard iPhone has caught up. For many users, these updates make the regular iPhone 17 worth the upgrade, unless you really need the Pro’s telephoto camera.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 differences:
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| 6.3" OLED | 6.1" OLED |
| 1-120Hz ProMotion with Always-On display | 60Hz, no Always-On |
| Slimmer bezels | Thicker bezels |
| A19 chip (3nm) | A18 chip (3nm) |
| 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| 18 MP Center Stage | 12 MP selfie camera |
| Up to 30 hrs video playback | Up to 22 hrs video playback |
| 50% in ~20 min (40W adapter) | 50% in ~30 min (20W adapter) |
| Up to 25W (MagSafe/Qi2) | Up to 25W (MagSafe/Qi2) |
| New spliced seamless frame | Sharper edges |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Slightly larger, with stronger front glass
The iPhone 17 gets tougher glass and a cleaner design — even if it’s not as light as before. | Image credit — Apple
The iPhone 16 kept Apple’s familiar aluminum-and-glass design with Ceramic Shield on the front. With the iPhone 17, Apple introduces Ceramic Shield 2, which is three times more scratch-resistant. Unlike the new iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro models, though, the back is not made with Ceramic Shield 2.
Contrary to the rumors, the iPhone 17 is marginally larger and heavier, with slimmer bezels framing its larger 6.3-inch display.
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.95 mm | Thickness 7.8 mm |
| Dimensions 149.6 × 71.5 mm | Dimensions 147.6 × 71.6 mm |
| Weight 177 g | Weight 173 g |
iPhone 17 colors. | Image credit — Apple
Apple is more playful with the iPhone 17 colors, adding a:
- Black
- Lavender
- Mist Blue
- Sage
- White
iPhone 16 colors. | Image credit — Apple
The iPhone 16 colors, on the other hand, were:
- Pink
- Teal
- Ultramarine
- Black
- White
Display Differences
The iPhone 17 finally gets a 120Hz ProMotion OLED display with Always-On support — a first for a base model. | Image credit — Apple
One of the biggest changes this year is the move to a 120Hz ProMotion OLED panel on the iPhone 17. Not only that, but the new base iPhone can go as low as 1Hz, enabling the Always-On function. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 is stuck at 60Hz, making it feel severely outdated compared to virtually every other phone on the market.
Apple also increased outdoor brightness this year: the iPhone 17 now peaks at 3000 nits outdoors, compared to 2000 nits on the iPhone 16. Both hit 1600 nits in HDR content, but the new model should be easier to read under direct sunlight.
The iPhone 17 series introduces a seven-layer anti-reflective coating.
It may not reach the same level as the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display, but side-by-side with the iPhone 16 series in YouTuber MrWhoseTheBoss’ hands-on, the improvement is clear.
It may not reach the same level as the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display, but side-by-side with the iPhone 16 series in YouTuber MrWhoseTheBoss’ hands-on, the improvement is clear.
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Size 6.3" | Size 6.1" |
| Brightness 3000 nits (peak) | Brightness 2000 nits (peak) |
Face ID continues to be the only biometric option.
Performance and Software
A19 chip brings refinements, but AI remains a question mark
The iPhone 17 gets the newer A19 chip and double the base storage — all for the same $799 starting price. | Image credit — Apple
The iPhone 17 comes with the A19 chip, which is more efficient and optimized for sustained performance compared to the A18 inside the iPhone 16. Apple has also refined improved the management, though as Dave2D points out, the company’s “cooling system” is passive rather than active. That means heat is spread more evenly across the phone, but it doesn’t magically prevent throttling under very heavy loads.
Both come with 8 GB of RAM, but the new model starts at 256 GB vs the 128 GB on the iPhone 16, all while keeping the same starting price of $799!
On the software side, both models run iOS 26, which introduces the new Liquid Glass design language, Live Translation, Call Screening, and Apple Intelligence features powered by on-device AI.
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Chip A19 | Chip A18 |
| Process 3nm | Process 3nm |
| RAM, Storage --- 8/256GB 8/512GB LPDDR5X RAM NVMe storage | RAM, Storage 8/128GB 8/256GB 8/512GB LPDDR5X RAM NVMe storage |
The iPhone 17 will launch with iOS 26, which introduces the flashy new “Liquid Glass” design language and long-overdue quality-of-life features like Call Screening, Live Translate, and smarter Messages. The iPhone 16 will also get the update and those features with it on the same day as the iPhone 17's launch.
Camera
Sharper selfies, upgraded ultrawide
Dual Capture, better macros, and smoother selfie video on the iPhone 17. | Image credit — Apple
The iPhone 16 introduced the vertical camera layout but kept the same 48 MP main and 12 MP ultrawide image sensors that came with the iPhone 15. With the iPhone 17, the ultrawide camera is upgraded to 48 MP, delivering noticeably sharper detail and better results in Macro mode and in low-light scenarios.
This is essentially the same ultrawide sensor as that on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but it is now capable of producing 24 MP photos thanks to iOS 26’s new multi-aspect capture pipeline (a feature that Apple has also extended to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max). The result is higher detail, sharpness, and more accurate skin tones.
On the front, the iPhone 17 introduces an 18 MP selfie camera with Center Stage. The jump in resolution is visible, but what makes it even more impressive is the video stabilization, especially in 4K HDR recording. Overall, selfies now look sharper and more natural, especially in portrait mode.
On the front, the iPhone 17 introduces an 18 MP selfie camera with Center Stage. The jump in resolution is visible, but what makes it even more impressive is the video stabilization, especially in 4K HDR recording. Overall, selfies now look sharper and more natural, especially in portrait mode.
There's also a new Dual Capture feature on the iPhone 17, which lets users record simultaneously with the front and rear cameras.
iPhone 17 Official Sample Photos
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm 1/1.56" sensor size | Main 48 MP, f/1.6 26 mm 1/1.56" sensor size |
| Ultrawide 48 MP, f/2.2 13 mm 1/2.55" sensor size | Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.2 13 mm --- |
| Telephoto None | Telephoto None |
| Selfie 18 MP, f/1.9 --- --- | Selfie 12 MP, f/1.9 23mm 1/3.6" sensor size |
Battery Life and Charging
More hours, faster charging
30 hours of playback and 50% charge in 20 minutes — Apple has prioritized power on iPhone 17. | Image credit — Apple
Apple quotes up to 30 hours of video playback on the iPhone 17, compared to 22 hours on the iPhone 16. That’s thanks to a larger stacked battery and the more efficient A19 chip.
Charging is also faster: with Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, the iPhone 17 hits 50% in about 20 minutes. Wireless charging remains at 25W.
Charging is also faster: with Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, the iPhone 17 hits 50% in about 20 minutes. Wireless charging remains at 25W.
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Battery life Up to 30 h (27 h streamed) | Battery life Up to 22 h |
Charging speeds 50% in ~20 min (40W adapter) MagSafe & Qi2 up to 25W USB-C 2.0 | Charging speeds 50% in ~30 min (20W adapter) MagSafe up to 25W USB-C 2.0 |
Unfortunately, there is one charging-related upgrade we are still waiting to see on an iPhone — reverse wireless charging. Not even the new Pro models have this feature.
Specs Comparison
Here's an overview of the iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 specs:
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 149.6 × 71.5 × 7.95 mm, 177 g | Size, weight 147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm, 173 g |
| Screen 6.3" OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.1" OLED 60Hz |
| Processor A19 3nm | Processor A18 3nm |
| Versions: --- 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDRX5 | Versions: 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDRX5 |
| Cameras: 48 MP main 48 MP ultra 18 MP front | Cameras: 48 MP main 12 MP ultra 12 MP front |
| Battery: ~3,692 mAh | Battery: 3,561 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 40W wired 25W Qi2.2 wireless | Charging: USB-C 20W wired 25W MagSafe wireless |
Summary
The iPhone 17 is the upgrade the base iPhone direly needed, and it is finally here. Now users don't have to pay for a Pro model just to get a 120Hz display. Not to mention that the new model gets super bright at 3000-nit outdoor brightness, comes with a sharper 18MP Center Stage selfie camera, and a 48 MP ultrawide with better detail and macro photography. With the longer battery life, faster wired charging, and Qi2 wireless support, and the standard iPhone now sounds like a true flagship in its own right.
The iPhone 16, on the other hand, looks more outdated than ever. Its 60Hz screen, older 12MP ultrawide camera make it hard to recommend in 2025, even though the A18 chip still delivers strong performance.
For most users, the regular iPhone 17 should cover all the essentials, so much so that you probably don’t need to spend extra on a Pro model, unless you specifically want a telephoto camera or USB 3 transfer speeds.
The iPhone 16, on the other hand, looks more outdated than ever. Its 60Hz screen, older 12MP ultrawide camera make it hard to recommend in 2025, even though the A18 chip still delivers strong performance.
For most users, the regular iPhone 17 should cover all the essentials, so much so that you probably don’t need to spend extra on a Pro model, unless you specifically want a telephoto camera or USB 3 transfer speeds.
The best part is that, unlike the Pro models, the price has remained the same despite the higher base storage, making the iPhone 17 arguably the best iPhone deal in years.
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