Tech Radar’s Axel Metz has been using Apple’s flagship iPhone for over a month and can confidently assert that the accolades for this device are well-deserved.
The iPhone 17 Pro is an exceptional all-rounder, boasting a stunning design, remarkable camera performance, and impressive battery life.
However, his brief time with the iPhone 17 Pro also revealed a harsh reality: he doesn’t actually need this phone as much as he thought.
Here’s Metz’s perspective:
Closing the Gap
When it’s time to return the borrowed iPhone 17 Pro and purchase one myself, I’ll opt for the standard iPhone 17 instead of the pricier Pro version.
The primary reason is the long-awaited display upgrade on the iPhone 17. The latest base model not only features a 120Hz refresh rate but also incorporates Apple’s full ProMotion technology, allowing automatic adjustments between 1Hz and 120Hz based on the displayed content.
This enhances battery efficiency, enables the always-on display feature, and provides a smoother scrolling experience compared to the iPhone 16.
Apple has also slimmed down the bezels on the iPhone 17, accommodating a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen, which surpasses the iPhone 16. In terms of display, the iPhone 17 matches the iPhone 17 Pro—and what feature do we use more than the screen?
Next, let’s focus on the iPhone 17’s chip, where Apple’s base model surprisingly holds its own.
Yes, theoretically, the A19 chip is less powerful than the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro, and the A19 Pro benefits from an exclusive vapor chamber cooling system.
But in practice, only hardcore mobile gamers and 4K video editors will notice the difference. In fact, the A19 outperforms last year’s A18 Pro, which we described as a “speed demon” in our iPhone 16 Pro review.
Tangible Differences
I must acknowledge the battery life disparity. The A19 Pro, paired with a larger 4,252mAh battery (in the iPhone 17 Pro) or 5,088mAh (in the Pro Max), delivers up to 15 and 17 hours of usage, respectively, while the iPhone 17 manages 12 to 13 hours.
Other notable advantages of the iPhone 17 Pro include the 48MP telephoto camera and support for professional video codecs like ProRes RAW. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17, with its 48MP main camera and equivalent ultra-wide camera, is an impressive daily shooter but not among the best camera phones.
All this underscores that the iPhone 17 Pro feels more ‘Pro’ than any previous iPhone—in the literal sense.
It’s designed for power users and serious mobile photographers who frequently transfer large files (the Pro supports speeds up to 10Gbps) or genuinely need extended battery life thanks to its more efficient chip. I’m not in that user group, and I’d wager 90% of iPhone buyers aren’t either.
Admittedly, I enjoy using the Pro’s telephoto lens for photography and will miss it when switching to the iPhone 17. But that feature alone isn’t worth the additional $300 (nearly 8 million VND) Apple charges for its premium model.
Another underappreciated benefit of the iPhone 17 is that Apple has eliminated the 128GB storage option for all iPhone 17 models this year while maintaining the starting price. In contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro’s starting price has increased by $100.
In other words, there’s an additional $100 gap between this year’s iPhone models compared to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, making the iPhone 17 Pro a harder sell for average buyers.
To summarize: aside from the display and dual rear cameras, the iPhone 17 also features an 18MP selfie camera, customizable Action button, Camera Control button, Ceramic Shield 2 scratch-resistant coating, and all the software features of iOS 26 (including the new Liquid Glass interface), just like the iPhone 17 Pro.
The Pro model adds a 48MP telephoto camera, better battery life, vapor chamber cooling, faster file transfer speeds, 4K 120fps video recording, ProRes RAW format, and up to 1TB of storage (or 2TB on the iPhone 17 Pro Max). These upgrades will cost you a minimum of $300 extra.
Are they worth it? That’s up to you. But if, like me, you can live without the telephoto lens and other premium features, I highly recommend considering the more affordable iPhone 17 this year.
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