Apple iPhone 17 Evaluate: Pro Expertise At Common Worth | Devices

It’s been shut to a few weeks since Apple introduced its new iPhones and practically two weeks since I received my fingers on the brand new iPhone 17 within the Sage Green colour. It looks as if even Apple is on-board the match craze! Anyway, the iPhone 17 did not get lots of consideration at this 12 months’s keynote. Largely as a result of the Pro fashions in Orange received everybody speaking after which there the iPhone Air as a very new product for debates.

While my colleagues are testing these two telephones and can put out the critiques quickly, I used to be extra excited to write down concerning the common iPhone this 12 months. It’s nonetheless the identical Apple expertise — a mixture of efficiency and worth — now beginning at 256GB of storage and Rs 82,900, together with few upgrades like a 120Hz show, higher cameras and naturally a brand new chip.

It looks as if Apple noticed the suggestions, took the factors and determined to deal with every thing directly. At least on paper. How many of those upgrades make a distinction in actual life? I’ll try to clarify on this assessment.

Already Tried And Tested Design

iPhone design engineers appear to have the very best job on the planet. It’s been some time since something vital has been modified or improved on the iPhones. Yes, there’s a new digital camera module on the Pro fashions however that is nothing revolutionary. And, the iPhone 17 nonetheless seems very a lot the identical as iPhone 16 or iPhone 15.

If you maintain the iPhone 17 subsequent to the iPhone 16, you barely discover any distinction, besides that this 12 months’s iPhone is barely taller. Apart from that, every thing is identical: placement of cameras, motion button or digital camera management button.

The final hasn’t actually grown on me since final 12 months. I believe Apple can take into account including a TouchID on the digital camera management button, much like what it does on the facility button for iPads. The motion button, then again, is one thing I admire having as I can assign it to being extra helpful.

There can be the USB-C port for charging which is now quicker than earlier than.

Apple has added a brand new Cermanic Shield 2 glass on the entrance for iPhone 17, making the display 3 times for scratch resistant. This is a reassuring quantity however can be examined solely after utilizing the system for an extended time frame.

Similar to the 16, there’s an IP68 score towards mud and water resistance, that means sure, it might go inside water, but in addition insists you not overdo it. An unintended drop in a swimming pool, or a face-off towards rain isn’t actually an issue.

OLED Goodness With A Surprise

The iPhone 17 is now larger, because of a 6.3-inch OLED panel as in comparison with the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 16. It’s additionally brigther with 3000 nits of peak brightness and at last helps 120Hz refresh charge. Apple has taken some time to introduce this. Almost at a time when folks had stopped caring.

Irrespective of what web could say, the upper refresh charge makes a distinction in utilization and I might really feel it throughout my time with the cellphone. Tiny iOS 26 animations, Instagram and X scrolling really feel smoother than ever on a vanilla iPhone. Even gaming is smoother than ever on an iPhone.

The 120Hz show signifies that the iPhone 17 may even assist higher in-game animations and smoothness. Some of it would rely on recreation builders as properly. However, with Apple’s elevated give attention to gaming, I do not anticipate a lot delay.

Also, because it’s an LTPO panel, you get always-on show as properly. I liked it on Pro fashions, and I’m completely happy the vanilla received to style it as properly. It does have a bit of of affect on the battery life. So, comes down to non-public desire.

The total image high quality is pretty much as good as on any iPhone with an OLED panel. There are deep blacks, very natural-looking colors with not-so-saturated distinction. However, when in comparison with final 12 months’s mannequin, the show has barely muted colours and is incline in direction of cool tones.

This doesn’t have an effect on the general expertise, and to be truthful, a majority of the viewers received’t even discover it, nevertheless it’s only a small distinction that barely impacts the image high quality. Oh, brightness is one section the place you’ll discover loads of distinction in. I used to be lately travelling to Bombay, and never even as soon as did I’ve to squint my eyes or cowl the display so as to see what’s there on the show.

A Pro Performance Without A Pro Chipset

Under the hood, the iPhone 17 packs Apple’s personal A19 Bionic chip. The A19 boasts 6 CPU cores and 5 GPU cores. The processor has 4 effectivity cores and two efficiency cores, whereas the GPU continues developments in hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, and MetalFX upscaling.

Historically, Apple’s chip have not topped our benchmark testing. But, the A19 was spectacular. It crossed the two million mark on AnTuTu — a primary for a non-pro iPhone. Even on Geekbench 6, it practically hit 10,000 in multi-core testing.

Now, there are two methods to have a look at this. First is to check it with iQOO 13, Realme GT 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 and so on. the place clearly among the Android rivals can simply beat iPhone 17. Or you may evaluate it with final 12 months’s iPhone 16 Pro, which this 12 months’s vanilla beats when it comes to benchmarks. This generally is a nice context to grasp how good this 12 months’s base lineup is.

Speaking of day-to-day utilization, I’ve had no lags.

Of course, gaming isn’t nonetheless optimised for a 120Hz show, that means whereas testing I used to be nonetheless taking part in video games on Smooth Graphics and Extreme body charge, which was probably not an issue for this beast of a chipset to deal with. I additionally tried modifying some movies on VN, and even after throwing some results and pace ramping to a 1080p footage, the timeline nonetheless ran fairly easily.

Another very totally different set of upgrades that the iPhone 17 launched is to the battery. The iPhone 17 has a 3692mAh battery and it costs quicker than ever. Before I began testing it, I had a fair proportion of doubts whether or not the addition of a 120Hz refresh charge and Always-on show would change the battery numbers, proper? Not actually.

Two days after establishing the system, I received about greater than a day’s backup in a single full cost. The system gave me roughly 9 hours of screen-on time primarily based on my sort of utilization, and that is past spectacular. Getting nearly the identical hours of battery as its earlier technology, regardless of the addition of parts which are identified to eat, I’d name it an improve.

Charging can be quicker than ever. I used to be on the airport with my iPhone at 1 % battery as a result of I’ve had an extended day. I had about 40 minutes to board the flight, and by the point I used to be capable of finding an outlet to place my cellphone on cost, my 17 died on me. I put it on cost with my on a regular basis PD charger that I exploit to cost my MacBook and all different telephones. To my shock, the iPhone 17 charged as much as 33 % in simply 13 minutes. Apple formally claims the iPhone 17 can cost as much as 50 % in 20 minutes through the use of a 40W energy adapter or increased, and I might very simply see this declare being met as I received about 63 % cost in simply 27 minutes. Insane!

This is loads of cost for anyone who’s working low on cost and needs a cellphone that costs quicker. Within simply half-hour, I received precisely 70 % battery, and that was after I determined to plug it out and board the flight. This cost once more gave me ample cost to observe some movies on the flight and even navigate to my house utilizing maps. I nonetheless had round 50 % battery after I received house.

A New Ultra-Wide Camera And Centre Stage

The iPhone 17 includes a 48-megapixel major digital camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera with 120 diploma discipline of view. These sensors use pixel binning by combining 2 or extra pictures to supply a single picture with a wealthy mild and correct color data. Apple says this major digital camera also can take 2x optical-quality telephoto shoots.

The larger improve this 12 months, is on the entrance although. The 18-megapixel Centre Stage digital camera on the entrance can click on footage in panorama which could go an extended in altering how content material is being captured.

When it involves pictures, iPhones on the whole have one of the vital pure trying color science. They’ve been doing it for years, and that’s what you get with iPhone 17 as properly.

In the pictures I took with the first digital camera, I observed all the pictures have very pure color tones, with a bit of sharpness occurring. Numerous instances the pictures come out to be nearly real looking with a slight push to purple and blues, however that’s nothing that may make or break the expertise.

The HDR was on-spot with clear visibility of particulars on topic. The shadows and highlights have been additionally very balanced, with no overblown particulars.

Shifting to the ultra-wide digital camera, very first thing I observed was no change in colors, highlights and shadows. The day time pictures are nice, the sector of view seems to be wider than that of earlier gen and the dynamic vary can be nice. Sharpness on the whole is nice however you may visually discover some noise if the pictures are shot towards the lighting. Again, one thing that we’ve seen earlier than, however nothing that may make or break all the story.

The portrait pictures have an important edge detection, similar to the earlier technology. It can digitally go upto 4x by pinching on the viewfinder. While the pictures on 1x and 2x are noticeably higher than those shot in 4x, all of them look interesting and may positively get likes on social media.

There are a bunch of Android telephones available in the market that may ship higher telephoto footage. But, the iPhone 17 focuses totally on a well-round expertise. That’s why the movies from it are crisp and the selfies have now turn into extra thrilling than earlier than.

iOS 26 Is Slowly Starting To Grow On Me, I Guess..

iOS 26 was introduced in June 2025, and its steady model is right here on all supported iPhones. The iPhone 17 additionally boots up with iOS 26, proper out of the field. It introduces a refreshed UI design with Liquid Glass which I’m not an enormous fan of. Sure it’s aesthetic, however I’ve been utilizing iPhones ever since iPhone 11 got here out, and this simply doesn’t really feel properly, Apple-ish.

I already reviewed the iOS 26 when the primary Public Beta got here out, so you may learn extra of my ideas right here. But I added this part as a result of regardless of being rolled out publicly, I can nonetheless spot some jittering and not-so easy animations and a few ghost Liquid Glass parts that behave barely weirdly even on my iPhone 17 with 120Hz show. I hope that is fastened quickly with future OTAs.

My Two Cents

Apple has lastly finished it. All the issues {that a} vanilla iPhone lacked earlier than, the iPhone 17 has delivered. A quick chipset that delivers nice efficiency, a quick and easy 120Hz show, a greater digital camera and, final however not least, quick charging – all of because of this iPhone 17 is now nearer than ever to a Pro mannequin. The iOS 26 affords a recent perspective to the cellphone as properly.

In phrases of what might have been higher — the telephoto digital camera is an apparent first. Numerous customers could discover iPhone 17 Pro Max’s battery an enormous motive to leap as properly. And, some should be tempted to select an iPhone 16 Pro from final 12 months at a less expensive value as it might do just about every thing the iPhone 17 can.

Priced at Rs 82,900, there’s a slight value bump of Rs 3,000 in comparison with the earlier gen, however that may be very properly justified by the upgrades. With that in consideration, I might say the usual iPhone 17 is sensible and goes to be the very best iPhone for lots of patrons.

If you might be an iPhone 14/15/16 person, wishing to improve to a professional mannequin this 12 months, I might extremely advocate you take into account the iPhone 17 as properly, as it’s a professional cellphone sporting a non-pro jacket.