The new Apple iPhone 17 features a large 6.3-inch display (compared to 6.1 inches on its predecessor) with ProMotion support, providing a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The screen is brighter, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits. The new anti-glare surface improves readability even in difficult lighting conditions. For the first time in this line, there is an Always-On feature that allows the lock screen to be displayed in dark mode. The display also has thinner bezels and better Ceramic Shield 2 protective glass, which makes the screen more resistant to drops and scratches.

The device runs on the new A19 processor, which improves CPU and GPU performance. The chip has six computing cores: two high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores. The graphics subsystem has 5 cores and supports ray tracing. Apple claims a 20% increase in GPU performance compared to the A18 chip used in last year’s iPhone 16. The chip also has a 16-core neural module for processing artificial intelligence tasks.

The camera has also undergone significant changes. The front camera has a new 12-megapixel square sensor, which is approximately twice as large. Apple emphasizes that it is optimized for shooting in any orientation. This allows you to take selfies in landscape format without rotating your smartphone. If other people appear in the frame, the system automatically changes the aspect ratio using the Center Stage feature. Users can also expand the field of view and switch between portrait and landscape modes in the Camera app.

The rear panel features a Dual Fusion camera system with 48- and 12-megapixel sensors. According to Apple, it combines the capabilities of a main camera, telephoto camera (with 2x zoom), ultra-wide-angle camera, and macro camera. And all this with just two modules.

The iPhone 17 is available in five new colors: black, white, blue, green, and purple. The minimum configuration now offers 256 GB of internal storage.

Pros

• Enlarged 6.3″ display with ProMotion 120 Hz – noticeably smoother interface and animations compared to 60 Hz in previous base models.
• Brightness up to 3000 nits – excellent readability even in direct sunlight.
• Anti-glare coating – a really useful improvement for outdoor use and difficult lighting conditions.
• Always-On Display – a long-awaited feature for the regular line, previously only available on the Pro.
• Thin bezels + Ceramic Shield 2 – the screen looks more modern and is now more durable.
• Updated 12 MP front camera – larger sensor, shooting in any orientation, convenient for selfies, vlogs, and calls.
• Center Stage and flexible framing – convenient for group photos and videos.
• Minimum 256 GB of memory – an important upgrade, especially for photos and videos.
• New colors – a fresh and more vibrant selection.

Cons

• No separate telephoto lens – 2× zoom is achieved through cropping rather than full-fledged optics.
• Only two camera modules – visually and functionally inferior to the Pro series.
• Always-On only in dark mode – no flexible customization.
• No radical redesign – evolution, not revolution.

Final verdict

The iPhone 17 is one of the most balanced “regular” iPhones in recent years.

Apple has effectively blurred the line between the base and Pro series in terms of display and performance, adding 120Hz, Always-On, and significantly improving the front camera.

Rating: 8.7/10

An excellent choice for those who want a flagship experience without overpaying for the Pro.