Is an iPhone 17 Upgrade Worth It? Here’s How It Compares to Apple’s Older Models

Apple’s flashy orange iPhone 17 Pro is likely to be getting a variety of consideration, however the baseline iPhone 17 is quietly crushing it, with preorders blowing previous final yr’s cellphone. So in case your present iPhone is beginning to really feel a little bit outdated, this might be the time to improve.

However is the iPhone 17 value it? For starters, here is one large perk: Apple lastly killed the laughably small 128GB base storage you will get on older fashions just like the iPhone16. As a substitute, the entry-level iPhone 17 begins at 256GB, all whereas sustaining that $829 beginning value — a long-overdue improve that makes this yr’s cellphone a severely compelling deal.

Watch this: The Skinny Telephone Debate: iPhone Air Battles iPhone 17 Professional

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A number of different noteworthy updates to the iPhone 17 make it really feel like a tempting alternative, even over the pricier iPhone 17 Professional fashions. In the end, Apple has prolonged a 1-120Hz show throughout its total lineup, so you may have smoother scrolling and an always-on display with out spending upward of $1,100 on a Professional mannequin. An anti-reflective coating and better 3,000-nit peak brightness make the display barely simpler to see outside. And digicam upgrades assist to degree up pictures and selfies. 

Here is how the iPhone 17 compares to older iPhones, starting from final yr’s iPhone 16 to 2020’s iPhone 12.

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16

Look-wise, the iPhone 17 has loads in widespread with the iPhone 16. However beneath the floor, there are some key variations. 

The show goes from a meager 60Hz on the iPhone 16 to 120Hz on the iPhone 17 (in the end). Meaning the iPhone 17 lastly helps an always-on show, so you may look on the time and your notifications with out waking the display and luxuriate in smoother scrolling. A brand new anti-reflective coating helps scale back glare, particularly within the brilliant outside situations. 

The iPhone 17 has a bigger 6.3-inch show, versus the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display, due to slimmer bezels. That may make viewing content material barely extra immersive, although it will not be a massively noticeable distinction. And a brand new Ceramic Protect 2 cowl on the iPhone 17 gives three-times higher scratch resistance, in keeping with Apple, so you may fear rather less about etching into your cellphone’s display (however perhaps nonetheless get a display protector to be secure).

The iPhone 16 and 17 have a 48-megapixel wide-angle digicam, however the iPhone 17 bumps the ultrawide digicam from 12 megapixels to 48 megapixels. The front-facing digicam additionally will get upgraded from 12 megapixels (on the iPhone 16) to 18 megapixels on the iPhone 17. Each telephones have a Camera Control button for rapidly launching the digicam and snapping pictures.

A brand new Center Stage characteristic can mechanically alter selfie pictures from portrait orientation to panorama to make sure everyone seems to be within the shot, so you do not have to manually rotate your cellphone to its facet anymore. Dual Capture permits you to concurrently document in your back and front cameras. These upgrades are particularly catered to the newest iPhone lineup, in order that they will not be coming to older fashions just like the iPhone 16, even with an iOS 26 replace.

Battery life is a little bit longer on the iPhone 17. Apple says the iPhone 17 helps as much as 8 hours extra of video playback than the iPhone 16. This transformation aligns with enhancements CNET observed in our battery exams. In a 3-hour streaming check, for instance, the iPhone 17’s battery dropped from 100% to 89%, whereas the iPhone 16 hit 86%. It is an incremental replace, however even a little bit extra battery life is a welcome change. The iPhone 17 additionally helps as much as 40-watt charging, which is a lift over the 25 watts you get with the iPhone 16, serving to you prime off your battery a little bit sooner.

The underside line: Whereas the updates to the iPhone 17 assist it stand out as an all-around stable system, the modifications over final yr’s iPhone 16 are incremental sufficient that there is not a lot purpose to improve — until you are actually enthusiastic about that smoother show and sooner charging. However for most individuals, refined variations imply it is best to most likely simply maintain onto your iPhone 16. 

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 15

The iPhone 15 has loads in widespread with the iPhone 16, together with a 48-megapixel wide-angle digicam, a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam and a 6.1-inch show. The 6.3-inch show on the iPhone 17 has slimmer bezels to develop that actual property a bit, and the 48-megapixel ultrawide digicam can result in barely sharper photographs.

The baseline iPhone 15 does not have an Action button which you can customise to launch numerous apps and capabilities, and as a substitute has the extra conventional ring/silent change. The iPhone 17 has an Motion button and a Digital camera Management button.

Each telephones have a Dynamic Island cutout on the prime of the show for exhibiting alerts and Dwell Actions, such because the time your DoorDash order is arriving, flight updates and what track is presently enjoying.

With every technology, Apple touts longer battery life, so you may count on to get a pair extra hours of video playback with the iPhone 17 than you’d with the 15.

Maybe probably the most vital distinction between the iPhone 15 and 17 is that the iPhone 15 does not have Apple Intelligence; these AI options solely arrived on that yr’s Professional fashions. Should you improve to the iPhone 17, you will have entry to writing and picture modifying instruments, in addition to newer options like Dwell Translation for calls and messages. 

The underside line: Just like the iPhone 16, there aren’t many drastic variations between the iPhone 15 and 17, although upgrading will notably grant you entry to Apple Intelligence. However the different {hardware} and software-related updates are comparatively minimal, so that you’re most likely good preserving your iPhone 15 for not less than one other yr.

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 was the final Apple cellphone with a Lightning port and that is considered one of most vital variations between it and the iPhone 17, which has a USB-C port. Upgrading to the iPhone 17 means you will not need to depend on an outdated and limited-use charging cable anymore, and might as a substitute use one which works with most of your different units. 

The baseline iPhone 14 additionally does not have a Dynamic Island cutout within the show, as that characteristic launched with simply the Professional fashions that yr. Upgrading to the iPhone 17 will allow you to rapidly faucet into actions like your rideshare journey or flight info.

The iPhone 14 has a 12-megapixel large and ultrawide-angle digicam on the again, whereas the iPhone 17 bumps that to 48 megapixels throughout the board. The iPhone 17 additionally will increase the front-facing digicam’s decision from 12 megapixels to 18 megapixels, whereas including a brand new Middle Stage selfie characteristic to mechanically alter between portrait and panorama pictures with out you having to rotate your cellphone. 

However the two telephones additionally some key similarities, like having eSIM and satellite tv for pc connectivity on board.

The underside line: The iPhone 14 has probably the most noticeable variations with the iPhone 17. Upgrading may supply some contemporary options like an Motion button and, ultimately, a USB-C port, in addition to Dynamic Island and an upgraded digicam. However if you wish to avoid wasting cash and hold your present cellphone, you will not be lacking out on something too drastic.

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 has an identical A15 Bionic chip because the iPhone 14, and shares the identical twin 12-megapixel digicam system. However not like the iPhone 14, the iPhone 13 does not have crash detection or satellite tv for pc connectivity, or digicam options like Motion mode for extra steady movies. 

At this level, your iPhone 13 could also be exhibiting its age. Upgrading to the iPhone 17 will provide you with entry to newer options like Apple Intelligence, Dynamic Island, USB-C charging and the Digital camera Management and Motion buttons. You may additionally discover sooner speeds by switching to the iPhone 17, now that it has been a number of years for the reason that iPhone 13 got here out.

The underside line: It could be time to improve to the iPhone 17 you probably have an iPhone 13. It is potential your cellphone is beginning to present its age, and switching to Apple’s newest baseline will get you a longer-lasting battery, an upgraded digicam, AI options and a handful of latest {hardware} and software program capabilities. 

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 12

Like the subsequent couple of iPhones after it, the iPhone 12 has a twin 12-megapixel digicam system, in addition to a 6.1-inch show. Upgrading to the iPhone 17 will get you a barely extra immersive 6.3-inch show with thinner bezels, together with a 48-megapixel twin digicam system. 

The iPhone 12 lacks options like crash detection, satellite tv for pc connectivity, Dynamic Island and USB-C charging. It additionally does not assist the Apple Intelligence suite of AI options for writing, picture modifying, language translation and extra. 

It is potential your iPhone 12 has grow to be sluggish and your battery is not holding up prefer it used to. Taking age out of the equation, at launch, the iPhone 12 boasted as much as 17 hours of video playback, whereas Apple says the iPhone 17 helps as much as 30 hours. So there’s prone to be a noticeable distinction between how lengthy every cellphone can maintain up.

The underside line: Swapping your iPhone 12 for the iPhone 17 might be a wise transfer. There have been noticeable modifications over the past a number of years, from the addition of the Motion and Digital camera Management buttons to the introduction of Apple Intelligence. The swap to USB-C and expanded battery capability may make the most recent iPhone extra tempting; you will not need to cling to your now-outdated Lightning cable. And you will doubtless discover sooner speeds and better efficiency throughout the board when switching from a 5-year-old system to the newest technology.