The iPhone 17 lastly catches up with Android by having a 120Hz refresh fee. This makes all of the distinction, as does its upgraded ultra-wide and selfie cameras, whereas efficiency enhancements are additionally appreciated.
Professionals
- A 120Hz refresh fee
- New cameras
- Very highly effective
Cons
- No change to design
- Similar RAM as earlier than
- Greater and heavier than iPhone 16
The iPhone 16 is a step down from the iPhone 17 in most methods, notably its cameras and refresh fee. Nevertheless it’s additionally cheaper, smaller, and lighter, so it might stay a really interesting possibility for some patrons.
Professionals
- Lower cost
- Similar nice essential digital camera
- All-day battery life
Cons
- Solely 60Hz
- Older chipset
- Dated ultra-wide sensor
The iPhone 17 is Apple’s entry-level iPhone mannequin for 2025, but it surely has had some notable upgrades from final yr’s base mannequin, together with a number of we’ve waited years for – akin to a 120Hz-refresh-rate display screen.
Then again, fairly a number of issues are the identical or much like final yr, so this isn’t an entire overhaul.
So, has enough been done to justify a purchase? Or should you stick with the iPhone 16? Under, you’ll discover a nearer take a look at how these two telephones evaluate, that will help you determine.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: specs comparison
Before we do a deep dive into the specs and features of these phones, the chart below has a brief overview of their key specs, so you can see how they stack up at a glance.
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
iPhone 17 |
iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions and weight: |
149.6 x 71.5 x 8mm and 177g |
147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm and 170g |
|
Display: |
6.3-inch 120Hz |
6.1-inch 60Hz |
|
Peak brightness: |
3,000 nits |
2,000 nits |
|
Chipset: |
A19 |
A18 |
|
RAM: |
8GB |
8GB |
|
Rear cameras: |
48MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide |
48MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide |
|
Front camera: |
18MP |
12MP |
|
Battery: |
3,692mAh |
3,561mAh |
|
Storage: |
256GB, 512GB |
128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: price and availability
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The iPhone 17 shipped on September 19, 2025, and it’s widely available around the world. The iPhone 16 launched at a similar time in 2024 and is also widely available, as Apple still sells it.
As for the prices, the iPhone 17 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, for which you’ll get a model with 256GB of storage. There’s also a 512GB version for $999 / £999 / AU$1,799.
The iPhone 16 used to start at the same $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 price, but since the launch of the iPhone 17 it has dropped to $699 / £699 / AU$1,249. However, that’s with just 128GB of storage, so you’re getting half as much as the iPhone 17 starts with.
There used to also be a 256GB model of the iPhone 16 for $899 / £899 / AU$1,599 and a 512GB one for $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,949, but these have been discontinued.
Winner: iPhone 16 – unless you need the extra storage
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: design
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While most of the iPhone 17 series has undergone a redesign, the iPhone 17 itself is very similar to the iPhone 16, with both phones having a glass back housing a dual-lens camera.
Both also have an aluminum frame, a flat screen with a Dynamic Island cut-out at the top, an Action button, a Camera Control button, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
So what’s different? Well the available colors differ a bit, with the iPhone 17 being sold in Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, and Lavender, while the iPhone 16 is available in Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine.
The iPhone 17 also uses Ceramic Shield 2 on its screen, which supposedly offers three times better scratch resistance than the original Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 16’s display.
And their weights and dimensions differ slightly – the iPhone 17 is 149.6 x 71.5 x 8mm and 177g, while the iPhone 16 is 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm and 170g. So the new phone is slightly taller, thicker, and heavier.
Winner: iPhone 17 on account of the Ceramic Shield 2
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: display
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More has been changed with the iPhone 17’s screen, as this phone has a 6.3-inch 1206 x 2622 OLED show with 460 pixels per inch, a 120Hz refresh fee, and a peak brightness of three,000 nits.
The iPhone 16 however has a 6.1-inch 1179 x 2556 OLED display screen with 460 pixels per inch, a 60Hz refresh fee, and a peak brightness of two,000 nits.
So the iPhone 17’s display screen is larger, has a a lot larger refresh fee – which our iPhone 17 review described as a “very nice improve” – and might get considerably brighter. Its refresh fee may drop a lot decrease than the iPhone 16’s when a excessive refresh fee isn’t wanted, which suggests it will probably assist always-on show too, which the iPhone 16 doesn’t.
This all provides as much as a sizeable improve for the iPhone 17 on the show entrance – in reality it is considered one of its greatest benefits over the older mannequin.
Winner: iPhone 17
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: cameras
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The iPhone 17 also has some upgraded cameras, as it’s packing a 48MP f/1.6 main sensor, a 48MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (with a 120-degree field of view), and an 18MP f/1.9 front-facing camera with Center Stage. The latter feature means you can take photos in portrait or landscape without physically turning the phone.
The iPhone 16 has the same 48MP f/1.6 main camera, but it then has a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (with a 120-degree field of view), and a 12MP f/1.9 front-facing camera (without Center Stage). So its ultra-wide and selfie cameras are less capable.
However, both phones can record video in up to 4K high quality at as much as 60fps, or in 1080p at as much as 240fps.
Our iPhone 17 overview praised its cameras, describing them as “glorious” and “lots versatile”, so that is one factor that’s nicely price contemplating an iPhone 17 for.
Winner: iPhone 17
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: performance and software
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The iPhone 17 is also a more powerful phone than the iPhone 16, with a new A19 chipset in place of its predecessor’s A18. That change delivers “great performance” according to our iPhone 17 review, though both phones have 8GB of RAM, and the iPhone 16 remains a speedy handset – so consider whether you actually need all the extra power in the iPhone 17.
Both phones also run iOS 26, although being new, the iPhone 17 will most likely be supported with software program updates for longer.
Winner: iPhone 17
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: battery
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Finally, we come to the battery, and that’s been upgraded for the iPhone 17 too. This phone has a 3,692mAh one, which is up from 3,561mAh in the iPhone 16. Of course, it also has a bigger screen to power, and neither capacity is especially large.
So how’s the life? Well, Apple claims the iPhone 17 can last for up to 30 hours of video playback, while the iPhone 16 is only rated for 22. So that’s a huge eight-hour difference. However our iPhone 17 review didn’t see much change, stating that “it can still last all day, but no major improvement.” So take Apple’s claims with a pinch of salt.
Either way, charging speeds should be slightly higher with the new phone, as Apple claims you can juice the iPhone 17 up to 50% in around 20 minutes (if using a 40W or higher charger), while the iPhone 16 will take around 30 minutes to reach the same charge level.
Winner: iPhone 17
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: verdict
As you’d expect, the iPhone 17 wins in almost every category, but some upgrades are more significant than others.
On the screen and cameras front, at least, there are big reasons to choose the newer phone; with the former, you’re finally getting a 120Hz refresh rate and an always-on display, plus the screen is bigger and brighter than before. With the latter, the ultra-wide and front-facing cameras have both been substantially improved.
Beyond that, the iPhone 17 also has a bigger battery, faster charging, more power, and better scratch resistance. Plus, you get double the storage for the same price as the iPhone 16 launched at – though the iPhone 16 is cheaper now.
Beyond its lower price, the only real on-paper upside to the iPhone 16 is that it’s slightly smaller and lighter. So if a compact phone matters to you, that’s worth factoring in. But in most ways that matter, the iPhone 17 looks to match or beat it.
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