We had been pretty underwhelmed by the iPhone 16e when it debuted earlier this 12 months, largely because of its $599 price ticket, which makes it a poor substitute for the budget-oriented iPhone SE. And now that the iPhone 17 has debuted, the 16e makes even much less sense. For $200 extra, you get a bigger and higher display screen with ProMotion, assist for MagSafe wi-fi charging, a zippier processor, two cameras as a substitute of 1 — and double the storage. Positive, that value distinction hurts a bit, however I feel the iPhone 17 remains to be a greater deal since it isn’t almost as limiting because the iPhone 16e, which ought to have been priced nearer to $500 to tackle one thing just like the Pixel 9a.
Final fall, I argued that the vanilla iPhone 16 was a wise purchase given its revamped CPU and assist for Apple Intelligence, and I feel that is still true for the iPhone 17 with its many new options and equivalent value level. Whereas I am certain Apple would love for extra prospects to leap to the $999 iPhone Air or $1,099 iPhone 17 Professional, it is nonetheless arduous for lots of people to abdomen spending 4 figures on a smartphone. The ultra-thin Air will possible be a success with influencers and the style-obsessed, and energy customers may have a ball with the iPhone 17 Professional’s extra succesful digital camera array. For everybody else, the iPhone 17 stays a strong gadget that may serve you effectively for a few years.
The addition of ProMotion assist alone removes one of many function gaps between the plain iPhone and the Professional fashions. It permits for a variable display screen refresh fee of as much as 120Hz, in comparison with the 60Hz restrict of earlier years. In observe, that signifies that scrolling via web sites and your social media feeds will look smoother and fewer headache-inducing. You will discover the distinction instantly — 60Hz screens look unbearably uneven and gradual as soon as your eyes have gotten used to one thing quicker.
And earlier than Android followers leap in to brag — sure, we all know that mid-range Android telephones have provided excessive refresh fee screens for years. Apple is undoubtedly gradual to react right here, however the improve remains to be price celebrating. The iPhone 17’s display screen is not simply smoother than earlier than, it genuinely appears higher, in keeping with Engadget Senior Reporter Billy Steele. “The distinction between this new mannequin and my iPhone 16 Plus was instantly obvious,” he wrote in his hands-on. “Colours are extra vivid, particulars are sharper and it is simply extra nice to take a look at.”
iPhone 17
(Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
In terms of cameras, the iPhone 17 improves its ultrawide shooter to 48 megapixels, becoming a member of the 48MP major sensor. However the massive digital camera improve is definitely on the entrance of the telephone, because of the brand new Middle Stage digital camera. It has been bumped to 18MP from 12MP, however extra importantly, Apple additionally launched a sq. sensor that allows you to leap from panorama to portrait orientations with out rotating your telephone. I’ve already gone deep on why the sq. selfie sensor (which is obtainable on all iPhone 17 fashions) is a giant deal, however here is one key takeaway: “By making it simpler to take selfies, it follows that you will begin to take much more of them, in the end tying your self into Apple’s ecosystem even additional.”
And talking of options obtainable on the entire new iPhones, the vanilla iPhone 17 additionally helps Twin Seize, which helps you to file video utilizing the entrance and rear cameras on the similar time. Middle Stage retains your face in the midst of the body throughout these pictures as effectively, which could make Apple’s implementation of Twin Seize more practical than what we’ve seen from Samsung and different telephone makers. I might have seen Apple gatekeeping this function for the extra highly effective iPhone Air and 17 Professional fashions, nevertheless it’s good to see it on the vanilla entry. Much like selfies, it solely advantages Apple for those who’re utilizing your units extra to provide content material, and I might see Twin Seize footage turning into a giant deal on Instagram and TikTok.
Whereas Apple is protecting the iPhone 16 round at $699, it genuinely makes extra sense to leap straight to the $799 iPhone 17 for the entire causes talked about above. (However for those who discover a whole lot on a refurbished iPhone 16, that’s one other story. It’s nonetheless a really succesful telephone, and it’s appropriate with Apple Intelligence options as effectively.) Apart from decreasing the value – one thing I don’t see Apple ever doing – there’s not a lot else the iPhone 17 is lacking. And for anybody who wants one thing extra modern or highly effective, the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Professional are proper there.
The one lacking gap within the iPhone lineup is a finances choice that’s cheaper than the $599 iPhone 16e – hopefully, that’ll be one thing a future iPhone 17e may be capable to clear up.
