Apple's non-Pro iPhones tend to be the forgotten siblings in the launch cycle - overshadowed by the Pros' exotic materials and fancy cameras. But for most UK buyers, the regular iPhone 17 is the phone that actually ends up in their pockets. After two weeks of testing, we can confirm it is the strongest base iPhone Apple has shipped in years.
What is new
The iPhone 17 picks up a number of features that used to be Pro-exclusive, including a 120Hz ProMotion display, always-on lockscreen support and the Action Button in place of the old mute switch. Apple has also given it a bigger 6.3-inch screen, a new A19 chip built on TSMC's 3nm process and a meaningfully larger battery.
Everyday experience
In practice, the 120Hz upgrade alone makes the iPhone 17 feel like a different class of phone compared to the iPhone 16. Scrolling is silky smooth, animations are snappier and the always-on display is finally on par with Samsung's implementation. Battery life is genuinely excellent - we routinely get a full day and a half of mixed use without reaching for a charger.
Camera performance
- 48MP main: Sharp, vibrant daylight photos. Great in low light too.
- 12MP ultrawide: Decent for landscapes, occasionally soft in the corners.
- 12MP 2x "telephoto": Uses a crop from the main sensor. Good enough for portraits but not a true optical zoom.
- 12MP front: Improved low-light performance and a wider field of view.
UK pricing
The iPhone 17 starts at £799 SIM-free for 128GB, rising to £899 for 256GB and £1,099 for 512GB. Pay monthly tariffs on EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and Sky Mobile all start at around £40 per month with 100GB data and no upfront cost, which is roughly where we would expect the sweet spot to sit for a 24-month deal.
Should you upgrade?
If you are coming from an iPhone 13 or older, this is the obvious upgrade - you get ProMotion, USB-C, much better battery life and a meaningfully faster chip. If you are on an iPhone 15 or 16, the upgrade is less compelling unless you specifically want the 120Hz display. Apple still offers one of the best trade-in schemes in the UK, and we have seen iPhone 15 Pro trade-ins valued as high as £580.
Rating: 4.5/5