iPhone 17 Pro Review
If you’re after a combination of Pro Max flagship quality and base model affordability, the iPhone Pro has long been the handset of choice. The iPhone 17 Pro Max takes what made the 16 Pro a great device and built on it, resulting in a highly refined smartphone option. In this review, we’ll dive into what to expect from Apple’s 17 Pro offering.
Pick up the iPhone 17 Pro with up to 1TB storage space.
Things we like
• Stylish two-tone colour scheme
• Tangible performance improvements thanks to the A19 Pro CPU
• Powerful 48MP telephoto camera
Things to consider
• Similar display to the iPhone 16 Pro
Release date
The release date of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 19th September 2025.
Specifications
• Dimensions – 150mm x 71.9mm x 8.75mm
• Weight – 204g
• OS – iOS 26
• Display – 6.3” Super Retina XDR
• Resolution – 2622 x 1206
• Processor – A19 Pro
• Storage – 256GB; 512GB; 1TB
• RAM – 12GB
• Rear cameras – 48MP Fusion main; 48MP Fusion ultra-wide; 48MP Fusion telephoto
• Front camera – 18MP
• Battery – Up to 31 hours video playback
• Water and dust resistance – IP68
• Connectivity – Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 6; 5G
Design: The two-tone design leads the way
Similar to the 17 Pro Max, the defining design feature of the 17 Pro is the two-tone colour scheme. Beyond being an exciting inclusion from Apple (this is one of the biggest iPhone design changes in many years), it gives the Pro model a new lease of life outside of simply offering some new colours.
Another interesting change from the 16 Pro to the 17 Pro is the use of aluminium for the body instead of titanium. Despite being made from aluminium, the 17 Pro is actually 5g heavier than the 16 Pro; likely due to the inclusion of a larger battery.
The final design update on the 17 Pro is the addition of Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, and Ceramic Shield on the back. This represents an overall upgrade, as you’re ultimately getting more protection from scratches on both sides.
Display: The same brilliant screen
If you’re an existing 16 Pro owner, the 17 Pro’s display will be very familiar to you. It comes with the same 6.3” Super Retina XDR screen with a ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate,HDR support and the Dynamic Island. The resolution is also the same at 2622 x 1206.
Whilst this is very much a mirroring of the 16 Pro, when that phone’s display was as impressive as it was, it’s hard to complain. The peak outdoor brightness was actually increased, too, so you’re getting a more enjoyable outdoor viewing experience thanks to the higher overall brightness.
Performance: Impactful generational improvements
Like the 16 Pro before it, the iPhone 17 Pro comes equipped with a ‘Pro’ CPU that offers enhanced processing speeds. This time it’s the A19 Pro, which easily handled anything we threw at it such as gaming, photography and using AI features. The latter benefits greatly from the 16-core Neural Engine that helps keep things running smoothly.
Combined with 12GB RAM, the 17 Pro ran like a charm. We’re not talking huge leaps, but we can confidently say that most tasks can be done with barely a stutter.
Software: iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence combine brilliantly
The leading software improvement on the 17 Pro is iOS 26, but Apple Intelligence also received some useful updates, too. Starting with iOS 26, we loved the addition of Liquid Glass and its overhaul of iOS’ menus and icons. Every inch of the 17 Pro is styled to look like an elegant piece of glass, making it feel even more premium than it already is. Not only that, any UI element affected by Liquid Glass can refract the light behind it, so anything behind the icon or menu is visible enough without losing that beautiful glass look. iOS 26 also introduced some brilliant functionality updates, such as the ability to summarise text from Shortcuts and Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime and on calls.
On the AI front, we were impressed by the ability to search and plan more easily thanks to ‘visual intelligence’. This enables you to do things like add events to your calendar without having to leave your current screen.
Cameras: The 48MP telephoto camera steals the show
The 17 Pro’s 48MP telephoto camera is undoubtedly the star of the show. Not only is this an overall increase from 12MP on the 16 Pro in terms of raw pixel count, it makes cropping photos without losing detail a breeze. Alongside that camera, there’s also a 48MP main camera and a 48MP ultra-wide camera; the same duo as on the 16 Pro. Filming videos on the 17 Pro is also noticeably better over previous handsets, largely due to two key additions: Dual Capture and support for ProRes RAW files.
Dual Capture can be used to film yourself and a subject simultaneously; ideal if you’re recording a memorable moment and want your reaction, too. ProRes RAW is one for the professionals or budding filmmakers to take note of, which allows for the highest-quality files to be saved and edited with little compression. If you wanted something like this on the 16 Pro, this handset has you covered.
Battery: Larger battery and quicker recharge speeds
A running theme of the 17 series is a tangible improvement to battery life. In the iPhone 17 Pro’s case, you can get up to 31 hours of video playback; a 4-hour increase over the 16 Pro. We had little worry about running low on battery power, and even if we did, we could attach a MagSafe charger and easily power it back up in no time.
Speaking of charging, the 17 Pro supports faster recharge speeds as well. You can get the 17 Pro back up to 50% in ~ 20 minutes, compared to ~30 minutes on the 16 Pro.
Summary
Combining the best features of the 16 Pro with impactful updates, the iPhone 17 Pro is one of the finest smartphones money can buy. The 17 Pro Max provides a larger screen, but if you don’t need a display that size, the 17 Pro has everything you’ll need and more.
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