iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 | What’s New in 2025 & Should You Upgrade?
por Jenny Xiao en Sep 15, 2025
The iPhone 17 was recently launched and pre-orders are open. So the question everyone wants answered is simple: how different is it from last year’s iPhone 16?
Well, Apple has really stepped up their game with the newest iPhone and it’s not just the design changes that people are talking about.
From new camera improvements to a larger display and faster charging capabilities, the iPhone 17 is more than just a small refresh.
Let’s take a look at everything that has changed and see if this is the year worth making the jump.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Color
The iPhone 17 comes with a whole palette of new colors like Lavender, Sage, Mist Blue, White, and Black, whereas the iPhone 16 came in colors like Pink, Teal, Ultramarine, White, and Black.
The device itself is slightly taller and heavier, mostly due to thinner bezels and a larger screen. So while you might notice the extra grams, the fresh colors and updated glass give it a clear appearance.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Display
The iPhone 17 is equipped with a massive 6.3” ProMotion display that’s way more fluid than the OLED on the iPhone 16.
Along with this the iPhone 17 even comes with an adaptable refresh rate from 1Hz and 120Hz depending on what you’re doing. This was not the case with the iPhone 16 which had a capped refresh rate of 60Hz.
This improves the whole user experience and makes scrolling feel smoother, animations look better and games can now be played with a higher responsive rate.
The 17 also introduces Always-On mode, so even if your phone is locked and kept aside, the screen will show you the time, widgets and notifications at all times.
Another significant improvement is the brightness of the iPhone 17. Compared to last year's 16 series which maxed out at 2000 nits in outdoor settings, the 17 now delivers a clean 3000 nits of brightness.
It even comes with a new seven-layer anti-reflective coating to cut down glare making it easier to view the screen even in direct sunlight.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Processing Capabilities
Another big change is to do with the processor capabilities and what’s under the hood.
While the iPhone 16 came with the A18 chip that was pretty decent and could hold its ground against a lot of the competitors, Apple has taken it up a notch and released the iPhone 17 with a new and improved A19 chip that's built on a 3nm process.
The new processor is fine tuned for AI and machine learning and according to Apple this will bring laptop-level performance to your phone.
Though there are no benchmark tests conducted as yet, we’re looking at smoother multitasking, faster photo processing, and better handling of future AI features.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Camera Upgrades
Apple has gone big on camera upgrades with the iPhone 17. All three rear lenses are now 48MP, while the front camera gets a boost to 18MP with Center Stage support.
That’s a step up from the iPhone 16’s setup of one 48MP main sensor alongside 12MP ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, plus a 12MP front camera.
The result? Ultra-wide shots now capture more detail, macro photos look sharper, and by default images are shot at 24MP (with the option to switch to 48MP for maximum resolution).
There is one small trade-off: while the iPhone 16 used 100% Focus Pixels for auto focus, the iPhone 17 switched to hybrid focus pixels. In theory, this could slow auto focus slightly in certain scenarios, but in everyday use you’re unlikely to notice a difference.
On the front, the 18MP Center Stage camera keeps you framed automatically during FaceTime calls, even if you move around.
Apple has also added a new video sensor for improved stabilization, plus the ability to record from both the front and rear cameras at once, a feature that content creators and frequent video callers will love.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Battery Life and Charging
This year the iPhone has received a decent upgrade in terms of battery capacity and performance.
Earlier, on the iPhone 16, you could get up to 22 hours of video playback when watching downloaded content and around 18 hours when streaming.
The iPhone 17 pushes those numbers to 30 hours and 27 hours respectively. That’s way longer than what the larger iPhone 16 Plus was capable of.
There’s even an improvement in terms of charging. The iPhone 17 now supports 40W fast charging, which can get you to 50 percent battery in about 20 minutes instead of the half hour it took before.
Wireless charging has also been boosted to 25W when using Qi2.2 or MagSafe, making it much faster than the older 15W standard.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Connectivity and Wireless Features
The iPhone 17 now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, both of which improve speed and connection stability.
In terms of GPS navigation, the 17 now comes with dual-frequency GPS and NavIC support for countries like India, which should make maps and location tracking more accurate.
And for things like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot, the improvements may feel subtle, but over time these kinds of upgrades add up to a smoother experience.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Size and Build Quality
When it comes to size, the iPhone 17 is slightly taller at 149.6 mm compared to 147.6 mm on the iPhone 16.
The device is also a little thicker at 7.95 mm and heavier at 177 grams.
Though this might not seem like much, there’s a noticeable difference in the weight of both the iPhone 16 and 17.
On a positive note, the iPhone 17 does come with a larger and improved screen that makes movies and games feel immersive.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 - Storage and Price
As for the pricing, last year the iPhone 16 started at 128 GB for 799USD. This year, the iPhone 17 starts at 256 GB for the exact same price.
The 512 GB model is also 100 dollars cheaper than it was last year, which makes the entire lineup better value.
Though there’s one thing missing from this year's lineup and that is the iPhone 17 Plus. Apple has replaced it with the iPhone Air, so if you liked having a bigger standard iPhone without jumping to the Pro Max, you may need to adjust your expectations.
So, Should You Upgrade to the iPhone 17?
This ultimately depends on your personal preference. There are a bunch of new changes in the iPhone 17, but the iPhone 16 is still a darn good phone to own.
If you have the iPhone 16 and are bothered by the low refresh rate, shorter battery life, low storage and an older processor, then I would recommend upgrading to the iPhone 17 and put your problems in the rear view mirror.
However, if you are perfectly happy with the 16, then it’s best to wait it out another year and get the next model of iPhone or at least until prices drop on the iPhone 17.
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