Where the reviewers agree
- The 120Hz ProMotion display with always-on support is a major upgrade on the base model. — Tech Advisor, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Wired, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, Tweakers, PCMag, Trusted Reviews
- Storage doubles to 256GB at the same starting price, which reviewers see as strong value. — Tech Advisor, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Wired, The Guardian, Tweakers, PCMag, CNET
- The phone lacks a telephoto camera, which reviewers count as its main camera drawback. — TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge, Wired, The Guardian, SmartWorld, Tweakers, Trusted Reviews
- Battery life is strong, with reviewers describing it as lasting a full day or more. — Tech Advisor, The Verge, Wired, The Guardian, CNET, SmartWorld, PCMag, Trusted Reviews
Where they disagree
- Reviewers split on design: The Guardian, The Verge and Trusted Reviews note little change from earlier models, while Trusted Reviews praises its lightweight build and new colours and SmartWorld calls it compact and comfortable. — The Guardian, The Verge, Trusted Reviews, SmartWorld
- Heat is raised as a concern by The Verge and Wired, while PCMag and others do not mention it. — The Verge, Wired
- Camera verdicts vary: Trusted Reviews finds camera performance consistent, while Tech Advisor and PCMag rate the cameras as less advanced than Pro models or in need of improvement. — Trusted Reviews, Tech Advisor, PCMag
Bottom line: Suits buyers who want a Pro-level 120Hz screen, long battery life and 256GB storage at $799 without paying for Pro models. The trade-offs are no telephoto lens, weaker zoom, and AI features that reviewers find underwhelming.
Summarised with AI from the 11 reviews below — each one is linked in full.
What the reviewers said
Trusted Reviews UK
4.5/5Jan 20, 2026The iPhone 17 is the easiest base-level iPhone to recommend in years, gaining ProMotion, a better screen, strong cameras and battery life; it lacks a telephoto lens.
- ProMotion 120Hz display now on the base model
- Lasts all day on a charge
- Consistent camera performance across lenses
- Lightweight, attractive design with new colours
- Upgraded 48MP ultrawide camera
- No dedicated telephoto lens
- Apple Intelligence remains disappointing
- Camera Control placement is uncomfortable for the reviewer
- Design largely unchanged from iPhone 16
Tom's Guide US
4.5/5Nov 6, 2025The iPhone 17 is a strong base model at the same price, with a 120Hz screen, double storage and a better value case than the iPhone 16e; telephoto and AI…
- Smooth 120Hz refresh rate display
- Same $799 starting price as before
- 256GB base storage, double the prior model
- Outstanding A19 performance
- Brighter screen and iOS 26 visual refresh
- Telephoto performance underperforms rivals
- Few new Apple Intelligence features
- Subdued new color options disappoint the reviewer
The Guardian UK
No scoreOct 22, 2025A meaningful upgrade over earlier standard iPhones, with Pro-level screen and storage at the same price. Lacks telephoto zoom, but a strong choice for most Apple buyers.
- Smooth 120Hz display with significantly toughened glass
- Storage doubled to 256GB at the same starting price
- Fast A19 chip and good battery life
- Good dual camera with useful macro mode
- Always-on display and long software support
- No telephoto camera; digital zoom looks soft
- Design looks much like the iPhone 16
- Not the thinnest, lightest or most powerful model
Tech Advisor UK
4.5/5Oct 17, 2025The iPhone 17 offers surprising value for its price, with strong display, performance, battery life and fast charging. A recommended upgrade for most iPhone users.
- More storage (256GB) for the same price as last year
- 120Hz ProMotion and Always-On display
- Peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits
- Centre Stage and Dual Capture camera features
- Solid battery life and quick charging
- AI features are still hit and miss
- Camera could be improved
- Back glass photographs poorly and is slippery
- Camera Control button placement not ideal for everyone
SmartWorld IT
No scoreSep 25, 2025The reviewer calls iPhone 17 the best base iPhone ever, closing most past compromises. Only the missing zoom camera and price stand out as drawbacks.
- Compact and comfortable to hold
- Bright 120Hz LTPO display with anti-reflective coating
- Excellent cameras and video quality
- Best-in-class front camera with Center Stage
- Strong performance and long battery life
- No telephoto zoom camera
- Charging speed not very fast
- Expensive for many buyers
CNET US
9.1/10CNET Editors' ChoiceSep 24, 2025A well-rounded baseline iPhone that borrows many Pro features, with a better display, cameras and battery, at no price increase. A solid pick for most buyers.
- 1-120Hz display with always-on support
- Higher 3,000-nit peak brightness and anti-reflective coating
- Two 48MP rear cameras
- Longer battery life and faster charging
- Dual-speaker system sounds more balanced than iPhone Air
- Minimal design changes from last year
- Apple Intelligence still feels like a work in progress
- A19 chip is less powerful than Pro models
- Visual Intelligence less intuitive than Circle to Search
The best base iPhone yet: a smooth 120-Hz screen, excellent battery life and strong performance make it the one most people should buy, though it lacks telephoto and runs hot…
- Smooth 120-Hz ProMotion display with variable refresh rate
- Bright screen peaking at 3,000 nits
- Excellent battery life, often over six hours screen-on
- Strong A19 performance for most apps and games
- Improved 18-MP square selfie camera with Center Stage
- No telephoto camera, unlike rivals at this price
- USB 2 data speeds limited to 480 Mbps
- Gets very hot during demanding games
- Voice dictation accuracy lags behind Google's
- 8 GB RAM may fall short for future AI features
Tweakers NL
No scoreSep 21, 2025The iPhone 17 is the most interesting base iPhone in years: a big display jump, better cameras and double the storage at the same price, though the lack of a…
- First 120Hz LTPO display on the base iPhone, very bright
- Camera upgrades and new Center Stage front camera
- Excellent overall user experience and haptics
- Long software support
- 256GB base storage at the same price
- No telephoto camera
- Mediocre display colour calibration
- Apple Intelligence and Siri still lag behind
- USB 2.0 port only
TechRadar UK
4.5/5Sep 17, 2025The best standard iPhone in years, bringing ProMotion and Always-On to a cheaper model at the same starting price with double storage. Fast, reliable, and the one most people should…
- ProMotion 120Hz display with Always-On functionality
- Double starting storage at the same $799 price
- A19 chip is fast enough for everyday tasks
- Upgraded 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras
- Center Stage front camera and Dual Capture are useful
- No dedicated telephoto lens
- Colors lack the vibrancy of last year's Ultra Marine
- No true redesign over the iPhone 16
PCMag US
4.5/5Editors' ChoiceSep 17, 2025The standard iPhone 17 is the best iPhone for most people, offering Pro-level display, strong battery life and value at $799.
- Pro-level 120Hz ProMotion display with always-on at base price
- Battery lasts about 24.5 hours in streaming test
- Performance beats most Android rivals and the iPhone Air
- Base storage doubled to 256GB at same $799 price
- Faster charging, 30W wired and 25W wireless
- USB-C port still limited to USB 2.0 speeds
- Only 8GB RAM, less than the Pro models
- No SIM tray in US models, eSIM only
- Camera system less advanced than Pro models
The Verge US
8/10Sep 17, 2025The iPhone 17 is the best standard iPhone in years: always-on, high-refresh display and more storage at the same price, though Pro features remain.
- Always-on display makes the phone much more useful
- 120Hz ProMotion screen feels noticeably smoother
- Brighter, anti-glare display is easier to read outdoors
- Starts at same price with double the storage
- Battery lasts through a heavy day
- Zoom is weaker than the Pro; no telephoto lens
- Gets hot during heavy gaming sessions
- Apple Intelligence still feels underwhelming or missing
- No redesign compared with the Pro models
Verdicts, pros and cons are short summaries in our words of each publisher's review; scores are as the publisher gave them. Specs are taken from the reviews' spec boxes — where they differ, we show the value most of them give; price is the US launch price of the base model. Read the originals for the full picture.
