Apple has recently launched its iPhone 17 Series, which includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone Air. The new Pro models come with a refreshed design, an advanced thermal system, and a new rear camera system. I got my hands on the iPhone 17 Pro for a few days, and here is a quick review of the device.
iPhone 17 Pro specifications:
| Display | 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED screen with Dynamic Island and 3,000nits of peak brightness |
| Chipset |
A19 Pro chip with 6-core GPU and Neural accelerators Hardware-accelerated ray tracing |
| Camera |
Rear: 48MP (main camera), 48MP (ultra-wide) and 48MP (telephoto) Front: 18MP centre stage camera |
| Video recording | 4K Dolby Vision video recording, Spatial video recording |
| External button | Action button, camera control |
| Battery | |
| Charging | Up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes with 40W wired adapter or higher |
| Apple Intelligence | Yes |
| Design | Aluminium |
| Capacity | Up to 2TB |
iPhone 17 Pro review: Display
On the display front, the iPhone 17 Pro features a similar screen to the iPhone 16 Pro, which remains top-notch, offering crisp and true-to-life colours. However, the new Pro model boasts a significantly brighter display, a clear advantage in direct sunlight.
iPhone 17 Pro review: Performance
Performance on the iPhone 17 Pro is outstanding. It handles every demanding application and task effortlessly, showing no discernible lag even when running high-graphics games like Call of Duty. App loading is nearly instantaneous, and multitasking is exceptionally fluid.
In terms of thermal performance, Apple introduced a vapor chamber in the new Pro model. However, we still experienced noticeable heating when recording videos and capturing photos outdoors. The phone also tends to warm up when uploading files to the cloud while simultaneously charging. While the ceramic component in the lower half appears to effectively dissipate heat, the mid-frame and other structural elements retain that heat for a significant period.
iPhone 17 Pro review: Battery
During our testing, we used a third-party 100W charger for replenishment. The charging speed profile indicates room for improvement:
- It took 40 minutes to charge the device from 10 per cent to 40 per cent.
- It took 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) to reach 75 per cent capacity from 10 per cent.
While these speeds are adequate, they remain significantly slower than competitors in the flagship space. Apple needs to introduce true high-speed charging—both for wired and MagSafe—to match industry standards and better serve power users.
In terms of endurance, the battery lasted for approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes under heavy usage. This time included 1 hour and 41 minutes dedicated to the camera (recording videos and capturing photos), with the remaining time spent on Safari and Google Photos. This performance suggests that while the A19 Pro chip is power-efficient in general use, the combination of demanding tasks and the advanced thermal system draws significant power.
iPhone 17 Pro review: Camera
The camera system on the iPhone 17 Pro is genuinely impressive.
The device features an advanced 48MP main sensor that delivers photos rich in detail and colour. The bokeh effect has significantly improved, making the camera highly adept at cleanly separating the subject from the background—a crucial feature for professional portraits. Additionally, the new Center Stage front camera is excellent, automatically adjusting to keep a group centered in the frame without requiring the user to change the phone's orientation.
Low-light image quality is very good, with brilliant and accurate colour reproduction. The camera also boasts a high dynamic range (HDR), clearly capturing the colour integrity of every element within the frame.
Optical versatility
The 4X telephoto camera captures images that are consistently rich in detail. Its power is evident in use cases like being able to clearly read the license plate of a vehicle parked approximately 400 meters away by leveraging the full 48MP sensor.
Video performance is equally strong. The video stabilisation is superb, producing smooth, gimbal-like videos that are ready for professional use. Here are some camera samples.
iPhone 17 Pro review: Verdict
The iPhone 17 Pro delivers outstanding performance via the A19 Pro chip and a brilliant, top-notch display that excels particularly in direct sunlight thanks to its increased brightness. Crucially, the camera system is genuinely impressive, offering professional-grade clarity, dynamic range, and the versatility of the new 4X telephoto lens and enhanced bokeh effect.
However, the "Pro" designation comes with two significant caveats: thermal management and battery endurance. Despite the vapour chamber, the device exhibits noticeable heating during sustained power-intensive tasks like video recording. Furthermore, the battery life (around 3 hours 30 minutes under heavy camera use) and charging speeds remain significantly behind key competitors, requiring future optimisation.
Who should buy the iPhone 17 Pro?
| Professional content creators and photographers | The superb 48MP main sensor, improved bokeh, 4X telephoto, and gimbal-like video stabilisation make this the definitive tool for mobile production. |
| Power users and mobile gamers | The A19 Pro chip's outstanding performance, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and 120Hz display ensure a fluid, lag-free experience for any app or high-graphics game. |
| Users upgrading from iPhone 14 or older |
The cumulative advancements in display brightness, camera versatility, and the introduction of Apple Intelligence will feel like a massive, worthwhile leap. |
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