The new iPhones have arrived. Launching on Friday, 19 September, Apple’s line-up includes the regular iPhone 17, the ultra-slim iPhone Air and, as always, two Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are near-identical, differing only in screen and storage sizes, battery life and price.
There are big changes this year. For the first time, the Pro models come with an aluminium edge band, where earlier versions used stainless steel or titanium. That’s because the phone is built differently, with a unibody frame instead of the all-glass back used before. The result is a clear departure from previous iPhone Pros. Not least because the aluminium has allowed Apple to debut its loudest Pro colour yet: cosmic orange.
It also accompanies an uptick in performance because, Apple says, it’s more thermally conductive. There’s also a new vapour chamber built in to help with keeping the phone cool. The cameras are a new part of the story, with three 48-megapixel sensors for the first time on an iPhone.
Other innovations include ceramic shield 2, an updated version of the toughened glass material that’s protected iPhones for some years, now with added scratch resistance. And internal designs have allowed bigger batteries in both phones, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max promising the longest battery of any iPhone.
How I tested
I’ve been testing the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max for a full week. Though I’ve tended towards the Pro Max for much of my testing, I’ve checked in on the Pro to make sure of details like how good the battery is, how immersive the smaller display is and so on.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
David Phelan is The Independent’s technology critic, and has worked for the title since 1997. Having interviewed major players in the industry, David also has decades of experience bringing our readers insightful, honest reviews of best and latest tech. Above all, he’s an expert in Apple products. Not only has he tested every iPhone since the smartphone first launched, but he’s also tested every Apple Watch and AirPods right up to the latest releases.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max
Display: 6.3in OLED, 120Hz, 2,622 x 1,206 pixels, 460ppi (Pro), 6.9in OLED, 120Hz, 2,868 x 1,320 pixels, 460ppi (Pro Max)
CPU: Apple A19 Pro
Storage: 256GB / 512GB /1TB (Pro), 256GB / 512GB /1TB / 2TB (Pro Max)
Size: 150mm x 71.9mm x 8.75mm, Pro Max 163.4mm x 78mm x 8.75mm (Pro), 163.4mm x 78mm x 8.75mm (Pro Max)
Weight: 204g (Pro), 231g (Pro Max)
Main camera: 48MP
Ultra Wide camera: 48MP
Telephoto camera: 48MP
Selfie camera: 18MP
Why we love it
- Sumptuous design
- Outstanding cameras
- Performance without compromise
Take note
- Bigger capacities are pricey
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Design and display
This is the first time since the original iPhone that two distinct materials are so clearly displayed on the back. With the unibody frame now made from aluminium, it’s no longer an all-glass design. Because wireless charging can’t pass through metal, Apple has added an internal cut-out with a colour-matched glass panel on top. That panel is now ceramic shield – Apple’s bespoke glass-like material designed to protect the phone if dropped. On the front, ceramic shield 2 makes its debut, adding scratch-resistance and an anti-reflective coating to improve visibility in bright light.
The camera panel is the other big change to the phone’s design. No longer occupying one corner, it stretches the width of the phone, providing room for the periscope camera (tetraprism is the term Apple uses) and other electronics, in turn giving more space for the battery in the rest of the phone.
Other elements are similar to the iPhone 16 Pro: the camera control introduced last year is still in position on the long edge of the frame, for instance.
And then there’s the colour. Pro models have always come in muted colours, and there are two of those this year: deep blue and silver. But the third shade is a break from tradition. Cosmic orange, which is a bold, head-turning colour you’ll likely either love or hate. I love it. There’s no black in the Pro range, which is unusual.
Both Pro models are thicker this year than last. It means that if you have smaller hands, it is worth holding the Pro Max, especially, in your hand before buying in case it’s just too hefty.
Apple’s ProMotion displays are spectacular, with pin-sharp detail, rich and accurate colours and wide viewing angles. The anti-reflection helps, too, though it’s a subtle rather than a night-and-day difference.
And the dynamic refresh rate means features like the always-on display – now common to all the new iPhones – are here, too.
The screen is brighter this year, reaching a maximum of 3,000 nits instead of last year’s 2,000 nits. This makes it easier to read in bright sunlight.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Cameras
The 48MP main and ultra wide cameras are joined by a 48MP telephoto for the first time. It gives a 4x optical zoom equivalent compared to the main snapper, or 8x optical zoom achieved by cropping in to the central 12MP of the sensor.
Apple employs a photographic technique it calls fusion: it combines a 48MP image with a 12MP shot, making four adjacent pixels work as one to gather more light more quickly. This process balances the extra detail from the higher-resolution sensor with the brightness of the lower-resolution image. The result is a 24MP photo that looks sharp, bright and natural and look great.
Additionally, you can force the sensor to shoot 48-megapixel shots, too, which delivers outstanding detail. This is best reserved for brightly lit situations.
The fusion technique also comes to the ultra wide camera for the first time, enabling it to capture 24MP photos by default with excellent image quality, rich detail and smaller file sizes. In fact, all three sensors now use fusion.
None of this would be worth much if the results looked manufactured or false, which can happen when images are too heavily manipulated. Thankfully, the folks in charge of photography at Apple have excellent taste, so everything looks natural and real. The guiding principle, that the image should recreate accurately your memory of the scene, is elegantly done.
Video has been an Apple strength for some time, and remains excellent here, with newly updated camera app design making things easier to get to quickly.
And then there’s the selfie camera, not something I’d normally dwell on, but this is special. Instead of the regular rectangular shape, the new centre stage camera, with a new 18MP resolution, is square. The principle is that when you’re taking a selfie, it’s easier to hold the phone upright, not on its side. So, instead, you tap the iPhone display, and it spins what you see to landscape orientation without you moving the hardware.
Additionally, the software can spot when there’s a group wanting the picture taken and zooms out to accommodate.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Performance
This is the most powerful version of Apple’s most powerful iPhone chip, the A19 Pro. Fast chips get hot, so the aluminium unibody not only redistributes the heat to keep it performing at length but also makes sure the iPhone remains temperate.
There’s a vapour chamber which also moves the heat away from the chip, keeping it cool so it has sustained performance. This is evident in graphics-heavy games, which play smoothly and without the phone turning into a hand warmer.
In everyday usage, this phone’s performance is pitch-perfect, with nothing slowing it down.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Battery life
Both phones have bigger batteries this time, and the claimed result is that each will run for several hours longer than the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, neither of which were slouches.
While I wouldn’t advise leaving either phone off the overnight charging schedule, if you do, they’ll run into the next day easily. Battery anxiety may never leave me, but these iPhones do better than others to alleviate it.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Pricing
Prices for the 17 Pro start at £1,099, which may look like a price increase. In fact, the iPhone 16 Pro with 256GB storage cost the same last year, and the base storage model of iPhone 17 Pro is now 256GB, so the price is the same. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, like the 16 Pro Max, has 256GB storage as standard and 256GB is something Apple has introduced across the board this year.
While it had been rumoured that US tariffs would force prices up, that hasn’t happened yet. That’s not to say these phones are cheap, however. There’s even a 2TB capacity model for the iPhone 17 Pro Max only, and that costs £1,999. But they do offer strong value for what they are.
Buy now £1099.00, Apple.com
The best iPhone 17 Pro contract deals
The best iPhone 17 Pro Max contract deals
Should you buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max?
If you want the best iPhone ever, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are it. It’s like Apple thought about all the boxes it could, and then ticked them all. Super-fast performance? Check. Best battery life yet? Check. A big leap forward in camera capabilities? Absolutely. And none of these metrics are coming from a low base.
The new design is different, and may not appeal to everyone, but I like the solid, powerful look to the unibody and colour-matched ceramic shield panel. And the cosmic orange option is gorgeous.
Apple’s phones have immaculate build quality, exceptional components and chic design. Add in the company’s intuitive interface and you have an irresistible combination.
Pre-orders are live now. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro costs from £1,099, the iPhone 17 Pro Max from £1,199, and both will be generally available from Friday, 19 September.
You can also read my review of the new Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE3
