Apple iPhone 17 review – Is it the phone of the year?
Apple iPhone 17 - Verdict
The iPhone 17 is the best value iPhone money can get right now, and quite easily one of my favourite phones to launch in 2025.
From the outside it may not look all that different, but it now offers Pro-level features without the hefty price tag.
You also get double the storage for the same starting price as the iPhone 16.
It's not meant to turn heads if that's what you're after. I heard someone say, 'Sometimes boring is best,' and that really nails it here.
I also rarely think any phone is worth upgrading if you already own one of the more recent models, but this is a solid choice if your situation is different, or you're getting an unbelievably good trade-in deal.
The good stuff
- Smooth 120Hz display screen (finally!)
- A19 chip delivers excellent performance
- Great battery life
- Upgraded 18-megapixel selfie camera
What we don't love
- No telephoto lens
iPhone 17 design and display
The base flagship wasn't redesigned, unlike the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. It's also not ultra-thin like the iPhone Air.
It is, however, slightly larger at 6.3 inches compared to last year's 6.1-inch screen.
You still get the aluminium frame, frosted glass back, a vertical dual camera bump, plus the action and camera control buttons on each side.
I also love the colours, and the lavender hue I was testing is probably one of my favourites.
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
So, even though there weren't really any major design changes, the iPhone 17 holds its own. Plus, the new, flashier display does the heavy lifting.
You might not audibly gasp, but Apple finally introduced a 120Hz display screen. We've been screaming to get this for a long, long while.
A 120Hz refresh rate means your screen updates 120 times per second.
Even budget phones now feature this by default, but Apple had previously stuck with a 60Hz display on the base model until this year.
The iPhone 17 also has a higher 3000-nit peak brightness and an anti-reflective coating. This makes it easier to see the phone under the bright Aussie sun.
You can finally say these upgrades bring it on par with other base flagship models from Samsung and Google, such as the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25.
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
iPhone 17 performance and battery life
The iPhone 17 is powered by the A19 chip, which may not be as powerful as the A19 Pro, but everyday users probably won't notice the difference.
The performance is buttery smooth, and the graphics look great.
You're going to be quite happy with it, unless you need to push its absolute limits, which I never do.
Similarly, the battery life stacks up well.
Apple doesn't give specific battery specs, but it mentions users can get up to 30 hours of video playback.
Based on my testing, you should get over a day of charge, but this can vary based on your use.
For example, I started my day at around 7:30am and clocked a couple of hours streaming Netflix on my commute, about an hour on TikTok, some random photos and the usual calls and texts. By around 10pm, I still had 32% juice left.
You also get Adaptive Power Mode as part of the iOS 26 upgrade. It's designed to help you extend battery life by adjusting things like performance, brightness and turning off background activities.
iPhone 17 camera
The iPhone 17 takes terrific photos. I may not be a 'creator', but the results, even in low-light settings, are hard to fault.
The phone sticks with a dual-camera setup on the back, featuring a 48-megapixel wide-angle lens paired with an ultrawide lens.
The ultrawide camera is a step up from the iPhone 16's 12MP sensor.
What you won't find is a telephoto lens, which isn't too surprising, as Apple tends to keep that as a key differentiator for the Pro models.
That said, Google did bring a telephoto lens to its base flagship Pixel 10, so it's not unreasonable to add it to our wishlist for Apple.
Up front, there's also an improved 18MP Centre Stage camera, letting you shoot both landscape and portrait photos no matter how you're holding the phone.
This has been a game-changer for group selfies!
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder
Final thoughts
The iPhone 17 may not look that different from last year's model, but it's the most refined base flagship from Apple.
She's pretty, she's fast, the cameras are great and the battery life can last well over a day.
If you're in the market for a new phone, it ticks the majority of the boxes. Plus, there's less of a glaring distinction between it and the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Here's a look at how its prices stack against all of Apple's September 2025 releases.
| Model | Australian RRP |
|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 17 256GB | $1,399 |
| Apple iPhone 17 512GB | $1,799 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Air 256GB | $1,799 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Air 512GB | $2,199 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Air 1TB | $2,599 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro 256GB | $1,999 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro 512GB | $2,399 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro 1TB | $2,799 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB | $2,199 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 512GB | $2,599 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB | $2,999 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB | $3,799 |
All opinions expressed in this review are based on my own experience with the phone. Use this review for informational purposes only.
How to buy the iPhone 17 on a phone plan
You can sign up for a 12-, 24-, or 36-month phone repayment plan with Optus, Vodafone and Telstra.
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