Apple has announced four new iPhones yesterday, its iPhone 17 series. The iPhone 17 is the vanilla model in the series, and the phone that we’ll be comparing today. We’ll be comparing the Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16, so the company’s new vanilla model vs the old one. These two smartphones are actually very similar design-wise, but there is a size difference to consider. There are also some changes under the hood, of course.
As we usually do, we will first list the specs of both smartphones, and will then move to compare them across a number of other categories. We will be comparing their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. If you’re wondering whether you should upgrade, this article will hopefully help you make up your mind.
Specs
Apple iPhone 17
Apple iPhone 16
| Apple iPhone 17 | Apple iPhone 16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 177 grams | 170 grams |
| Display | 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz | 60Hz |
| Resolution | 2622 x 1206 | 2556 x 1179 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 | Apple A18 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
| Main camera | 48MP (f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, sensor-shift-OIS) | 48MP (f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 48MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF) |
| Telephoto camera | N/A | N/A |
| Periscope telephoto camera | N/A | N/A |
| Selfie camera | 18MP (f/1.9 aperture, OIS) | 12MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1/3.6-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF) |
| Battery size | 3,692mAh | 3,561mAh |
| Charging | Wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included) | 30W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included) |
| Colors | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine |
Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16: Design
As far as the design is concerned, the two phones look basically the same. The iPhone 17 is a bit bigger, as it has a larger display, but not as much as you think. That phone has thinner bezels around the display, and thus the size difference is not that big. It is taller than the iPhone 16, but it’s also 0.1mm narrower, so they’re basically identical in terms of width. The new model is also 0.2mm thicker, which is also negligible. On top of that, it is 7 grams heavier at 177 grams, which is also not a big difference.
You’re getting a larger display here while not sacrificing much in terms of size. Both smartphones are made out of aluminum and glass. Both of them have a flat display with uniform bezels and a centered display camera hole up top. The corners are rounded, while the frame is flat all around. The power/lock key sits on the right-hand side of both phones, along with the Camera control key. On the left, you’ll find volume rocker keys along with an Action key.
If we flip them around, you’ll notice that they have very similar looking camera islands. Both of them include two cameras, which are vertically aligned, and placed in the top-left corner. Both phones have pill-shaped camera islands for those two camera sensors. Apple’s logo is centered on the back of both phones. Even the LED flash is in the same spot across two smartphones. Both devices are also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.
Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16: Display
The Apple iPhone 17 includes a 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display. That panel has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz), and supports HDR content. The peak brightness here is 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio this phone offers is around 90%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The resolution the iPhone 17 offers is 2622 x 1206 pixels, while the Ceramic Shield 2 is here to protect the display.
The Apple iPhone 16, on the other hand, has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. HDR content is supported, while the peak brightness this display can offer is 2,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 86%, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. The resolution you’re getting here is 2556 x 1179. This panel is protected by the Ceramic Shield glass.
The iPhone 17 has a number of advantages display-wise. Its display is not only a bit larger, but it also supports a high refresh rate. It will feel notably smoother when scrolling, etc. Apple finally made the jump with its base model. Furthermore, the iPhone 17’s display does get brighter in comparison, not to mention that it has better protection. The Ceramic Shield 2 should do a better job when it comes to protecting against scratches, that’s what Apple emphasized during the announcement.
Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16: Performance
Apple opted for the Apple A19 processor for the iPhone 17, a new 3nm chip. That is a hexa-core chip with a 5-core GPU. It is paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. The iPhone 16, on the other hand, is fueled by the Apple A18 chip, a 3nm processor. That is also a hexa-core chip with a 5-core GPU. It is also paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Neither phone supports storage expansion.
Both of these are hexa-core 3nm processors with 5-core GPUs, but the Apple A19 has the edge. In general use, however, the two phones should feel rather similar to use. We haven’t had the chance to review the iPhone 17 yet, but there shouldn’t be much of a difference on a day-to-day basis. If you’re used to 120Hz displays, you may see the difference in terms of display smoothness, though Apple did a good job even with 60Hz displays.
The iPhone 17 should, technically, be more powerful for gaming purposes. However, we didn’t really have any issues with the iPhone 16 either, so… you should be fine with either phone. If you play a lot of very demanding games, the iPhone 17 should be a better choice, or even one of the two ‘Pro’ models. In reality, all the new iPhones should do a fine job, the same goes for the iPhone 16 series.
Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16: Battery
The Apple iPhone 17 has a 3,692mAh battery on the inside, while the iPhone 16 includes a 3,561mAh unit. So the new model does have a slightly larger battery. That is not surprising considering it not only has a larger display, but one that has a notably higher refresh rate. Those battery packs may not look big, and they’re not, but iPhones usually have notably smaller batteries than their Android counterparts.
Apple’s iOS does work differently, however, and the company’s newer iPhones had really good battery life, well, most of them. The iPhone 16 offered really good battery life, and we’re expecitng something similar from the iPhone 17. In fact, the iPhone 16 was excellent in the battery lfie department, and was enough even for power users. Let’s hope that the iPhone 17 will be able to do the same.
What about charging? Well, the iPhone 16 supports 30W wired charging, along with 25W MagSafe wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. The iPhone 17 supports 25W MagSafe wireless charging, along with 4.5W reverse wired charging. We’re still not sure how fast will it charge via the cable, Apple didn’t really announce the charging speed. Based on the stats the company released, however, it should charge up to 50% faster, so it likely has faster charging than the iPhone 17. Neither phone ships with a charger in the box.
Apple iPhone 17 vs Apple iPhone 16: Cameras
There are two cameras on the back of the iPhone 17. Apple opted for a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor size), and a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV). The iPhone 16, on the other hand, also has two cameras on the back. It has a 48-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor size), the same one as the iPhone 17. Its ultrawide camera is inferior, though, it’s a 12-megapixel unit (120-degree FoV).
The iPhone 16 did a really fine job in terms of both photos and videos. No, it’s not amongst the best cameras out there, but it does a good job in all lighting conditions, basically. It’s a reliable camera smartphone, which will please the vast majority of people. We’re expecting similar performance from the iPhone 17, at least as far as the main camera sensor is concerned. We did not get a chance to test it out yet.
What about its ultrawide camera? Well, the iPhone 17 should, in theory, do a better job due to upgraded hardware. In reality, the results could be rather similar. We’ll just have to wait and see, but it’s very nice to see that Apple upgraded its ultrawide camera. It’s a shame the zoom camera is not here, though, of course.
Audio
There are stereo speakers included on both of these smartphones. They’re more than loud enough on both smartphones and will likely offer similar output.
You will not find a 3.5mm headphone jack on either of these two smartphones. If you need to connect your wired headphones, there’s a Type-C port on both phones. Alternatively, both devices support Bluetooth for wireless connectivity.
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