iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: The differences are astonishing

Macworld

At a glance

Our Verdict
If you bought an iPhone 16 last year you can hold on to it, but if you are Considering upgrading from something older there is no reason to pick the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 17 at the price Apple is selling it for.

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As is always the case at this time of year, there are new iPhone models to get excited about, but if you are lucky enough to be upgrading to a new iPhone is the new iPhone 17 the one to get, or should you save money and buy a new iPhone 16?

The iPhone 17 is packed with features that shrink the gap between it and the Pro and Pro Max models and it boasts some big improvements over the already great iPhone 16. Plus, at only $100/£100 more than the iPhone 16, and with twice as much storage, it looks like a bargain in comparison.

But could there be any reason to buy the iPhone 16 instead of the iPhone 17? And If you already own an iPhone 16 is there any point upgrading to the 2025 model, or should you wait another year (or two).

Here’s how the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 stack up against one another.

Read our full reviews: iPhone 17 and iPhone 16.

iPhone 17 vs 16: Design and Build

While the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro models have seen a shift to the new ‘plateau’ bump on the rear, the iPhone 17 looks a lot like the iPhone 16, albeit in new color options.

Alongside the now-standard Black and White, you can find iPhone 17 in Mist Blue, Sage, and Lavender. These colors are a little paler than the iPhone 16’s bold Ultramarine, Teal and Pink. We would always recommend that color isn’t an important factor because our advice is to put your iPhone in a case to protect it, but if you prefer bright pink to the more muted lavender, then the iPhone 16 may get your vote.




The iPhone 17 has smaller bezels than the iPhone 16 and a slightly bigger display.Thomas Armbrüster

There’s still that vertically-aligned pair of camera sensors on the back, but look a little closer and the thinner bezels on the front mean the display is a 6.3-inch panel rather than a 6.1-inch one (more on that shortly).

That does make the phone ever so slightly larger than its predecessor, though, so if you’re already pushed for pocket space, that’s something to consider.

iPhone 17 vs 16: Display

Here’s where the newer iPhone 17 begins to pull away. Not only is that display a fraction larger, but it also has ProMotion. Apple’s variable refresh rate technology has never been on a non-Pro iPhone before, so this is a huge deal.

Since the display can offer a refresh rate that’s anywhere from 1Hz to 120Hz, not only is motion buttery smooth when you’re scrolling in just about any app, but you’ll find that the battery can last longer because it’s potentially only powering a single refresh whereas before it was pushing 60Hz all the time.

The display is more durable, too, with Ceramic Shield 2 making it tougher, alongside an anti-reflective coating that makes the iPhone 17 easier to use outdoors.




David Price / Foundry

iPhone 17 vs 16: Specs

One of the biggest differences that you might not notice is the storage. There is no 128GB model of the iPhone 17. The newer phone starts at 256GB, with a 512GB option for anyone who needs it. The iPhone 16 on the other hand is now only available with 128GB storage.

This would perhaps be acceptable if it wasn’t for the fact that the 128GB iPhone 16 only costs $100/£100 less than the iPhone 17 with 256GB storage.

It would be very hard to argue against paying just $100 more for twice the amount of storage and all the other features offered by the iPhone 17, so we won’t! Find that extra $100, you won’t regret it!

Here’s how the two phones compare, at a glance:

iPhone 16iPhone 17Display6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (2556 x 1179), 60Hz refresh rate6.3-inch Super Retina XDR (2622 x 1206), up to 120Hz refresh rateProcessorA18A19Storage128GB256GB/512GBRear CameraDual 48MP f/1.6 Fusion, 12MP f/2.6 Ultra Wide; 0.5X, 1X, and 2X zoom; Smart HDR 5, Macro, Spatial CaptureDual 48MP main (f/1.6), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 2x, 4x optical zoom, digital zoom 10x; Smart HDR 5, Macro, Spatial CaptureFront Camera12MP TrueDepth, f/1.918MP Center Stage selfie (f/1.9)Video Recording4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Action Mode, Spatial video, Wind noise reduction, Audio mix4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, Cinematic mode, Action Mode, Spatial video, Wind noise reduction, Audio mixBiometric SecurityFace IDFace IDControl optionsAction button, Camera Control buttonAction button, Camera Control buttonWi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Cellular5G5GBattery Life22 hours (video playback)30 hours (video playback)ChargingUSB-CUSB-CWireless ChargingYes, with MagSafe (charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher)Yes, with MagSafe (charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher)Bluetooth5.36Apple PayYesYesWaterproofingIP68IP68SIMDual (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US)Dual (nano and eSim or 2x eSIM in US)Dimensions5.81in x 2.82in x 0.31in or 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.8mm5.81in x 2.82in x 0.31in or 149.6mm x 71.5mm x 7.95mmWeight170g177g

iPhone 17 vs 16: Performance

Performance almost feels like a moot point. iPhones rarely feel sluggish, even years into their lifecycle, and 2024’s A18 is still doing a great job for just about everyone we know using one.

The A19 is a step beyond (with Geekbench 6 benchmarks suggesting a sizeable performance jump), but you likely won’t see much of a difference in day-to-day usage. As new AI features debut, that might change, of course, so the A19 is the chip to go for if you want to prolong the life of your iPhone.




David Price / Foundry

Then there’s battery life. The iPhone 17 can play video files for up to 30 hours, which is a big jump from last year’s performance by around 8 hours, but much of this could come down to the aforementioned benefits of a ProMotion display.

In any case, the iPhone 17 will last longer and perform better, both of which win it points against the iPhone 16.

iPhone 17 vs 16: Cameras




Macro photography on the iPhone 17. David Price / Foundry

The iPhone 17 also offers a big step up in terms of its cameras.

Starting on the front, all iPhone 17 models have the new Center Stage camera, with an 18MP sensor. That sensor is square, so you can take landscape selfies without needing to hold your phone awkwardly. That’s a step up from 12MP option on the iPhone 16.

On the back, there are two cameras again, but they’re both 48MP this time around (the iPhone 16’s Ultrawide was a 12MP one). Images are much more detailed as a result,  particularly in macro photography.

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Dual Capture. It feels aimed at the next wave of TikTok stars, but allows you to film what you’re looking at and your reaction simultaneously.

iPhone 17 vs 16: Price

We had expected a price jump for the iPhone 17, particularly on the back of tariffs hitting products in the U.S., so we were very impressed to see Apple keep the base iPhone at $799, despite doubling the storage and improving just about every aspect of its design.

The year-old iPhone 16 saw a price drop, but only by $100. Charging $699 for an older iPhone with half the storage really does seem amis. Especially when you can get a 256GB iPhone 16e for the same price.

If Apple really wanted to sell the iPhone 16 it needed to drop the price further, or sell the 256GB model, but it hasn’t. So we will conclude that it doesn’t really want to sell it. And on that note, you probably shouldn’t buy it.









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Should you buy iPhone 17 or 16?

For the first time in a long time, it’s very easy to recommend the iPhone 17, either as an alternative purchase to the cheaper iPhone 16, or as an annual upgrade from the iPhone 16, particularly if you can find a decent trade-in deal for your current model.

The iPhone 17 has a bigger, better display, more performance, better battery, improved cameras and more storage at the bottom tier, and still comes in at the same price.

We theorise that the iPhone 16 is only left on sale as a means for Apple to upsell people to the iPhone 17, after all, it’s only costs an extra $100 and you get so much more for your money.

Want more help choosing which iPhone to buy? Read our iPhone comparison chart. And to get the best deals read: Best iPhone deals.