iPhone buying guide: Best iPhone to buy in 2025

Macworld

Deciding which iPhone to buy has always been tricky and no doubt you have many questions. Which screen size is best for you, and how much storage do you need? Should you save money by selecting an older model, or should you splash out on the latest iPhone? Which iPhone is the best compromise between specs and value for money?

In this article, we talk you through each of the phones currently available from Apple, to help you decide which is best for you. We discuss iPhone prices, specs and features, paying particular attention to the cameras, screens and durability, and how the design of each handset differs, so you should leave feeling much more confident about which iPhone you should get.

For more help with your choice see our full reviews of the latest iPhones (linked below) and our Best iPhone comparison chart where we compare all the new iPhones with the iPhones still being sold by Apple.

Best iPhone of 2025

In terms of power and features, the ‘best’ iPhone is either the iPhone 17 Pro or 17 Pro Max, but these iPhoned aren’t necessarily the best for you due to their high price tag. Luckily there is a perfect iPhone for everyone, with each model offering the perfect compromise of features to price. From 2025’s line up we think that the iPhone 17 is a good all-rounder thanks to the new features that bring it closer than ever to the pro models.

Here is a quick-at-a-glance comparison of all the iPhones Apple currently sells, from the ultimate iPhone to the cheapest iPhone you can buy right now. Below this section you can read more about how each iPhone compares in terms of camera, battery life, screen, cost, and other important factors.






1. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max – The ultimate iPhone
























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The iPhone 17 Pro Max is really just a larger iPhone 17 Pro. In past years, the Pro Max version would have some distinguishing feature (like better telephoto camera) but that hasn’t been the case for a few years.

This means that, as with the iPhone 17 Pro, the three rear cameras have all been upgraded to 48MP. As with all of the iPhones 17 generation, the front facing FaceTime camera is now 18MP and supports Dual Capture, so you can film your reaction to what you are recording with the rear camera. The new design for 2025 improves thermal efficiency.

The distinguishing features of the iPhone 17 Pro Max are better battery life thanks to its larger battery, and the large 6.9-inch screen.


Read our full

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review







2. Apple iPhone 17 Pro – The iPhone for photography fans
























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The iPhone 17 Pro, like it’s bigger sibling, has been upgraded to improve thermal efficiency and now has an aluminium design (unlike the predecessor which was titanium). The color choices this time round are Deep Blue, Silver and the eye-catching Cosmic Orange.

It offers slightly better performance and battery life than the standard iPhone 17.

But the big difference between the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 is the photo and video capabilities. The 17 Pro (and Pro Max) support up to 8x zoom and each of the three rear cameras features a new 48-megapixel sensor (in 2024 the main and ultra wide lens did, but not the telephoto). The iPhone 17 Pro also supports high-end formats like ProRAW, HLG video, and video recording at up to 4K and 120fps.


Read our full

Apple iPhone 17 Pro review







3. Apple iPhone 17 – The best iPhone for everyone
























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The iPhone 17 is quite a big improvement on the iPhone 16, and closes the gap between the pro and non pro models more than ever because it offers a Pro Motion, Always-On screen.

The iPhone 17 also has a bigger display at 6.3-inches, up from 6.1-inches on the iPhone 16. This means that the screen size now matches that of the iPhone 17 Pro again. Other big improvements for this generation include two 48MP cameras on the rear and a new 18MP camera on the front (shared by the other new iPhones that arrived in late 2025).

One of the best things about the iPhone 17 is the fact that the entry-level model costs the same as the iPhone 16 did, but offers twice as much storage, so it’s effectively a discount on 2024’s price.


Read our full

Apple iPhone 17 review







4. Apple iPhone Air – Slim and light
























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The iPhone Air is a brand new format for the iPhone and the thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.64mm thick. If you want a slim iPhone then it’s the one for you. The frame is made out of titanium because it’s durable and tough, which is necessary for such a thin product.

The other difference between the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro is the screen size, which is a larger 6.5-inches compared to their 6.3-inch screens. If you want a big screen and can’t afford the iPhone 17 Pro Max (with a 6.9-inch screen) then the iPad Air is the best option.

There is only one camera on the rear, like the iPhone 16e, but, like the other iPhones arriving in late 2025, it offers 48MP. The front camera is 18MP and shares the features of the other late 2025 iPhones.

Like the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max the iPhone Air features the A19 Pro chip, which is probably over kill for a phone like this, but will at least future-proof it.


Read our full

Apple iPhone Air (2025) review







5. Apple iPhone 16e – The cheapest iPhone
























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The iPhone 16e arrived in February 2025 as a replacement for the iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e brought the Apple Intelligence AI-powered features at a slightly more budget friendly price.

The 16e has only one camera on the rear, but its a lot better than the single camera on the iPhone SE was. It also offers better battery life than the iPhone 16.

The iPhone 16e has a lot going for it compared to the iPhone 16 (below) despite its lower price as you will see if you read our comparisons of the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16.


Read our full

Apple iPhone 16e review







6. Apple iPhone 16 Plus – Big screen, lower price
























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We mentioned above that the iPhone Air has a 6.5-inch screen, which is a benefit if you want a larger screen than the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro offer, but there is another, even cheaper option, if you want a large screen on your iPhone: the iPhone 16 Plus with its 6.7-inch display.

The iPhone 16 Plus was introduced in 2024 and has had a price cut since the arrival of the iPhone 17 range. It is the larger version of the iPhone 16, with the same specs and features, aside from the bigger display and better battery life. Apple is still selling the 128GB and 256GB models, and you could buy the 256GB iPhone 16 Plus for $100/£100 less than the equivalent iPhone Air.

Unfortunately this will probably be the last iPhone sold in the Plus format as Apple hasn’t launched an iPhone 17 Plus. So if you want a large screen and don’t want to spend a fortune on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, or accept the sacrifices required with the iPhone Air, then this is the iPhone to buy.

Read our full iPhone 16 and 16 Plus review







7. Apple iPhone 16 – The iPhone to avoid
























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The iPhone 16 was a decent upgrade on the iPhone 15, bringing support for Apple Intelligence, longer battery life and the Camera Control button to make it faster and easier to take pictures. However, now that the iPhone 17 has arrived with twice as much storage at the entry level there isn’t a good reason to buy the iPhone 16, which though it costs $100/£100 less than the iPhone 17 doesn’t offer value for money.

We discuss how the iPhone 16 compares to the iPhone 17 in a separate article.


Read our full

Apple iPhone 16 review







How much do iPhones cost?

Each year when Apple introduces a new set of iPhones it reduces the price of the older models it continues to sell. Below you will find pricing for U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia (scroll across to see pricing in your region).

In the U.S., prices are subsidised by which ever carrier you sign up with and you pay more for an unlocked iPhone. In the U.K. and other countries an iPhone can be bought from Apple off contract and unlocked, so you can use it with an existing contract or switch networks to get a better deal.

ModelRelease dateStorage optionsU.S. Price U.K. PriceCanada PriceAustralia PriceiPhone 17 Pro MaxSeptember 2025256GB512GB1TB2TB$1,199 $1,399$1,599$1,999£1,199£1,399£1,599£1,999$1,749$2,049$2,349$2,949$2,199$2,549$2,899$3,799iPhone 17 ProSeptember 2025256GB512GB1TB$1,099 $1,299$1,499£1,099£1,299£1,499$1,599$1,899$2,199$2,049$2,399$2,749iPhone AirSeptember 2025256GB512GB1TB$999 $1,199$1,399£999 £1,199£1,399$999 $1,199$1,399$1,799 $2,199$2,599iPhone 17 September 2025256GB512GB$799 $999£799 £999$1,129$1,429$1,399 $1,799iPhone 16 PlusSeptember 2024128GB256GB$799 $899£799£899$1,149$1,299$1,399$1,699iPhone 16September 2024128GB$699£699$999$1,249iPhone 16eFebruary 2025128GB256GB512GB$599$699$899£599£699£899$899$1,049$1,349$999$1,199$1,549iiPhone prices late 2025.

You don’t have to pay full price for a new iPhone though. Read our iPhone deals roundup for more advice on getting the lowest possible price from various different resellers and the best contract deals.

Design: How do the iPhones compare?




APPLE

Camera Control button: The whole iPhone 17 line up, the iPhone Air, and the iPhones 16 and 16 Plus all feature the Camera Control button on the side of the iPhone. The iPhone 16e lacks this button. The Camera Control button opens the Camera app and you can press it again to take a photo or record a video. The button is actually touch sensitive so you can use various gestures, such as sliding your finger over it to adjust exposure, for example. On the iPhone 16e you can set the Action button to open the camera and take a photograph, but you can’t fine tune settings in the same way.

Action Button: The Action Button features on the whole of the iPhone 16 and 17 line up, and the iPhone Air. It is a customisable button that can perform certain actions, such as turning on the flashlight or silent mode. The Action Button is above the volume controls in the same position as the mute button on older iPhones.

Dynamic Island: From the front all the iPhones are visually similar. Each iPhone has an area at the top of the screen that conceals the front camera and Face ID technology. On the iPhone 16e this is referred to as the notch. On the iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air and the iPhone 16 and 16 Push this is a smaller pill shaped adaptive area called the Dynamic Island that can display Live Activities and other software elements in a way that makes the notch a little more useful.

Camera layout: Turn the iPhones over and the differences become much clearer. As you can see from the image above, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have three lenses laid out in a triangle formation. For these models the flash and LiDAR scanner have been moved to the other side of what Apple is calling the Camera Plateau, where in older models they were closer to the lenses. The iPhone 16 has two lenses, one above the other, and the iPhone Air has a single lens on it’s own Camera Plateau that stretches the width of the iPhone, unlike the single lens of the iPhone 16e.

Dimensions The most obvious difference is the dimensions and weight of each phone. We’ve detailed these in the chart below.

Colors: While it’s very likely that you will put your iPhone in a case and never look at the color on the back again, the color choices available for each iPhone model is another area where there is a lot of difference. You can see the different colors on offer in the chart below.

Here’s how the dimensions and colors compare:

iPhoneDimensionsWeightColorsiPhone 17 Pro Max6.43 inches (163.4 mm) x 3.07 inches (78 mm) x 0.34 inch (8.75 mm)8.15 ounces (231 grams)Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, SilveriPhone 17 Pro5.91 inches (150 mm) x 2.83 inches (71.9 mm) x 0.34 inches (8.75 mm)7.20 ounces (204 grams)Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, SilveriPhone 175.89 inches (149 mm) x 2.81 inches (71.5 mm) x 0.31 inches (7.95 mm)6.24 ounces (177 grams)Lavender, Sage, Mist Blue, White, BlackiPhone Air6.15 inches (156.2 mm) x 2.94 inches (74.7 mm) x 0.22 inches (5.82 mm)6.24 ounces (177 grams)Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, Space BlackiPhone 16 Plus6.33 inches (160.9 mm) x 3.06 inches (77.8 mm) x 0.31 inch (7.80 mm)7.03 ounces (199 grams)Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, BlackiPhone 165.81 inches (147.6 mm) x 2.82 inches (71.6 mm) x 0.31 inch (7.80 mm)6.00 ounces (170 grams)Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, BlackiPhone 16e5.78 inches (146.7 mm) x 2.82 inches (71.5 mm) x 0.31 inch (7.80 mm)5.88 ounces (167 grams)Black, WhiteHow Apple’s iPhone lineup compares, late 2025.

Screen: How are the iPhone displays different?

The Pro and Pro Max iPhones used to be the only iPhones to offer ProMotion, which allows for an adaptive refresh rates, with the refresh rate going as high as 120Hz for really smooth scrolling and as low as 1Hz. This is no longer the case: the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air also feature ProMotion screens. And is doesn’t stop there: the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air also feature Always-On displays, which was another feature previously reserved for the Pro models. As a result the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air all have identical screens.

The iPhone 16, 16 Plus and 16e lack the ProMotion and Always-On displays, the peak outdoor brightness is higher on the newer iPhones as well, with the 17-series offering 3,000 nits peak, compared to 2,000 on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The peak brightness on the iPhone 16e is 1,200 nits. The ability for the screen to get very very dim (down to 1 nit) while still remaining usable is also key as it’s great for use in dark rooms. The iPhone 16e is the only iPhone in the current line up that lacks this dimming feature.

The Always-On screen, on all the iPhones except the 16e, means the iPhone can always display elements such as the time and date, notifications and Lock Screen widgets without it being necessary to wake the iPhone. The screen dims to minimize onscreen power usage to preserve battery life and it will turn off should you place it face down or walk away while wearing an Apple Watch.

The screen size may be the most important factor in your decision. If you prefer a larger screen, you’ll want the “Pro Max” version. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.9 inches diagonally. The next largest screen is on the iPhone 16 Plus at 6.7-inches, and then the iPhone Air at 6.5-inches. But even the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro have a 6.3-inch display which is by no means diminutive. The iPhone 16 and 16e have the smallest screensL: both are 6.1-inches.

Camera: How do the iPhone cameras compare?




The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have a new camera configuration on the rear side.Foundry

Rear cameras

For many it’s the capabilities of the cameras that sell the iPhones, so it’s no wonder that every year Apple improves the camera on its iPhones, sometimes improving the tech, sometimes the software. The iPhone 17 still features a dual-camera array with wide and ultra-wide lenses, while only the Pro and Pro Max offer the additional telephoto lens.

In 2024 the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max gained a 48 megapixel Ultra Wide camera and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus gained a 48MP Fusion Main camera, which is also a feature of the 16e.

This time all the rear cameras are upgraded to 48MP. In the case of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max that’s three 48MP cameras, two for the iPhone 17. The iPhone Air has the same 48MP Fusion Main camera as the 16e. The 48MP upgrade across the board should mean more detail when you crop into images. On the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air the extra pixels mean you can shoot 12MP shots as if you had a 2x Telephoto lens. The 48MP images will take up a lot more space though, so it is possible to switch to shooting in a 24MP resolution.

The most impressive camera upgrade is reserved for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, of course, the telephoto zoom now achieves a 8x optical zoom, up from 5x. This extra lens is likely to be the reason why most people will opt for the 17 Pro over the standard iPhone 17. It offers a little more flexibility in terms of the kind of shots that can be taken, such as portraits and looming into the distance, and macro shots.

The pro models also offer pro video recording features, including ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps, LOG video recording and Academy Color Encoding.

The iPhone 16e and iPhone Air feature a single-lens camera system, omitting certain advanced features found in higher-end models. However, it still delivers notable improvements over previous budget iPhones, with camera capabilities that are suitable for everyday photography needs.

Front ‘selfie’ camera

The front camera on all the 2025 iPhones, aside from the February 2025 iPhone 16e, is now 18MP, up from 12MP in the 16 and 16 Plus. The greater number of megapixels combined with a larger sensor results in more detailed images. The sensor isn’t only larger, it’s now square, which means that it is no longer necessary to turn the iPhone orientation to take portrait or landscape selfies, the image can be cropped for either orientation and can adjust on the fly to give a better framing, for example to include more people in a group shot.

This is also beneficial for FaceTime, because the Centre Stage feature can make sure that subjects are kept centred during a call.

Another feature for the late 2025 iPhones is the ability to record from the rear and front cameras at the same time, so you can capture your reaction.

Also read: Which iPhone has the best camera?

iPhoneCamerasVideoPhoto & video featuresiPhone 17 Pro and Pro MaxThree rear cameras: 48MP Main (ƒ/1.78 aperture), 48MP Ultra Wide (ƒ/2.2 aperture) and 48MP Telephoto (ƒ/2.8 aperture), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 8x, 4x, 1x, 2x, 0.5x optical zoom, Adaptive True Tone flashFront camera: TrueDepth front camera, 18 MP (ƒ/1.9 aperture)Video: ProRes video recording up to 4K at up to 120 fps (with external recording), 4K video recording at up to 120 fps, 1080p HD video recording at up to 120 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 120 fps, Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video, Spatial video up to 1080p at 30 fpsLOG video recording, Academy Color Encoding System, Photonic Engine, Night mode portraits, Night mode, new Photographic Styles, Macro photos, ProRaw, Smart HDR 5Cinematic mode, Macro video recording, Action Mode, Audio zoom, wind noise reductioniPhone 17Two rear cameras: 48MP Main (ƒ/1.6 aperture), 48MP Ultra Wide (ƒ/2.2 aperture), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 2x, 1x, 0.5x zoom, True Tone flashFront camera: TrueDepth front camera, 18MP (ƒ/1.9 aperture)Video: 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 30 fps, Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video, Spatial video up to 1080p at 30 fpsPhotonic Engine, Action Mode, Night mode, new Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 5Cinematic mode, Audio zoom, wind noise reductioniPhone AirOne rear cameras: 48MP Main (ƒ/1.6 aperture), optical image stabilization, 1x, 2x, zoom, True Tone flashFront camera: TrueDepth front camera, 18MP (ƒ/1.9 aperture)Video: 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 30 fps, Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video, Spatial video up to 1080p at 30 fpsPhotonic Engine, Action Mode, Night mode, new Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 5Cinematic mode, Audio zoom, wind noise reductioniPhone 16 and 16 PlusTwo rear cameras: 48MP Main (ƒ/1.6 aperture), 12MP Ultra Wide (ƒ/2.2 aperture), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 2x, 1x, 0.5x zoom, True Tone flashFront camera: TrueDepth front camera, 12MP (ƒ/1.9 aperture)Video: 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video, Spatial video up to 1080p at 30 fpsPhotonic Engine, Action Mode, Night mode, new Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 5Cinematic mode, Audio zoom, wind noise reductioniPhone 16eOne rear cameras: 48MP Main (ƒ/1.6 aperture), optical image stabilization, 1x, 2x, zoom, True Tone flashFront camera: TrueDepth front camera, 12MP (ƒ/1.9 aperture)Video: 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, optical image stabilization for videoPhotonic Engine, Night mode, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 5, wind noise reductionThe camera features of the late 2025 iPhone lineup.

Safety features: Emergency protection

Apple introduced some safety features with the iPhone 14 series in 2022 and these are available on all iPhones since. These features include a Crash Detection feature and Satellite Connectivity for emergency phone calls.

Crash detection uses the gyroscope and accelerometer in the iPhones to recognize if the vehicle you are in has crashed. If the iPhone thinks you’ve been involved in a crash, it will call emergency services and notify your preferred contacts (unless you tell it not to).

All phones offer the ability to send an Emergency SOS, and the iPhone 14 and later can do so via satellite, which would be useful if you were in an area with no signal. You just need to be able to establish a clear view of the sky, and be in a country that supports the feature (many do now). Thanks to the feature your iPhone can alert the emergency services to your location in an emergency, the iPhone will also contact your emergency contact.

New for the 2025 iPhones are expanded emergency features, including the ability to text your location to emergency services via satellite.

Durability: Which iPhone is the toughest?

Another factor in the choice of which iPhone to choose is how durable the model is. How likely are you to damage the iPhone?

All iPhones on sale right now offer a Ceramic Shield front, which should mean that the glass on the front is less likely to smash if you drop it. The iPhones 17 Pro Max, Pro, iPhone 17 and iPhone Air feature Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says offers 3x better scratch resistance. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Air also have a Ceramic Shield back for extra protection.

Only the iPhone Air is constructed from Titanium. In 2024 the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were Titanium, but for 2025 the Pro and Pro Max are aluminium, as is the iPhone 17, and the 16 and 16 Plus. Titanium is more durable than aluminum, however the construction of the iPhone 17 Pro from aerospace-grade 7000-series aluminium should mean that it is tough enough. The aluminum design is also beneficial for thermal management, for which the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max uses a vapour chamber for the first time.

Despite these design features for better durability, dropping an iPhone is likely to damage it, and scratches can still appear on surfaces, so we recommend using a case. For our recommendations see our round-up of the Best iPhone 17 cases and Best iPhone 16 cases.

The other way people damage their iPhones is by dropping them in water. All current iPhones are rated as water resistant to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes (IP68). That’s water resistant, not water proof, so we still wouldn’t recommend getting your iPhone wet though because Apple will know if it’s gotten wet and it could void your warranty should anything go wrong.




Which iPhone would be worse off if you dropped it? Eugen Wegmann

Specs: Storage and processor options

The A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max is distinguished primarily by an extra GPU core (6-core GPU), though it also has super video hardware to support the Pro video features. The iPhone Air also shares the A19 Pro, but with one fewer GPU core (5-core GPU).

Our tests show that the A19 in the iPhone 17 is faster than the A18 found in the iPhone 16, 16 Plus. There is one fewer GPU core in the iPhone 16e (4-core GPU, compared to 5-core GPU in the 17, 16 and 16 Plus).

Missing from the late 2025 iPhones is a 128GB storage configuration, with all models now starting with 256GB. The best news is that the iPhone 17 now starts with 256GB at the same price as the 128GB iPhone 16 used to be sold for. For this reason the 128GB iPhone 16 really looks like a poor deal in comparison, since it is only $100/£100 less and has half the storage.

Each iPhone is available in between three and four capacity options. It’s important to consider how much you need before buying because iPhones don’t have a microSD card slot that will allow you to add additional storage at a later date. For the typical iPhone user, 128GB might have proven too small, especially with 48MP images, but the 256GB starting point should be sufficient.

One reason you may not need more storage is if you choose to sync your data to the cloud. If you pay a monthly fee for iCloud storage all your data will be available on any of your devices, and crucially your photos will be stored in the cloud rather than on your device, freeing up many gigabytes of space. iCloud starts at $0.99/£0.99 for 50GB. See How much does iCloud cost for more information, including Australian and Canadian prices.

Before you decide how much storage you need have a look at your current phone’s usage (go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage) and think about how much space you really need. Read How much storage do you need on an iPhone? for more advice.

iPhoneProcessorStorageBattery lifeiPhone 17 Pro MaxA19 Pro chip, 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU256GB512GB1TB2TBUp to 37 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapteriPhone 17 ProA19 Pro chip, 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU256GB512GB1TBUp to 31 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 30W adapter or higheriPhone AirA19 Pro chip, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU256GB512GB1TBUp to 27 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W or 30W adapteriPhone 17A19 chip, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU256GB512GBUp to 30 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higheriPhone 16 PlusA18 chip, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU128GB256GBUp to 27 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 35 minutes with 20W adapter or higheriPhone 16A18 chip, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU128GBUp to 24 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higheriPhone 16eA18 chip, 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU128GB256GB512GBUp to 26 hours video playback, up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher

Battery: Battery life and charging

The iPhone 17 models offer a boost in battery life over the iPhone 16 series. Apple’s official battery life and charging times can be seen in the table above, but in our testing, the difference in battery life was even more pronounced—we saw battery life improvements across the range.

In the demanding Geekbench 4 battery test, the iPhone 17 lasted for 1,053 minutes, which is a 21 percent improvement on the iPhone 16’s 867 minutes. That’s ahead of the iPhone Air (880 minutes) and iPhone 16e (818 minutes). Unbeaten is the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 1,560 minutes. As a point of comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024 scored 988.

The new iPhones benefit from the efficiency of the A19-series chips and the new C1X cellular modem that uses 30% less energy.

Charging speeds are also improved with even new faster charging with a 40W charger.

We compare battery life, capacity, mah and watt hours for every iPhone separately.

Software: Which iPhones get Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence, the suite of AI features that include writing tools, image generation, image recognition, “Genmoji” emoji generation, and new capabilities for Siri is available on all the iPhones currently sold by Apple. The discontinued iPhone 15 and 15 Plus did not support Apple Intelligence features, even though the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max were Apple Intelligence ready.

While there is nothing drastically important that you might miss out on if you don’t have Apple Intelligence right now, it’s likely that in time not having Apple Intelligence will be more of a hinderance than it is currently. As more impressive AI features arrive, we anticipate that Apple Intelligence capable phones will become even more attractive, so if you don’t want to be suffering from FOMO then get on the AI bandwagon now with an Apple Intelligence-capable phone.

Find out about what Apple Intelligence is by reading our guide: Apple Intelligence: what is it and how to use it.

Should I buy an old iPhone?

As mentioned above, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus do not support Apple Intelligence, so if you saw one on sale, most likely as a refurbished model, we wouldn’t recommend buying it. However there are some other discontinued iPhones that could be worth buying, at the right price.









Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max























We recommend the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you find one at a good price. It is a larger version of 2024’s iPhone 16 Pro. It boosts excellent battery life, thanks to its larger battery, and an even bigger screen than the previous generation, up from 6.7-inches to 6.9-inches.









Apple iPhone 16 Pro