The base model iPhone has always been the „good enough“ budget version of Apple’s flagship device, but that changed with the release of iPhone 17.
For years, Apple has reserved the best that it has to offer for the Pro model iPhones. Fast screens, high-res cameras, big batteries, faster charging — you name it. While that makes sense from a business standpoint, the strategy also meant that the vanilla iPhone was at a serious disadvantage compared to Android devices in the same price ballpark. It was always the „good enough“ device, but rarely ever a standout value. With the iPhone 17, Apple has changed the equation to such an extent that the entry-point mainline phone now makes the iPhone 17 Pro feel like a lukewarm update.
In an age where even $200 Android phones offered high-refresh-rate screens, Apple continued to equip its $800 smartphone with a 60Hz screen. On the iPhone 17, buyers will finally be greeted by a 120Hz screen, matching that of its Pro siblings. Though the screen size has climbed from 6.1 to 6.3 inches, the pixel density remains unchanged. Surprisingly, Apple has boosted the peak brightness by a healthy 50%, taking the numbers to a cool 3,000 nits.
