The new Iphone 17 Pro impresses with its sleek design, powerful performance, and exceptional camera capabilities. Despite concerns about rising prices, it remains competitively priced. With a radically different design and enhanced features like a better zoom and improved battery life, it stands out as one of the best flagship phones available. However, the question remains whether it's worth upgrading from the Iphone 16 Pro.
Iphone 17 Pro: A Compelling Flagship with Impressive Features
Iphone 17 Pro: A Compelling Flagship
We have test-driven Apple's new flagship, the Iphone 17 Pro. It's stylish, boasts an excellent camera, and overall performance is impressive. But is it enough to justify a 15,000 SEK investment?
Earlier this year, there were concerns that prices for the new Iphone models would skyrocket due to tariffs and inflation. That didn't happen. The Iphone 17 Pro starts at 14,995 SEK, only slightly more expensive than the Iphone 16 Pro at its release. Yes, it's still a pricey phone, but it's also one of the world's best phones right now.
At the same time, there's a significant design change. It's very different. In a way, this might be welcome, as a radically changed design also brings a certain status. "Look at me, I have the latest Iphone model." It might be amusing, but it shouldn't be underestimated as a selling factor.
More Attractive in Reality
The new and enormous camera island (or plateau, as Apple calls it) is more noticeable in hand than in pictures. However, it feels significantly more refined than in images. The phone is indeed attractive. The absence of a black option is puzzling. We guess most will choose the dark blue variant, which is the most discreet. Our test phone is in "Cosmic Orange," a much-discussed color that looks more refined and metallic in reality.
The phone features Ceramic Shield 2 on both front and back, reducing the risk of scratches compared to its predecessor. Apple has also replaced titanium with aluminum in this generation, making the phone comfortable to hold and less prone to overheating than a titanium phone. The downside is it doesn't feel as luxurious in hand.
Performance Feast and Charming Display
The screen is a clear upgrade from the Iphone 16 Pro. A special anti-reflective coating combined with much higher brightness has a noticeable effect, especially in bright sunlight.
Apple's system chips are incredibly fast. The A19 Pro chip inside the Iphone 17 Pro is likely "overkill" for 80% of users. The phone handles all our stress tests excellently, and we never experience it overheating. We are in a technical phase where mobile device performance is so high that it becomes almost irrelevant at the flagship level. This phone handles everything from tough benchmark tests to demanding games without breaking a sweat.
Better Battery
Apple promises 30 hours on a single charge. We almost achieve this during our tests (despite intensive use), but since we've had it for a short time, it's hard to say how well this figure holds up over time.
Extremely Good Cameras
The camera setup consists of three lenses, each with 48-megapixel sensors. The big deal this year is the telephoto lens, giving the Iphone 17 Pro better zoom capabilities than its predecessor. We think both Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro are slightly better at telephoto, albeit by a small margin. But the zoom is still better than on the Iphone 16 Pro.
The phone has also improved in low-light photography, and the finesse in details has significantly improved in portrait mode.
When it comes to video, Apple remains the clear leader. No other manufacturer comes close to such stable and fine video recording. Better than its predecessor? Well, marginally. But the Dual Capture feature, allowing simultaneous filming of oneself and forward, can be invaluable for content creators.
However, one must be very keen on better zoom if the camera is to be the sole argument for upgrading from an Iphone 16 Pro. Yes, or you might want the better selfie camera with Center Stage functionality. This means it can detect if more people need to fit in the picture and switch to landscape mode if necessary.
Clear Upgrade
The Iphone 17 Pro is undoubtedly one of the best flagship phones on the market today. Is it different enough to justify an upgrade from an Iphone 16 Pro? Not really. However, it is if you have an older Pro device.
The big question is whether the regular – and much cheaper – Iphone 17 is good enough to challenge the Iphone 17 Pro? Many signs suggest it might be the better purchase for many. Stay tuned for our upcoming test of it.