Apple iPhone 17 Lavender 256GB

The Apple iPhone 17 brings back the headphone jack and packs a brilliant 6.3-inch 120Hz display with the fast A19 chip. Battery life is only average, but the overall experience is top-notch, especially if you can grab it for around $830. It's the most sensible iPhone upgrade in a long time.

The A19 chip with its 5-core GPU is no slouch. In our database, it sits comfortably in the 90th percentile for performance, which means it's among the strongest phones on the market right now. Apps open without hesitation, and AAA games like Resident Evil Village run smoothly even with settings cranked up. The 8GB of RAM helps keep a dozen apps alive in the background without reloading, and the 120Hz ProMotion display makes every swipe feel buttery. For anyone asking "Is the iPhone 17 good for gaming?", the answer is an easy yes. Even the enhanced neural engine handles on-device AI tasks without breaking a sweat.

Benchmarks put this chip just a hair behind the absolute top dogs, but in real life, you won't notice. The 256GB storage is quick with USB 3 speeds over the USB-C port, and Wi-Fi 7 means your wireless connection is about as fast as it gets. Day-to-day performance is flawless, and that's really all that matters. If you're coming from an iPhone 13 or older, the leap is massive.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the elephant in the room. It offers a bigger screen, an S Pen, and a 10x periscope zoom that the iPhone 17 simply can't match. But the iPhone fights back with a smoother OS experience, that headphone jack, and typically longer software support. The Google Pixel 10a is a budget alternative with a fantastic camera for the price, but its display and build can't touch the iPhone's. OnePlus 15 brings faster charging and a blazing screen, though its camera processing can be hit or miss. And if you're a mobile gamer, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro has better cooling and higher refresh rates, but it's a chunky beast with no water resistance. The iPhone 17 straddles the line surprisingly well—it's not the absolute best at any one thing, but it's very good at almost everything.

Pricing is all over the map, from $830 at some retailers up to $1449 for maxed-out storage. At the low end, this is a steal for what you get—a current-gen iPhone with a killer display and that headphone jack. At the high end, you're brushing up against the Galaxy S26 Ultra and really have to weigh the ecosystem benefits. If you can snag the 256GB model for under $900, we think it's one of the best phone deals right now. Just know that the battery life and slower charging keep it from being a no-brainer at full price.

The iPhone 17 feels like Apple listened, at least a little. It's not a radical rethink, but it's the most well-rounded iPhone we've seen in a while. That 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is a stunner, and yes, there's a headphone jack. In 2025, that alone will make some people sit up and take notice. The color options are fun, the build is Ceramic Shield 2 tough, and the A19 chip inside keeps everything zippy. If you're just looking for a premium phone that gets the basics right and throws in a few surprises, this one is hard to ignore.

We're talking about a device that starts somewhere around $830 if you hunt for deals, but can climb to $1449 for higher storage. That spread means it can compete with everything from midrange flagships to full-on $1,500 monsters. The 8GB of RAM and 256GB base storage feel generous, and the dual 48MP rear cameras are a noticeable step up for detail. We'll get into the nitty-gritty, but on paper, this is a serious contender for anyone asking "Which iPhone should I buy in 2025?" or "Is the iPhone 17 good enough to upgrade from an older model?"

The design isn't radically different from the iPhone 16, but the 3x more scratch-resistant front glass and a brighter, less reflective screen make day-to-day use nicer. And while Apple Intelligence features get a lot of marketing love, the real story here is how all these specs come together in a phone that's just under 180g. It's light, it's fast, and it's the first iPhone in ages that doesn't make me miss my wired headphones.

You should skip the iPhone 17 if you regularly need all-day battery without compromise—Android flagships with 5,000mAh+ cells will serve you better. Photographers who rely on long zoom (5x or more) will want the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or a dedicated camera. And if you're already on an iPhone 15 or 16, the upgrades are nice but not urgent unless the headphone jack is a must-have. Budget-conscious buyers might also look at the Google Pixel 10a, which covers the basics for half the price.

If you want a no-compromise iPhone that doesn't cost $1,500 and actually brings back a headphone jack, the iPhone 17 is the one to get. It's fast, its display is beautiful, and the cameras are more than capable for most people. The main reasons to skip it are if you need the best possible battery life or a serious telephoto zoom. For everyone else, this is the sweet spot in Apple's lineup—and it's even sweeter if you find it on sale.

We'd still recommend waiting for a deal below $900 if you can, because at $1449, you're paying for storage you probably don't need. But at its core, the iPhone 17 is the most balanced iPhone in years. It feels like a "just right" phone in a world of extremes.