Apple iPhone 17 first impressions

Every September, Apple throws its annual block party for the tech world. Usually, the Pro models strut down the runway while the “regular” iPhone plays backup dancer. Not this year, though. The iPhone 17 storms the stage with bigger, bolder moves, including a brighter display, sharper cameras, and the dreamy 120Hz smoothness that used to be Pro-only territory.

This is truly the standard iPhone’s glow-up era. After spending a few hours with the latest vanilla iPhone, here are our first impressions of the iPhone 17.

iPhone 17 design and colours: Familiar but fresher

Apple has not redrawn its vanilla model’s silhouette. The iPhone 17 still carries the familiar flat-edged, glass and aluminium design language, similar to its predecessor, the iPhone 16. But it does not feel stale in any way. A new colour palette brings personality back with shades like Sage green and Lavender purple, while Mist blue offers a calmer option. Black and white remain for minimalists.

It is not the ultra-slim marvel of the iPhone Air, but that is not the point. This is a phone that looks timeless, feels durable, and slips comfortably into your everyday life.

iPhone 17 display: Big tweaks, major upgrade

The iPhone 17 stretches to 6.3 inches, thanks to slimmer bezels, but size alone is not the story. This year, the display is always on. Glancing at your phone for the time, widgets, or music now feels natural rather than like waking up a stubborn sleeper. It is a feature borrowed from the Pro models, and it transforms how you interact with the phone.

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The other big win is ProMotion finally arriving on the standard iPhone. Scrolling through Instagram, jumping between apps, or even just navigating the home screen feels smoother and more seamless.

For years, Android rivals flaunted 120Hz panels as table stakes. Now, Apple’s most accessible iPhone is finally in the same league. And it looks stunning with punchy colours, deep blacks, and crisp whites, all holding their own even in a crowded, brightly lit area.

iPhone 17 cameras: A dual lens setup that finally feels complete

Apple is still sticking to two rear cameras, but the megapixel count tells a different story. The main wide sensor remains 48MP, while the ultra wide makes a huge leap from 12MP to 48MP. That means sharper landscapes, more detail in wide-angle shots, and low-light performance that should close the gap with the Pro tier. We will reserve full judgment for the review, but optics on the iPhone 17 look promising.

Then there is Dual Capture, a new iOS 26 feature that records from the selfie and main cameras simultaneously. Picture yourself at a concert, capturing the stage and your reaction in the same clip. It is social media catnip, and Apple knows it.

On the front, the 18MP “Center Stage” camera could be the quiet MVP. Its square sensor pulls more people or scenery into the frame without awkwardly stretching your arm. Switching between close-ups, group shots, and orientations is effortless, the kind of seamless execution Apple excels at.

iPhone 17 performance and storage: Future-proof without fuss

Inside, the iPhone 17 runs on Apple’s new A19 chip, a six-core CPU with a five-core GPU and a dedicated Neural Engine. With this upgrade, everyday performance feels instantaneous, and demanding games run smoothly. This phone is built to keep pace and outgun its most cutthroat rivals like the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 10.

Storage is equally paramount. The base model now starts at 256GB, which is double the capacity of the iPhone 16. So, the days of the “128GB dance” of deleting apps or offloading photos just to free up space are over. It is a practical change that reflects how people actually use their phones in 2025.

Apple iPhone 17: Early Unboxed Take

The iPhone 17 may not be the flashiest in the lineup, but it might just be the smartest buy. It is the most Pro a non-Pro iPhone has ever felt. With features like the always-on display, 120Hz ProMotion, upgraded cameras, double the storage, and the latest chip, this is the iPhone to get for most people.

If you crave telephoto zooms or the Air’s radical thinness, you will want an iPhone 17 Pro or an iPhone Air. But for the rest of us, the iPhone 17 is the people’s iPhone. Familiar, approachable, and finally powerful enough to stand tall.