We checked: The iPhone 17 Pro does not bring a revolution, but is finally complete

This year it is harder than ever to define exactly what the place of Apple’s new Pro models is. For years they were the obvious choice for anyone who wanted the biggest, strongest, and shiniest iPhone – and in Israel they almost became a status symbol. But reality has changed: The screen is no longer unique to the Pro models, the camera systems have become “good enough” also in other devices, and Apple itself launched the new, thin Air model that draws much more attention than usual. Against this background, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are trying to redefine themselves – with a fresh design after six years of stagnation, a camera system that stretches across the entire back, advanced hardware that includes a vapor chamber for heat management and an A19 Pro chip, and of course a bold orange color that turns heads and gives the feeling that Apple is finally daring to break routine. But the real question is not whether they look different, but whether the combination of all the changes – design, cameras, battery, and performance – manages to create an experience that justifies their premium prices. This is exactly the point I will try to break down in the upcoming review. (A longer review will be published later)

Already at first glance at the orange iPhone 17 Pro, I understood that the design is the heart of the story this year. After six generations in which we got used to seeing the small square in the upper left corner, Apple chose to break the convention: The new camera system stretches across the entire back of the device. The three lenses remain on the left side, but the flash and LiDAR moved to the right side – a small change on paper, but one that gives the device a completely new identity. It is no longer just another variation on the same old idea, but a device that feels modern, different, and present.

When I picked up the device for the first time, I immediately felt that it was different. Apple returned to rounded edges, for the first time since the iPhone 11 Pro, and this transition feels more natural and pleasant to hold. The new aluminum is lighter than the steel of previous models, but not too light – the weight of the Pro model, 206 grams, sits exactly in the middle between last year’s titanium and the steel from two years ago. This is a change you feel in your hand: Less cold and sharp, more soft and familiar.

Beyond comfort, this year there is also a clear emphasis on durability. The Ceramic Shield 2, which protects the screen, is according to Apple twice as strong as the material used in the previous model – and this is no longer a semantic upgrade but a real difference in everyday life. For people like me, who drop the iPhone often (even if almost always with a case), the feeling is of extra security. It does not eliminate the fear of every fall, but it certainly sets a new bar of peace of mind – knowing that even if it happens, the chance that the screen will survive has risen significantly.

By the way, it is important to note that I did not try to challenge the device deliberately with drops or scratches. After all, such behavior does not reflect real use but stress tests. Therefore, the real test of durability will only be known later this year, when the device lives everyday life – between pockets, bags, tables, and perhaps also some unplanned drops. Time will tell if Apple’s promises regarding the new toughness really stand the test of reality.

In the last three months I found myself using the iPhone 16 Pro Max on the beta version of iOS, and there I noticed how much heating can become part of the routine. Especially when it comes to heavy daily use on Instagram – endless feed scrolling, watching stories, uploading videos while the device is charging – all together would make it heat up unpleasantly in the palm. More than once it even froze completely and displayed the familiar message: The device is too hot and I must wait until it cools before I can continue using it. This is not surprising considering that this is usage that pushes almost every component in the device: From the bright screen, through the processor, to the cellular modem working overtime. Still, this was one of the things I most hoped to see change in the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple chose this year to make a fundamental change – and one can even say a bold move: After only two years in which it enthusiastically promoted the transition to titanium, it is going back to aluminum. Not just aluminum, but a unibody that conducts heat better and disperses it much more evenly. This combination, together with a new vapor chamber designed specifically for the Pro models, is intended to make the device more pleasant to hold, even under heavy loads. And indeed, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, the difference is noticeable almost immediately. The device does heat up after intensive use, but the heat disperses differently: It is felt mainly around the camera plateau and the aluminum parts, and not concentrated in one spot as before. This makes the experience much less extreme.

It is important to understand – the device is not free of heat. When I pushed it to tasks that bring the A19 Pro chip to the edge, such as generating images in Image Playground or processing heavy apps simultaneously, it heated up noticeably. But the difference lies in the timing and the response: The heat comes more slowly, dissipates faster, and mainly does not make the hands feel they need to let go of the device. This is a clear improvement over the previous model, and this is exactly where the change in material and thermal system proves itself.

Still, perspective is needed: This is currently only an initial impression. The device was in my hands for a limited time, and this is simply not enough to determine how it will perform over months of daily use. The real question is whether the new cooling mechanism will maintain this efficiency after months, or whether over time we will again see the same heat problems experienced in previous models. Therefore, the full picture will only be known after a comprehensive review that examines the device over entire weeks and not just two intensive days.

In every review of a new iPhone, the question arises: Does it really feel faster? In the case of the iPhone 17 Pro, the answer is yes – but mainly in the small details. The new A19 Pro chip is powerful, its thermal efficiency is improved, and everything feels very fast. And yet, one must be honest: Anyone who has even an iPhone 12 Pro and moves to the 17 will probably not feel a significant difference in the operating system itself. The iPhone has always been a fast device, and even today the basic feeling is that this is the same familiar experience, only more polished and smoother. On the other hand, if you compare the 17 Pro directly to the iPhone 15 Pro or 16 Pro, the performance differences will be negligible – fractions of seconds, ones that most users will not notice in everyday life.

The iOS 26 operating system is an important part of the picture, and it is also available for previous models. The updates focus mainly on design and usability – larger buttons, new styles for the lock screen, a renewed interface for the camera, photos, and phone apps. Some will like it, some will be annoyed by the need for an extra move to close a screenshot. This is not a revolution, but a refresh that aligns with Apple’s new design line.

And what about artificial intelligence? Here there is a local disappointment: The new capabilities that Apple brands under Apple Intelligence are simply not available to Hebrew speakers, at least for now. This makes them irrelevant to the Israeli market, and in practice means that we remain with the same familiar iPhone, without the exciting features that were presented on stage.

The improvement that does stand out is in the screen usage experience. Apple improved brightness, sharpness, and anti-reflective coating, and everything feels wonderfully smooth thanks to ProMotion with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Scrolling through long feeds – whether on Instagram, Twitter, or news – flows effortlessly, and the eye adapts very quickly.

One of the main reasons I was waiting for the iPhone 17 Pro is the battery. In my routine, when I mostly work from home, my iPhone 16 Pro Max no longer lasts as it once did – its battery health has dropped to 93%, and it is clearly felt. In practice, this means I am plugged into an outlet at least twice a day, even though most of the time I am sitting at my computer.

Another important point is fast charging. Apple finally allows 40-watt wired charging, which brings the device to 50% in just about 20 minutes. Wireless charging has also improved – MagSafe manages to raise the device to 50% in half an hour with a 30-watt charger, compared to 35 minutes in the previous model. This is not a revolution, but it is a noticeable upgrade.

However, it is important to remain honest: Like in every other area, also here it is hard to draw definitive conclusions after short use. The real battery data – how long it lasts over weeks, how it handles heavy shooting days, and what happens after several months of use – will only be revealed later. In the full review I will be able to address this in depth, with organized tests and direct comparisons to previous models.

Apple likes to talk about “eight professional lenses in your pocket,” but behind this slogan lies mainly one fact: There is much more flexibility in photography than ever before. Even if most people will not use every possible focal length, the very ability to choose between different shooting modes – from ultra-wide to telephoto with 8x zoom – completely changes the way one can approach any situation.

The significant change this year is in the new telephoto camera. Apple moved from 5x in previous Pro models to 4x (100 mm), which makes it more useful in portrait photography and in general. And if you want to go further, you can also reach 8x (200 mm) via cropping from the new sensor – and the quality is still perfectly adequate, without feeling like a grainy digital zoom.

The change is not only in the lens itself but also in everything that happens behind the scenes. This year Apple built a new processing system based on the upgraded Photonic Engine, and this is especially evident in photos under non-ideal lighting conditions. The pictures are less noisy, the colors closer to reality, and there is a feeling that the whole system “works for me” even when I am not trying. I shot urban scenes at night and portraits in a partially lit room, and in both cases I got results I didn’t even think a phone could produce.

The ultra-wide and main cameras may not have gone through a revolution this year, but with the upgrade to 48 megapixels across the entire system and the option to use improved 2x modes, you get a sense of consistency. No more feeling that each lens tells a different story – sharpness, colors, and details stay consistent. Even switching between lenses during video shooting is smoother, reinforcing the impression that this device was built not only to shoot “well,” but to be a real imaging tool in the hands of those who know what to do with it.

In the end, Apple makes a real step forward compared to previous generations, and one can say that this time it makes another step toward professional camera capabilities. And yes, for most users – and certainly for those who want to get the best without carrying heavy equipment – this is a camera system that sets a new standard for what one can expect from a smartphone.

For years the iPhone’s selfie camera remained almost the same – only 12 megapixels resolution, with just a relatively small upgrade in the sensor that came with the iPhone 14 Pro. Since then, Apple has not touched it significantly, and therefore the change this year is particularly noticeable. In the iPhone 17 Pro the new sensor shoots at 18 megapixels, but more than that – it is also square. This means you can finally take a horizontal picture even when holding the device vertically. This may sound small, but in practice it opens much more freedom for natural and quick photography. Another option is to press a button on the screen to change orientation manually, and in some cases the camera will automatically detect that there are several people in the frame and widen by itself. It does not always work smoothly, sometimes there is a slight delay, but the direction is clear – Apple tried to break an old habit and give the selfie camera another dimension of flexibility.

In addition, this year a Dual-capture mode was added, which allows simultaneous recording with the selfie camera and with one of the rear cameras. This creates a video with a small window where I appear inside the video – like picture-in-picture. This window can be moved during shooting between the corners, but ultimately every movement is burned directly into the file. It is a simple but smart solution, and it is easy to see how TikTok creators or “how-to” guides will find it a very useful tool.

I would have been happy if Apple had expanded this feature, for example with the ability to choose which camera appears in the small window or to offer a half-half screen split, as some competitors have. Still, this upgrade makes the selfie camera of the iPhone 17 Pro something much more serious than it has ever been – no longer a camera left behind while the rear cameras advanced, but a real imaging tool that justifies its place in the review.

The iPhone 17 Pro is not a revolution, but a natural evolution of the series – one that Apple could, and perhaps should, have presented already with the iPhone 15 Pro. Instead, it chose to wait two years, and only now bring what looks like a necessary move: A new design that restores freshness after years of stagnation, a wider camera system that offers real possibilities for serious content creators, a unibody aluminum with a more efficient cooling system, and Ceramic Shield 2 glass that promises double the durability compared to the previous generation.

In terms of daily life, anyone who has an iPhone 15 Pro or even 16 Pro will not feel a dramatic leap. The usage experience remains almost identical – a stunning screen with smooth scrolling, a fast and intuitive operating system, and performance that feels familiar. The differences exist, but they are mainly in specific improvements: A camera that brings real flexibility, a battery that lasts longer under load, and cooling that makes the device more pleasant to hold even under intensive use.

On the other hand, anyone for whom the iPhone is their main tool for photography, or who still walks around with a three- or four-year-old model, will feel here a significant leap: Much more flexible and higher-quality photography, improved durability, and battery life that gives peace of mind. This is a device that can accompany you for the long term, and in the areas where Apple chose to invest – it sets a new standard and becomes one of the company’s most important devices in recent years. Not because it is revolutionary, but because it redefines the place of the Pro models – with a standout design, a camera system aimed higher, and hardware adapted to an era of intensive use and growing competition.