The iPhone 17 is the biggest upgrade the standard iPhone has had in years, and the iPhone 16 is still on sale beside it for $100 less. The iPhone 17 gets a larger 6.3 inch screen with 120Hz ProMotion and an Always On display, a 48MP ultra wide camera, a new 18MP front camera, eight more hours of video playback, faster charging and twice the base storage. The iPhone 16 keeps a 6.1 inch 60Hz screen, a 12MP ultra wide, a 12MP front camera and 128GB to start.
Quick answer
For almost everyone, the iPhone 17 is worth the extra $100. At $899 it starts with 256GB, while the $799 iPhone 16 starts with 128GB, so you are effectively getting double the storage, a much smoother screen, better cameras and far longer battery life for the difference. Buy the iPhone 16 only if $799 is a hard ceiling, or if you find a carrier deal that makes it close to free.
Both phones are sold by Apple right now. In September 2026 Apple raised both prices by $100, so the iPhone 16 went from $699 to $799 and the iPhone 17 from $799 to $899. Here is everything that changed between them, drawn to scale and photographed side by side.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 17 at a glance
Sources: Apple technical specifications for iPhone 16 and iPhone 17; prices after Apple’s September 9, 2026 increase.
iPhone 16 vs iPhone 17: full specs compared
Green marks the model with the advantage on that line.
| Spec | iPhone 16 | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Apple price, October 2026 | $799 (128GB) | $899 (256GB) |
| Storage options | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inch OLED | 6.3 inch OLED |
| Resolution | 2556 x 1179 at 460 ppi | 2622 x 1206 at 460 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | ProMotion up to 120Hz |
| Always On display | No | Yes |
| Peak brightness (outdoor) | 2000 nits | 3000 nits |
| Front glass | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Performance | ||
| Chip | A18 | A19 |
| CPU and GPU | 6 core CPU, 5 core GPU | 6 core CPU, 5 core GPU with Neural Accelerators |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Cameras | ||
| Main | 48MP Fusion, 26 mm, f/1.6 | 48MP Fusion, 26 mm, f/1.6 |
| Ultra wide | 12MP, 13 mm, f/2.2 | 48MP Fusion, 13 mm, f/2.2 |
| 2x option | 12MP crop from main | 12MP crop from main |
| Front | 12MP, f/1.9 | 18MP Center Stage, f/1.9 |
| Battery and charging | ||
| Video playback | Up to 22 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Streamed video | Up to 18 hours | Up to 27 hours |
| Fast charging | 50% in 30 min, 20W adapter | 50% in 20 min, 40W adapter |
| MagSafe and Qi2 | Up to 25W | Up to 25W |
| Design | ||
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm | 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm |
| Weight | 170 g | 177 g |
| Colors | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender |
| Buttons | Action button, Camera Control | Action button, Camera Control |
| USB C | USB 2 | USB 2 |
Size and design: nearly the same phone in your hand
The iPhone 17 fits a 6.3 inch screen into a body that is only 2 mm taller than the iPhone 16 and actually 0.1 mm narrower. Thickness grows by 0.15 mm and weight by 7 grams. Hold them one after the other and you will notice the bigger screen long before you notice the bigger phone.
From the back they look like siblings. Both use the vertical pill shaped camera bump with two lenses, an aluminum frame and a color infused glass back, and both have the Action button and the Camera Control button on the side. The quickest way to tell them apart is the color: the iPhone 16 comes in Black, White, Pink, Teal and Ultramarine, the iPhone 17 in Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage and Lavender.
Display: the upgrade you feel every second
This is the change that matters most. The iPhone 16 runs at 60Hz, so scrolling, swiping and animations look visibly less fluid than on any recent Android flagship or Pro iPhone. The iPhone 17 brings ProMotion with an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, which makes everything you do on the phone look smoother, and it can drop very low to save power, which is what allows the Always On display.
Outdoors, the iPhone 17 also gets brighter, peaking at 3000 nits against 2000 nits, so it is easier to read in direct sun. And it uses Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, Apple’s tougher, more scratch resistant cover glass.
Cameras: better ultra wide and a much better selfie camera
The main camera is the same 48MP Fusion sensor at 26 mm and f/1.6, so everyday photos from the main lens look very similar. The upgrades are around it:
- Ultra wide: 48MP on the iPhone 17 against 12MP on the iPhone 16. That means sharper wide landscapes, better crops and much more detailed macro shots, since the ultra wide handles close ups.
- Front camera: the new 18MP Center Stage camera has a square sensor, so you can take a horizontal group selfie while holding the phone upright, and it can widen the frame automatically when more people step in. The iPhone 16 has a conventional 12MP front camera.
- Zoom: neither has a telephoto lens. Both offer a 12MP 2x option cropped from the main sensor.
If zoom matters to you, neither of these is the right phone; look at the Pro models in our iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Pro comparison or our ranking of every iPhone camera.
Battery life and charging: a big jump
Apple rates the iPhone 17 at up to 30 hours of video playback against 22 hours for the iPhone 16, and 27 hours of streamed video against 18. That is the largest single year battery improvement on a standard iPhone in a long time, helped by the more efficient A19 chip and the adaptive refresh rate.
Charging got faster too. The iPhone 17 reaches 50 percent in about 20 minutes with a 40W or stronger adapter, while the iPhone 16 needs about 30 minutes with a 20W adapter. Neither includes a charger in the box. For real world numbers on the 17, see iPhone 17 battery life: real numbers vs Apple’s claims.
Performance: A19 vs A18
Both chips have a six core CPU and a five core GPU, though the A19 adds Neural Accelerators to its GPU for faster AI work, and both phones have 8 GB of memory, so both run Apple Intelligence and every current app without trouble. The A19 is a newer generation and more efficient, which shows up mostly as battery life rather than as speed you notice. Neither phone will feel slow for years.
Price: is the iPhone 17 worth $100 more?
Look at what the $100 buys. The iPhone 16 at $799 has 128GB; the iPhone 17 at $899 has 256GB. On top of double the storage you get the 120Hz screen, a larger display, a 48MP ultra wide, a better front camera, about eight more hours of rated video playback and faster charging. It is one of the easiest upgrade decisions in Apple’s lineup. Our iPhone price list for 2026 shows where both sit against the rest of the range.
Worth knowing
Apple raised the price of every older iPhone it sells by $100 on September 9, 2026, including the iPhone 16, even though nothing about the phone changed. Carriers and big retailers set their own prices and often discount older models, so check them before paying Apple’s list price, especially for the iPhone 16.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the iPhone 17
The right choice for nearly everyone: 120Hz screen, 256GB as standard, a much better selfie camera and 30 hours of rated video playback, for $899.
Buy the iPhone 16
Only if $799 is your absolute limit, 128GB is enough for you, or a carrier is giving it away. It is still a capable phone with Apple Intelligence and Camera Control.
Our take
The iPhone 17 fixed the two biggest complaints about the standard iPhone, the 60Hz screen and the small base storage, and added better cameras and much longer battery life on top. Unless the budget is fixed at $799, spend the extra $100.
Moving from an older iPhone? Our guide to transferring data to a new iPhone walks through the setup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17?
The iPhone 17 has a larger 6.3 inch screen with 120Hz ProMotion and Always On, a 48MP ultra wide camera instead of 12MP, an 18MP Center Stage front camera instead of 12MP, up to 30 hours of video playback instead of 22, faster 40W charging, the A19 chip and 256GB of base storage instead of 128GB.
Is the iPhone 17 bigger than the iPhone 16?
Slightly taller, but not wider. The iPhone 17 measures 149.6 by 71.5 by 7.95 mm and weighs 177 grams. The iPhone 16 measures 147.6 by 71.6 by 7.80 mm and weighs 170 grams. The screen grows from 6.1 to 6.3 inches.
Does the iPhone 16 have a 120Hz display?
No. The iPhone 16 has a 60Hz display. The iPhone 17 is the first standard iPhone with ProMotion up to 120Hz and an Always On display.
How much do the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 cost now?
Since September 9, 2026, Apple sells the iPhone 16 from $799 with 128GB and the iPhone 17 from $899 with 256GB. Both prices went up $100 that day.
Is the iPhone 17 worth upgrading from the iPhone 16?
If you already own an iPhone 16, the 120Hz screen and longer battery life are the main gains, and many people will happily keep their 16 another year. If you are choosing between the two new, the iPhone 17 is clearly the better value.
Do the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 have the same camera?
They share the same 48MP main camera, but the iPhone 17 has a 48MP ultra wide (against 12MP) and a new 18MP Center Stage front camera (against 12MP). Neither has a telephoto lens.
Sources and further reading
- Apple: iPhone 17 technical specifications
- Apple: iPhone 16 technical specifications
- MacRumors: Apple raises prices of iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone Air and iPhone 17e
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