iPhone 16 Pro v 17 Pro...buy now or wait?

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › iPhone 16 Pro v 17 Pro...buy now or wait?

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#3413125 10-Sep-2025 07:44

A smidge higher than I expected. Pretty sure I'll go for the 17 pro. Just waiting for HN to load it up on their website. It's been about 5 years since I bought a phone so no idea how quickly the retailers update their sites with the new offerings.

Asteros

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#3413173 10-Sep-2025 08:00

You're not thinking of going direct to Apple pre-order? They are always the first and fastest in the earliest batches.

dfnt

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#3413177 10-Sep-2025 08:13

Only three colour options for the Pro, with no black colour, classic Apple

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Quinny

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#3413244 10-Sep-2025 08:53

EviLClouD:

So it looks like the pro models are receiving a $150 price bump across the board e.g $2199 for 256gb 16 pro vs $2349 for 256gb 17 pro

How is this influencing everyone’s upgrade decisions?

also $4149 for the 2TB 17 Pro Max 😬

It's just about $3k to replace my 16 Pro Max 512. Yeah, Nah. I think I will wait for discounts down the track. I'm disappointed tbh.

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#3413249 10-Sep-2025 09:06

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, with the exception of the rear camera count, the announced standard iPhone 17 base model has higher specs than last year's iPhone 16 Pro.

The base 17 compared to last year's 16 Pro:

display is now the same - the larger 6.3 screen with the slim bezels and 120 khz refresh screen, but higher peak brightness than 16 Pro
improved front camera than last year's Pro
higher spec bluetooth
bigger battery
it's about 20% lighter.

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#3413251 10-Sep-2025 09:08

I don't really think there's much utility to be gained in upgrading between one model year to another with recent Iphones. However anyone with a 13 or older can gain significant upgrades/improvements. 120hz always on screen on all models is something I wasn't expecting.

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Asteros

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#3413257 10-Sep-2025 09:17

dafman:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, with the exception of the rear camera count, the announced standard iPhone 17 base model has higher specs than last year's iPhone 16 Pro.

The base 17 compared to last year's 16 Pro:

display is now the same - the larger 6.3 screen with the slim bezels and 120 khz refresh screen, but higher peak brightness than 16 Pro
improved front camera than last year's Pro
higher spec bluetooth
bigger battery
it's about 20% lighter.

I think you're dead right. Makes the base model much more attractive. All models have 40W or more USB-C charging too which is handy. All in all some may say just catching up with the Robot brigade; nonetheless I'm upgrading to the 17 and just have to figure out which model to buy.

dafman

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#3413258 10-Sep-2025 09:25

Asteros:

dafman:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, with the exception of the rear camera count, the announced standard iPhone 17 base model has higher specs than last year's iPhone 16 Pro.

The base 17 compared to last year's 16 Pro:

display is now the same - the larger 6.3 screen with the slim bezels and 120 khz refresh screen, but higher peak brightness than 16 Pro
improved front camera than last year's Pro
higher spec bluetooth
bigger battery
it's about 20% lighter.

I think you're dead right. Makes the base model much more attractive. All models have 40W or more USB-C charging too which is handy. All in all some may say just catching up with the Robot brigade; nonetheless I'm upgrading to the 17 and just have to figure out which model to buy.

The only reason I didn't upgrade my 12 last year was the 16 kept the same 60hz screen and I didn't want the additional weight of the Pro, nor need the additional cameras.

I think the base 17 is actually a big upgrade, so for me is a no brainer. Will wait to have a look at the Air first, but likely to pull pin on base 17.

Jaxson

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#3413264 10-Sep-2025 09:30

Yeah both the 17 base and pro look a sizeable update for me, vs the previous incremental ones.

Cameras exactly what I’m after now on the pro.

Base 17 non pro looks a really solid offering phone.

Wondering when will be available in airport stores specifically so I can purchase duty free on our coming trip around 21 Sept.

Lizard1977

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#3413265 10-Sep-2025 09:32

Asteros:

dafman:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, with the exception of the rear camera count, the announced standard iPhone 17 base model has higher specs than last year's iPhone 16 Pro.

The base 17 compared to last year's 16 Pro:

display is now the same - the larger 6.3 screen with the slim bezels and 120 khz refresh screen, but higher peak brightness than 16 Pro
improved front camera than last year's Pro
higher spec bluetooth
bigger battery
it's about 20% lighter.

I think you're dead right. Makes the base model much more attractive. All models have 40W or more USB-C charging too which is handy. All in all some may say just catching up with the Robot brigade; nonetheless I'm upgrading to the 17 and just have to figure out which model to buy.

These are very good points. Comparing the iPhone 17 to the iPhone 16 Pro it's almost the same, with a few spec bumps around the CPU and the battery and display. You lose the telephoto camera on the 17 vs the 16 Pro, but you also save $500 over the iPhone 16 Pro (256GB). And it's $650 over the 17 Pro - which does improve over the 16 Pro and the 17, but it does beg the question whether the increase is worth the extra $500-650.

I'm torn between getting the "latest and greatest" and the "best value." And then there's the rumours of the foldable iPhone that might get released next year (which sounds tempting, but will also be eye-wateringly expensive when it comes out). I might have some thinking to do...

Asteros

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#3413266 10-Sep-2025 09:35

I just realised that the 40W+ wired charging requires a charger with AVS (Adjustable Voltage Supply) or PPS which is more common (Programmable Power Supply) I'm not sure which which yet. If it's AVS Apple will happily sell us a new brick or we can wait for third parties to release to the market.

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#3413267 10-Sep-2025 09:39

EviLClouD:

So it looks like the pro models are receiving a $150 price bump across the board e.g $2199 for 256gb 16 pro vs $2349 for 256gb 17 pro

How is this influencing everyone’s upgrade decisions?

also $4149 for the 2TB 17 Pro Max 😬

Pricing is interesting,

2024 iPhone 16 128GB was $1599, but a 256GB was $1799,

Today a 256GB iPhone 17 is $1699, ,

yes its a higher entry price, but its arguably a better phone, with more storage and a 6.3" pro motion screen vs a 6.1" regular one...

Asteros

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#3413268 10-Sep-2025 09:39

Jaxson:

Yeah both the 17 base and pro look a sizeable update for me, vs the previous incremental ones.

Cameras exactly what I’m after now on the pro.

Base 17 non pro looks a really solid offering phone.

Wondering when will be available in airport stores specifically so I can purchase duty free on our coming trip around 21 Sept.

From past experience the AKL airport shops are real hit and miss. Last year they didn't have reliable stock until a month or two after release. They might have launch week stock but I wouldn't count on it. If you are going to a country with a tax refund scheme and launch day stock consider buying it there perhaps?

Handsomedan

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#3413277 10-Sep-2025 10:07

I'm pretty impressed with the camera upgrades on the iPhone 17 Pro

As an upgrade from my 3 year old iPhone 14 Pro, the 17 Pro looks a solid choice.

I don't know if I like the colour choices, but as my iPhone is always in a case, I'd be happy enough with a Blue or Orange one.

Underwhelmed by a number of the other announcements, but with 3x 48MP cameras and a telephoto up to 8x, it's getting closer to what I always said would be my tipping point - 10x telephoto/optical zoom.

With all the various offers that One NZ have provided, I could probably trade my iPhone in, then upgrade on interest free for about $1000...which seems OK to me.

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#3413287 10-Sep-2025 10:32

One thing that bugs me is they aren’t going to make the ESIM only model available here with the larger battery.

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/09/09/iphone-17-esim-only-countries-list/

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