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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#3413357 10-Sep-2025 12:16

stevenn:

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/

I'm just pleased NZ is always mentioned in these articles, like a proper country. "ooh...they just said New Zealand!".

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#3413361 10-Sep-2025 12:25

Just like the OP, I also have an 11 Pro. Thinking the base model 17 will be fine and dandy for an upgrade after 6 years.

mattwnz

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#3413367 10-Sep-2025 12:41

The 16 pro has faster USB transfer and more pro camera features. But the 17 is a far bigger proposition this year than the 16 was due to the better display and the always on display which were previously pro only features. I suspect they may not sell many pro model’s this time. I would buy the 17 instead of the pro. Although I already have the 16pro which is a good phone and like the pro camera features I wouldn’t pay 650 more for them.

but do the phones have more RAM this year as predicted?

Lizard1977

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#3413371 10-Sep-2025 12:56

Looking over the comparison between the 17 and 17 Pro, it really boils down to the telephoto camera as the main difference for me. Things like the faster USB-C won't be a big issue for me, as I rarely connect via a wired connection. Photos are synced over wifi to Onedrive. The improved chassis and glass protection aren't major benefits - I always put it in a case, and I've always looked after my phones so they barely ever get a scratch on them. So I think the only real difference will be the extra camera on the Pro model.

Would I miss the telephoto? I really don't know. Sometimes I zoom right in when I'm taking photos on my 11 Pro, but I'm mostly taking photos of my kids or doing a selfie when I'm out with my partner. Possibly it's just a nice to have.

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#3413374 10-Sep-2025 13:02

Looks like the 17 has 8GB RAM, all the others have 12GB RAM

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/09/09/iphone-17-pro-iphone-air-ram-amounts/

I'm leaning towards the Pro Max because I intend to keep my phone for at least 3 years and the extra RAM would come in handy. Apple devices seem to be feature gated/aged out by RAM judging on past history.

mattwnz

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#3413387 10-Sep-2025 14:09

interesting about RAM. The only thing stopping an iPhone lasting 5 years is the battery degradation which is a relatively expensive repair in NZ to get a genuine battery replacement and that inconvenience . It is at a level where people often decide whether it is worth upgrading to a new one.

I see the iPhone 17 price for the next storage size up and it is crazy that it is $400 more just to go from the base 256 to 512. The base priced iPhone 17 isn’t a bad price but not the upgrade

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#3413447 10-Sep-2025 15:25

Lizard1977:

Looking over the comparison between the 17 and 17 Pro, it really boils down to the telephoto camera as the main difference for me. Things like the faster USB-C won't be a big issue for me, as I rarely connect via a wired connection. Photos are synced over wifi to Onedrive. The improved chassis and glass protection aren't major benefits - I always put it in a case, and I've always looked after my phones so they barely ever get a scratch on them. So I think the only real difference will be the extra camera on the Pro model.

Would I miss the telephoto? I really don't know. Sometimes I zoom right in when I'm taking photos on my 11 Pro, but I'm mostly taking photos of my kids or doing a selfie when I'm out with my partner. Possibly it's just a nice to have.

I don't know if the chassis is an improvement as the 16pro is titanium which is a premium material, where the new one is aluminum. Guess it is better for the cooling it offers. Titanium is being use on the air model which is their premium 17 model this year.

I find telephoto useful on the pro, but I wouldn't pay that amount extra just for that feature. The pro does however offer better video recording capabilities especially if you connect it to external storage over USB. So if using it for video the pro is a good choice IMO as the video quality is amazing for a phone.

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#3413449 10-Sep-2025 15:33

Saw a commentary on the Air. No one was crying out for a thinner iphone, yet we now have one which Apple is charging a premium price, while taking away camera functionality and battery life to boot. One for the diehard Apple enthusiast, not the general public?

Quinny

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#3413450 10-Sep-2025 15:39

dafman:

Saw a commentary on the Air. No one was crying out for a thinner iphone, yet we now have one which Apple is charging a premium price, while taking away camera functionality and battery life to boot. One for the diehard Apple enthusiast, not the general public?

After watching videos most of today, I think the Air looks great. For me, the 17 Pro Max is more "meh" coming from a 16Max. In a year of use, I have never run the battery flat, and if I think about my camera use, do I need high specs? I would really notice the smaller size. I am going to wait and see when actual reviews are out and when I can try it in-store.

mattwnz

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#3413451 10-Sep-2025 15:42

dafman:

Saw a commentary on the Air. No one was crying out for a thinner iphone, yet we now have one which Apple is charging a premium price, while taking away camera functionality and battery life to boot. One for the diehard Apple enthusiast, not the general public?

The battery life is apparently the same as normal iphone models from last year which is impressive. But it isn't actually thin when it has that big wide camera bump on it. It is never usually a good idea to buy the first generation of an apple product like that as the second version usually fixes all the shortcomings. Obviously just a single camera is a big omission. I don't really see the advantage of it being thing like that and it would be more prone to bending in the pocket. Zach for Jerryrigeverything will be doing a bend test on it I am sure.

If I was buying an iphone now I think it would be the base 17, or I would try and get an 16 pro cheaper for the pro camera features. Apple usually stop selling the previous 16 pros so they don't affect sales of the newer pro models.

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#3413452 10-Sep-2025 15:48

mattwnz:

I don't know if the chassis is an improvement as the 16pro is titanium which is a premium material, where the new one is aluminum. Guess it is better for the cooling it offers. Titanium is being use on the air model which is their premium 17 model this year.

I find telephoto useful on the pro, but I wouldn't pay that amount extra just for that feature. The pro does however offer better video recording capabilities especially if you connect it to external storage over USB. So if using it for video the pro is a good choice IMO as the video quality is amazing for a phone.

the titanium 15 and 16 models was actually a 1mm layer of titanium diffusion bonded onto a much thicker Aluminium base. Kind of like a thin veneer. In all honesty I don’t really think Titanium did anything and was mainly a marketing exercise.

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wellygary

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#3413455 10-Sep-2025 15:53

Asteros:

the titanium 15 and 16 models was actually a 1mm layer of titanium diffusion bonded onto a much thicker Aluminium base. Kind of like a thin veneer.

Sounds like an expensive process, and that the accountants just found something to help improve the margin.....

mattwnz

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#3413458 10-Sep-2025 16:02

wellygary:

Asteros:

the titanium 15 and 16 models was actually a 1mm layer of titanium diffusion bonded onto a much thicker Aluminium base. Kind of like a thin veneer.

Sounds like an expensive process, and that the accountants just found something to help improve the margin.....

Looks like they are still using it for the Air. But 1mm thickness isn't insignificant, and it would make the edge of the phone more durable. Aluminum is quite soft and gets knicks in it from normal use if not using a case.