iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Which should you buy?

Now that Apple iPhone 17 It’s here, you’re probably wondering whether to buy the latest device or get last year’s device iPhone 16which now costs $100 less. To help make that decision, here’s a breakdown of how the two phones compare.

The iPhone 17 starts at $829 (or $799 if you activate with a carrier), which is the same price as the iPhone 16 when it launched — with the main difference being that the iPhone 17 starts with a higher storage option of 256GB, versus 128GB on the iPhone 16.

iPhone 16 is now available for $100 off. So, is it worth saving some money, or should you spend all your money on the latest phone?

Here’s what to know about each phone, from cameras to displays to batteries.

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Screen differences

Some of the biggest changes between the iPhone 16 and 17 relate to the display.

Apple says it has shrunk the borders around the screen in the iPhone 17, expanding the screen from 6.1 inches in the iPhone 16 to 6.3 inches in the iPhone 17 without expanding its dimensions. The new Ceramic Shield 2 on the iPhone 17 offers 3x better scratch resistance, according to the company.

The basic iPhone 17 gets a 120Hz display, unlike… 60Hz display on iPhone 16. This means that the iPhone 17 is finally supported Always on displayso you can quickly glance at the time, notifications, and live activities without activating the screen.

The iPhone 17 also gains an anti-reflective coating and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, compared to 2,000 nits on the iPhone 16. This should make your phone easier to see in bright sunlight.

Camera differences

The iPhone 16 and 17 both have a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera. But the iPhone 17 upgrades the ultra-wide camera from 12 megapixels on last year’s phone to 48 megapixels.

The front camera also got an upgrade, going from 12MP on the iPhone 16 to 18MP on the iPhone 17. Center stage A selfie camera feature that can automatically adjust from portrait to landscape orientation to make sure everyone is in the shot. This means you won’t have to manually turn your phone sideways anymore when there are more people in the frame.

iPhone 16 and 17 both have Camera control A button on the side to quickly launch the camera, take some shots, and use Apple Visual intelligence A tool to learn more about what’s around you.

Processor and RAM

The iPhone 17 has an A19 chip, which is an upgrade from the A18 chip in the iPhone 16. One key difference is that the iPhone 17 starts at 256GB, while the 128GB iPhone 16 starts at the same price of $829 when it debuted.

Both phones also support Apple intelligence A suite of AI capabilities, including writing tools, image generators, and notification summaries.

Battery life

Apple doesn’t share specific battery specifications, but measures longevity by hours of video playback. The iPhone 16 supports up to 22 hours of video playback, according to Apple, while the iPhone 17 supports up to 30 hours.

In CNET’s 45-minute stress test, which includes streaming, scrolling through social media, joining a video call, and playing games, the iPhone 17’s battery went from full to 98%. This is slightly more than the 97% recorded by the iPhone 16 last year.

And in our three-hour Wi-Fi streaming test, which includes watching a YouTube video in full screen mode and full brightness, the iPhone 17 battery went from full to 89%. In comparison, iPhone 16 sales fell to 86%.

Anecdotally, the iPhone 17 battery lasts more than a day, even after taking photos, browsing through social media, watching videos, texting, sending emails, and more. the The same can be said about the iPhone 16so you probably won’t feel much difference between the two when it comes to daily activities.

New works with artificial intelligence Adaptive strength Feature up with iOS 26 It can help conserve battery by making “small performance tweaks,” such as “allowing some activities to take a little longer,” according to Apple.

The iPhone 17 arrives with the upcoming operating system, but you’ll also be able to download iOS 26 on the iPhone 16. And some old iPhones as wellOnce it becomes available to the public. This should help extend battery life on either device.

Color and design options

What’s on the inside may be the most important, but people also care about how their phone looks. Like the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 comes in a range of fun colors: black, white, mist blue, sage (light green), and lavender.

For comparison, the iPhone 16 is available in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine.

Both phones have an aluminum frame.

Check out the specs chart below for details of each phone.

Comparison between iPhone 17 and iPhone 16

	Apple iPhone 17	Apple iPhone 16
Display size, technology, resolution, refresh rate	6.3 inch OLED; Resolution: 2,622 x 1,206 pixels; Variable refresh rate 1-120Hz	6.1 inch OLED; Resolution: 2,556 x 1,179 pixels; 60 Hz refresh rate
Pixel density	460 dpi	460 dpi
Dimensions (inches)	5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches	5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches
Dimensions(mm)	149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm	147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)	177 g (6.24 oz)	170 grams (6 ounces)
Mobile software	iOS 26	iOS 18
camera	48 MP (wide) 48 MP (ultrawide)	48 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultra-wide)
Front camera	18 megapixel	12 megapixel
Capture video	4K	4K
Processor	Apple A19	Apple A18
RAM + Storage	RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB	RAM not available + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Expandable storage	no one	None (Face ID)
battery	Up to 30 hours of video playback; Up to 27 hours of video playback (streaming). Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using a 40W or higher adapter via the charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a 30W or higher adapter via a MagSafe charger.	Up to 22 hours of video playback; Up to 18 hours of video playback (streaming). 20W wired charging. Up to 25W MagSafe wireless charging with 30W or higher adapter; Qi2 up to 15W
Fingerprint sensor	None (Face ID)	None (Face ID)
conductor	USB C	USB C
Headphone jack	no one	no one
Special features	Apple N1 wireless chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera control button. Dynamic island. Apple intelligence. Visual intelligence. Dual SIM card. Brightness display range from 1 to 3000 nits. IP68 resistance. Colors: Black, White, Misty Blue, Sage, Lavender.	Apple Intelligence, Action Button, Camera Control Button, Dynamic Island, Screen Brightness Range 1-2000 Nits, IP68 Resistant. Colors: black, white, pink, teal, ultramarine.
US price starts from	$829 (256GB)	$829 (128GB)