On the iPhone 17 Pro’s launch day, I took possession of my new upgrade. After a lengthy setup process and a few hours of use, I thought I’d get down my impressions in my first few days. Here are my iPhone 17 Pro review as a writer, father, and regular tech enthusiast.

Love the Smaller Size, But Feel Cramped

Once Apple started offering the larger phone, it became my preferred choice. I used the Plus-sized for all but three generations since introducing them.

For the past three years, I’ve been using a Max/Plus-sized phone. I thought the bigger phone would be better for typing on. It would definitely be better for videos. However, typing on the iPhone 16 Plus frustrated me. The phone wasn’t wide enough for my hands to be comfortable, yet it felt too wide when I turned it sideways. I theorized that the regular-sized iPhone would feel like the Goldilocks phone for typing.

I think I’m right.

Furthermore, I wrote this entire impression piece on the iPhone 17 Pro. I’ve used it in both orientations, and it honestly feels great in the hand. I don’t have as many issues, for sure.

After three years on the Max-sized phones, the Pro does feel slightly cramped—at least for now. However, I feel much better on day two. I’m sure I’ll adjust, as I used the Pro for the iPhone 12 and 13 before switching back to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Due to its smaller size, it’s much easier to use one-handed. I find myself using my phone in quick spurts because my kids are always around, so it’s nice to be able to hold it more confidently. I’m currently writing this section on the couch with one hand stuck under a kid while he cuddles on me, and the other hand is swipe-typing. It feels significantly more comfortable than it would have on my old, plus-sized phone.

So far, this iPhone feels perfect for me. It might take just a day or two to get used to the smaller iPhone.

The iPhone 17 Pro’s Interesting Design

This iPhone feels like a chunk.

While it is smaller than my iPhone 16 Plus, it’s still thicker and heavier. But it still feels good in the hand.

My iPhone 17 Pro feels like a slab in my hand in a way that I haven’t felt in an iPhone before. The unibody aluminum body feels very solid. The materials don’t bother me, as long as the phone feels nice.

That said, this phone design doesn’t blow me away. The edges of the phone feel very lovely with a slight curve leading to the back. There, a glass panel stands out like a sore thumb. That glass panel allows the phone to charge with MagSafe or Qi.

And honestly, I slapped a case on it, so I don’t notice the design.

I opted for the Silver this year, as it felt more neutral to pair with fun cases. When I went to the Apple Store to pick mine up on launch day, I got to see all the colors in person. The orange really popped, and the blue looked very dark, almost black. For a moment, I considered changing my order to the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, but felt the silver would match better with cases.

Sure, I could go without a case, but I have kids. In the few days I’ve had my iPhone 17 Pro, my youngest already managed to get it out of my bag and throw it on the ground at the beach as he headed for the water. Luckily, I caught him before he could get too far.

Camera Plateau Isn’t As Annoying As I Expected

When the iPhone 17 first leaked, the new design felt odd. That camera plateau just looked like a bit of a waste of space. There’s too much blank space throughout that thing for it to take up so much space.

But as usual, I tried to reserve judgment until Apple actually showed it off. I thought Apple would have some reason for the larger camera bump, but I didn’t get a good explanation. They didn’t add any new sensors or anything; it’s just bigger.

Once Apple revealed the device, I felt slightly better about it, but I don’t think it’s the best-looking iPhone. That said, the giant plateau doesn’t feel as awkward to hold as I expected. In fact, it sometimes provides my fingers a place to rest that wasn’t there before.

The iPhone Air has most of its components in its camera bump, while the rest is dedicated to the battery. I’m wondering if Apple is preparing its users for something similar in the future with the Pro, which is why it expanded.

Feels smoother With ProMotion

Last year, I gave up ProMotion on my iPhone 16 Plus. Honestly, throughout the year, I barely missed it. Returning to a phone with it is nice. Everything feels smoother.

But they also brought that to the base model iPhone 17 this year. If it weren’t for the silly reason I wanted to get the Pro this year, I could have saved some money by going with the base model.

Promotion doesn’t affect writing on my phone. It’s just a perk, even though it’s standard on all the iPhones this year. If you’re updating this year, you’ll be happy with the screen.

Camera Thoughts and the Selfie Camera Is a Great Upgrade

iPhone photography for most regular people has been great for a long time. So, nothing new there. The camera system shoots great and responsive photos. It has been great to get the telephoto lens back, even though I haven’t used it too often.

The new selfie camera is excellent. It feels so much better to take a selfie (us-ie?) of multiple people without having to twist your phone and hold it at a weird angle.

When using the selfie camera, I don’t feel like it moves as aggressively as the Center Stage camera does on my Mac or iPad. When someone enters the frame, it just expands and pops the person in.

There’s not a massive jump in quality, but I feel like my pictures look a little better here. A little more light and detail come through.

This feature will drive upgrades. I imagine that as kids get out there with their iPhone 17s, their friends will see how the Center Stage camera works and want to upgrade as well.

It’s funny to me that this is also the most novel feature that users will see this time around. It’s something so simple, but just works and surprises. It’s fun.

Setup Issues Complicated The Day

I don’t know how Apple could improve things on this day. For the iPhone 16 launch last year, I had my iPhone shipped to me. Unfortunately, it didn’t arrive at my house until after 9 pm. My kids were asleep, and I felt exhausted from entertaining them, so I didn’t get to spend much time with my new toy.

This year, I opted to visit the local Apple Store as soon as I could in the morning to pick up my phone. I wanted to get some time in so I could write these impressions more quickly—however, my kids have kept me too busy to get much done anyway.

There was a line to wait in to pick up my device, but that’s expected. It moved quickly. I got in, and they brought my new phone out in minutes. I wanted to attempt to set up my phone at the Apple Store because I didn’t know how much focus I would have if I tried it at home. They moved me to a different spot with a chair so I could set it up.

I fired up the new iPhone 17 Pro and got greeted with a prompt to upgrade it. I figured the update would be minor, so I started it, but it took probably twenty-five to thirty minutes to install. Then I needed to move the data from my old phone to the new one. However, the process barely moved since everyone else was doing the same.

Once it started, it quoted me that it would take two hours and thirty minutes to get going. I couldn’t wait that long. So I just left to return home to my kids.

Once home, I started over, and the speed increased. It only took about thirty minutes. Although the estimated time looked like a roller coaster, towards the end, it quoted me 4 minutes. That took about 8 minutes before the screen corrected to 6 minutes remaining, then 3 minutes remaining, and all of that took more than 10 minutes from that point.

However, it went smoothly.

I wonder if Apple could have offered a high-speed USB-C cable or a Thunderbolt cable to help speed up everyone’s transfers, thereby relieving the WiFi within the store. Or maybe I’ll bring my own next time—which hopefully isn’t for a few years.

iPhone 17 Pro FAQ

My iPhone 17 Pro Review Recommendations

So far, I’m enjoying my iPhone 17 Pro. It feels like such a better size for me right now. It’s not too big in the pocket or hand. I can use it one-handed without worrying that it will become unwieldy. Every day I’ve spent with it, I’m feeling less cramped and more comfortable with the size.

I think I’ve found the right size for typing on an iPhone. I wrote the first draft of this post using only my new iPhone 17 Pro (although I will edit it on my Mac Mini).

I think for most people, the iPhone 17 Pro is one of the best iPhones that Apple has ever created.

Do you have any questions about the iPhone 17 Pro? Let me know in the comments.

Check out all my thoughts on new and exciting tech over at my tech hub or dive deeper into all the things I’ve written about the iPhone.

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Update — March 2026: The iPhone 16 Plus remains a great option if it fits your budget. If you can stretch to the iPhone 17, it’s the better buy in 2026 — but you won’t feel like you’re missing much with the 16 Plus. Personally, I ended up upgrading to the iPhone 17 Pro for one silly reason, but that’s (a story for another post).

It’s been almost a year since Apple released the iPhone 16. If you recall, during the launch period, I originally ordered an iPhone 16 Pro Max but returned it and purchased an iPhone 16 Plus.

As a long-time user of the iPhone Pro line, I took a chance and opted for the less expensive model this cycle. After a year of use, here are my thoughts on downgrading from iPhone Pro to the base model.

The iPhone 16 Plus in Ultramarine: A Fun but Flawed Choice

It’s funny, but one of the biggest draws to getting the base iPhone was the colors. It’s silly, but I wanted to have a colorful phone. For the first time since Apple split the line into a standard and Pro line, the standard iPhone 16 didn’t feel all that different from the Pro. Since I had less to lose and loved the color, it felt like a no-brainer.

The bright blue of the ultramarine still looks terrific. Of course, most people wrap their phones in cases, and I did the same; however, I chose a clear case so I could enjoy the color.

But I don’t love the case. The hard plastic allows me to experience the color, but dirt gets trapped between the phone and case, which can scratch the aluminum.

I’ve also had an issue lately where the camera button doesn’t respond well with the case on. I removed all the shortcuts on my phone to open the camera since I had a dedicated button, but if the case isn’t allowing the button to be pressed quickly, it defeats the purpose.

To combat these issues, I’ve gone without a case a few times, but I’m fearful of dropping it. I also don’t like the way that the camera bump makes the phone rock when it’s on a table. Therefore, I will likely need a new case if I plan to keep this phone.

But the color doesn’t change how I use my phone in the slightest. It’s fun to have a different color that isn’t a version of grey, but how often do you admire the color of the device?

Is the color of a phone enough of a reason to downgrade? Not really, but it did bring me joy. When I upgrade again, I might opt for a fun color, but I don’t think it will be the main reason to select an iPhone.

The Cheaper iPhone

Cost also helped me decide to go with the standard iPhone 16 versus the iPhone 16 Pro. By opting for the more modest iPhone 16 Plus, I saved $300 on the phone, plus AppleCare for the non-Pro line costs less as well.

I realized with this change that even though my phone wasn’t the best out there, it was still an iPhone. All the features of the Pro models are nice to have, but they don’t change how you use your phone.

After going without features like ProMotion and a telephoto lens, I realized that I don’t need those features to enjoy using my iPhone. Why would I pay more for the Pro Max when the standard iPhone does everything just as well?

My iPhone 16 Plus has never struggled or slowed down. Things are very speedy. I didn’t miss having that extra processor core at all. I have access to Apple Intelligence, although I don’t use it often. I haven’t run into an App I couldn’t run.

For day-to-day use, the iPhone 16 Plus rocked.

While I did notice the lack of ProMotion, it wasn’t a game-changer. It didn’t hold me back in any way. In fact, after a day or so of using the 16 Plus, I no longer cared that it didn’t have a higher refresh rate. I don’t do anything on my phone at high frame rates to notice outside the User Interface. Do I really notice a faster refresh rate when browsing Threads?

Update June 2026: At WWDC 2026 this month, Apple has announced iOS 27, and the iPhone 16 will still support most of the new Apple Intelligence features. While it won’t get the most advanced version of Siri AI on the model, it will still be capable enough to run it.

iPhone 16 Plus vs. 14 Pro Max: A Massive Weight Difference

The iPhone 16 Plus feels much lighter to hold than my older 14 Pro Max.

Holding a phone isn’t a workout, but it is nice to have a phone that isn’t so heavy. While the 16 Pro Max reduced the weight compared to my previous phone, the 16 Plus reduces that even more by using lighter materials.

The phone doesn’t feel cheap, despite using more inexpensive materials compared to the Pro line. I do have a few scratches on the phone, mostly from dirt in the case, but I think every case can cause this.

The weight helps when I’m having to do something on my phone when my kids need me. But the size isn’t that great for writing on it, like I thought it might. Still, I managed write Elephant Trunks and Battery Life while watching my kids play. You can read those and more over at my fiction hub.

In fact, because the iPhone 16 Plus felt so much lighter to hold, it became a bigger part of my writing setup. I could bust it out at the park or sitting on the couch with the kids. Thanks to some of the best Apple apps for writers, moving between my phone and other devices felt seamless.

Smaller Camera Bump

One thing I enjoy about the iPhone 16 Plus is the absence of a large, square camera bump protruding from the back. While I miss having all the cameras, that camera bump on the back of the iPhone has gotten so out of control lately. It’s even rumored that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a bump that spans the entire width of the phone.

With the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, the camera bump is so much smaller than it has been in years. It doesn’t take up too much space, and there isn’t much wasted space. For the last few generations, even though they didn’t have all the cameras of the Pro models, the regular version also featured the square camera bump, albeit with fewer sensors.

I enjoy the size reduction, and I think these phones look so much better than the Pros without sacrificing too much.

Missing the Telephoto Lens on my iPhone 16 Plus

The thing I probably miss the most from the Pro line is the telephoto lens. The camera on my iPhone 16 Plus is great. While I know there are some differences in camera quality between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Plus, it’s challenging to distinguish between them.

Additionally, it features various photographic styles that enable me to adjust the tone of the pictures while taking them and even after in the Photos app.

Occasionally, I want to take a picture of something a little further away than I can digitally zoom in on. I could get closer to my subject, but most often that subject is one of my kids, and I would rather not alert them to my presence while taking that picture. If they notice me, they’ll usually stop what they are doing, and the image will be ruined.

The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus allow you to zoom in up to 10x, but the quality degrades since it crops a lot of the sensor out. On our recent trip, I found myself walking closer or using the digital zoom, wishing I had that telephoto lens.

There have also been a few times when I miss having the IR sensor on my camera, like the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera system. Just the other day, as my kids started school, I used to point my phone at them and get their height. Without that sensor, I can’t measure them the same way.

Size

I returned my iPhone 16 Pro Max because it felt too big. I don’t regret it, as the Plus is a big phone, but I do wonder if the smaller Pro would have done me better. Likewise, I’ve been searching for the best typing experience on my iPhone, as I’ve been trying to write and care for my kids simultaneously.

It’s nice to be able to open Ulysses on my iPhone when on the go and jot down a few paragraphs or whatever I need for the blog. I don’t think the Plus is the right size for me though. It’s a little too big to be comfortable typing for a while, so I’m going to look at downsizing on my next Phone.

That said, the large screen is amazing for watching videos.

It is big, and if you want a big screen that’s not too big, it’s worth checking out, as this sized base iPhone is getting phased out. If you want something bigger, you’ll have to move to the Air or the Pro Max.

My Year With the iPhone 16 Plus

After a year of using the iPhone 16 Plus instead of the Pro version, I think this is the iPhone for most people.

I haven’t felt like this iPhone has been a downgrade from my past years on the Pro line for most day-to-day use. This has been one of my favorite iPhones. While writing this article, I had to push myself to actually think about what I missed from the Pro line.

The new iPhone 16e boasts even better battery life than the standard iPhone 16 in the same class size, so hopefully the iPhone 17 brings even better battery life.

What are your thoughts on the iPhone 16 Plus? Have you made the switch from Pro to Plus? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Check out all my thoughts, including how-tos, reviews, and more at my iPhone Hub, or all my broader tech thoughts in the Tech Hub

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For the first time since Apple introduced the iPhone Pro line, I opted not to get one. Of course, I still bought the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but after struggling with the size, I returned it and bought the iPhone 16 Plus.

While I loved living tech life on the best devices, I realized I didn’t need all those features. This year’s iPhone event made me feel this more than ever. I didn’t think I would ever use any of the announced features of the iPhone 16 Pro.

After spending a few days with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I loved using it, but couldn’t get over how big it felt. I wanted to give the iPhone 16 Plus a try.

So, after a week of using the Plus-sized iPhone, here are my thoughts about hopping off the iPhone 16 Pro Max train and landing on the Plus model.

The Lack Of ProMotion and the Always-On Display

One of the biggest draws to the Pro line comes from the screen. Most comments I have seen say they can’t leave the Pro because of the lack of ProMotion on the regular iPhone line. ProMotion is the variable frame rate the Pro models offer. ProMotion lets the screen run anywhere from 1 to 120 frames per second. The higher the rate, the smoother the device will feel.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus only output 60 frames per second.

I can honestly say that after one week with my iPhone 16, I didn’t even notice.

Sure, the first few hours with my 16 Plus, I could feel a little stutter compared to what I was used to, but after a little while of use, I didn’t notice it.

Most of the content I view on my iPhone never goes to 120 fps. TikTok, Instagram, reading, or web browsing don’t push the frame rate. The frame rate only reaches that high refresh rate when navigating the system or a webpage. While you can see a difference, I don’t feel that difference is as significant as I made it in my mind.

A week after picking up my iPhone 16 Plus from the Apple Store, I returned to trade in my iPhone 14 Pro Max. While waiting for an employee to help me, they placed me near a display of all the iPhone 16 models. I picked up the iPhone 16 Pro and played around with it. The ProMotion display felt more fluid after being away for a week. Interestingly, I noticed it more after not having it for a while than I did after using it for two years.

Regardless, it didn’t make me feel like I was missing out. I didn’t feel a need to return to the Pro at all.

Other than that, the screen looks beautiful. The colors pop. There’s enough brightness. I took my iPhone out on the beach this past week and never had a problem seeing the screen.

The iPhone 16 also lacks the Always-On Display of the Pro models. Honestly, I’m not the right person to survey that feature. After a day or two, I turned it off on my iPhone 14 Pro Max. I found it distracting most of the time, causing me to be fearful of leaving my phone on when I wasn’t using it.

I noticed the lack of the Always-On Display at night when my iPhone was in StandBy mode. When I glance at my phone at night, it feels like it doesn’t stay on as long as my previous phone. I’m actually thankful for that, though. I would get distracted by my Pro Max when I tried to get back to sleep.

So far, I haven’t missed the ProMotion or the Always-On Display. If you play graphic-intensive games, you might miss ProMotion; I know there are some games whose frame rate can go that high. Also, if you love the Always-On display, you’ll want to stay with the Pro line for now. However, there are rumors that both of these features might come to the iPhone 17.

Lack of Telephoto Lens

The next most significant difference in the iPhone 16 Plus is the lack of a telephoto lens. Ever since Apple introduced the lens, I’ve had it on my iPhone, and I was worried that I would miss it.

The thing is, I think the main camera on the iPhone 16 models is so good, and the digital cropping zoom has improved so much that you can get by without it now. I can currently zoom in up to 10x with a digital zoom, but I’ve found that I rarely go beyond 2x. The 2x lens takes the 48-megapixel main camera and crops it down to 12 megapixels. This works great for me since megapixels aren’t as important as the size of the megapixels. I think the images at 2x look just as good as from 1x.

I’m curious about what will happen later, like if I go to a concert and need to zoom in even more, but I don’t do either of those things that often. For now, I have gotten close enough to take a photo without zooming in so much the image degrades.

I have used the ultra-wide lens a few times. It’s nice that they added the macro lens feature to this iPhone. I don’t take many of these photos, but having the feature when needed is welcomed.

Overall, though, I haven’t missed any of the camera features from before. I also like the smaller camera bump on my Plus. The camera bump on the Pro model has gotten too large. It feels like it takes up the entire back of the phone.

Thoughts on the New Buttons

With this iPhone, I’ve gained two new buttons, the Action Button and Camera Control.

I enjoy having the Camera Control button. I have removed the camera app from the Lock Screen and Home Screen. Now, I push the Camera Control button to launch the camera.

I’m unsure how I feel about using Camera Control for anything besides launching the app and acting as a shutter button. I know many people find the camera controls fiddly, and I think it takes some getting used to, but I question how much I want to control with the button. It feels easier to do most of the stuff on the screen. I think I’ll need to use the button more to get a better option about it.

The Action Button hasn’t hit for me. I’m not sure what to do with it. It’s nice to have a button that I can program, but I’m not sure what I want it to do. I haven’t yet sat down to make a shortcut that can do all sorts of things. It simply sets a focus mode I created to keep my kid’s music from destroying my recommendations. Half the time, I forget to activate it, though.

Plus, my recommendations aren’t that great to begin with.

Future Proofing

Until this model, it seemed like Apple installed an older processor in the iPhone line. In the past, that would mean I’d get an inferior processor compared to whatever Pro came simultaneously.

This year, though, not much separates the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro. On paper, Apple claims the 16 has one less graphics core than the Pros, but it doesn’t say anything about speeds. The Pro might have a slightly faster processor, but you’d be hard-pressed to notice. My iPhone 16 Plus has handled everything I’ve thrown at it quickly.

It also has enough memory to run Apple Intelligence when it launches. This will help future-proof this model longer than previous iPhone models. Currently, only three phones can run Apple Intelligence: the iPhone 15 Pros, iPhone 16s, and iPhone 16 Pros. Apple will want to continue to add these Artificial Intelligence features to the phones, and it won’t be good if they continue to make those features limited by hardware. No one will want to update their phone every year to get new AI features they might not even need.

Apple had to build these phones to be more powerful and deliver Apple Intelligence, whether that’s good or not. The extra processing power needed for Apple’s AI will do nothing but help the baseline phone. It feels fast and fluid to use and should make the device feel that way for a few years.

Battery Life

My previous phone’s battery was worn down. By the time I traded it in, the battery health had worn down to eighty-four percent. I felt lucky to make it to the afternoon without charging, especially when testing the iOS 18 beta.

But my iPhone 16 Plus battery feels so much better right now. Not only can I make it through an entire day without charging, but I usually have so much battery left over.

But this is a new phone and a new battery. I’m curious to see how it goes over the next few years (I’m hopeful I can resist the urge to upgrade every year). As I’m waiting for the iPhone 18 or 19, will I need to charge it before the afternoon?

With that said, I know the iPhone 16 brings faster charging to the game, but I haven’t needed it yet. I’m kind of scared of faster charging because I don’t know how it affects the battery’s longevity. So, for now, I’m trying to avoid charging except overnight.

Fun Colors for the First Time on my iPhone

I love having a color on my iPhone. It’s made me want to go without a case, but I know that that isn’t the best idea with two kids at home. So, for now, I’m rocking a clear Apple case.

I love the lighter weight of this phone. Of course, the iPhone 16 Pro Max was lighter than my iPhone 14 Pro Max, but this feels even better. What’s the point of having titanium once the phone is wrapped in a case, as most people do? It seems like just something to throw in to make it more expensive.

Plus, the titanium colors are always so boring. Of course, I did love my Sierra blue iPhone 13 Pro (which I know was made out of stainless steel), but nothing has been as fun since then.

I Was Never Pro

Maybe I was never a Pro iPhone user.

I always chose the largest phone I could. I also always went with the most exciting tech that came out, and that was usually in the Pro version. And I’m not the only one. Apple pundit Federico Viticci had the same feeling as I did.

Now, though, with the maturity of smartphones in general, I know I’m not a Pro. I’m okay getting a base-model iPhone now. It does everything I need and is cheaper than the Pro model. Plus, having an iPhone that’s not a shade of grey provides a bit of whimsy.

If you are thinking of leaving the Pro line and getting a regular iPhone, I recommend trying it. You have two weeks to return it if you don’t like it, and it doesn’t seem like iPhones are as scarce this year.

I’m so happy with my Ultramarine iPhone 16 Plus so far. I’m not sure what it would take to get me to upgrade back to the pro line, but I’d like to see what Apple has in store for the future. For now, I will keep rocking my blue iPhone and enjoy the money I’ve saved.

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