iPhone 17 No love for the base model?

[svish]

The base 17 is a great iPhone especially with all the changes like always on, double the storage, better camera, slightly bigger screen, ProMotion. Can definitely recommend getting one. My mom just got one. Colors could have been better but the Sage is ok.

 

[mitya]

The base 17 is a great iPhone especially with all the changes like always on, double the storage, better camera, slightly bigger screen, ProMotion. Can definitely recommend getting one. My mom just got one. Colors could have been better but the Sage is ok.


View attachment 2573322

View attachment 2573323

I think the base model is great value. I was out of the iPhone world since my 3G, 5 and then briefly an XR so it's a stellar upgrade for me.

I have the Sage too, but opted for the rugged Beats magsafe case in orange. Love it <3

 

[Andeddu]

I bought a 17 Pro, but I love the base model because it offers great value for money and makes all other iPhones seem overpriced.

The 17 base model has 256GB of storage, ProMotion, and the A19 chipset, which makes it slightly faster than the 16 Pro. I seriously considered the base model, but I ultimately chose the flagship model because I plan to keep it as my daily driver for over five years.

 

[svish]

I think the base model is great value. I was out of the iPhone world since my 3G, 5 and then briefly an XR so it's a stellar upgrade for me.

I have the Sage too, but opted for the rugged Beats magsafe case in orange. Love it <3View attachment 2573334

Love the orange color. Have an Orange 17 Pro Max. Upgrading from a XR will be huge. No notch too. However for all my phones I prefer to have clear case to see the actual color of the device.

I bought a 17 Pro, but I love the base model because it offers great value for money and makes all other iPhones seem overpriced.

The 17 base model has 256GB of storage, ProMotion, and the A19 chipset, which makes it slightly faster than the 16 Pro. I seriously considered the base model, but I ultimately chose the flagship model because I plan to keep it as my daily driver for over five years.

Agree. The base 17 is a fantastic iPhone. The only reason I would recommend to go Pro would be for either the bigger screen(of the Pro Max) and/or the telephoto lens (of both Pro and Pro Max). For me I had to have the telephoto lens and prefer the larger screen, so got the Orange 17 Pro Max.

 

[bbates123]

I've just ordered a 256GB Black 17, it's the first iPhone that's compelled me to upgrade from my current 13 Mini. I would have preferred a slightly smaller size, but the always-on display, USB C, 120hz and much improved front and rear cameras were enough to convince me. My 13 Mini actually still runs just fine, no lag on iOS 26, but at 79% health the battery no longer lasts anywhere near a full day.

$90 might be worth it to send it in for a battery replacement.

 

[bbates123]

Go to a few Apple Stores and you'd be surprised how other people actually see the Air.

I've seen people chatting with their friends:

• "This is like half an iPhone with one camera."
• "I read online it has the worse battery life."
• "It looks kinda boring. Why is it $999?"

You seem to have a real agenda against the Air and I'm trying to figure out what that is about. Everything I see you post is negative regarding the Air. It's like you can't even agree that while it may not be for everybody it's for a sizable contingent of users who appreciate size/weight and form. Be happy that there are choices! It's really a wonderful phone, you should get one so you can speak from firsthand vs anecdotal experience.

 

[bbates123]

No, it doesn’t. Apple claims the same 30 hours for physical SIM iPhone 17 compared to 27 hours for Air.

Most importantly, it’s hard to convince actual buyers otherwise - that a thin phone can last as long as a regular one - like trying to convince people a small car is as safe as a truck. It’s an uphill battle.

Again with your strange anti-Air agenda. Youtube battery tests have shown that the Air is on par with the base 17. My own experience is that the Air's battery is at least as good as my 16 Pro.

 

[rui no onna]

Again with your strange anti-Air agenda. Youtube battery tests have shown that the Air is on par with the base 17. My own experience is that the Air's battery is at least as good as my 16 Pro.

I returned the Air (too big for me) and just received my base 17. Battery life seems better than the Air but not by much. Like 5% difference by the end of the day on average.

With that said, I'm considering going back to the Air and maybe just using a loop grip to help with one-hand use. The 17 seems to have worse reception than the Air.

In the same location and carrier (granted at different times), with 1 bar on the Air, I still get usable internet. Meanwhile, with 1 bar on the 17, even something like MacRumors wouldn't load.

 

[JPack]

Again with your strange anti-Air agenda. Youtube battery tests have shown that the Air is on par with the base 17. My own experience is that the Air's battery is at least as good as my 16 Pro.

Maybe you should tell Apple to update their battery life claims.

You seem to have a real agenda against the Air and I'm trying to figure out what that is about. Everything I see you post is negative regarding the Air. It's like you can't even agree that while it may not be for everybody it's for a sizable contingent of users who appreciate size/weight and form. Be happy that there are choices! It's really a wonderful phone, you should get one so you can speak from firsthand vs anecdotal experience.

You don't need rack your brain trying "figure out" anything out. I'm posting an opinion, just like you are. Just because you don't agree with me doesn't mean I have an "agenda."

 

[bbates123]

You don't need rack your brain trying "figure out" anything out. I'm posting an opinion, just like you are. Just because you don't agree with me doesn't mean I have an "agenda."

Apple's own published battery life claims don't show much of a difference between the base 17 and the Air, and they show the same battery life as the 16 Pro, which again, was not being criticized for poor battery life a few months ago. But you constantly criticize the Air for poor battery life. It is simply not the case. If you need the best battery life and you need the extra cameras and you need the stereo speakers and you don't care about the weight I get it, I understand that the Air isn't for everybody. It's just that you criticize the Air constantly like you think it's crazy or fringy that anybody would want to make any compromises to get this phone. I just wish you would acknowledge that for some people, and maybe many people, the Air is a really great option. A lot of people value the Air for reasons that aren't important to you.

 

[bbates123]

I returned the Air (too big for me) and just received my base 17. Battery life seems better than the Air but not by much. Like 5% difference by the end of the day on average.

With that said, I'm considering going back to the Air and maybe just using a loop grip to help with one-hand use. The 17 seems to have worse reception than the Air.

In the same location and carrier (granted at different times), with 1 bar on the Air, I still get usable internet. Meanwhile, with 1 bar on the 17, even something like MacRumors wouldn't load.

I find that the Air's cellular connectivity and download speeds are much better than my 16 Pro and I live in a low coverage area. So I think we're seeing that in poor coverage the C1X does better than the Qualcomm modems in the base and Pro phones. I'm seeing the same thing with my Watch Ultra 3 vs Ultra 2. I will never get anywhere near mmWave so it's a win for me.

 

[Isamilis]

Why isn't there much discussion about the base model?

Because there's nothing to complain about!

Some Air users are busy doing mental gymnastics explaining why a $999 phone doesn't need a second camera, speakers, or better battery life. Some Pro/Max users are busy learning why a caseless phone can get scratched up.

Base model users are just enjoying their devices. They're mainstream users and it meets all their expectations, especially at $799.

It's been over a month and the 17 is still consistently sold out in many countries around the world. In China, it's actually priced at US$749 and it remains completely out of stock, regardless of color, storage, or store location.

View attachment 2572600

Very true.

 

[FeliApple]

Apple's own published battery life claims don't show much of a difference between the base 17 and the Air, and they show the same battery life as the 16 Pro, which again, was not being criticized for poor battery life a few months ago. But you constantly criticize the Air for poor battery life. It is simply not the case. If you need the best battery life and you need the extra cameras and you need the stereo speakers and you don't care about the weight I get it, I understand that the Air isn't for everybody. It's just that you criticize the Air constantly like you think it's crazy or fringy that anybody would want to make any compromises to get this phone. I just wish you would acknowledge that for some people, and maybe many people, the Air is a really great option. A lot of people value the Air for reasons that aren't important to you.

Published claims are through extremely optimised video playback tests.

According to those claims, the Air has the same battery life as my 16 Plus on iOS 18. Yeah. Very funny. It’s nowhere close.

Real-world tests show it is significantly worse, it’s similar to the base 16 and 17.

According to many tests online I’ve seen, I’ve estimated the Air’s actual battery life claim to be around 19.71 hours of SOT. 22 for the base 16 and 17, 27 for the 16 Plus, 33 for the Pro Max, etc.

 

[whizkid11]

After 5 1/2 weeks, I finally received my iPhone 17. This is an upgrade from the iPhone 12 Pro. I’ve been purposely holding off because the camera footprint has been atrociously large ever since the 13 pro and the base models have not been on par in other aspects with their respective pro models. However, the 17 nearly hits all the buttons, including the 120 Hz OLED screen upgrade which is huge. Best part is no huge camera footprint, although I am a little bit bummed that even with the Apple Silicone case, the phone does not lie flat like the iPhone 12 Pro did.

Also, the phone has a premium feel and the little extra screen real estate makes a difference. It doesn’t feel any heavier or bulkier than the iPhone 12 Pro.

Great phone overall!

 

[petershaw_]

as of today i switched my 15pro for a base 17 and couldn’t be happier!

-6,3 seems like little difference but you notice it. absolute sweet spot!
- really light with 177g
- and the best it doesn’t run constantly hot like my 15pro did
- battery is faaaar better than 15pro

 

[rjw1678]

Two weeks ago I got my 17, I upgraded from a Xs Max. Activation and setup was quick and easy on the 17. I really liked the 17 from the first time I used it and after 2 weeks I like the 17 even more.

 

[snipr125]

I returned the Air (too big for me) and just received my base 17. Battery life seems better than the Air but not by much. Like 5% difference by the end of the day on average.

With that said, I'm considering going back to the Air and maybe just using a loop grip to help with one-hand use. The 17 seems to have worse reception than the Air.

In the same location and carrier (granted at different times), with 1 bar on the Air, I still get usable internet. Meanwhile, with 1 bar on the 17, even something like MacRumors wouldn't load.

So how have you dealt with the PWM on these phones? I remember you had issues before. Has the PWM toggle helped at all?

 

[rui no onna]

So how have you dealt with the PWM on these phones? I remember you had issues before. Has the PWM toggle helped at all?

It's extended use that causes me issues. I only use the phones for short bursts and use an iPad mini 90% of the time.

 

[Kaelbron]

I have an XS and I'm looking to treat myself to a new one. I felt the 17 Pro Max and 16 PRO Max was too big when I tried it in electronics stores.

I understand that the 17 only has 8GB of RAM, I have an iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM. Will the difference in RAM bother me? I read the 17 Pro and Air- models has 12GB. How much more future-proof should a 17 pro over a base 17 be?

It would be nice to hear from those who have or have experience with both 17 pro and base 17.