The iPhone 17 Pro looks great, but the standard iPhone 17's screen upgrades mean it’s probably all a cinephile needs

The iPhone 17 pictured against a black background. On the screen is a still from a sci-fi show

(Image credit: Apple)

I'm a big fan of Apple's Pro iPhones.

I've owned every Pro model from the last few years, and I think the iPhone 17 Pro looks awesome. If I'm honest, I think Apple had me the moment I saw that new Cosmic Orange finish.

But for me, the really important aspects of a phone are the picture and sound quality. I primarily use my phone for watching movies and listening to music on the go, after all, and I suspect that if you're a regular What Hi-Fi? reader, it's the same for you, too.

That's why, this year, I think the standard iPhone 17 could be the best iPhone to buy, rather than the Pro model.

You see, the iPhone 17's screen is a massive upgrade on the iPhone 16's. It's bigger, for starters, up to 6.3 inches from the previous model's 6.1 inches.

It's finally got a 120Hz refresh rate, too, which might not have much of a bearing on movies, but does make a huge difference to the general fluidity and responsiveness of the display, and I don't think I could live with a phone without 120Hz after living with the Pros that have it.

That refresh rate is variable, too, thanks to Apple's ProMotion tech, which is essentially VRR for phones. Again, not something that matters to movies, but it makes a big difference to games that support it and extends battery life by reducing the refresh rate when all those extra frames aren't needed.

More importantly for movies on the move, though, is that peak brightness has been increased from 2000 nits on the iPhone 16 to 3000 nits.

That's specifically for when you're using the phone outdoors, and it's exactly what you need if you find yourself occasionally watching a TV show or, more regularly in my case, the football or F1 while on the bus or in a pub garden.

The iPhone 17 pictured against a black background. — (Image credit: Apple)

What's most interesting is that, on paper at least, the iPhone 17's display is identical to that of the iPhone 17 Pro. I can't remember the last time the standard iPhone and Pro model had the same display specs.

I'm starting to think, then, that the iPhone 17 could be the sweet spot in the new range if, like me, you're a content consumer rather than a content creator.

There's a big difference in price, after all – £300 between the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro in the UK.

On the other hand, there is an even bigger version of the Pro – the 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max – and you can't beat size when it comes to cinema, even if it is portable cinema.

And have I mentioned that I really like the Cosmic Orange finish?

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Tom Parsons has been writing about TV, AV and hi-fi products (not to mention plenty of other 'gadgets' and even cars) for over 15 years. He began his career as What Hi-Fi?'s Staff Writer and is now the TV and AV Editor. In between, he worked as Reviews Editor and then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his work featured in publications such as T3, The Telegraph and Louder. He's also appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Sky Swipe. In his spare time Tom is a runner and gamer.

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