iPhone 17 Review: Finally 120Hz! The “Pro” Killer We Needed?

Let’s be honest. For the last five years, recommending a “base” iPhone to an Indian user felt like a crime. You were paying ₹80,000 for a 60Hz screen that scrolled slower than a ₹15,000 Redmi. It was embarrassing.

But now, in 2026, Apple has finally stopped the step-motherly treatment. The iPhone 17 is here, and yes—it finally has 120Hz ProMotion.

I have been using the iPhone 17 (Sage Green variant) as my primary device for the last 3 months since its launch in September 2025. With a starting price of ₹79,900, it sits right in the premium segment. But now that the Samsung Galaxy S26 launch is just weeks away, does the iPhone 17 still hold its ground? Let’s find out.

Quick Specs: The “Pro” Features Trickle Down

Feature	iPhone 17 Specifications
Display	6.3″ Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz ProMotion, Always-On
Processor	Apple A19 Bionic (3nm)
RAM/Storage	8GB / 128GB (Base)
Rear Camera	48MP Fusion Main + 48MP Ultra Wide
Front Camera	24MP with Autofocus
Battery	~3,600 mAh (Claimed 30 hrs Video Playback)
Charging	30W Wired (50% in 30 mins) + 25W MagSafe
Build	Aerospace-grade Aluminum + Ceramic Shield 2
Weight	177 grams (Perfectly balanced)

Design & Build: Subtle Tweaks, Major Comfort

If you put the iPhone 16 and 17 side-by-side, you might struggle to tell them apart initially. But pick them up, and the difference is clear.

• Size Bump: The screen has grown from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches. It sounds small, but the bezels are thinner, giving you more screen real estate without making the phone impossible to hold.
• In-Hand Feel: It retains the matte glass back (which doesn’t catch fingerprints, thank God) and the contoured aluminum edges. It feels softer and grippier than the sharp edges of the iPhone 14 era.
• The Action Button: It’s standard now. No more mute switch. I’ve mapped mine to launch Zomato instantly (don’t judge me), but you can set it to Flashlight, Camera, or Focus modes.

Display: Finally, 120Hz Butter!

Read more: Nokia X200 

This is the headline. ProMotion is here.

• The Experience: Scrolling through Instagram, reading articles on Safari, or swiping through UI—everything feels incredibly fluid. If you are coming from an iPhone 13 or 14, this will feel like an upgrade from a Maruti 800 to a Mercedes.
• Brightness: It hits 2000 nits outdoors. I tested this under the harsh Delhi winter sun, and maps were perfectly visible.
• Always-On Display: It’s here too. You can see your notifications and clock without tapping the screen. It does drain about 4-5% extra battery per day, but it looks cool.

Performance: A19 is Overkill (As Usual)

The A19 chip inside the iPhone 17 is a beast.

• Daily Usage: I tried to slow it down. I had 20 Chrome tabs open, was editing a 4K Reel in VN Editor, and had Spotify playing in the background. The phone didn’t even stutter.
• Gaming:
  • BGMI / COD Mobile: Runs at 120 FPS smooth.
  • Genshin Impact: Highest settings, 60 FPS. The phone gets slightly warm near the camera module after 45 minutes, but it doesn’t burn your fingers like the iPhone 15 Pro used to.
  • Ray Tracing: It supports hardware Ray Tracing, making reflections in supported games look console-level.

Camera: The 48MP Ultra-Wide Upgrade

Apple has finally ditched the aging 12MP Ultra-Wide sensor.

1. Main Camera (48MP Fusion):

It defaults to taking 24MP photos (combining pixels for better detail).

• Daylight: Sharp, natural colors. Apple has fixed the “over-sharpening” issue we saw in iPhone 15.
• 2x Crop: Since it’s a high-res sensor, you get a “lossless” 2x zoom that acts like a telephoto lens. Perfect for portraits.

2. Ultra-Wide (48MP – The New Star):

This is a massive jump. Macro shots are now insane. You can get as close as 2cm to a flower or coin, and the detail is razor-sharp. Low-light ultra-wide shots are no longer grainy messes; they are actually usable.

3. Selfie Camera (24MP):

Selfies are sharper, and the autofocus ensures your face is crisp even if you are moving. The skin tones are very “Indian-friendly”—not too white, not too red.

Battery & Charging: The 1.5 Day Champ

Apple claims “All-day battery,” but in my tests, it’s actually better.

• Real World Test: Unplugged at 7 AM. Used navigation for 1 hour, social media for 2 hours, calls, camera usage, and gaming. By 11 PM, I consistently had 20-25% left.
• The Charging Problem: This is my only major complaint. It still charges at 30W max.
  • 0-50%: ~28 Minutes
  • 0-100%: ~75 Minutes
  • Compared to the OnePlus 13 (which charges in 25 mins full), this feels prehistoric.

The Competition: iPhone 17 vs The Android Army

We auto-detected the strongest rivals: Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10.

Feature	iPhone 17	Samsung Galaxy S25	Google Pixel 10
Price	₹79,900	₹65,000 (Current Street Price)	₹72,999
Screen	6.3″ 120Hz OLED	6.2″ 120Hz AMOLED	6.3″ 120Hz Actua
Camera	Winner (Video)	Winner (Zoom – 3x Optical)	Winner (Photos/AI)
Processor	A19 (Fastest)	Snapdragon 8 Gen 4	Tensor G5
Resale Value	High	Drops Fast	Moderate
Verdict	Best All-Rounder	Value King	AI Camera King

• Vs Samsung S25: The S25 gives you a dedicated 3x Telephoto lens which the iPhone 17 lacks. If you zoom a lot at concerts, get the Samsung. But for video and longevity, iPhone wins.
• Vs Pixel 10: The Pixel takes better still photos (especially of pets and kids), but the video quality on iPhone 17 is miles ahead.

Final Verdict: The “Default” Recommendation

The iPhone 17 is the most boringly perfect phone of 2026. It doesn’t have a folding screen or 200MP camera, but everything it does, it does with 10/10 reliability.

With the addition of 120Hz, the biggest reason to buy the “Pro” model is gone. Unless you really need that 5x Zoom lens, save your ₹40,000 and just buy the regular iPhone 17.

Buy it if:

• You held on to your iPhone 11/12/13: This is the massive upgrade you were waiting for.
• You want Resale Value: You can sell this in 2029 for ₹35k easily.
• You shoot videos for Instagram: Nothing beats iPhone video optimization.

Skip it if:

• You need Zoom: The lack of a telephoto lens at ₹80k is still annoying.
• You hate slow charging: 75 minutes to charge in 2026 is painful.
• You want customization: iOS 19 is better, but Android is still king of freedom.

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