Apple's new iPhone 17 series and thin iPhone Air are now in stores around the world. These new phones replace the iPhone 16 line as the top flagship models. We've tested and reviewed the iPhone Air and the powerful iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max and have added them to our picks for the best iPhone. In fact, the iPhone 17 is our top pick for most people. It packs an incredible amount of features for its price. But between the new iPhone models, the iPhone 16E and older models like the iPhone 16, you have a lot of options when buying a new Apple phone. If you're looking for discounts, we also have a roundup of the best iPhone Air and iPhone 17 line deals .
What's the best iPhone right now?
The best iPhone for most people is the iPhone 17 . It shares many features with Apple's pricier 17 Pro models, but at a lower $829 starting price (or $799 if you activate through a carrier). It supports the newest camera capabilities like Dual Capture and Center Stage, and at long last, it has a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate for smoother scrolling and support for the always-on display.
While it's true that the iPhone 17 shares a striking resemblance to last year's iPhone 16, there are some key updates that help it stand out . Apart from the upgraded refresh rate, the iPhone 17 also boasts a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, along with an anti-reflective display that makes it easier to see the screen outdoors.
The ultrawide camera goes from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 to 48 megapixels on the iPhone 17, and Apple says the iPhone 17 has up to eight hours more of video playback. Indeed, in CNET's three-hour streaming test, the iPhone 17's battery dropped from 100% to 89%, while the iPhone 16 hit 86%.
A Ceramic Shield 2 display offers three times better scratch resistance, according to Apple, so if you're susceptible to etching into your screen, it has a little more protection now. The iPhone 17 starts with a higher 256GB storage option, as opposed to the 128GB starting point on the iPhone 16, meaning you get more space for photos and apps.
Unlike previous iPhone generations, the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models share almost all the same hardware features, apart from the telephoto lens and bigger battery on the latter. While Apple tends to introduce features like the Dynamic Island and Action button on Pro models first, the two ends of the iPhone spectrum now pack all those same hardware functions.
The iPhone 17 also features all the new iOS 26 capabilities, such as Live Translation, Call Screening and the new Liquid Glass interface.
Best iPhones of 2025
iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max
From the first moment I picked up the new $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max and $1,099 17 Pro, I was beguiled by their bold, bright redesign. It's a complete turnaround from the years of Apple's subdued titanium motif. The square camera bump of previous Pro models is now a body-wide bar that Apple calls the "camera plateau." The 17 Pro and Pro Max now come in actual colors -- you won't find one in black or space gray. This phone, especially in cosmic orange, wants you to look at it.
As I tested the new Pro phones, I was consistently impressed: Even after a full day of heavy use, the Pro Max's battery still had 22% or more left. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the best battery life of any phone that CNET has ever tested.
The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have the exact same rear cameras, all with 48-megapixel sensors. You can choose between the trio of lenses (wide-angle, ultrawide and telephoto) to capture photos at 12-, 24- or 48-megapixel resolutions. The telephoto camera has gone from the 16 Pro's 12-megapixel sensor with a 5x lens to a 48-megapixel sensor that's 56% larger with a new 4x telephoto lens. You read that right: The new Pro has a shorter optical zoom than its predecessor. But I find the short 4x zoom better for portraits, and the increase in detail and dynamic range in 4x photos is a big improvement over 5x snaps from the 16 Pro.
There's a new selfie camera on both Pro phones that Apple calls Center Stage. It not only takes 18-megapixel selfies, up from 12 megapixels on the 16 Pro, but you can hold the 17 Pro vertically and take a horizontal selfie thanks to a new square image sensor.
I can't help but contrast the iPhone 17 Pro models to Apple's newest phone. The iPhone Air is thin, light, quiet and graceful -- with a single rear camera, shorter battery life and $100 cheaper starting price. The 17 Pro and Pro Max are bold, loud, aggressive and powerful, and their daring design appeals to me. But features such as its amazing battery life, brighter screen, new selfie camera and iOS 26 are the real reasons to get either.
Why we like it
I appreciate that Apple gave the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max personality. Gone is the minimal design for the sake of simplicity. We have a phone that is more durable, has a longer battery life, and, when running iOS 26, comes with a number of significant quality-of-life improvements, like live translations for calls, texts and FaceTime.
Who it's best for
The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max would be an excellent upgrade for someone coming from an iPhone 14 Pro or older. You get a bigger battery, a better screen, faster charging, newer cameras and a speedier processor that can handle graphics-intensive games and Apple Intelligence.
Who shouldn't get it
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you don't need these new phones unless battery capacity on your current phone is low -- and even then, it'd be cheaper to simply have your battery swapped out. And unless you have a gracious disposable income, iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max owners can sit this one out.
Read our iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max review .
Recent updates
In September 2025, we added the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max to this list. The new Pro phones replace the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
Factors to consider when buying a new iPhone
Hold the iPhone first: You may love or hate the way it looks and feels in person.
Don't discount the last year's model: Apple has a history of keeping recent iPhone models from previous years around at a lower price. You can get a great phone that does almost everything that a new iPhone can do for a fraction of the price. The iPhone 16 packs a great camera and a big battery, but comes at a more reasonable price.
Buy an iPhone case and screen protector: You'll protect your iPhone from costly damage and will increase the phone's resale or trade-in value when you're ready to move on.
Know what you care about most:Is it screen size? Camera quality? Battery life? Phones like the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, for example, pack incredible cameras that almost rival the quality you'd get from a DSLR . If you're a photographer, then spending money here is a good idea.
Seek out holiday discounts:Look for deep discounts and promo deals around major holidays, especially Amazon's Prime Day and Cyber Monday. And find out what your grace period is in case you need a quick return or exchange.
How we test iPhone models
We test every iPhone in real-world scenarios focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in an initial review that is periodically updated when there are new iOS updates or to compare against new phones from competitors like Samsung, Google and OnePlus.
Photography
Photography is a major focus for the iPhone, so we take pictures and videos of various subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We try out any new camera modes, such as 4K 120fps slow-mo video that debuted with the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.
Battery life
Battery testing is conducted in a variety of ways. We assess how long the iPhone lasts during a typical day of use, and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test and a 45-minute drain test starting with a full battery, which isn't always included in the initial review and added later in an update.
Performance measuring
We use benchmarking apps to measure the performance, alongside our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. Of particular note are how graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Or do they lag or stutter? We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.
Emergency SOS might be one of the most important features to come out on any phone this year.
We perform processor-heavy tasks like editing photos and videos, exporting videos and playing games. We evaluate whether a newer version of the iPhone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models. Some of these tests are added later in updates after the initial review is published.
Read more: How CNET Tests Phones
Other iPhones we tested
While Apple doesn't sell the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro , you can still find it at carriers and third-party retailers. The 15 Pro has a 6.1-inch adaptive-refresh rate screen that adjusts between 1-120Hz depending on what's on the screen. It has excellent cameras, a fast processor, an always-on display, supports iOS 18 and safety features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite. Driving all these upgrades is Apple's A17 Pro chip which in use feels peppy. The iPhone 15 Pro is still an excellent phone in 2025. Check out our iPhone 15 Pro review .
Key terms
eSIM
An eSIM takes all of the important information about your phone account -- including its number, wireless carrier and subscription -- and stores it in software instead of on a physical SIM card.
Since the iPhone 14 series, Apple no longer includes a physical SIM card tray and embraced embedded SIM cards in the US. This means you can't just pluck your SIM card out of your current phone and put it into a new one. But this shouldn't affect your experience since all the major US carriers and a number of smaller operators work with eSIM .
Apple has long supported eSIM, dating back to 2018's iPhone XS , XS Max and XR . When setting up a new iPhone 14, 15 or 16, tthe device will guide you through transferring your current provider over to the new phone. A list of supported wireless networks can be found on Apple's website .
iOS 26
Apple's iOS 26 animations have seemingly comic book character abilities. Every time I unlock my phone, the apps delightfully assemble on the home screen like the five lion robots uniting together to become Voltron. The lock screen clock extends around my chosen photo like Mr. Fantastic. The control center pulls down as if I were stretching a piece of taffy.
The unified look of the Liquid Glass interface across apps, the Home Screen and lock screen give the iPhone a contemporary, slick and shiny, plastic candy feel. For all the beauty Liquid Glass adds, though, some of the warmth of previous iOS versions is gone.
There are small but significant gems buried in iOS 26's design, including the ability to add a background image to group chats in Messages or use the new Hold Assist tool for phone calls.
iPhone FAQs
When is the best time of year to buy a new iPhone?
Typically you will find the best deals on iPhones the month after new models launch. That means with the iPhone 17 launch in September, the best discounts and trade-in deals will be from early-September to early-October.
iPhone or Android?
In the early days of smartphones the iPhone vs. Android rivalry was at it peak. But in 2025, the difference between Android and iOS has shrunk quite a bit. Nearly everything you can do on an iPhone, you can do on an Android phone and vice versa. If you are trying to decide between buying an iPhone or Android phones, first start by seeing what phones your family and closest friends use. For example, if your family is on iPhone and uses services like iMessage and FaceTime, then it makes sense to shop for an iPhone.
Should I wait for the new iPhone model (iPhone 17)?
The iPhone 17 is now out, so there's no need to wait.
How reliable is an iPhone?
Apple has been selling iPhones since 2007. The current lineup was released in September 2025 and all have a dust and water resistance rating of IP68, which means they can survive being submerged under 6 meters of water (about 20 feet) for 30 minutes. The screens are covered in Apple's Ceramic Shield 2 which is a glass-ceramic material created by Corning, in collaboration with Apple, and consists of nano-ceramic crystals embedded in the glass matrix. It's highly transparent, and according to Corning, the tough structure formed by the crystals means it's less likely to break.
How long does an iPhone last?
One way to measure how long an iPhone will last is to look at the software and security support Apple offers for older models. iOS 26 can run on Apple phones as old as 2019's iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. That's roughly six years of software support. Compare that to Samsung, which offers seven years of Android version upgrades and security updates. But software is only half the equation. The other part is hardware and durability. Every iPhone Apple sells has an IP rating for dust and water resistance. Newer models also have Ceramic Shield, a glass-ceramic hybrid, that covers the display and is very durable.
What to look forward to in 2025
Apple's just debuted iPhone 17 line features plenty of new changes, with the thin iPhone Air stealing the spotlight. Many of the best new iPhone features are heading to the entire line of 2025 iPhone models, including an 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera that allows for horizontal and vertical selfies without needing to rotate the phone. We don't expect Apple to release any new iPhones until 2026.
