Which iPhone 17 model should you buy?

Currently for Apple harvest iPhones, things are very different for the first time after a while. The base iPhone 17 still feels familiar, but the iPhone 17 Pro models have a completely new look, and there is a new model called the iPhone Air. The “Air” brand has been somewhat diluted in recent times—the current generation iPad Pro models are lighter than the iPad Air—but the iPhone Air brings the meaning back to the original idea: a very thin and very light device. To top it all off the iPhone 17e budget.

The new phones are officially on sale. If you’re thinking of upgrading, which iPhone 17 model should you get? I’ll break down the key differences and similarities between the iPhone 17 lineup, so you can make an informed choice. Don’t forget, these aren’t the only iPhones Apple sells—read our guide to the best iPhones for all your options. Also check out our Best Cases for iPhone 17 guide for ways to keep your new handset in pristine condition.

Updated March 2026: Added iPhone 17e.

You do not need to Upgrade

If you have an iPhone from a few years ago, you probably don’t need to upgrade to Apple’s latest, unless your device has issues. However, there are things you can do to fix your iPhone, such as getting a battery replacement, or you can try some of these troubleshooting steps. The point is, you shouldn’t feel the need to upgrade just because Apple has a new model.

If you are serious about buying an iPhone 17 model, we have a guide on how to sell your iPhone so it doesn’t end up gathering dust in the closet. When your new device arrives, back up your old iPhone before switching to the new one, then follow our guide to factory reset your device before selling or giving it away. We also have tips on how to set up your new iPhone and what settings you can change to get the most out of it.

Which iPhone 17 is right for you?

Let’s quickly talk about the similarity in all iPhone 17 models this year, and yes, that includes the iPhone Air, even if it does not have “17” in the name.

Display

Although iPhones vary in screen size, they all feature an OLED screen (Apple refers to it as a Super Retina XDR display). All of these devices, except the iPhone 17e, use ProMotion technology. This is the first time that non-Pro models have ProMotion, which is a 120-Hz refresh rate.

The high refresh rate has been a common feature on Android phones for a while, but it means your display refreshes 120 times per second rather than 60, like on the iPhone 16, so everything you do will feel smooth. (We have a more detailed explanation here.) These variable refresh rates can drop to 1 Hz when there is little activity on the screen, which is why the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air now support an always-on display. That means, yes, the iPhone 17e this is not the case have an always-on display.

Apple also says there is a new Ceramic Shield 2 front glass that is three times more resistant than before, and a new antireflective coating to reduce glare. These screens can also reach 3,000 nits of maximum brightness, which means it will be easy to read your iPhone screen on sunny days, although the iPhone 17e is overshadowed by 1,200 nits to beat that low price.