iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16: 5 Major Differences You Need to Know

Key Points:

• The iPhone 17 features a larger battery, bigger always-on display, and a superior front/rear camera system when compared to the iPhone 16.
• If you need more storage, the iPhone 17 is a better option for its 256GB and 512GB configurations compared to the 128GB offering of the iPhone 16.
• You may want to get an iPhone 16 to save money, as it's available £100 cheaper brand new, and up to £300 cheaper when bought on the used markets.

Deciding on a flagship new handset is an exciting but daunting proposition, particularly when it comes to Apple's lineup. You're presented with a choice, do you go for the latest model with the iPhone 17, or save a little cash and opt for the (still) stellar option from last year? We're going through the five biggest differences between the iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16, so you can make the most of your Talkmobile SIM Only plan in 2026.

As expected, the iPhone 17 is the more powerful of the two leading Apple smartphones in 2026. It's running the new A19 chip, complete with a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, which is significantly faster than the A18 chip inside of the iPhone 16 by 20-30% when directly contrasted against each other. If you need the extra processing power for playing games, running productivity apps, streaming, and editing, then the newer handset might be the best way to go.

If selfies and creating TikToks and YouTube Shorts are a focus for you, then you'll want to know about the iPhone 17's brand new 18MP "Center Stage" front camera. It has a dual capture option, stabilized video, tap to zoom/rotate, and can be used for images as well as video calling/playback. It's a significant improvement over the iPhone 16's (still impressive) 12MP True Depth front camera, however, the latter lacks the quality of life and raw resolution increase of the former here. The new iPhone also features a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, a massive increase from the 12MP Ultra Wide on the previous model.

The promise of iPhones at their inception was to provide a handset that could last all day, and that's true of both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16. However, the iPhone 17 wins out with 3,692 mAH battery, compared to the iPhone 16's 3,561 mAh offering. It may only sound like a difference of 4%, however, optimizations in software mean that the iPhone 17 is rated for around 30 hours of video playback against the iPhone 16's 22 hours. That's a performance difference of 36%. Additionally, the iPhone 17 can quickly charge to 50% in only 20 minutes, reducing the time by a third of the half an hour needed for the same from the iPhone 16.

Previously only a feature of the larger (and more expensive) Pro lineup, the new standard iPhone 17 now comes with an always-on display, which gives you instant access to glanceable information, such as the time, date, and your notifications without the need to wake the screen or reach for any of the buttons. It reduces device wear and provides better functionality while reducing the power draw of continuing waking and locking the display, thanks to an ultra low refresh rate (usually of 1Hz) and lower peak brightness.

Mobile phones are getting larger as more media is consumed portably than ever before. As such, the iPhone 17 measures in at 6.3-inches which is a touch bigger than the 6.1-inches of the standard iPhone 16. It also means a higher overall resolution of 2,622 x 1,206 compared to the iPhone 16's 2,556 x 1,179 pixel count. Across the same 460 ppi and 2 million to 1 contrast ratio, things will be sharper (and larger) on the iPhone 17.

From the five key differences highlighted between the iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16, it's clear that the iPhone 17 is the superior smartphone, but that's only one side of the story. We also need to factor in price and availability into the conversation as well. The iPhone 17 is only available in configurations of either 256GB for £799 or £512GB for £999, which is a pretty penny. In contrast, the older iPhone 16 can be picked up significantly cheaper, with the 128GB variant retailing new from Apple for £699.

That also doesn't account for the various professionally renewed (or wholesale used) iPhone 16s available through retailers and sold by people trying to upgrade to the latest model. In these instances, it's entirely possible to find an iPhone 16 for as low as £499, making the iPhone 16 the better overall value buy. Ultimately, it comes down to if the five big innovations between iPhone generations is worth the extra cash for you to make your choice.