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As a present iPhone 14 Professional Max consumer, I nonetheless really feel like my three-year-old iPhone provides me all the pieces I want from a smartphone. Positive, it might nonetheless have a Lightning Port and no assist for Apple Intelligence, however I get round these very minor discomforts by utilizing a MagSafe charger and ChatGPT. Reality be informed, the Apple Intelligence options have not wowed me sufficient to make me fork over $1,000 on a more moderen iPhone.
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However a number of issues, just like the improved digicam array, A19 Professional chip, and upgraded scratch resistance, make me wish to improve to the newer mannequin. Here is how one can resolve if it is time for you.
Specs
| Characteristic | iPhone 17 Professional | iPhone 14 Professional |
| Beginning value | $1,099 | $470 (renewed) |
| Show dimension | 6.3″ | 6.1″ |
| Processor | A19 Professional | A16 Bionic |
| Entrance digicam | 18 MP Middle Stage, Twin Seize, Faucet to zoom and rotate | 12 MP TrueDepth, Faucet to zoom |
| Rear cameras | 48 MP Professional Fusion Most important, 48 MP ultrawide, 48 MP Fusion Telephoto | 48 MP Most important, 12 MP ultrawide, 12 MP telephoto |
| Battery | As much as 33 hours video playback | As much as 23 hours video playback |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Materials | Aluminum unibody | Chrome steel body |
| Finishes | Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver | Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, House Black |
You should purchase the iPhone 17 Professional if…
1. You need the most effective iPhone digicam
The iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max seem like distinctive instruments for content material creators. All three cameras on the iPhone 17 Professional and 17 Professional Max have been upgraded to 48 MP, and the telephoto lens provides as much as 8x optical zoom, which is the longest on an iPhone.
Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: Here are the main differences
Apple additionally refreshed its front-facing digicam to 18 MP and added assist for Middle Stage that will help you mechanically body your selfies. This makes use of AI to increase the sector of view to incorporate extra topics. The selfie digicam’s sensor can be sq. as an alternative of getting a 4:3 facet ratio, letting you are taking selfies in portrait or panorama mode with out turning your telephone.
The brand new digicam system additionally helps Twin Seize, letting you document what Apple calls ultra-stabilized video from each entrance and rear cameras concurrently.
2. You need extra processing energy
The iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max run on the A19 Professional chip, a brand new Apple processor that’s the strongest and environment friendly ever on an iPhone. This processor helps the iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max ship as much as 40% improved efficiency in comparison with the 16 Professional. The 17 Professional’s CPU is as much as 40% sooner than that of the iPhone 14 Professional, whereas the GPU is twice as quick.
Additionally: Every iPhone 17 model compared: Should you buy the base model, Air, Pro, or Max?
Throughout its iPhone 17 launch occasion, Apple put a variety of emphasis on the way it redesigned the smartphone’s inside structure with this newest lineup. This features a new vapor chamber inside the iPhone that has deionized water sealed and laser-welded into the aluminum chassis to dissipate warmth.
Switching from titanium to aluminum for the iPhone 17 Professional can even assist with warmth dissipation, which might improve efficiency. Apple’s redesigned physique provides the 17 Professional and Professional Max a bigger battery, which provides the smartphones an extended battery life. In comparison with the iPhone 14 Professional, the 17 Professional provides as much as 10 extra hours of video playback on a single cost.
3. You need top-of-the-line connectivity
The brand new N1 is the wi-fi networking chip within the iPhone 17 lineup. It helps Wi-Fi 7, an improve from the Wi-Fi 6-compatible iPhone 14 Professional, in addition to Bluetooth 6 and Thread. With the brand new N1 chip, Apple additionally improved the reliability of the Private Hotspot and AirDrop.
You should purchase/keep on with the iPhone 14 Professional if…
1. You do not thoughts lacking out on Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence is not all that. Android units are lapping the iPhone in AI options, so I would not suggest switching to a brand new iPhone solely to entry Apple Intelligence simply but. The AI options generally is a professional on the iPhone 17 Professional’s column, however do not hinge your shopping for resolution on them alone, particularly once they nonetheless depart rather a lot to be desired.
Apple has but to improve Siri to its 2.0 model with generative AI, although the digital assistant can entry ChatGPT as wanted when it feels just like the AI chatbot can higher deal with a request. Nevertheless, there are methods to add shortcuts to ChatGPT, even make it your go-to voice assistant (although it will not deal with sensible residence requests or private accounts, like music apps).
Additionally: How to program your iPhone’s Action Button to summon ChatGPT’s voice assistant
That mentioned, some nice Apple Intelligence options can be found, resembling Reside Translation, Visible Intelligence, Writing Instruments, and extra.
2. You are okay with the Lightning Port
Apple switched its charging ports from its proprietary Lightning Port to USB-C with the iPhone 15 lineup, so the 14 is the final one to characteristic the Lightning Port. USB-C provides the iPhone the comfort of a common charging port as an alternative of creating customers keep on with a walled ecosystem.
3. Saving cash is your precedence
In case your iPhone 14 Professional nonetheless capabilities because it ought to, and even in case you’re principally utilizing it to browse, textual content, and snap fast images, it is also a good suggestion to carry out for a future mannequin. The iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max nonetheless assist the most recent iOS 26 launch and Wi-Fi 6, have a robust 48 MP rear digicam, even when it would not have 8x optical zoom, and have the Dynamic Island.
