iPhone 17: 100 Days Later Review
A Refined Flagship That Pushes Display, Performance, and Camera Excellence
After spending over 100 days with the iPhone 17 as a daily driver, it’s clear that Apple’s latest flagship focuses on refinement rather than radical redesign. From its upgraded Super Retina XDR display and powerful A19 chipset to major camera improvements and next-generation connectivity, the iPhone 17 delivers a premium experience that feels both familiar and forward-looking. Here is our detailed long-term review based on real-world usage.
Display
The iPhone 17 features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion, offering fluid animations and exceptional responsiveness. Peak brightness reaches up to 3000 nits, making outdoor visibility significantly better than the iPhone 16.
Apple has also introduced an improved anti-reflective coating, which noticeably reduces glare. The Dynamic Island remains a central design element, while Ceramic Shield 2 enhances drop protection and overall durability.
Design and Build Quality
Design quality is one of the strongest aspects of the iPhone 17. The phone feels solid and premium in hand, with excellent weight distribution. Drop protection has improved, and after extended use, the device shows impressive resistance to minor scratches and impacts.
It carries an IP68 rating, ensuring protection against dust and water, and continues to use a USB 2.0 port for wired connectivity.
Performance
Powered by the A19 chipset (3nm process), the iPhone 17 delivers top-tier performance. The 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU handle demanding tasks and high-end gaming effortlessly. Long gaming sessions remain smooth with stable frame rates and efficient thermal management. Performance gains over the iPhone 16 are noticeable, especially in graphics-intensive applications.
Battery and Charging
The device packs a 3693mAh battery, delivering:
- Up to 30 hours of video playback
- Reliable 1 to 1.5 days of real-world usage
Charging capabilities have been improved with support for:
- Up to 40W wired charging
- 25W Qi2 wireless charging
Battery efficiency is well-optimized, thanks to the A19 chip and iOS 26.
Software Experience
Running on iOS 26, the iPhone 17 offers a visually refined and feature-rich interface. The new design elements feel modern and elegant, and Apple has introduced AI-based features across system apps.
However, after 100 days, some stability issues remain, with occasional bugs and minor inconsistencies. While the software is beautiful and powerful, it still needs optimization through future updates.
Camera System
The camera setup is one of the most impressive upgrades on the iPhone 17:
- 50MP Sony LYT-808 Main Camera (1/1.4")
- 50MP Sony LYT-600 3x Telephoto (1/1.95")
- 50MP Ultra-Wide Samsung JN5 (1/2.76")
- 48MP main and 48MP ultra-wide processing modes
- 18MP front camera
Portrait photography is outstanding, with excellent subject separation, natural skin tones, and refined edge detection. Low-light performance has improved, and image consistency across lenses is better than previous generations.
Connectivity
The iPhone 17 is future-ready with a comprehensive set of connectivity options:
- Physical SIM + eSIM support
- 23 global 5G bands
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth 6
- NFC
- Second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB)
Call quality, data speeds, and wireless performance remain consistently strong.
Audio Quality
Speaker quality is excellent, delivering loud, clear, and balanced sound. Stereo separation has improved slightly over the iPhone 16, making media consumption and gaming more immersive.
Official regional pricing varies, and final retail pricing depends on storage configuration and market. When converted to US dollars, the iPhone 17 remains positioned firmly in the premium flagship segment, consistent with Apple’s pricing strategy.
After 100 days of use, the iPhone 17 proves to be a polished and powerful smartphone. While it doesn’t radically redefine the iPhone experience, it excels in display quality, camera performance, battery efficiency, and connectivity. iOS 26 still needs stability improvements, but the overall experience is premium and future-proof.
If you’re upgrading from an older iPhone generation, the iPhone 17 is a strong and reliable choice that delivers refinement where it matters most.
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