For the last few years, the non-Pro iPhone has felt a bit safe. It gets the job done, but the exciting new features were always reserved for the pro models. Well, that changed this time around. With the new iPhone 17, the standard model is finally getting some Pro-level love. And alongside it, Apple dropped a complete surprise: the stunningly, impossibly thin iPhone 17 Slim.
The lack of a 120Hz display on the standard iPhone has been a major letdown, especially when even mid-range Android phones have had it for years. With the iPhone 17, Apple has finally fixed this. The new 6.3-inch display features ProMotion, and the difference is clear. Scrolling, gaming, and just swiping around the OS feel buttery smooth. It’s the single biggest quality-of-life improvement the standard iPhone has seen in a long time.
The camera system also gets a serious boost. Both the main and ultra-wide lenses are now 48MP, which should mean sharper, more detailed photos. But the coolest trick is the new Center Stage front camera. By using a square sensor, it can crop in to create a portrait or landscape selfie without you ever having to awkwardly rotate the phone.
It seems like a small thing, but for a generation that lives on social media, it’s a brilliant, practical innovation. Paired with the new A19 chip, the iPhone 17 feels less like a “base model” and more like a true flagship.
iPhone 17 Slim: A new member of the family
Remember the obsession with thinness? The MacBook Air, the iPad Air, the impossibly slender iPhone 6? It feels like that design ethos is back with the iPhone 17 Slim. At 5.6mm, this phone is breathtakingly thin. It evokes that old “Jony Ive” magic, but with modern materials like a polished titanium frame and Ceramic Shield on both the front and back to (hopefully) avoid a “bendgate” sequel.
You’d expect a phone this thin to be a featherweight in the performance department, but it’s packing the even more powerful A19 Pro chip. This isn’t an “iPhone SE” with a pretty chassis; it’s a Pro-level phone in a supermodel’s body.
To make it happen, Apple made the bold decision to go eSIM-only worldwide. While some may mourn the physical SIM tray, it’s a necessary step to carve out every last millimeter for the battery, which Apple claims will still last all day. The iPhone 17 Slim feels like a statement piece, a device for those who value design and portability above all else.
Starting at $799 for the iPhone 17 and $999 for the Slim (both now starting at 256GB!), this new duo offers a fantastic choice. One is the practical powerhouse we’ve been asking for; the other is the beautiful object of desire we didn’t know we wanted.
