Buy an iPhone 17 on iD Mobile with 100GB data for £37.99/month and £99 upfront
Apple’s shake-up of the iPhone range in 2025 – mainly introducing the Air and a big redesign for the Pros – means choosing isn’t as simple as the last few years.
The ultra-thin Air won’t suit most people’s needs, and the Pro design is more controversial. Plus, those three iPhones are expensive. This year, the humble entry-level iPhone 17 is the best model for the vast majority of people.
It offers the best value of this year’s range as the most broadly appealing design and set of features. As usual, owners of the last model – or perhaps even a 15 – won’t feel the need to upgrade, but if you’re coming from an iPhone 14 or earlier, the jump is huge.
It’s an all-rounder with a great screen, compact design, smooth performance, respectable battery life (now with faster charging with the right adapter), point-and-shoot cameras and twice the starting storage compared to last year – for the same price.
Sure, it’s not perfect as Apple Intelligence is only starting to meet expectations, and some features are exclusive to Pro models. The Camera Control button also needs work.
But the iPhone 17 can easily be your reliable daily driver for years to come, making it very easy to recommend.
Who should buy the iPhone 17?
You want the best value iPhone from the current flagship generation, which also happens to be the most affordable.
iPhone 17: Further considerations
Similar-priced Android rivals have features such as telephoto cameras and better AI. Anyone shopping on a tighter budget may be better served by the iPhone 17e, but that comes with some pretty significant downsides.
