iPhone 17
Phone (3)
🏆 Verdict
Phone (3) is the better pick overall by 9.9 points, leading in Battery, Camera and Charging. iPhone 17 remains a strong contender elsewhere.
By category
Performance
iPhone 17 is faster with the Apple A19 (performance index 90 vs 86). You notice it in heavy games and video editing, less in daily use. Phone (3) has more RAM (16 GB vs 8 GB), which helps multitasking.
Camera
Phone (3)'s main camera is 50 MP vs 48 MP. More pixels help cropping and digital zoom, but final quality depends on sensor size and processing. Only Phone (3) has an optical 3× telephoto; the other relies on digital zoom. Phone (3) has the higher-resolution selfie camera (50 MP vs 18 MP).
Battery
Phone (3)'s battery is 1,458 mAh larger (5,150 vs 3,692 mAh), about 39% more. Real battery life also depends on chip and display efficiency.
Charging
Phone (3) charges faster over cable (65W vs 40W). Wireless charging is faster on iPhone 17 (25W vs 15W).
Display
Phone (3) has the larger screen (6.67" vs 6.3"). Phone (3)'s screen gets brighter (4,500 vs 3,000 nits), which shows outdoors.
Build & durability
iPhone 17 is 41 g lighter.
Updates
iPhone 17 should get OS updates for longer (6 vs 3 years, per the maker's policy at launch).
Specifications
| iPhone 17 | Phone (3) | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple A19 | Chipset | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
| 8 GB | RAM | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| 256 GB / 512 GB | Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB |
| 6.3" LTPO OLED | Display | 6.67" LTPO AMOLED |
| 120 Hz | Refresh rate | 120 Hz |
| 2622×1206 (458 ppi) | Resolution | 2800×1260 (460 ppi) |
| 3,000 nits | Peak brightness | 4,500 nits |
| 48 MP | Main camera | 50 MP |
| 48 MP | Ultrawide | 50 MP |
| None | Telephoto | 50 MP · 3× |
| 18 MP | Front camera | 50 MP |
| 3,692 mAh | Battery | 5,150 mAh |
| 40 W | Wired charging | 65 W |
| 25 W | Wireless charging | 15 W |
| IP68 | Water & dust rating | IP68 |
| aluminium | Frame | aluminium |
| 177 g | Weight | 218 g |
| 6 years | OS updates (estimated) | 3 years |
| $799 | Launch price | $799 |
| 2025-09 | Released | 2025-07 |
iPhone 17
Pros
- Light at 177 g
- 6 years of updates
Cons
- No optical telephoto
- Smaller battery
- Slower charging (40W)
- Dimmer screen
Phone (3)
Pros
- 16 GB RAM
- 3× optical zoom
- 5,150 mAh battery
- 65W charging
- 4,500 nits peak
Cons
- Heavier (218 g)
- Shorter update window
How is the score calculated?
Each phone gets 0–100 points in seven categories (performance, camera, battery, charging, display, build, updates), computed only from its published specs, then combined with fixed, published weights. A gap under 2.5 points counts as a tie. The performance index is an estimate based on benchmark results published at launch.
Figures come from the manufacturers’ official pages. Some specs vary by market. We do not sell devices or earn commissions.