The iPhone 17 is finally here (the base model) and probably the one most people will actually buy. Honestly, Apple did something this year that actually feels worth noticing.
iPhone 17 Unboxing : Minimal, as Usual
Opening it up, the first thing you notice is that there’s… not much to notice. Apple has stripped the box down to the basics. You get the phone, a cable, and that’s it. No charger, no extras. By now I’m not even sure why Apple bothers. Most people probably already have a drawer full of chargers, and the cable alone isn’t exciting.
iPhone 17 Design: Familiar, But With a Few Surprises
The iPhone 17 looks a lot like the iPhone 16. It’s just a bit bigger, the bezels are thinner, and the display stretches a little more. You probably won’t notice it at first glance, but it does feel more modern in the hand.
What you will notice are the colors. This year we get Lavender, Mist Blue, and Sage, the one I’m holding, plus the usual black and white. Last year’s loud Ultramarine and Pink are gone. The new palette feels calmer, more mature, and I actually like it. It’s subtle but gives the phone a different vibe.
iPhone 17 Display and Performance: Finally Catching Up
The real improvements start when you turn it on. The iPhone 17 finally gets a 120Hz display, which makes scrolling and animations feel buttery smooth. The screen is brighter too, hitting 3000 nits peak brightness, and now supports DC dimming and an always-on display. For anyone who’s been stuck with 60Hz, this finally feels like a proper upgrade.
Inside is the A19 chip, which Apple says is up to 40% faster in CPU and 80% faster in GPU than the A16. In practice, apps open faster, games run smoother, and there’s no lag. It’s not the full Pro chip, but honestly, it feels fast enough for almost everyone.
iPhone 17 Cameras: Actually, Worth Talking About
The iPhone 17 also finally steps up on cameras. There’s a Dual Fusion system with 48MP main and ultra-wide sensors, so wide shots and macros look much sharper.
The front camera is upgraded too, with an 18MP Center Stage sensor that tracks people and automatically expands the frame when more faces appear. And there’s Dual Capture, letting you record video from both front and rear cameras at once. It’s a small feature but really fun for vloggers or anyone who likes experimenting with video.
iPhone 17 Battery, Charging, Storage and Price
Battery life is slightly better thanks to a bigger battery and the efficiency improvements of the A19 chip. Charging is faster, wired and wireless.
Storage has changed too. Apple finally ditched the 128GB model. The iPhone 17 now starts at 256GB, with 512GB as the only higher option. Not a huge change, but it’s nice to see more room as standard. The iPhone 17 now starts at 256GB for Rs 82,900, with 512GB for Rs 1,02,900
Bottom line:
This isn’t a flashy iPhone. You won’t mistake it for an iPhone 17 Pro. But for the base model, it finally feels like Apple cared about the little things — smooth display, better cameras, longer battery, more storage. If you’ve been sitting on an older iPhone, this is one you could actually get excited about.
