Head to head
Apple iPhone 17vsApple iPhone 16
The short answer
Choose the iPhone 17 for peak brightness, more base storage and video playback time. The iPhone 16 wins no row by a gap you’d notice. The iPhone 16 is £100 cheaper at UK RRP (£699 against £799). Apple publishes no date for either; its record with retired iPhones points to 2032–2036 for the iPhone 17 and 2031–2035 for the iPhone 16, our estimate, not Apple’s.
- Released
- 2025-09-19endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Price
- £799Apple UK store, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Security updates until
- Not published by the makerendoflife.date — iPhone, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Released
- 2024-09-20endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-19
- Price
- £699Apple UK store, retrieved 2026-08-19
- Security updates until
- Not published by the makerendoflife.date — iPhone, retrieved 2026-08-19
3 wins for iPhone 170 wins for iPhone 163 gaps borderline3 differences you won’t notice£100 apart at RRP
Verdict: iPhone 17 ahead on 3 rows, iPhone 16 on none
On the makers’ published figures, the iPhone 17 wins on peak brightness (3,000 nits against 2,000 nits), storage (base) (256 GB against 128 GB) and claimed video playback (30 h against 22 h). 3 gaps are borderline, differences most people would not notice: display size (6.3 in against 6.1 in) for the iPhone 17, battery per charge (41 h against 37 h) for the iPhone 17 and fast charging (40 W against 20 W) for the iPhone 17. The differences in weight, battery capacity and Geekbench 6 (CPU, multi-core) are below the thresholds you would notice. Both state the same typical brightness, HDR peak brightness, RAM, battery lifespan and wireless charging. The other 35 rows have no threshold or no direction to judge by, so nobody wins them.
True to scale
Outlines from each maker’s published dimensions, drawn to scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.
Specifications
A win is marked only where the figures can be ranked and the gap is one you could notice. A row the site has no threshold for says whether the two differ, and that it is not ranking them. = marks the same figure on both, ≠ not ranked a difference with no ranking. Every figure carries its source.
Body
Display
Platform
Memory
Camera
Battery
Connectivity
Benchmarks
2 attributes neither phone has a sourced figure for
Google Mobile Services · AnTuTu benchmark. Rows appear as sources are cited — a gap in our data, not a statement about either phone.
Questions
Is the iPhone 17 better than the iPhone 16?
On the figures, the iPhone 17 is ahead wherever there is a gap you’d notice: peak brightness, 3,000 nits against 2,000 nits (both Apple UK), storage (base), 256 GB against 128 GB (both Apple UK) and claimed video playback, 30 h against 22 h (both Apple UK). The iPhone 16 wins no row by such a gap. That is a count of rows, not an overall score.
Which has the better battery?
The iPhone 17 is ahead, narrowly: battery per charge, 41 h against 37 h (both EU energy label), a borderline gap most people would not notice. The iPhone 17, by a gap you’d notice: claimed video playback, 30 h against 22 h (both Apple UK). The iPhone 17 is ahead on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: battery capacity, 3,692 mAh against 3,561 mAh (both GSMArena).
Which is lighter?
The iPhone 16 is lighter on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: weight, 170 g against 177 g (both Apple UK).
Which has the brighter screen?
The iPhone 17, by a gap you’d notice: peak brightness, 3,000 nits against 2,000 nits (both Apple UK). Both state 1,000 nits for typical brightness (Apple UK). Both state 1,200 nits for HDR peak brightness (Apple UK).
Which gets updates for longer?
Apple publishes no date for either; its record with retired iPhones points to 2032–2036 for the iPhone 17 and 2031–2035 for the iPhone 16, our estimate, not Apple’s. Sources: Apple’s record from endoflife.date and Apple security releases.
Which is cheaper?
The iPhone 16 is £100 cheaper at UK RRP (£699 against £799). Prices from iPhone 17: Apple UK store; iPhone 16: Apple UK store.
Other comparisons
The pairs a buyer of either phone would also weigh. Any two phones in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.