One Month with the iPhone 17: What Actually Matters

So I’ve had the iPhone 17 for about a month now. I went with the base model in black, nothing flashy, but I really like the look of it. Honestly, I think the standard iPhone looks better than the Pro models this year.

In hindsight, maybe I should’ve gone with the Air, but there’s always the next upgrade cycle. Looking back, I probably didn’t need to upgrade at all. My 15 Pro Max was still working fine, aside from a stubborn charging port. But if I’m being honest, I was tired of carrying around such a big phone. I wanted something smaller, and more importantly, lighter, to tote around every day.

When I saw that the base 17 was finally getting a ProMotion display, that pretty much sealed the deal. I really appreciate a good display. (Now if only Apple would bring that same smoothness to the iPad Air—but that’s a topic for another post.)

I’m glad I went with the base model. For years, I convinced myself I needed the Pro Max for its enhanced zoom because of my low-vision needs. But it turns out, the built-in Magnifier features on the standard phone work just fine for me.

I was a little worried about battery life and the smaller screen, but neither has been an issue. My screen-time app says I average about six hours a day, and I’ve never felt like I was in danger of running out of charge. As for the screen size, accessibility features like larger text and on-screen zoom take care of any challenges easily.

An unexpected benefit of switching to the smaller phone is that I’ve started treating my phone like a phone again. It’s my communication device. I use it for messages, calls, and the occasional scroll, but when it’s time to focus or create, I move to my iPad or laptop. It’s a nice separation that keeps me more grounded and intentional with my time.

My old 15 Pro Max is still sitting in a drawer. I keep telling myself I’ll use it to film something for YouTube one of these days. You never know.