Which iPhone Should You Buy?

If you want Apple’s most budget-friendly option, the iPhone 16e is for you. That model is a refresh of the iPhone SE (2022), which is no longer sold by Apple, with some hardware upgrades.

It has a 6.1-inch display that our testers say is excellent quality, with smooth scrolling and crystal-clear images. Ditching the Home button on the SE, the new model now uses handy face recognition technology (Face ID) to unlock the device and allow you to sign in to apps and approve purchases.

The 16e comes with Apple’s A18 chip, which allows for the extra processing power needed for Apple’s AI features. (All iPhone models currently sold by Apple support Apple Intelligence.) Overall, the performance is excellent, according to our testers, meaning you can expect to tackle nearly any kind of task, including FaceTiming with a friend and navigating using GPS, without much lag.

The 16e has just one 48-megapixel rear camera. That means it’s less versatile than the multilens setups on the other iPhone models, which allow you to take ultrawide shots at 0.5x zoom or use optical zoom for crisper long-range shots. While our testers still rate the 16e’s camera system overall as very good, you may want to look at other models if a premium camera is important to you.

The 16e offers standard USB-C charging, which means no more Lightning cords, and is also compatible with wireless charging. The battery life is 37.5 hours per charge, which is on a par with the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (37 and 36.5, respectively).

If you’re worried about Apple’s budget model being less durable, have no fear: The 16e also aced our scratch-resistance and water-intrusion tests and withstood 100 drops in our tumbler with no significant dents. Check out our hands-on review of the 16e, too.

If you want a reasonably sized iPhone with a great camera, the standard iPhone line is where to look. These models cost $300 less than their Pro counterparts, which offer the most premium features and a triple-rear camera setup. We haven’t tested the newest iPhone 17 model just yet—CR waits to purchase phones in-store, just like you—but the previous-generation iPhone 16 performs very well in our tests where it matters.

The newest iPhone 17 has a larger 6.3-inch OLED display that’s brighter than past generations, Apple says. It offers a dual-rear camera system with a 48-megapixel main rear camera and a 48-megapixel ultrawide. (That’s not quite as versatile as the triple-rear camera system on the Pro models, but it beats the single 48-megapixel camera on the iPhone 16e or new iPhone Air.) You’ll also get an improved 18-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple. (Our experts will analyze the phone’s overall camera performance, for both stills and videos, and report back.)

The iPhone 17 comes equipped with Apple’s A19 chip, which the company says helps facilitate an increasing number of generative Apple Intelligence features. And it comes with a few other modest upgrades, like a smoother 120-hertz refresh rate, 256 gigabytes of starting storage, and a tougher front screen, Apple says.

The iPhone 16 lasts 40.5 hours per charge and receives the highest possible durability score in our ratings, surviving dozens of drops in CR’s tumbler without breaking. We’ll be back soon with test results for the battery life and durability of the new iPhone 17.

If you hate lugging around a heavy device, the iPhone Air might be a great fit. This newly released model—which replaced the Plus model in the iPhone 17 line—has a large 6.5-inch ProMotion display and titanium frame, but it’s the thinnest-ever iPhone, measuring just 5.6 millimeters thick.

The iPhone Air has the more powerful A19 Pro chip and a faster 120-hertz refresh rate for smoother scrolling. Its camera system isn’t as impressive as that on the Pro models—it has only a single 48-megapixel main rear camera—but you do get the improved 18-megapixel front-facing camera now available across the iPhone 17 line. You can also expect all-day battery life, Apple says, but we’ll test both that claim and the full camera system in our labs shortly.

Overall, unless you’re a photography enthusiast or someone who must have the very best battery life possible, one of the iPhone base models (above) or the iPhone Air or Plus is likely to have everything you need in a high-performing smartphone.

Willing to spend a little more for Apple’s latest hardware, but without the jumbo-sized display? The 6.3-inch iPhone 17 Pro has a more powerful A19 Pro chip that will improve performance, Apple claims, including for the increasing number of generative AI features.

Apple claims the 17 Pro’s triple-rear camera system is slightly improved from last year’s. This model has a 48-megapixel main rear camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide, and new 48-megapixel telephoto, as well as a new selfie camera that can more dynamically shift to landscape mode without having to turn the phone. (Our experts will test the 17 Pro’s camera performance in full in our labs, on metrics like resolution, color accuracy, and image noise.)

The 17 Pro has the same 120-hertz high refresh rate (good for gameplay and smoother scrolling) now found on all iPhone 17 models. It also comes with a few other iterative upgrades, like a more crack-resistant ceramic shield on the back of the phone to improve durability.

The older iPhone 16 Pro’s battery life is 36.5 hours—longer-lasting than the iPhone 16, but not as long as the larger iPhone 16 Plus or 16 Pro Max, which are both larger devices. Apple claims the battery life for the 17 Pro can sustain up to 39 hours of video playback, but we’ll put that claim to the test in our labs.

Overall, the 17 Pro looks to be the choice if you want the latest tech on a device you can more comfortably use with one hand. CR’s official test results and a hands-on review of the iPhone 17 Pro will both be available soon.

This is the biggest and best that Apple has to offer. With the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, you get a large 6.9-inch display with a smooth 120-hertz refresh rate, the more powerful A19 Pro chip, and Apple’s most versatile Pro camera system. The 17 Pro Max now also offers a 2-terabyte storage option. The 17 Pro Max has the same triple-rear camera available on the 17 Pro, which includes a 48-megapixel main rear camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a new 48-megapixel telephoto, as well as the improved selfie camera featured across the iPhone 17 line.

Check back soon for the full test results of the 17 Pro Max and a hands-on review (available for CR members).

The table below spotlights the major differences among the phones. (If you’re reading this article on a smartphone, we recommend that you rotate the phone to landscape mode for a better view.)