iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro: Is it time to upgrade? Most likely!
Intro
We're pretty excited about the upcoming iPhone 17 series, as it's shaping up to be one full of changes. From the new design to upgraded charging speeds and a new telephoto camera, there are pretty compelling reasons to upgrade.
And speaking about upgrading, if you're in the iPhone 14 Pro camp, you're probably wondering how these two stack up against each other. Today we're going to explore just that and see what the reasons are to wait for the iPhone 17 Pro and swap your trusty iPhone 14 Pro when the new model lands.
And speaking about upgrading, if you're in the iPhone 14 Pro camp, you're probably wondering how these two stack up against each other. Today we're going to explore just that and see what the reasons are to wait for the iPhone 17 Pro and swap your trusty iPhone 14 Pro when the new model lands.
iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro expected differences:
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| New seamless design with thinner bezels | Flat-edged design started with the 12-series |
| Aluminum potentially replacing titanium | Stainless steel frame |
| New camera housing design reminiscent of the Pixel 9 | Old square camera housing |
| 120Hz OLED display, but more durable and power efficient | ProMotion 120Hz OLED display |
| The same display size - 6.3 inches and the same resolution | 6.1-inch display with 1179 x 2556 resolution |
| New Apple A19 Pro chip built on a next-gen 3nm process | Apple A16 Bionic chip (4nm) |
| 12GB of RAM | 6GB of RAM |
| A new vapor chamber cooling solution | Old cooling system |
| A new 48MP telephoto lens with a 3.5x optical zoom | 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom |
| 48MP ultrawide camera | Old 12MP ultrawide camera |
| An upgraded 24MP front camera | Old 12MP selfie camera |
| The same battery with potentially faster charging | 3200 mAh battery |
| MagSafe support | MagSafe support as well |
Table of Contents:
Read more:
Design and Size
A new design for the first time in years?
These leaked dummies of the iPhone 17 series phones show the new expected camera housing design | Image by Weibo
The latest iPhone design overhaul dates all the way back to the 12-series when Apple flattened the sides and made the square camera bump a bit more prominent. This year, after long generations of the same, we're bracing ourselves for the next big change.
According to the latest leaks and rumors, as well as some CAD renders and alleged real-life photos, the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a different camera housing on the back, one that stretches from side to side. It's a radically different look that might prove polarizing.
The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, uses the same, tried and tested, flat sides and square camera design from the past couple of generations.
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| TBA | Thickness 7.9 mm |
| TBA | Weight 206 grams |
The Pro version of the iPhone has grown in size since the 14 Pro, mainly due to the larger screen and also some battery upgrades in the past generations. That said, the iPhone 14 Pro is one of the thinnest Pro models in the portfolio at 7.9 mm.
The iPhone 17 Pro is still under wraps but we expect it to be closer to its direct predecessor - the iPhone 16 Pro. Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, the new model will be a bit thicker but also more compact and potentially a few grams lighter.
In terms of materials, the iPhone 14 Pro was the last to feature a stainless steel frame, before Apple switched to Grade 5 titanium, and this might explain the heavier weight of the phone. There are rumors suggesting that Apple will switch once again to aluminum on the iPhone 17 Pro, so this will impact weight. In terms of colors, here's what we expect:
| iPhone 17 Pro colors* | iPhone 14 Pro colors |
|---|---|
| Sky Blue | Space Black |
| TBA | Silver |
| TBA | Gold |
| TBA | Deep Purple |
*speculated or rumored
Display Differences
Brightness is king
After giving up the resolution arms race, manufacturers now engage in something of a brightness war. The iPhone 17 Pro is expected with the same 6.3-inch screen as its predecessor, but much brighter, some sources say up to 3000 nits, thanks to a new M14 material, used. There's also a new speculated display tech, called LDTEE (Low-dielectric TEE), which will offer better efficiency and durability.
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size 6.3" | Size 6.1" |
| Brightness 1800 nits (typ) 3000 nits (HBM) | Brightness 1000 nits (typ) 2000 nits (HBM) |
The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, features a smaller 6.1-inch OLED panel with the same 120Hz ProMotion tech on board, but the brightness figures are different. The phone is rated at 1000 nits in HBM (High brightness mode) and up to 2000 nits peak brightness. We measured a little over 1000 nits and it will be very interesting to see how the iPhone 17 Pro will perform once it lands in our lab.
Performance and Software
A bigger gap
There's a bigger gap when it comes to hardware and software between the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro. For starters, the latter uses Apple's A16 Bionic, built on 4nm node. It's getting a bit old now, and it doesn't support Apple Intelligence.
The new iPhone 17 Pro is expected with the latest and greatest Apple A19 Pro chip. Initial reports placed the chip at 2nm, but lately the rumor mill has been dishing out info that the A19 Pro will be manufactured on a 3nm node but using an improved process.
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| Chip Apple A19 Pro | Chip Apple A16 Bionic |
| Process 3nm (2nm potentially) | Process 4nm |
| RAM 12GB | RAM 6GB |
The RAM situation is also vastly different and in favor of the iPhone 17 Pro. It's expected to have 12GB of RAM, where the iPhone 14 Pro has just the half of that at 6GB. The change on the new model might have something to do with on-device AI, which brings us to the next point - software.
The iPhone 17 Pro will launch with iOS 19, and we expect some significant UI improvements for the first time in years. The iPhone 14 Pro will get to iOS19 but there's no chance of Apple Intelligence, as the hardware doesn't support it.
Lastly, the iPhone 17 Pro will be supported for much longer, being a three-year-newer device. So, if longevity and AI are important to you, the decision here is pretty clear - get the iPhone 17 Pro.
Camera
Big changes
Here's how the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will allegedly look like, according to the latest rumors | Image by @kdctweets on X
The iPhone 14 Pro is now almost three years old, and in the past three years Apple has been upgrading the camera system of its Pro models continuously. The 12MP ultrawide camera of the iPhone 14 Pro has been upgraded to a 48MP sensor, and the telephoto saw a couple of iterations, as well.
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main 48 MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) 1/1.28" | Main 48 MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) 1/1.28" |
| Ultrawide 48 MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide) 1/2.55" | Ultrawide 12 MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide) 1/2.55" |
| Telephoto 48 MP 85mm 3.5x optical zoom | Telephoto 12 MP f/2.8, 77mm 3x optical zoom |
The new iPhone 17 Pro features the same 48MP main camera and the upgraded 48MP ultrawide from the previous generation, but swaps the 12MP telephoto of the iPhone 16 Pro with yet another 48MP sensor under a new 3.5x lens.
It's a clear upgrade compared to the 48/12/12MP combo on the iPhone 14 Pro and the selfie camera is also expected to grow in megapixels on the new model - from 12MP to 24MP.
Battery Life and Charging
USB-C and better charging speeds
We don't know much about the battery capacity of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro, but we suspect Apple will slap inside a cell that's closer to the previous generation - around 3600 mAh. The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, features a substantially smaller 3200mAh battery, and there's a difference in connectivity and charging as well.
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity 3582 mAh | Battery capacity 3200 mAh |
Charging speeds 35W wired 25W wireless (MagSafe) 7.5W reverse wireless charging USB-C | Charging speeds 25W wired 15W wireless (MagSafe) Lightning port |
After the EU mandated all phones sold in the Union to have the USB-C port, Apple had to swap the old Lightning port and get on the USB-C train. The iPhone 14 Pro, however, is the latest generation to feature the Lightning port and this comes with some drawbacks.
The wired charging caps at 25W, and you need lightning cable as well. In contrast, the new iPhone 17 Pro is expected to bump up the charging speeds to 35W, and, of course, it features the USB-C standard on board.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick (preliminary) specs comparison between the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro:
| iPhone 17 Pro* | iPhone 14 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size, weight TBA | Size, weight 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.9 mm 206 g |
| Screen 6.3" OLED 120Hz ProMotion | Screen 6.1" OLED 120Hz ProMotion |
| Processor Apple A19 Pro 3nm, or possible 2nm | Processor A16 Bionic 4nm |
| Versions: --- 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB LPDDR5 | Versions: 6/128GB 6/256GB 6/512GB 6/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 48MP main 48MP ultra 48MP telephoto, 3.5x zoom 24MP front | Cameras: 48MP main 12MP ultra 12MP telephoto, 3x zoom 12MP front |
| Battery: 3582 mAh | Battery: 3200 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 35W wired MagSafe | Charging: Lightning 25W wired MagSafe |
*rumored or speculated
Summary
Well, this one is pretty obvious - the iPhone 17 Pro offers more than enough upgrades to justify a switch from the three-year-old iPhone 14 Pro. From the brighter screen, the new camera hardware, the faster silicon, the bigger battery and the USB-C port supporting faster charging, it's the all-around better device.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is the price tag of the iPhone 17 Pro, which could be higher due to the latest turmoil around Trump's tariffs. But in any case, Switching from the iPhone 14 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro should be a no-brainer.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: