At $2,349 NZD for the 256GB model, the iPhone 17 Pro represents a significant investment for New Zealand consumers. This is Apple’s most substantial Pro upgrade in years, featuring a complete redesign with an aluminum unibody chassis, vapor chamber cooling, 12GB RAM, and a 48MP triple-lens system with 8× optical-quality zoom. Battery life sees major improvements, and the A19 Pro chip delivers genuine performance gains. For users on iPhone 15 Pro or older: this is a compelling upgrade. For iPhone 16 Pro owners: the improvements are incremental rather than essential.
Design and Build
Heat-Forged Aluminum Unibody
The iPhone 17 Pro abandons titanium in favor of aerospace-grade 7000-series aluminum. The unibody construction covers the sides, back, and camera area, with only a cutout for MagSafe charging. This design reduces weight by 15% compared to the iPhone 16 Pro while improving thermal dispersion—critical for sustained performance.
Dimensions: 
- 6.3-inch display (iPhone 17 Pro)
- Thickness: 8.75mm
- Available colors: Cosmic Orange, Silver, Deep Blue
The camera bump is now a “plateau”—a horizontal rectangular raised area spanning nearly the entire rear. While polarizing aesthetically, it houses improved internals and allows for larger battery capacity.
Durability:
- Ceramic Shield 2 on front: 3× better scratch resistance
- Ceramic Shield 2 on back: 4× more crack-resistant
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Anti-reflective display coating
Display
Super Retina XDR OLED
- 6.3-inch display (6.9-inch on Pro Max)
- Resolution: 2,622 × 1,206 pixels (460 ppi)
- 120Hz ProMotion (adaptive 1-120Hz)
- Peak brightness: 3,000 nits outdoors (up from 2,000 nits)
- 1,600 nits peak (HDR)
- 1,000 nits typical brightness
- 1 nit minimum (Always-On display)
- 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
The anti-reflective coating delivers measurable improvements in outdoor visibility and glare reduction. The 3,000-nit peak brightness makes a noticeable difference in direct sunlight.
Performance
A19 Pro Chip
Built on TSMC’s upgraded N3P node (vs N3E), the A19 Pro features:
- 6-core CPU (2× performance cores at ~2.6GHz, 4× efficiency cores)
- 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators per core
- 12GB LPDDR5X RAM (9600MHz, 76.8GB/s bandwidth vs 60GB/s previously)
Benchmark Results:
- Geekbench 6 single-core: Industry-leading performance
- Geekbench 6 multi-core: Competitive with Snapdragon 8 Elite
- GPU performance: ~40% faster than A18 Pro
- 40% better sustained performance due to vapor chamber cooling
The jump from 8GB to 12GB RAM is immediately noticeable—apps remain in memory longer during multitasking. The improved thermal design means the A19 Pro maintains peak performance during demanding workloads without thermal throttling.
Camera System
Triple 48MP Pro Fusion System
Main Camera (48MP Fusion):
- 24mm equivalent
- 1× and 2× optical quality zoom
- 24MP output standard (48MP ProRAW available)
- Improved computational photography
Ultra Wide (48MP):
- 13mm equivalent (0.5×)
- Macro mode capability
- 24MP output (12MP in macro)
Fusion Telephoto (48MP):
The standout upgrade. New 48MP sensor (56% larger than previous 12MP telephoto).
- 100mm equivalent (4×) native: Perfect for portraits
- 200mm equivalent (8×): Optical-quality “fusion” zoom using sensor crop
- All focal lengths 4×-7.9× produce 24MP images
- 12MP output at 8×
The shift from 120mm 5× to 100mm 4× may seem like a step back on paper, but the 4× focal length proves far more practical for everyday photography. The 8× mode effectively replaces the previous 5× camera with superior image quality thanks to the larger sensor.
Video Capabilities:
- 4K Dolby Vision up to 120fps (Pro models)
- Dual Capture in 4K 30fps
- 2.8K 60fps Action Mode
- Wind Noise Reduction
- Audio Mix
Front Camera:
- 18MP with Center Stage
- Auto-framing for video calls and selfies
- Significantly improved over 12MP predecessor
Battery Life
The iPhone 17 Pro delivers exceptional battery performance, the best in Pro iPhone history.
iPhone 17 Pro:
- 3,988mAh battery (global model with physical SIM)
- 4,252mAh (US eSIM model)
- 31 hours video playback (rated)
- 8+ hours continuous YouTube playback (LTT Labs testing)
- 17+ hours web browsing (PhoneArena testing)
iPhone 17 Pro Max:
- 5,088mAh battery
- 37 hours video playback (rated)
- 21 hours 44 minutes 4K video loop test (CNN)
- Best iPhone battery life ever tested
The aluminum unibody design creates additional internal space for larger batteries. Combined with the A19 Pro’s improved efficiency, all-day battery life is easily achievable for most users.
Charging
Wired:
- USB-C with USB Power Delivery AVS standard
- 50% charge in 20-30 minutes with 40W+ adapter
- Apple’s new “40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max” (North America only currently)
Wireless:
- MagSafe: Faster wireless charging
- Qi2 compatible
The charging improvements are modest but welcome after years of relatively slow iPhone charging speeds.
Connectivity
5G: Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 modem
- mmWave + sub-6GHz (US models)
- sub-6GHz only (international models including NZ)
Wireless:
- Wi-Fi 7 (Apple N1 chip)
- Bluetooth 6
- Thread support
- Ultra Wideband (UWB)
Important for NZ: Models sold in New Zealand include both eSIM support AND a physical SIM tray, unlike US models which are eSIM-only.
Software
iOS 26
Ships with iOS 26 featuring:
- Apple Intelligence (AI features)
- Smart Island (evolved Dynamic Island)
- Live widgets
- VisionPro Sync for AR
- Enhanced privacy controls
Storage and Pricing (New Zealand)
iPhone 17 Pro:
- 256GB: $2,349
- 512GB: $2,749
- 1TB: $3,149
iPhone 17 Pro Max:
- 256GB: $2,549
- 512GB: $2,949
- 1TB: $3,349
- 2TB: $4,149
Value Assessment
Compelling Reasons to Buy:
- Camera upgrades matter to you: The 48MP triple-lens system with 8× zoom is the most versatile iPhone camera ever
- Battery life is critical: Best battery performance in iPhone history
- Performance headroom: 12GB RAM and A19 Pro future-proofs the device
- Coming from iPhone 15 Pro or older: Substantial improvements across the board
- Thermal performance matters: Vapor chamber cooling enables sustained performance for gaming, video editing, or computational photography
Reasons to Hesitate:
- You own an iPhone 16 Pro: Incremental rather than transformational upgrade
- Budget constraints: $2,349 is substantial; iPhone 17 ($1,699) offers excellent value
- Design preferences: The plateau design is divisive
- No black color option: Only Cosmic Orange, Silver, or Deep Blue available
Competitive Landscape (NZ Market)
At $2,349, the iPhone 17 Pro faces competition from:
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Similar pricing, S Pen, longer telephoto
- Google Pixel 10 Pro: Superior computational photography in some scenarios, lower price
- OnePlus 13: Flagship specs at lower cost
However, the iPhone 17 Pro leads in:
- Sustained performance (thermal management)
- Battery life
- Video quality
- Ecosystem integration
- Software support longevity (5+ years guaranteed)
Final Verdict
Rating: 8.5/10
The iPhone 17 Pro at $2,349 NZD represents excellent value for users seeking a premium smartphone that will remain capable for 3-5 years. The aluminum unibody redesign delivers tangible benefits in thermal performance and battery life. The camera system is genuinely improved, not just on paper but in practical use.
Buy if:
- You’re upgrading from iPhone 14 Pro or older
- Camera versatility and battery life are priorities
- You want the best-performing iPhone available
- You value sustained performance for demanding applications
Skip if:
- You own an iPhone 16 Pro (wait for iPhone 18 Pro)
- Budget is a primary concern (iPhone 17 at $1,699 is compelling)
- You prefer a true black color option
- You’re not using advanced camera features
For most New Zealand consumers considering a premium smartphone purchase in 2025, the iPhone 17 Pro justifies its $2,349 price tag through meaningful improvements in the areas that matter most: performance, battery life, and camera capability. It’s not a perfect phone—the design is polarizing and the price is high—but it’s undeniably the most capable iPhone Apple has ever produced.
