Why the regular iPhone 17 might be the smartest buy this holiday season
Lifestyle November 20, 2025, Comments OffWith the holiday season coming up and deals hitting the market, this is the time of year when everyone on campus starts asking the same question: “Should I upgrade my iPhone? And if I do, do I go Pro?”
For years, the regular iPhone has been the “safe but boring” option—slower chip, basic screen, fewer features. You paid more for the Pro models because they gave you something meaningfully better. This year, Apple finally changed that. The iPhone 17 is the first regular model in a long time that doesn’t feel like the downgraded version. It feels like a flagship.
The biggest shift is the screen. Previous base models like the iPhone 16 were stuck at a 60 Hz display, which felt outdated compared to even budget Android phones. But the iPhone 17 now comes with a 120 Hz ProMotion OLED display, the same smooth refresh rate that used to be reserved for the Pro lineup. Scrolling feels cleaner, animations look more fluid, and watching higher-frame-rate videos finally looks the way it should.
Apple’s official display details are here: https://www.apple.com/iphone-17/
Another big surprise this year is the selfie camera. Apple introduced a brand-new 18 MP front camera with a square sensor, letting you take horizontal selfies and videos without flipping the phone. You just tap, and the framing rotates on its own. This is something people expected to be locked behind the Pro models, especially because Apple pitched it as a “creator tool,” but it’s available on the regular iPhone 17 too. For students constantly shooting group photos, stories, short vlogs, or campus clips, this ends up being a genuinely useful upgrade.
Apple highlights this new feature here: https://www.apple.com/iphone-17/cameras/
Performance also gets a major boost. The regular iPhone 17 uses the A19 chip, the same generation powering the pro lineup. In past years, choosing the non-Pro model meant getting last year’s chip. This time, that gap is basically gone unless you’re doing very heavy video editing or high-end gaming. Normal tasks—social media, messaging, photos, streaming, classwork—won’t feel different at all between the regular 17 and the Pro.
Battery life is another area where the regular model keeps up surprisingly well. Apple’s specs give the Pro models a small advantage thanks to slightly larger batteries, but real-world reviews show the difference isn’t dramatic. In daily campus use—scrolling, music, screen-on time, light photos—the regular iPhone 17 is still an all-day phone. Wired’s review specifically mentions that it “easily lasts a full day” with typical use: https://www.wired.com/
Where the Pro still takes the lead is in camera hardware and advanced video features. The 17 Pro adds a telephoto lens with optical zoom, which is genuinely useful if you shoot sports, concerts, or anything from a distance. It also supports more aggressive video formats like 4K at 120 fps and ProRes, which matter for people who treat their phone as a serious camera. But most students aren’t shooting films on their phone.
For campus life, group photos, social media, and day-to-day moments, the iPhone 17’s main and ultra-wide cameras already handle almost everything.
The price gap, though, is what really pushes people toward the regular model. The iPhone 17 starts at $799, while the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 because Apple removed the 128 GB option and bumped the base storage to 256 GB. That instantly turns the Pro into a $300+ jump before tax, and the Pro Max climbs even higher. When both phones now offer a 120 Hz display, the new front camera system, upgraded storage, and nearly identical performance in everyday use, the regular 17 suddenly has a much stronger value.
And here’s one more thing students usually forget: the Apple Education Store. If you’re a college student, you should check Apple’s education pricing before buying anything. Sometimes the discount is small, but during promotions Apple often includes bonus gift cards, discounted accessories, or slight price drops on their devices. It’s one of the easiest ways to save money without any effort.
This year is the first time where choosing the regular iPhone doesn’t feel like choosing the “cheaper version.” Instead, it feels like choosing the model that gives you almost everything that matters, without paying for features you might barely use. If you genuinely need the extra camera hardware or advanced recording tools, the Pro still makes sense. But for most Drury students looking for a fast, smooth, reliable phone that takes great pictures and lasts all day, the regular iPhone 17 is easily the smartest buy of the season.
Photo courtesy of Apple
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