Apple’s new iPhone 17 brings the company’s fast-refresh ProMotion technology to the base model for the first time, marking a notable shift in the lineup’s priorities. The handset steps up to a 6.3-inch OLED panel equipped with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, positioning the standard iPhone squarely against premium Android rivals that have long made high refresh displays table stakes.
120Hz arrives on the base iPhone
The iPhone 17’s ProMotion display can dynamically adjust its refresh rate using LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) backplane technology, ramping up for ultra-smooth scrolling and gameplay, then dialing down to conserve power when content is static. Apple pairs the adaptive panel with a peak brightness claim of 3,000 nits, a jump that should noticeably improve outdoor visibility compared with previous iPhones.
Durability also gets attention. The screen is protected by Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says improves scratch resistance over prior generations. Combined with slimmer bezels and the slightly larger 6.3-inch canvas (up from 6.1 inches on the previous base model), the iPhone 17’s display is the headline upgrade.
Adaptive tech meets a new display engine
Under the hood, a 3nm A19 chip powers the phone, including a new display engine dedicated to driving adaptive refresh and high brightness more efficiently. That matters because high-refresh OLEDs can be power hungry; analysts at Display Supply Chain Consultants have long noted that LTPO’s variable refresh, when tightly managed by silicon, can significantly reduce energy draw in everyday use.
In practice, expect smoother system animations in iOS, more responsive touch interactions, and reduced motion blur in fast-scrolling apps. Games that support higher frame rates should benefit immediately, while streaming apps and web content can scale refresh intelligently to balance fluidity and battery life.
Cameras: sharper ultrawide, smarter selfies
Apple also refreshes the camera stack. A new 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor delivers higher detail for landscapes and low-light group shots, with macro performance improved by the denser pixels and updated processing. The system offers a 2x optical-quality telephoto option—achieved through high-resolution cropping and sensor fusion—without adding a dedicated tele lens to the base model.
On the front, an 18-megapixel square-format sensor lets users capture different aspect ratios without rotating the phone, useful for creators juggling vertical and horizontal shots. Stabilization has been tuned for handheld video, and the front camera now supports Center Stage in video calls, keeping subjects framed as they move—an experience previously associated with Apple’s tablets.
Pricing, storage, and colors
The iPhone 17 starts at $799 with 256GB of storage, effectively moving the base capacity up while aligning the dollar-for-dollar value with last year’s 256GB tier. There’s no 128GB variant this time. Finish options include lavender, mist blue, black, white, and sage, a palette that trends softer than the saturated hues favored by some competitors.
How it stacks up
With 120Hz ProMotion now in the base model, Apple closes a lingering gap. Devices like Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and Google’s Pixel 8 Pro already run at up to 120Hz; Samsung cites peak outdoor brightness up to 2,600 nits on its flagship, which frames Apple’s 3,000-nit claim as a meaningful leap for sunlit readability. Counterpoint Research has highlighted how display quality increasingly defines the premium smartphone segment, and Apple’s move reflects that reality.
For developers, the change is equally important. Many top games and creative apps already target 120fps on Pro iPhones; extending that ceiling to the mainstream model broadens the addressable audience for high-frame-rate content and could spur more titles and tools to adopt variable refresh-aware designs.
The takeaway
By bringing 120Hz ProMotion, LTPO efficiency, and higher peak brightness to the standard iPhone, Apple turns the display into the iPhone 17’s defining story. Add a sharper ultrawide camera, smarter selfie hardware, and a higher base storage tier, and the result is a mainstream model that finally delivers the responsiveness and visual polish users have come to expect at this price.