8.7GetLow score
Is the iPhone 17 worth buying?
the best-value iPhone in years. Most buyers looking at the Pro should honestly price this first.
Best bits
- ProMotion 120Hz finally on the standard iPhone
- 256GB storage as standard
- Excellent 48MP main camera and best-in-class video
- Same 6.3″ size as the 17 Pro — light and pocketable
Watch-outs
- No telephoto lens — zoom fades past ~4x
- 25W charging is slow for 2026
- A19 lacks the Pro’s vapour cooling for long gaming sessions
- Battery good, not class-leading
2026 buyer guide
Apple iPhone 17 in 2026
For years the standard iPhone was the one you settled for. The iPhone 17 changes the calculus: ProMotion 120Hz at last, a sharper 6.3-inch display, 256GB storage as standard and the A19 chip — the gap to the Pros has never been thinner, and neither has the sensible-money argument.
Live price position Judge the iPhone 17 by today's whole-contract price
GetLow currently checks 2115 iPhone 17 contract offers across 7 retailers and 6 networks. The market starts at £18.00 a month, £0.00 upfront and £781.16 in total after currently stated promotional savings.
Those headline floors can come from different deals. Keep monthly price, upfront cost, data, storage, term and condition tied to one listing before deciding which offer is genuinely cheapest.
Monthly pricesFrom £18.00
Upfront pricesFrom £0.00
Total contract costFrom £781.16
Current conditionCurrent offers include both new and refurbished listings, so compare like with like.
Live model price comparison How does the Apple iPhone 17 price compare with nearby phones?
This table uses the reviewed phone plus up to four nearby alternatives by current lowest total contract cost. Monthly price, data, total cost and condition remain attached to the same cheapest-total listing for each phone.
Read each difference against the bold iPhone 17 baseline. A cheaper row shows the whole-contract saving; a dearer row shows the additional amount currently needed to step up.
Build your own phone comparison Select any three phones and compare them side by side
The Apple iPhone 17 is selected first. Change any selector to compare it with two other current phones from Apple, or with the wider market when fewer than three Apple models are available.
Every price card keeps monthly cost, upfront payment, total cost, data, contract length and condition attached to the same live listing. The specification table then shows the hardware differences that may justify paying more.
In-depth review The headline: the "standard" tax is gone
Apple historically reserved its best display tech for the Pros. The iPhone 17 ends that: its 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED finally gets ProMotion’s adaptive 120Hz, plus the always-on display. Scrolling, animations and games feel like a Pro because, visually, it now is one. Storage doubled to 256GB as standard too — the two upgrades everyday buyers actually notice, delivered in the affordable model.
What matters Design and display
The 17 keeps the classic glass-and-aluminium build in a compact 6.3-inch footprint that’s light in the pocket and easy in the hand. The display is the story: bright enough for summer pavement use, 120Hz smooth, and the same size as the 17 Pro’s — the visual difference between them in daily use is close to nil.
What matters Performance: A19 is plenty
The A19 chip won’t top the Pro’s benchmarks and doesn’t get the vapour-chamber cooling, but in real life it is emphatically quick: apps snap open, the camera pipeline keeps up, games run high settings, and Apple Intelligence features run on-device. This chip will still feel fast when a 36-month contract ends.
What matters Cameras: two lenses, well chosen
The dual system pairs a 48MP main with a 48MP ultrawide, plus the new 18MP square-sensor front camera. What you give up versus the Pro is the telephoto — zoom beyond 2x leans on cropping the 48MP sensor, which is respectable to about 4x and soft past it.
For everything else — daylight, portraits, group selfies, low light — the 17 shoots like a flagship, and Apple’s video remains best-in-class at this price. Be honest about how often you actually zoom; that answer alone decides whether the Pro premium is for you.
What matters Battery and charging
The 3,692mAh cell is rated for up to 30 hours of video playback — a reliable full-day phone, if not the marathon runner the Pro Max is. Charging is 25W wired and 25W MagSafe: fine overnight, unremarkable in a hurry.
What matters Price and the contract angle
The 17’s appeal compounds on contract: a lower handset price means lower monthlies, smaller upfronts and cheaper totals — and the doubled base storage removes the classic upsell. Compare by total cost and check the 256GB option first; for most people it’s all the phone they’ll use, at a fraction of the Pro Max’s term cost.
New and refurbished buying checks Protect the saving before you order
Current offers include both new and refurbished listings, so compare like with like. A low price is only good value when the condition, storage, warranty, returns terms and battery policy suit what you expect to receive.
Use total contract cost after any stated code as the first comparison, then check data and storage on the same basis. Availability can change as retailers update stock.
- Confirm whether the selected listing is new or refurbished.
- Check the exact storage and colour before leaving GetLow.
- Read the warranty, returns and refurbished battery terms.
- Compare the total contract cost rather than monthly price alone.
Who it suits
Is the Apple iPhone 17 right for you?
Buy the iPhone 17 if
you want the modern iPhone experience — the screen, the camera quality, the longevity — at the sensible end of the price list. This year, the standard model genuinely is the smart buy.
Choose another phone if
you zoom constantly, game for hours at a stretch, or want multi-day stamina — those three are precisely what the Pro and Pro Max charge extra for.
Colours and images
iPhone 17 is available in Black, White, Sage, Mist Blue, Lavender. Pick the colour you can live with for the full contract, not just the launch-week favourite.
Black
Black gives the iPhone 17 a different feel without changing the deal comparison underneath.
Lavender
Lavender gives the iPhone 17 a different feel without changing the deal comparison underneath.
Mist Blue
Mist Blue gives the iPhone 17 a different feel without changing the deal comparison underneath.
Which storage should you buy?
Apple iPhone 17 storage options include 256GB, 512GB. The live cards show capacities currently found in GetLow deals. Start with the smallest suitable option for lighter use, then step up if you keep lots of photos, video, games or offline apps.
256GBAvailable from £18.00/mo
512GBAvailable from £29.99/mo
Full iPhone 17 specs
These are the buyer-facing specs that matter most when comparing contract deals.
| Display | 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 1206 x 2622 |
|---|
| Refresh rate | Up to 120Hz |
|---|
| Chip | Apple A19 |
|---|
| Rear camera | 48MP + 48MP |
|---|
| Front camera | 18MP |
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| Operating system | iOS 26 |
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| Storage | 256GB, 512GB |
|---|
| Colours | Black, White, Sage, Mist Blue, Lavender |
|---|
| Battery | 3,692mAh battery |
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| Charging | 25W wired, 25W MagSafe |
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| Size | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm |
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| Weight | 177g |
|---|
| Durability | IP68 |
|---|
| Storage options | 256GB · 512GB |
|---|
| Display | 6.3″ Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion 120Hz |
|---|
| Battery / charging | 3,692mAh · 25W wired, 25W MagSafe |
|---|
| Cameras | 48MP main + 48MP ultrawide · 18MP front |
|---|
| Chip | Apple A19 |
|---|
Specifications come from GetLow catalogue and retailer data. Contract prices and availability are checked from current in-stock GetLow listings.
Keep comparing
Related Apple phone guides
iPhone 17 FAQs
Does the iPhone 17 have a 120Hz display?
Yes — for the first time on a standard (non-Pro) iPhone, the 17 has ProMotion with adaptive refresh up to 120Hz, plus the always-on display.
What is the difference between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro?
Same 6.3-inch size, but the Pro adds a third (telephoto) camera, the faster vapour-cooled A19 Pro chip, a larger battery, and storage up to 1TB. The 17 counters with a significantly lower price and 256GB as standard.
Is 256GB enough storage?
For most people, comfortably — it fits years of photos and a large app library. Heavy video shooters should consider 512GB; the comparison page shows what that step really costs per month.
How long will the iPhone 17 get updates?
Apple does not publish a formal promise, but its track record is five or more years of major iOS versions — well beyond any UK contract length.
The verdict
The iPhone 17 is the first standard iPhone in years that doesn’t feel like a compromise wearing the flagship’s badge. Unless a telephoto lens or marathon battery is on your must-have list, this is where the smart money lands — especially once the contract totals are lined up side by side.
Ready to compare the iPhone 17?See monthly price, upfront cost, storage, data and total contract cost in one place.
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