iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro: Should you upgrade this year?

Choosing whether or not to upgrade from the excellent iPhone 17 Pro to the forthcoming iPhone 18 Pro may give some Apple fans pause for thought this year. Why? Because Apple is heavily expected to debut the brand-new iPhone Ultra at its 'Surprise and shine' event next week.The decision becomes whether or not to remain with what's tried and tested, or jump ship to a new form factor that could result in greater productivity and a host of other benefits the best foldable phones have to offer. On the other hand, you're likely going to sacrifice camera performance, which is typically something Pro users value highly.In fact, the photography improvements Apple is allegedly making could be your biggest incentive to switch up from last-year's iPhone 17 Pro to iPhone 18 Pro. And even though the Pro phones aren't cheap, you're still going to save money based on what the Ultra is rumored to cost.Although we now have a fixed date for the iPhone 18 Pro event, Apple's phones are still a while away from hitting shelves. Thankfully, we've got a pretty good idea of what's coming and I'm here to provide your iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro comparison so if you do decide to skip the Ultra, you can see what improvements you'll get by staying with the Pro model.iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0 iPhone 17 Pro iPhone 18 Pro (rumored) Display size 6.3 inches 6.3 inches Refresh rate 120Hz 120Hz CPU A19 Pro A20 Pro Memory 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Cameras 48MP main (f/1.78), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 48MP telephoto with 4x optical zoom (f/2.8) 48MP main with variable aperture, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom Battery Size 4,252 mAh 4,288 mAh Software iOS 27 iOS 27 Dimensions 5.91 x 2.83 x 0.34 inches (150 x 71 x 8.75 mm) 5.91 × 2.83 × 0.34 inches (150 x 71.9 x 8.75 mm) Weight 7.20 ounces (204 grams) 7.26 ounces (206 grams) iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: Price (Image credit: Tom's Guide)Let's start with release dates first. Apple's "Surprise and shine" event is on September 9 and pre-orders typically open on the Friday after the event. However, Apple's iPhone 18 Pro event is on a Wednesday this year, rather than a Tuesday. The latest rumors claim pre-orders will open on September 12 with sales beginning September 18.Pricing is less certain but it's almost universally accepted that Apple is going to raise prices this year. The iPhone 17 Pro held the line nicely at $999 for its base configuration, but reports suggest Apple may increase the price of its Pro models this year due to rising memory and component costs.Globally, some analysts have predicted increases of up to $100 or even $200 depending on the model and storage configuration. If you're on a strict budget, the slightly older 17 Pro might soon see some excellent carrier discounts. Want more Apple news? Sign up to the Tom's iGuide weekly newsletter with coverage on everything from product launches to software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content. iPhone Ultra Might Beat Android “From Day One" (ft. Mark Gurman) - YouTube Watch On iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: Design and display (Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)At a glance, you might have trouble telling the iPhone 18 Pro apart from the iPhone 17 Pro. Both phones are tipped to retain the ergonomic 6.3-inch form factor, a size that nicely balances usability and screen real estate. The iPhone 17 Pro made waves with its aluminum unibody design and Ceramic Shield 2 back, and the 18 Pro is expected to maintain that unified look.The most notable design shift could be on the front. Apple is reportedly working on a smaller Dynamic Island for the 18 Pro, finally freeing up a bit more display space.Furthermore, the 18 Pro's screen is rumored to receive an efficiency upgrade through newer LTPO+ technology, delivering improved outdoor brightness and better energy efficiency compared to the standard LTPO XDR OLED panel on the iPhone 17 Pro.Where you're of course going to see a change is in the color scheme. The iPhone 17 Pro is hard to miss thanks to its Cosmic Orange finish but the rumor is the iPhone 18 Pro will be a little more elegant.The iPhone 18 Pro (and 18 Pro Max) are likely to feature the rumored Dark Cherry and Light Blue options tipped for this year's lineup. Other color options will very likely include silver and dark gray.iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: Cameras (Image credit: Aptenod / YouTube)The camera system could be the single biggest upgrade on the iPhone 18 Pro and your main reason for switching up from last year's model. While the iPhone 17 Pro boasts a phenomenal 48MP main lens with a fixed f/1.78 aperture alongside a 48MP ultrawide and 48MP telephoto, the iPhone 18 Pro is set to take mobile photography to the next level.Apple is reportedly outfitting the iPhone 18 Pro with a variable-aperture main camera. This would give users true hardware-level control over depth of field and how much light reaches the sensor, heavily outclassing the digital portrait blur we've relied on for years. Add in a new stacked image sensor that improves dynamic range and low-light noise performance, and the 18 Pro could be the undisputed champion for smartphone photographers.The only sticking point in that is there have been some rumors that variable aperture could be exclusive to the Pro Max. The hypothesis is the mechanics required for a variable lens will only fit in a larger phone, ruling out the smaller Pro. This would undoubtedly be a huge blow for those of us that prefer Apple's smaller phones and could be a big reason why you choose to remain with the iPhone 17 Pro over its successor. (Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)One more thing to mention is that there have been claims Apple will remove the capacitive capabilities of the Camera Control button for the iPhone 18 Pro. This is due to some users accidentally launching the camera app inadvertently and could be very helpful if you use your iPhone as your main camera.Bottom line is that variable aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro could make or break whether or not a lot of people decide to upgrade from the 17 Pro.iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: performance and battery (Image credit: Tom's Guide)The iPhone 17 Pro is no slouch, thanks to the A19 Pro chip built on a 3-nanometer process. However, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be powered by Apple's next-generation A20 Pro chip, manufactured using TSMC's cutting-edge 2nm process.This move to a smaller manufacturing process should allow Apple to significantly improve both raw performance and power efficiency.Because of this newfound efficiency — and a slight physical battery increase from the 17 Pro's 4,252 mAh up to roughly 4,288 mAh on the 18 Pro — battery life could take a leap forward.You can expect the iPhone 18 Pro to easily outlast its predecessor, when it comes to both longevity and overall performance. As always, anyone who wants the fastest possible speed and the most power will always benefit from upgrading to the newest model.iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 18 Pro: Software and Apple Intelligence (Image credit: John Velasco / Tom's Guide)Both the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro will have access to Apple's latest software tricks, but this year's model will run iOS 27 out of the box. The 17 Pro, meanwhile, launched with iOS 26 but will be eligible for the update in the coming weeks.The real difference lies in hardware integration for Apple Intelligence. With 12GB of RAM on both devices, the AI playing field looks level on paper. However, leaks suggest the A20 Pro mentioned earlier features advanced packaging that integrates RAM more closely with the processor, freeing up bandwidth for lightning-fast on-device AI tasks.The 18 Pro will simply handle complex generative prompts and on-the-fly photo editing faster than the 17 Pro.We'll have to wait to find out if there are any iPhone 18 Pro-specific software or AI features (perhaps around the variable aperture) but for the most part, the 17 Pro will remain able to use almost all the software features Apple has to offer for at least a few more years yet.iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro: Final thoughts (Image credit: John Velasco / Tom's Guide)If you're already rocking an iPhone 17 Pro, I feel it's going to be tough to justify an upgrade based on what's already at your disposal. Apple's 2025 effort has a gorgeous 6.3-inch display, a triple 48MP camera setup, and 12GB of RAM to power Apple Intelligence. It’s an incredibly capable device that still has years of top-tier life left in it.That said, if you’re a power user or a serious smartphone photographer, the iPhone 18 Pro’s rumored variable aperture, highly efficient 2nm A20 Pro chip, and significantly larger battery might just be too tempting to pass up. Just keep in mind that the variable aperture and longer zoom could be limited to the iPhone 18 Pro Max.We'll find out for sure once new Apple CEO John Ternus takes the stage to make these phones official and reveal what the final prices are going to be. In the meantime, let me know in the comments below whether you think an iPhone 18 Pro upgrade is a must-have or if you're content to hold on to the iPhone 17 Pro for a few more years. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. 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