My Gift to Myself: Upgrading from iPhone 12 Pro to iPhone 17. A Solid Upgrade with a Great Camera

Hello everyone!

I had big plans to upgrade my iPhone 12 Pro to the latest model this year, but I was thinking of either treating myself for my birthday or waiting until next year. I was torn between the base model and the Air Pro. The Pro didn't really impress me in terms of design, but that's all down to personal taste, I guess. Although, the specs are definitely top-notch.

No, my phone didn't ask me to eat anything or anything like that. And, to be honest, I'd just replaced the battery with an original one and had to update to the latest iOS version. I'd just been thinking about wanting something a bit fresher every now and then.

I'm glad I swapped when I did, even though I said it was fine with me. And after replacing the battery, it's been working great.

*But my American cousin surprised me with a gift. It was completely unexpected and incredibly sweet. I was more excited about the fact that my cousin, who I'd grown up with and now lives on a different continent, had thought of me like that. He'd recorded a funny and touching video of him buying the phone, and in the background, it was an iPhone 17.He'd taken my opinion into account when we discussed the new models (he'd wanted the ultra-thin new one), and I'd been disappointed that it only had one camera, but I thought the design was really elegant.

Anyway, we discussed it and forgot about it. I forgot, but he didn't. And now it's here. Of course, I was thrilled and touched by this gesture. 😻🙈

Apple released three models this year: the base 17, the 17 Pro, and the Air. I was really impressed by the Air, but my heart was set on the base model this time around. And I can explain why.Firstly, they've given the base model the same screen as the Pro, and it now has a 120Hz matrix. Only the Pro models had this before.

Secondly, they've improved the front camera. 18MP is no joke.

I'm not a blogger and I don't constantly take photos, so my standard needs are more than covered by the base model. But, of course, it's all down to personal taste, prices, and other factors. I just liked that they'd added some real improvements to the base model, rather than just making a new model for the sake of it.

Thirdly, all the models now come with a base storage of 256GB. I've got the optimal amount, and after 4.5 years, I'd used up exactly half of my 256GB on my old phone. 128GB would definitely not have been enough for me, and it's about time they made 256GB the standard.

I know some people go for 1TB, but I don't need that much.

I'd been using my old phone for a while, and I gotta say, it was doing its job just fine. I'd grown accustomed to the Apple ecosystem, and in theory, it could've kept going strong. But I knew Apple would eventually drop support for my model, and I didn't want to be left high and dry. And let's be real, I'm an Apple fanboy. I know some people might see it as a cliché, but for me, it's about the ease of use, the reliability, and the speed. My old 12 Pro was a beast, and I loved it. The design, the functionality – it all just worked seamlessly. I even got a few scratches on it, but it kept on ticking. It's a solid phone, and I'm glad I upgraded.

Quick rundown: iPhone 17; Price: $799 + state tax. To be honest, the prices in Russia are pretty reasonable right now, and you can even get a good deal on it. Available in 5 colors – I went with the white one; Storage: 256 GB; eSIM only in the US model.

One thing that did impress me was the Type-C port. No more scrambling for a charger – it's a game-changer. But if you're upgrading from an older model, you might not be blown away by it.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this. I'm a bit of an old-timer, so it's nice to see that Apple is still keeping up with the times. In an ideal world, I'd like to see new models every three years, but I'm not holding my breath for Apple to revolutionize their designs every year. The charger that came with the phone is a nice touch. I already had an adapter, so I didn't need to buy a new one. I opted for a 35W charger, but this one gets the job done quickly and it's compact, to boot. Design impressions. The phone feels lighter, and the aluminum is solid as a rock. It's a noticeable difference, but I got used to it quickly. The only thing that threw me off was how it feels a bit more fragile than my old phone. It's like it's made of glass or something. I had a hard time getting used to the new layout. The power button is now on the left, and it's a bit of a departure from my old phone. It's actually pretty easy to adjust the volume using the power button, though. I got used to the zoom button quickly, but it's not like it's a new feature or anything. It's been around since the Pro model, if I'm not mistaken. To be honest, I still prefer the design of my old phone. This one doesn't really stand out in terms of design, but it does have a bigger screen and some new colors.

How's it for work and data transfer? Transferring data from my old iPhone to this one was a breeze. It's a quick process, but my home internet decided to be a pain in the neck and cut out for a bit. Took me about 30 minutes to get everything transferred, though. ">

I've gotta say, the bezels on this one are a thing of the past, and the screen feels so much bigger. As for the speed, it's literally flying. There were some new features that took some getting used to, but I adjusted quickly, like within a day. The transition was super smooth. I've been using it for over three weeks now, and it feels like a second skin. Setting up the eSim was a breeze. I just opened my carrier's app, selected the eSim option, paid 50 rubles, and within a minute, it was all set. The whole process took no more than three minutes. It took another day or so for the new card to fully activate.

I also ordered some cases for my iPhone.

I got the basic soft-touch cases. They're simple, but they don't slip out of my hand. The only downside is that they show fingerprints and grease marks and all that. I got one just for the looks, and the rose gold one is a 2-in-1. It's both beautiful and durable. I love the snake design, but I'm not a fan of the lack of protection on the camera and the body. But it's still a beautiful phone.

So, I liked it, but I'm not sure about making it my go-to phone. I still prefer reliability, and this rose gold beauty delivers. Oh, how I love it! It's so beautiful and shines like a gem in the sunlight. It's beautiful, reliable, and easy to use. I'm totally obsessed with it. I want to get one in silver too. Sound. Oh my god, the sound is so clear and rich. You can really feel the stereo speakers. I'm totally loving it. It's so clean, loud, and classy. I get so much enjoyment out of it. Plus, when I'm cooking or cleaning, I can clearly hear every detail of my podcasts. It's truly heaven for my ears. Camera is amazing, as always with Apple. I mean, when I'm editing photos, I wouldn't say it's huge, but...

But in real-life shots, I can really feel the improvement. It's like it's smarter now, takes better shots, and adjusts to my needs. On the other hand, if I had this phone a year or two ago, I wouldn't have said anything. Selfies are amazing. I love taking them in portrait mode, almost always. Compared to my old phone, it's a total game-changer. The clarity, beauty, and sharpness of the photos are all top-notch. It takes the shot quickly, and the background is blurred perfectly.

I have to say, this camera is great at capturing those frosty window shots without a portrait mode.

I managed to take some great shots of my new cosmetics from Magnet Kozmetik without any special modes. It looks really nice.The camera also did great with the makeup masks in artificial lighting. I didn't have to worry about it needing more light, just wait 3 seconds and keep the camera still.

A little comparison photos.

Left - on the iPhone 12 Pro, right - on the iPhone 17This is how I take photos of each model separately. The color transfer is definitely better on the 17. The detail is even better. I took parallel photos to show the difference.I took these photos while decorating the yard. Since the site compresses the photos, I can see the difference more clearly.

Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone 17The ribbon on the Christmas tree. More clarity, less white noise.Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone 17My Chizhik ball.Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone 17But the most important thing is low-light photography. The difference is huge. I took a photo of my laundry detergent stash without any lighting. The camera automatically turned on the flash.Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone 17You can't see the difference with your bare eyes. I tried to keep the 12 as still as possible, following its instructions, and the 17 was just a quick snap. It's beautiful, isn't it?I also took photos of documents and medical records in the dark, and the text is perfect.

Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone 17And here's another example on the Christmas tree without any lighting, just one garland.The difference in portrait mode is noticeable in that it now captures more of the scene and takes a better shot from a closer distance, just like how an artist sees it.

I've gotta say, the camera still takes great shots, even my old man agrees. I mean, it's no joke!

Left - iPhone 12 Pro, right - iPhone in portrait modeFace ID, though. And why I'm questioning Apple's security.

It takes a bit longer to recognize me, and sometimes it blocks me out, forcing me to use a password. I had to set up the mask and glasses detection feature, too. It's faster now, but it's also more secure. At least, it's not letting my sister in like my old iPhone used to.

The funny thing is, I had to reset Face ID on my 12 Pro three times because it kept letting my sister in. One time, she accidentally picked it up to hand it to me, and it unlocked for her. We double-checked and it kept happening. So, it's not just a one-time thing.

We're not twins, by the way. Just to clarify. But it still recognized her, while my 11 iPhone was like, 'YOU'RE THE BEST!' It was stubborn. And then this happens.

After that, I started questioning the security. I mean, we're not even twins, and it took me three tries to get it right. Maybe it's just an iOS issue.

Charging and number of charges throughout the day.

Charging has definitely gotten faster, even with my old 20W adapter. It's quick to get to 80%.

I can play a bit, or a lot, and the battery life is actually pretty good.

I still set the power-saving mode, but I forget to turn it off sometimes. It's enough to get me through the workday, considering I watch videos during lunch and take photos for work, and make requests, and so on.

I only charge it when I need to, but it's still got plenty of juice. That's cool.

I read that the iPhone's slots don't affect charging, but in other models, if you want a bigger battery, it's worth going for the eSim versions. You'll get around 300mAh extra, thanks to the lack of physical slots.

Apps open super fast. I know some people don't like dealing with App Store issues or regional restrictions, but our guys are smart, and they come up with alternatives. I don't feel left out, and I'm sure you guys don't either. Same with offline music playback without subscriptions and all that. You can find a way to make it work if you want to.

I get it, not everyone wants to deal with that, but I don't really feel it's a hassle.

The most important thing is that it doesn't overheat. My model used to heat up when charging, but with the 17 model, I just forgot about it. They've definitely worked on that. And now we're all about aluminum, but we're complaining about the big risk of scratches. It's a mixed bag, but I'm wearing a case, hoping everything will be okay. My brother says he's been using his Air without a case and screen protector, and everything's fine with him. I'm not taking any risks like that. I was swayed back to the 6S because of the aluminum, but it feels nice, though.

New model;120Hz refresh rate. Finally!) It feels so much smoother and softer;Improved front camera;Lightweight;Super fast;Amazing camera;Great volume and clear sound;Bigger base memory;Price. Yeah, this new model has a pretty fair price compared to other models. The exchange rate is normal, and the price is too.THE MOST IMPORTANT THING - it doesn't overheat. At all.*I don't see any cons for myself. It meets all my needs and tasks perfectly. However, I wouldn't recommend it to owners of the 16 Pro or earlier models. I've never been one to chase annual updates, and I don't think I need to update every year. Let the horse run.

And if I used to only think about the Pro version, now I see that they've put in some effort. Yeah, it's missing one better lens, a more advanced zoom, and materials. But, man, this is a REALLY SHINY base model for its price. ♥️

Now I'll be waiting for something really interesting and hoping that Apple will come up with something truly cool for their anniversary edition.

Thanks for reading, and happy new year to everyone!