We're pretty excited about the upcoming iPhone 17 series, as it's shaping up to be one full of changes. From the new design to upgraded charging speeds and a new telephoto camera, there are pretty compelling reasons to upgrade.
And speaking about upgrading, if you're in the iPhone 14 Pro camp, you're probably wondering how these two stack up against each other. Today we're going to explore just that and see what the reasons are to wait for the iPhone 17 Pro and swap your trusty iPhone 14 Pro when the new model lands.
Update:iOS 26 is now officially announced, giving us a better sense of what kind of software experience to expect — more on that in the ‘Performance and Software’ section.
iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro expected differences:
iPhone 17 Pro*
iPhone 14 Pro
New seamless design with thinner bezels
Flat-edged design started with the 12-series
Aluminum potentially replacing titanium
Stainless steel frame
New camera housing design reminiscent of the Pixel 9
Old square camera housing
120Hz OLED display, but more durable and power efficient
ProMotion 120Hz OLED display
The same display size - 6.3 inches and the same resolution
6.1-inch display with 1179 x 2556 resolution
New Apple A19 Pro chip built on a next-gen 3nm process
Apple A16 Bionic chip (4nm)
12GB of RAM
6GB of RAM
A new vapor chamber cooling solution
Old cooling system
A new 48MP telephoto lens with a 3.5x optical zoom
These leaked dummies of the iPhone 17 series phones show the new expected camera housing design | Image by Weibo
The latest iPhone design overhaul dates all the way back to the 12-series when Apple flattened the sides and made the square camera bump a bit more prominent. This year, after long generations of the same, we're bracing ourselves for the next big change.
According to the latest leaks and rumors, as well as some CAD renders and alleged real-life photos, the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a different camera housing on the back, one that stretches from side to side. It's a radically different look that might prove polarizing.
The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, uses the same, tried and tested, flat sides and square camera design from the past couple of generations.
iPhone 17 Pro*
iPhone 14 Pro
TBA
Thickness 7.9 mm
TBA
Weight 206 grams
*speculated or rumored
The Pro version of the iPhone has grown in size since the 14 Pro, mainly due to the larger screen and also some battery upgrades in the past generations. That said, the iPhone 14 Pro is one of the thinnest Pro models in the portfolio at 7.9 mm.
The iPhone 17 Pro is still under wraps but we expect it to be closer to its direct predecessor - the iPhone 16 Pro. Compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, the new model will be a bit thicker but also more compact and potentially a few grams lighter.
In terms of materials, the iPhone 14 Pro was the last to feature a stainless steel frame, before Apple switched to Grade 5 titanium, and this might explain the heavier weight of the phone. There are rumors suggesting that Apple will switch once again to aluminum on the iPhone 17 Pro, so this will impact weight. In terms of colors, here's what we expect:
iPhone 17 Pro colors*
iPhone 14 Pro colors
Sky Blue
Space Black
TBA
Silver
TBA
Gold
TBA
Deep Purple
*speculated or rumored
Display Differences
Brightness is king
After giving up the resolution arms race, manufacturers now engage in something of a brightness war. The iPhone 17 Pro is expected with the same 6.3-inch screen as its predecessor, but much brighter, some sources say up to 3000 nits, thanks to a new M14 material, used. There's also a new speculated display tech, called LDTEE (Low-dielectric TEE), which will offer better efficiency and durability.
iPhone 17 Pro*
iPhone 14 Pro
Size 6.3"
Size 6.1"
Brightness 1800 nits (typ) 3000 nits (HBM)
Brightness 1000 nits (typ) 2000 nits (HBM)
*speculated or rumored
The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, features a smaller 6.1-inch OLED panel with the same 120Hz ProMotion tech on board, but the brightness figures are different. The phone is rated at 1000 nits in HBM (High brightness mode) and up to 2000 nits peak brightness. We measured a little over 1000 nits and it will be very interesting to see how the iPhone 17 Pro will perform once it lands in our lab.
Performance and Software
A bigger gap
There's a bigger gap when it comes to hardware and software between the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro. For starters, the latter uses Apple's A16 Bionic, built on a 4nm node. It's getting a bit old now, and it doesn't support Apple Intelligence.
The new iPhone 17 Pro is expected to feature the latest Apple A19 Pro chip. Early reports teased a move to 2nm, but it now seems more likely to stick with an enhanced 3nm process. Even without the node shrink, we’re expecting better power efficiency and performance.
Memory is another area where the difference is stark—12 GB of RAM on the iPhone 17 Pro vs just 6 GB on the 14 Pro.
Update: The all new iOS 26
Both the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro will be running iOS 26, and this year’s software update is more than just a tweak — it’s a full-blown visual refresh.
The new Liquid Glass design gives the interface a layered, semi-transparent look that you’ll notice across the entire system. It can be subtle if you stick to the default setup, but flip on the “Clear Look” mode and the glassy aesthetic becomes much more pronounced — very reminiscent of the Windows Vista era.
There are also some fun and practical additions. The lock screen now features an animated time-based dynamic wallpaper that reacts when notifications arrive, while the Music app has picked up a fresh coat of paint with animated album art.
The Camera app has also been redesigned to be cleaner, with only the photo and video modes visible by default, while other settings are tucked away behind swipes.
The Phone and Messages apps introduce Call Screening and Spam Message Filtering, while a new Live Translate feature lets you interpret conversations during a call in real time, finally catching up to Android’s long-standing equivalent.
Messages gets even better with typing indicators (finally), custom chat backgrounds, and the ability to run polls in group chats. On top of that, Apple Maps is now smarter with learned routes and proactive rerouting, and the Photos app has been streamlined for quicker album access.
Of course, while both phones will get iOS 26, only the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to support Apple Intelligence features, thanks to its newer hardware and more RAM. That means a longer runway for new AI capabilities, which is something to keep in mind if you're thinking long-term.
Camera
Big changes
Here's how the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will allegedly look like, according to the latest rumors | Image by @kdctweets on X
The iPhone 14 Pro is now almost three years old, and in the past three years Apple has been upgrading the camera system of its Pro models continuously. The 12MP ultrawide camera of the iPhone 14 Pro has been upgraded to a 48MP sensor, and the telephoto saw a couple of iterations, as well.
iPhone 17 Pro*
iPhone 14 Pro
Main 48 MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) 1/1.28"
Main 48 MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) 1/1.28"
Ultrawide 48 MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide) 1/2.55"
Ultrawide 12 MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide) 1/2.55"
Telephoto 48 MP 85mm 3.5x optical zoom
Telephoto 12 MP f/2.8, 77mm 3x optical zoom
*speculated or rumored
The new iPhone 17 Pro features the same 48MP main camera and the upgraded 48MP ultrawide from the previous generation, but swaps the 12MP telephoto of the iPhone 16 Pro with yet another 48MP sensor under a new 3.5x lens.
It's a clear upgrade compared to the 48/12/12MP combo on the iPhone 14 Pro and the selfie camera is also expected to grow in megapixels on the new model - from 12MP to 24MP.
Battery Life and Charging
USB-C and better charging speeds
We don't know much about the battery capacity of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro, but we suspect Apple will slap inside a cell that's closer to the previous generation - around 3600 mAh. The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, features a substantially smaller 3200mAh battery, and there's a difference in connectivity and charging as well.
iPhone 17 Pro*
iPhone 14 Pro
Battery capacity 3582 mAh
Battery capacity 3200 mAh
Charging speeds 35W wired
25W wireless (MagSafe)
7.5W reverse wireless charging
USB-C
Charging speeds
25W wired
15W wireless (MagSafe)
Lightning port
*speculated or rumored
After the EU mandated all phones sold in the Union to have the USB-C port, Apple had to swap the old Lightning port and get on the USB-C train. The iPhone 14 Pro, however, is the latest generation to feature the Lightning port and this comes with some drawbacks.
The wired charging caps at 25W, and you need lightning cable as well. In contrast, the new iPhone 17 Pro is expected to bump up the charging speeds to 35W, and, of course, it features the USB-C standard on board.
Well, this one is pretty obvious - the iPhone 17 Pro offers more than enough upgrades to justify a switch from the three-year-old iPhone 14 Pro. From the brighter screen, the new camera hardware, the faster silicon, the bigger battery and the USB-C port supporting faster charging, it's the all-around better device.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is the price tag of the iPhone 17 Pro, which could be higher due to the latest turmoil around Trump's tariffs. But in any case, Switching from the iPhone 14 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro should be a no-brainer.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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