You might have heard that “the iPhone” is one of the most popular phones in the US. But that’s not quite accurate. Apple currently sells six different iPhone models. Survey the shelves at the three major US carriers, and Cricket and Metro, and you’ll see all the choices. These models include the older iPhone 16, the budget-minded iPhone 16e, and the latest iPhone 17 and 17 Pro Max. Each has a specific appeal, whether it’s the price, size, features, battery life, or a combination thereof. We’ve tested every Apple phone since the first-generation iPhone back in 2007. Here’s what we’ve learned about choosing the best iPhone right now.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
The iPhone 17 is the most affordable entry in the new line and offers lots to like. Most importantly, it gains the 6.3-inch ProMotion display of the pricier 17 Pro and doubles the base storage to 256GB—without raising the price. It features the Action Button and Camera Control key, has the latest radios, including Apple’s new N1 chip for Bluetooth, Thread, and Wi-Fi, and has a much-improved battery. Additionally, the phone gets an upgraded A19 processor with Apple Intelligence, sports a more powerful ultra-wide camera, and comes in the same toughened waterproof build as previous years.
The iPhone 17 is the best iPhone for most buyers. It’s affordable, runs fast enough for gaming, has capable cameras for adding content to social networks, and includes many of the same features as the pricier models for hundreds less. If you need a solid phone but don’t care to spend the extra cash, the iPhone 17 is the obvious choice.
Operating System
iOS 26
CPU
Apple A19
Dimensions
5.89 by 2.81 by 0.31 inches
Screen Size
6.3 inches
Screen Resolution
2,622 by 1,206 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 48MP; 18MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
24 hours, 31 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone 17 Review
The 17 Pro Max is the top model in the iPhone 17 family. It packs the best cameras (including a 4x optical telephoto shooter), a lightning-fast A19 Pro processor, a new aluminum unibody chassis, a large and bright display, and the longest battery life of any iPhone—up to 32 hours! It ships with iOS 26 and supports all the latest Apple Intelligence features, including Live Translation.
The 17 Pro Max is ideal if you want it all and have the money to spend. If you’re a video-first creator, it lets you use ProRes and Log recording. With all the best features and the performance to match, it carries a steep price, even when broken down over two or three years via carrier plans. However, if you will use all the phone’s creative powers, it’s worth the cost.
Operating System
iOS 26
CPU
Apple A19 Pro
Dimensions
6.43 by 3.07 by 0.34 inches
Screen Size
6.9 inches
Screen Resolution
2,868 by 1,320 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 48MP, 48MP; 18MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
32 hours, 11 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Review
Apple products aren’t always known for affordability, but the iPhone 16e bucks the trend by offering many of the features that make the iPhone 16 so good at a respectably lower price. It modernizes the most affordable iPhone by upgrading the processor, screen, and camera, and adopts Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 16e is perfect if you don’t need one of the more advanced models and don’t want to spend more than $600.
Operating System
iOS 18
CPU
Apple A18
Dimensions
5.78 by 2.82 by 0.31 inches
Screen Size
6.1 inch
Screen Resolution
2,532 by 1,170 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP; 12MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
21 hours, 37 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone 16e Review
The iPhone Air is a brand new model with a strikingly svelte design. It measures just 0.22 inches thick and weighs 5.24 ounces, making it the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever. To achieve this design, Apple cut back on battery life and kept the phone to a single rear camera. That said, it’s a novel device that stands apart from the pack and still has a great screen, fast performance, and the latest software with Apple Intelligence.
If you want a showpiece phone that stuns with its incredibly thin and light design, and want something that practically disappears into your pocket, the iPhone Air is the one to get.
Operating System
iOS 26
CPU
Apple A19 Pro
Dimensions
6.15 by 2.94 by 0.22 inches
Screen Size
6.5 inches
Screen Resolution
2,736 by 1,260 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP; 18MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
19 hours, 15 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone Air Review
The 17 Pro is the iPhone to buy if you want all the latest features, top performance, and a fantastic screen in a compact package. It includes all the functionality of the Pro Max in a smaller body that’s more comfortable to hold and use.
If you’re looking for a top-tier phone with tons of creative power that fits your hand and your budget, the iPhone 17 Pro offers flagship performance for $100 less than the Pro Max.
Operating System
iOS 26
CPU
Apple A19 Pro
Dimensions
5.91 by 2.83 by 0.34 inches
Screen Size
6.3 inches
Screen Resolution
2,622 by 1,206 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 48MP, 48MP; 18MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
27 hours, 42 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Review
The iPhone 16 might be last year’s model, but it’s still a good option for those who want to save some money. It ships with the solid A18 processor, a fine dual-camera system, good wireless performance, and Apple’s Emergency SOS feature. Moreover, it will still receive several years of software support from Apple.
The iPhone 16 is a good pick if you don’t need the latest device and would rather keep an extra $100 in your pocket. It still handles all the smartphone basics with aplomb—including Apple Intelligence, and is a step up in power from the 16e.
Operating System
iOS 18
CPU
Apple A18
Dimensions
5.8 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches
Screen Size
6.1 inches
Screen Resolution
2,556 by 1,179 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 12MP; 12MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
17 hours, 47 minutes
Learn More
Apple iPhone 16 Review
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What’s the Best iPhone to Buy in 2025?
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Buying Guide: What’s the Best iPhone to Buy in 2025?
When Is the New iPhone Coming Out?
They just got here! The iPhone 17 line launched in September 2025, which means the iPhone 18 likely won’t arrive until September or October 2026. The iPhone 16e arrived in February 2025. Now is a great time to buy an iPhone.
Which Is the Most Powerful iPhone?
Apple introduces faster and more powerful iPhones every year. A faster processor is better if you play a lot of games, surf image-heavy web pages, or shoot high-resolution video. Apple’s most powerful iPhones are the Pro models.
Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Generally speaking, each new generation of Apple’s A-series chips brings a 15% to 20% jump in overall performance, including web browsing and GPU power. That means there’s not that big a difference between the A18 (in the iPhone 16) and the A19 (in the iPhone 17), but there’s a noticeable difference between either of those and the older A16 Bionic (in the iPhone 15).
The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have A19 Pro chips inside with plenty of RAM, and they currently lead the pack in benchmark testing.
Do You Need a 5G iPhone?
At this point, it’s hard to avoid one. The iPhone 16 and 17 series are all 5G devices that support C-band and mmWave networks. That’s a strong argument for not choosing anything older than the iPhone 16. Fast 5G coverage has become far more universal in the last few years. T-Mobile has already expanded its speedy mid-band 5G network to much of the country, and Verizon has mostly completed its rollout of C-band. Both systems make a considerable difference in connection speed and performance. AT&T has pushed hard to get its 3.45GHz spectrum up and running and is catching up quickly.
Left to right: iPhone 17, iPhone Air (Credit Eric Zeman)
Every iPhone from the iPhone 15 and onward has all the 5G you need, so it’s best to stick with the more recent models if you’re buying used.
Which iPhone Has the Best Camera?
How serious are you about taking photos with your smartphone? That can help determine your choice of iPhone.
All iPhones have a main camera that shoots solid images during the day. Most are also good now at capturing decent shots after the sun goes down, though your mileage will vary a little bit there. The iPhone 16e and iPhone Air both have a single camera on the rear. The Air’s single camera matches the resolution and features of the other main cameras. The standard iPhone 16 and 17 models each have wide-angle cameras, too, which help you fit more scenery into a shot. These cameras are great for taking photos of groups or crowds of people.
iPhone Air (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Pro iPhones, meanwhile, have telephoto cameras that get crisp close-ups thanks to optical zoom. The Pro models also have advanced video capture features, including the highest rates (4K120), the most info-dense format (ProRes), and the best profiles for post-processing (Log).
To get the best camera and video camera, one of the Pro models is the way to go.
Which iPhone Size Is the Best?
Some people like big phones, and some like small phones. The iPhone lineup no longer offers very small phones but does include midsize and extra-large options.
Left to right: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 (Credit: Eric Zeman)
If you’re upgrading from a very old iPhone, all of the new phones will seem large. The iPhone 16e is the same size as the iPhone 14, for example. Apple axed the iPhone 13 mini years ago, which was the smallest option. This means the 16e is now the most compact device in the lineup.
The iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, and iPhone 17 are the smallest modern iPhones. They have 6.1-inch to 6.3-inch screens, which is considered small at this point. Apple keeps the width under 3 inches on these, which really helps with hand comfort.
iPhone 16e (Credit: Eric Zeman)
If you have poor eyesight or shaky hands, you might like the larger touch targets and bigger screens on the Air or Max models. These are also great if you watch a lot of videos on your phone, but the Pro Max can be heavy.
Recommended by Our Editors
Larger iPhones generally have longer battery life than smaller iPhones (because they have larger batteries). Still, the new iPhone 17 models all have better battery life than the same-sized iPhone 16 models, so going with a newer model will get you some extra juice (about two hours more per day).
Which iPhones Have Touch ID and Headphone Jacks?
Two features have mostly vanished from the iPhone line: Touch ID and the headphone jack.
The iPhone SE was the last phone with Touch ID. Apple discontinued it when it introduced the iPhone 16e in February.
The last iPhone with a headphone jack was the 2015-era iPhone 6s, meaning that ship has long since sailed. You should have already given in and picked up wireless earbuds or an adapter for your Lightning or USB-C port.
iPhone 17 Pro (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Which iPhone Is Too Old to Buy Now?
iPhones do eventually run out of software support. The latest iPhone operating system, iOS 26, runs only on the 2019-era iPhone 11 or later models. Expect that each year, a generation of iPhones will be sloughed off as the latest software requires more powerful processors than the very old models have.
We no longer recommend phones older than the iPhone 14 line; they will likely get at least two more years of OS support. If you want a phone with long-term resale value, go for the iPhone 16 generation or higher.
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