Apple’s new iPhone 17 Pro has officially made its way for India, and as usual, it comes with a premium price tag and a long list of upgrades. But this year, comparison with the iPhone 16 Pro becomes particularly interesting. The 16 Pro is expected to cut a large price on Amazon and Flipkart during the upcoming Diwali festive season sale, making it an attractive deal for those who do not necessarily require the latest features. So, the big question is whether you should spend more on 17 Pro or can save a good share of money by going to last year’s head?

Currently, the iPhone 16 Pro is listed on Flipkart for about Rs 1,12,900, while the Amazon costs slightly higher. On the other hand, the new iPhone 17 Pro starts at Rs 1,34,900 in India. With bank offers and exchange discounts, the effective price of 17 Pro can come close to Rs 1.20 lakh, but the base difference between the two models is widespread. With the sale of Diwali around the corner, 16 Pro can fall into the price further, making it an edge for budget-conscious buyers. Therefore, if you are confused about whether you should buy iPhone 16 Pro or 17 Pro, we have compared both phones and glasses to make our purchase decision a little easier.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: Battery Life sees a big jump

One of the most noticeable changes in the iPhone 17 Pro is its better battery performance. Apple says that the younger 17 Pro now ends last year’s 16 Pro Max, which was a big battery champion of 2023. The iPhone 17 Pro has been rated for 33 hours of video playback and up to 30 hours of streaming material, while the iPhone 16 Pro can manage 27 hours and 22 hours respectively. For those users who rely greatly on their phone for media consumption or gaming, it can translate into low charging brakes during the difference day.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: Power Under the Hood

The performance story is also in favor of the iPhone 17 Pro. It runs on the new A19 Pro chip, which Apple is designed with a vapor room to keep the device cool during a heavy charge. The company has claimed a 40 percent continuous performance compared to the A18 Pro chip, which is powering the iPhone 16 Pro. This means essentially smooth gaming session, rapid video editing, and better handling of AI-based tasks.

CPU and GPU core count is technically the same, 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU. But the GPU of 17 Pro brings into the nerve accelerator, which was missing from last year’s model. It is said that the peak compute of the A18 Pro is offered 4X. Another major improvement is in memory. The iPhone 17 Pro 16 packs 12GB of RAM compared to 8GB on Pro. That additional headroom should allow the phone to handle multitasking and future iOS updates more comfortably.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: Storage, Display and Durability

Storage is another area where Apple has made changes. This year, all iPhone 17 models, including Pro, begin with 256GB. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro started with 128GB, which many users found limited.

On the display front, both phones keep the same size, 6.3-inch for Pro and 6.9-inch for Pro Max. But the level of brightness has increased considerably. The iPhone 17 Pro can be out up to 3000 notes, while the 16 Pro tops the 2000 knots. This makes it easier to use the new model under harsh sunlight.

The durability has also been pushed. Apple has introduced ceramic shield 2, which is called three times more resistant to scratch than the older version. For the first time, the ceramic shield also extends to the back of the device, providing more protection against everyday wear and tears.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: Camera Upgrade

Apple has paid special attention to cameras this year. The iPhone 17 Pro introduced the 18-megapixel front camera with center stage technology, replacing the 12-megapixel selfie sensor seen at 16 Pro. The new phone has a square sensor design that allows the photo to be taken in a picture or landscape orientation without physically rotating. AI automatically helps to widen the frame when more people enter the shot.

The rear camera system sees another big jump. While 16 Pro mixed 48-megapixels and 12-megapixel sensors, the iPhone 17 Pro packed three 48-megapixel fusion cameras, including the main, ultra wide and telephoto sensors. Especially telephoto lenses have seen a major upgrade, with a tetperism design and large sensor from a 12-megapixel to 48-megapixel. This new setup provides 4X and 8X optical zoom, in which digital zoom extends up to 40X. The 16 Pro supports 2x and 5X optical zoom options up to 25x digital zoom.

Videographers also get new equipment on 17 Pro, such as Protus Raw, Log 2 and Genlock, which allow advanced editing and multi-camera synchronization. A feature called dual capture has also been introduced, allowing users to record videos from both front and rear cameras at the same time.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro: Which makes sense for you?

The iPhone 17 Pro is clearly more advanced device, with better battery life, a bright and hard performance, more RAM, rapid chip and professional-grade cameras. This is a phone aimed at the purpose of users who want the full best apple to be introduced right now. But it also comes at a lot of cost, which can be a delivery for something.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro remains a powerful tool that still provides the major performance. With the expected festive discounts, it can be much more inexpensive, making it a sensible option for those who want an iPhone Pro experience without pushing their budget beyond the limits.

In the end, your choice will largely depend on how much you have long battery life, better durability, advanced photography features and additional memory. If those upgrade matters to you, the iPhone 17 Pro is worth the premium. If not, the iPhone 16 Pro will remain a very capable flagship for another year.