Well, it’s (probably) finally happening, folks. If the rumors are true, all four iPhone 17 models will get 120Hz displays, meaning this year’s base iPhone won’t be saddled with the same 60Hz refresh rate that’s been a feature of every non-Pro iPhone since Apple’s 2007 original.
Apple introduced adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rates (or ProMotion displays) with the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021, but the company has continued to equip its non-Pro models with static 60Hz displays as a means of stratifying its iPhone lineup (you pay more, you get more, etc.).
Suffice to say, this repeated decision has proven unpopular in some quarters, not least because the best cheap Android phones have offered 120Hz displays for some time. But as a business strategy, it’s been undeniably successful in pushing buyers towards the most expensive iPhones, which makes me wonder why Apple would change its tactic this year.
Back in February 2024, I wrote that 120Hz refresh rates make Apple’s best iPhones worth the money. But if the base iPhone 17 is due to get this formerly Pro-exclusive feature, I may well recommend this cheaper model over the pricier Pro models this year.
To be clear: the iPhone 17 isn’t tipped to get ProMotion specifically, which allows iPhone screens to dial all the way down to 1Hz (enabling features like the Always-On display). But it is tipped to get a static 120Hz display, which is by far the more important feature of the two.
As a reminder, refresh rate refers to the number of times per second your phone can display a new image. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother a phone display feels. That might sound like marketing mumbo jumbo if you’ve been perfectly happy with your 60Hz iPhone up until now, but take it from me – the difference between a 60Hz refresh rate and a 120Hz refresh rate is absolutely tangible for those who’ve experienced both.
The everyday scrolling experience feels much faster on an iPhone 16 Pro than it does on an iPhone 16, and while it’s true that many iPhone users simply don’t care about higher refresh rates, I’d wager that that’s simply because those same users don’t know what they’re missing.
Take it from Reddit. The top comment on a popular iPhone 16 discussion reads: “I’ve been a Pro user since Apple came out with that option [ProMotion], but I would switch to the regular Plus immediately if it had 120Hz and Always-On.”
And the second most-upvoted comment? “If the base [iPhone] line had 120Hz, the Pro [models] wouldn’t sell at all. That’s honestly the only reason I have the 13 Pro over the normal 13 – for the 120Hz [display].”
I’m in total agreement with these Redditors. For me, the 120Hz display is the most attractive feature of Apple’s Pro iPhones, and if the regular iPhone 17 breaks free from the 60Hz limitation, the buying argument for the iPhone 17 Pro becomes significantly harder to make.
The difference between a 60Hz refresh rate and a 120Hz refresh rate is absolutely tangible for those who’ve experienced both.
There are, of course, other benefits to going Pro. You get a telephoto lens, a more powerful chipset, slightly superior battery life, advanced video features, and a supposedly more durable design. The iPhone 17 Pro, specifically, is also tipped to get a vapor cooling chamber, which could help it become one of the best gaming phones.
But if you’re not intent on capturing zoom shots in optical quality or playing Call of Duty: Mobile on the highest graphical settings, I’m confident that the regular iPhone 17 will be a better fit for most people this year.
My early, rumor-based, undoubtedly premature buying advice is to save yourself the likely $200 / £200 / AU$400 premium and pick up some AirPods (maybe even the AirPods Pro 3?) with the same money.
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