iPhone 17 Review After 6 Months: Was It Worth Upgrading From iPhone 13 Pro?

I bought my Apple iPhone 17 256GB in Denmark on March 30, 2026 for 6,666 DKK (about US$1,023 at the March 30, 2026 exchange rate). It has been my primary phone every day since then.

I upgraded from an iPhone 13 Pro bought in August 2022 that I had used as my primary phone for about three years and seven months. My main reasons were better battery life, better GPS/navigation, improved cameras and USB-C. After about six months, the iPhone 17 is better in all four areas, but some of the improvements are smaller than I hoped.

My overall rating is 4.5/5. I think 6,666 DKK was good value, but if this phone broke tomorrow I would not buy the same model again. For my particular use, I would rather spend more on a higher-end Pro Max model with a bigger battery, larger display and the strongest navigation/camera hardware available.

Affiliate disclosure: This review contains a paid Amazon link. If you buy through it, Jon Tests may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I bought my iPhone 17 new in Denmark and received no free product, discount or compensation. The linked Amazon listing is a renewed U.S.-market 256GB Black eSIM Verizon version, so carrier compatibility, SIM support, condition, battery health and warranty may differ from my Danish phone. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

How I tested it

This is a first-hand real-world review rather than a laboratory test. I have not timed controlled 100%-to-0% battery runs or measured GPS accuracy with specialist equipment. My comparisons with the iPhone 13 Pro describe what I actually notice in day-to-day use.

Why I upgraded from my iPhone 13 Pro

My iPhone 13 Pro was still working remarkably well when I upgraded in March 2026, so I was not replacing a broken phone.

I specifically wanted four things to improve:

• battery life
• GPS/navigation performance
• camera quality
• USB-C instead of Lightning

The iPhone 17 is better in all four areas. The display is also easier for me to read outdoors, which matters because I use GPS and maps frequently.

Apple specifies the iPhone 17 with a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, ProMotion up to 120 Hz, an A19 chip, USB-C and a 48MP Dual Fusion rear camera system. Apple lists the full technical specifications here.

Battery life is better, but I wanted a bigger improvement

Battery life was one of the main reasons I upgraded.

After about six months, the phone reports 99% maximum battery capacity. In normal use, battery life feels a little better than my iPhone 13 Pro, but the improvement is not dramatic.

I have not performed a controlled battery rundown, so I am deliberately not giving a precise number of hours for my own use.

This is an unusual part of my review because battery life is simultaneously one of my biggest positives and one of the reasons I would choose differently next time.

It is better. I just hoped it would be even better.

USB-C is one of my favorite upgrades

Moving from Lightning to USB-C has made everyday charging much simpler for me.

With the iPhone 13 Pro, I needed a Lightning cable that was mainly useful for the iPhone. USB-C is already used by many of my other devices, so I no longer need to keep a separate cable standard around just for my phone.

I charge the iPhone 17 exclusively by cable. So far, I have had no problems with the USB-C charging port.

This also stands out because the Lightning port eventually became one of my biggest long-term irritations on my iPhone 13 Pro due to lint and debris affecting cable charging.

GPS is a little better

Navigation is unusually important in my use, which is why GPS performance was another reason for upgrading.

The iPhone 17 seems to determine my position and direction a little faster and more accurately than my iPhone 13 Pro.

I have not experienced problems with cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Still, I would not call the GPS improvement dramatic. It is better enough that I notice it, but GPS remains one of the areas where I would happily take another meaningful improvement.

The brighter display helps with outdoor navigation

The display is noticeably easier for me to read outdoors than the one on my iPhone 13 Pro.

That matters because I often have maps and navigation visible outside, where screen brightness can directly affect usability.

Apple specifies up to 3,000 nits peak outdoor brightness for the iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch OLED display. See Apple’s display specifications.

I like the display, but my experience has also made me realize that for my navigation-heavy use I would probably appreciate an even larger Pro Max screen.

The cameras are clearly better than my iPhone 13 Pro

This is one of the easier improvements to see.

Photos and videos look clearly better to me than what I was getting from my iPhone 13 Pro.

I mostly use the normal rear camera rather than the selfie camera. Despite moving from an older Pro model to the regular iPhone 17, there is not really anything from my 13 Pro camera setup that I miss in normal use.

Apple specifies a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system with a 48MP main camera and 48MP ultra-wide camera. Apple’s camera specifications are here.

Performance has been faultless so far

The iPhone 17 feels slightly faster than my iPhone 13 Pro in normal use.

The bigger point is reliability. In about six months I have experienced:

• no meaningful lag
• no recurring crashes
• no overheating problems
• no connection problems

The iPhone 13 Pro was already fast enough that this does not feel like a revolutionary performance jump. That says as much about how well the 13 Pro aged as it does about the iPhone 17.

Durability has been good so far

I use both a case and a screen protector.

I have dropped the phone, but there are no meaningful scratches, cracks or other visible damage. Nothing has needed repair.

Six months is too early for me to make the kind of long-term durability judgment I could make after about three years and seven months of primary-phone use with my iPhone 13 Pro, but so far there are no warning signs.

256GB is much more than I currently need

I currently use only around 40GB of the 256GB.

Storage is therefore not remotely a limitation for me right now. Apple sells the iPhone 17 in 256GB and 512GB capacities, and 256GB has given me a huge amount of headroom. Apple’s specifications confirm the available capacities.

iPhone 17 vs my iPhone 13 Pro after six months

The main takeaway is that the iPhone 13 Pro had aged extremely well. The iPhone 17 improves almost every area I cared about, but the change feels like a collection of useful upgrades rather than a dramatic transformation.

My three biggest positives

1. Battery. It is somewhat better than my old phone, and 99% maximum capacity after about six months is reassuring.

2. USB-C charging. This is a simple quality-of-life improvement that I appreciate every time I charge the phone.

3. GPS. Navigation feels a little faster and more accurate in my use.

The three things I still want more of

My main negatives are not serious faults. They are areas where the phone is already good, but where my personal needs make me want more.

• More battery life: the improvement over my 13 Pro is smaller than I hoped.
• An even better/larger display: primarily because I use navigation frequently.
• Even better GPS: it is improved, but I would still value a bigger step forward.

That is why, if I were buying again now, I would seriously consider spending considerably more for an iPhone 18 Pro Max rather than buying another standard iPhone 17. That is a personal fit issue, not evidence that the iPhone 17 is poor value.

Was 6,666 DKK good value?

Yes.

Apple launched the iPhone 17 in Denmark from 7,499 DKK, so the 6,666 DKK I paid for a new 256GB phone was a good price. Apple’s Danish launch announcement lists the original starting price.

I do not regret buying it.

But value and personal fit are not the same thing. If this phone broke tomorrow, I would not simply buy another iPhone 17 for the same money. I would rather spend more to get closer to the maximum battery, display and navigation performance available.

Why I rate the iPhone 17 4.5/5

I use the public Jon Tests rating method: relevant criteria total 100%, each is scored from 1.0 to 5.0 from the first-hand evidence, and the weighted result is rounded to one decimal place.

Who should buy it?

I think the iPhone 17 makes the most sense if you want:

• a modern iPhone without Pro Max pricing
• USB-C
• excellent everyday performance
• strong cameras
• a bright 120 Hz display
• 256GB as the base capacity
• a phone that is relatively easy to carry

Who should consider a Pro Max instead?

A higher-end model may make more sense if your priorities are similar to mine and you specifically care about:

• maximum battery endurance
• the largest possible display for navigation
• the strongest camera system
• getting the biggest possible upgrade rather than the best value

Would I buy the iPhone 17 again?

Not today.

That sounds harsher than the rest of the review, but it is an important distinction.

I think the iPhone 17 is good, and I think the price I paid was good value. I simply know my priorities better now. If mine broke tomorrow, I would rather pay substantially more for an iPhone 18 Pro Max because battery life, display size/quality and navigation matter enough to me.

Apple currently advertises substantially longer battery figures for the iPhone 18 Pro Max than the standard iPhone 17, which is exactly the kind of upgrade that attracts me now. See Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max information. I have not personally tested an iPhone 18 Pro Max, so that preference is based on my needs and Apple’s specifications rather than first-hand experience.

Final verdict

The iPhone 17 has been a good upgrade from my iPhone 13 Pro.

The camera is better. The display is easier to use outdoors. USB-C is much more convenient. GPS feels a little better. Performance has been flawless. After about six months, the battery still reports 99% maximum capacity.

At the same time, owning it has taught me that I care more about battery, display and GPS than I thought.

For that reason, the iPhone 17 gets 4.5/5: excellent overall value and a very good phone, but not quite the ideal model for my own priorities.

Amazon Renewed model note

The Amazon listing linked on this page is a renewed U.S.-market iPhone 17 256GB Black eSIM Verizon version, not the new Danish phone I bought in March 2026.

Before buying, I would verify carrier compatibility, lock status, battery condition, cosmetic grade, warranty and included accessories.

See iPhone 17 256GB Renewed on Amazon (paid link) →

Frequently asked questions

Sources and review method

• My March 30, 2026 purchase, daily use as my primary phone, current 99% battery-health reading and the original photos shown throughout this review.
• Apple — iPhone 17 Technical Specifications for display, chip, storage, camera and other hardware specifications.
• Apple Denmark — iPhone 17 launch announcement for the original Danish starting price.
• Exchange-Rates.org — 2026 USD/DKK history for the approximate historical U.S.-dollar conversion of my 6,666 DKK purchase.
• Apple Denmark — iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max for the manufacturer specifications referenced in my personal next-phone preference.
• Jon Tests — How I Test for the public rating methodology.