Unlike Android, “choosing well” in iOS includes previous generations: Apple supports its phones for many years, so an iPhone 16 bought today is still a great buy. This ranking orders the 10 iPhones you can buy right now (new or previous-gen still on sale), with data from PhoneArena, Stuff, MacRumors and Tom’s Guide.
The ranking at a glance
| # | Model | Best at… | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iPhone 17 Pro Max | The best iPhone, period | $1,199 |
| 2 | iPhone 17 Pro | Compact Pro power | $1,099 |
| 3 | iPhone 17 | The one most people should buy | $799 |
| 4 | iPhone Air | Ultra-thin design | $999 |
| 5 | iPhone 17e | Modern entry point | $599 |
| 6 | iPhone 16 Pro | Pro features at a discount | ~$850 (deal) |
| 7 | iPhone 16 | Best “previous-gen” value | ~$650 (deal) |
| 8 | iPhone 16 Pro Max | Big screen/battery, discounted | ~$950 (deal) |
| 9 | iPhone 16e | The cheapest new one | ~$500 (deal) |
| 10 | iPhone 15 | Only if heavily discounted | ~$450 (deal) |
The 16 and 15 are no longer sold by Apple, but remain available new on Amazon and retailers — prices vary; those shown are typical deal prices.
iPhone prices in this ranking, highest to lowest
Notice the jump between the 17 Pro Max and the plain 17: around 600 dollars apart for a phone that, for 80% of people, does exactly the same things. The chart makes the real price step obvious.
1. iPhone 17 Pro Max — the best iPhone
The ultimate combination: A19 Pro with a vapor chamber (an iPhone first), 12 GB of RAM, a triple 48 MP camera with 5x telephoto, 256 GB of base storage and the best battery Apple has ever put in a phone.
- Performance: the most powerful mobile chip on the market.
- Battery: ~5,000 mAh; the longest-lasting iPhone by far.
- Camera: Apple’s most versatile; video is a global reference.
- Gaming and temperature: the vapor chamber finally avoids throttling in long sessions — AAA games with no FPS drops.
- Display: 6.9” OLED ProMotion (1–120 Hz), outstanding brightness.
2. iPhone 17 Pro — the same, in a reasonable size
The same platform as the Max —A19 Pro, vapor chamber, 5x tele, 256 GB base— in 6.3”. You lose hours of battery and inches; you gain comfort and $100. For PhoneArena and several outlets, the “sensible premium” buy of the lineup.
🛒 Check the 17 Pro price3. iPhone 17 — the one most people should buy
The 2026 press consensus: Apple’s best all-rounder. For $799 it brings what was Pro-exclusive for years: a 120 Hz display, an up-to-date A19 chip, a dual 48 MP camera and all-day battery.
- Gaming: the A19 runs the entire App Store catalog; only in demanding marathons will you notice it lacks the Pro cooling.
- Display: 6.3” OLED 120 Hz — the jump that felt overdue.
4. iPhone Air — the object of desire
At ~5.6 mm it’s the thinnest iPhone in history, with an A19 Pro chip and a 6.5” 120 Hz display. You buy it for the design — and accept the trade: physics rules, and with less thermal mass and ~3,200 mAh, neither battery nor long gaming sessions are its turf. It also has no telephoto.
🛒 Check the iPhone Air price5. iPhone 17e — the modern entry point
The cheapest new iPhone ($599) with a current-generation chip: it guarantees years of iOS and Apple Intelligence. A simpler display and a single 48 MP camera, but as a first door into the ecosystem —or for someone coming from a 5-year-old iPhone— it’s a rounded buy.
🛒 Check the iPhone 17e price6. iPhone 16 Pro — Pro features without launch pricing
The cheapest way to have a “Pro” iPhone: an still-mighty A18 Pro, a triple camera with 5x tele, ProMotion 120 Hz and titanium. With current discounts it’s the best value if you want Pro without paying flagship money.
- Gaming and temperature: very capable, though without the 17 Pro’s vapor chamber it can warm up in long sessions.
7. iPhone 16 — the quiet bargain
For several outlets, the best value-for-money buy in the whole ecosystem in 2026: fast, with a great OLED, solid 48 MP cameras, USB-C and years of software support. Its only real drawback vs. the 17: a 60 Hz display.
🛒 Check the iPhone 16 price8. iPhone 16 Pro Max — the ex-flagship
If you want a 6.9” screen and a huge battery but the 17 Pro Max is out of budget, last year’s Max at a discount is the move. Everything from the 16 Pro, supersized.
🛒 Check the 16 Pro Max price9. iPhone 16e — the basic that delivers
It was the “cheap iPhone” until the 17e arrived and now sells at good discounts: A18, a 48 MP camera and the classic design. If budget rules and you find it near $500, it delivers without dazzling.
🛒 Check the iPhone 16e price10. iPhone 15 — only if heavily discounted
It still gets iOS and has USB-C and Dynamic Island, but its chip is left out of several Apple Intelligence features. Simple rule: under ~$450 new it’s defensible; above that, stretch to the 16 or the 17e.
🛒 Check the iPhone 15 priceQuick verdict
- The best regardless of price: iPhone 17 Pro Max.
- For most people: iPhone 17 — the perfect balance in 2026.
- Serious gaming on iOS: 17 Pro / Pro Max (the vapor chamber makes a real difference in sustained FPS and temperature).
- Tight budget: a new 17e, or a 16 on sale if you accept 60 Hz.
- Can you wait? In September Apple refreshes the Pro line; the 17 Pros will drop.
Torn between ecosystems? Compare with the Top 10 Android or check the best value-for-money phone guide.
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