iPhone 17 vs Pixel 10 vs Samsung Galaxy S25: How Apple’s Base Model Stacks Up
Apple has delivered notable upgrades to the base iPhone 17 this year with only a modest price increase, making it a serious contender against Google’s Pixel 10 and Samsung’s Galaxy S25. While most attention was on the iPhone 17 Pro and the rumored iPhone Air, the standard iPhone 17 has surprised many by offering compelling features that elevate it above its predecessors.
Price in India
The iPhone 17 starts at ₹82,900 for the 256GB variant. The Pixel 10 also begins at ₹79,999 with 256GB storage, while the Samsung Galaxy S25 is the most affordable at ₹74,900, though it comes with only 128GB storage.
Design and Display
- iPhone 17: Glass back, aluminium frame, 8mm thick, 177g. Features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for smoother visuals.
- Pixel 10: Glass back with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, aluminium frame, 8.6mm thick, 204g. Sports a 6.3-inch OLED with standard 120Hz refresh and 3,000 nits peak brightness.
- Samsung Galaxy S25: Sleek 7.2mm body, glass back, aluminium frame, and the lightest at 162g. Comes with a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz LTPO display with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Hardware and Operating System
- iPhone 17: Powered by the A19 chipset with 8GB RAM and storage up to 512GB. Runs iOS 26, upgradeable for at least 6 future iOS versions.
- Pixel 10: Equipped with Tensor G5 chipset, 12GB RAM, up to 256GB storage. Ships with Android 16 and Material UI, promising 7 OS upgrades.
- Samsung S25: Snapdragon 8 Elite, 12GB RAM, storage up to 512GB. Runs One UI 8 on Android 16 with 7 OS upgrades expected.
Cameras
- iPhone 17: Dual rear cameras — 48MP main + 48MP ultra-wide (both with OIS), front 18MP shooter.
- Pixel 10: Triple rear cameras — 48MP main (OIS), 10.8MP telephoto (OIS), 13MP ultra-wide; 10.5MP front camera.
- Samsung S25: Triple rear cameras — 50MP main (OIS), 10MP telephoto (OIS), 12MP ultra-wide; 12MP front camera.
Battery and Charging
- iPhone 17: 3,692mAh with 30W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 25W Qi2 wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging.
- Pixel 10: 4,970mAh with 30W wired, 15W Qi2 wireless, and reverse charging.
- Samsung S25: 4,000mAh with 25W wired, 15W Qi2 wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
With these upgrades, the base iPhone 17 is no longer the overlooked model in Apple’s lineup. It now competes head-to-head with Google and Samsung, offering a blend of performance, display quality, and camera capabilities that could sway buyers who previously leaned toward the Pro models.
