The folks over at YouTube channel PhoneBuff have tested six generations of iPhones in real world tasks, revealing how the iPhone 17 compares with older models in speed, thermal performance, and editing workloads.
The video puts the iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the latest iPhone 17 through an extensive lineup of real world tasks. Unlike controlled benchmark tests that often fail to show how much improvement users actually feel, this comparison relies on robots performing everyday actions such as photography, video creation, file transfers and app usage.
The goal is to determine how much real performance has changed since the iPhone 12 and whether the leap from one generation to the next is meaningful for daily use.
The video begins with a portrait photography test designed to mimic real shooting conditions. The iPhone 17 Pro Max takes a clear lead by completing the task in fourteen seconds while the 15 and 16 models follow only a few seconds behind. Older models fall back by wider margins which reinforces the steady improvement in camera processing speed.
The gap becomes even more noticeable during the panorama test where newer devices complete the motion capture far faster than older ones. App load times, however, tell a more nuanced story. Everyday apps like Facebook, Starbucks and Microsoft Word show almost no meaningful difference between models. Even a heavy Excel sheet loads nearly the same on every phone from the 12 through the 17.
The picture changes once photo editing and video software come into play. In Photomator, which includes demanding tools such as object removal and noise reduction, the iPhone 17 once again surges ahead. Older models complete the tasks but take noticeably longer with the iPhone 12 finishing nearly forty seconds later.
Video editing in Adobe Premiere reveals unexpected results where the iPhone 15 outperforms the 16 in certain tasks and the iPhone 13 surprisingly beats the 14. Despite this shuffle in positions, the iPhone 17 remains the consistent leader.
Check out the full video below and share your personal experience with us in the comments section.
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