Mkbhd's iPhone 17 Pro Review: A "Maximalist" Masterpiece Or A Scratch-Prone Paradox?

The moment the tech world has been waiting for is finally here. Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, has dropped his highly-anticipated review of the new iPhone 17 Pro, and it's a deep dive into what he calls the most "maximalist" iPhone ever made.

In a video that has already racked up millions of views, the tech guru breaks down everything you need to know about Apple's latest flagship, from its controversial new design to its upgraded cameras and the much-talked-about "scratchgate" controversy.

So, what's the verdict?

In short, MKBHD is a big fan. He loves the new, thicker design, which he sees as a direct result of Apple's decision to create a separate, super-thin "Air" model. "The best thing about the iPhone Air is actually how much it seems to have freed Apple up to make the Pro phones even more pro," he says.

The new design, which features an all-unibody metal jacket, is not just about aesthetics. It's also about durability and performance. The thicker chassis allows for a bigger battery, a vapor chamber for improved cooling, and a more robust camera system.

"This is not a glass sandwich anymore," he explains. "Literally, the whole body of the phone is metal now with glass cutouts at the back for wireless charging and then at the top for those millimeter wave antennas. This makes it more durable. It makes more room inside for a bigger battery, which we'll get to in a second. And there's enough room for a vapor chamber for the first time ever in an iPhone."

But the new design is not without its controversies. The biggest one, of course, is "scratchgate," the reports that the anodization layer on the aluminum body is easily scratched, revealing the raw silver aluminum underneath.

MKBHD is still on the fence about this one. "I kind of don't really know what to make of this yet," he admits. "Like I feel like this has come up before with a lot of darker anodized aluminum phones. And as a person who rocks a phone with no case, I haven't had any issues with the one I'm using."

He does, however, acknowledge the JerryRigEverything test, which revealed that the weakest part of the phone is around the tightest corner radii, like around the camera plateau.

Another nitpick he has with the design is the lack of a black color option. "Pro phone. you sickos," he jokes. "This is like one of those weird things that it feels like Apple's doing just to spite me where they're making a bunch of products that should have a black version but don't."

But design is just one part of the story. The real star of the show, as always, is the camera system. And according to MKBHD, the iPhone 17 Pro's cameras are more "pro" than ever.

The biggest upgrade is the new 48-megapixel 4x telephoto lens, which replaces the 12-megapixel 5x lens from last year. "This new one feels like a more natural portrait focal length," he says. "It's roughly a 100 millimeter equivalent and all of your zoom shots will have much more detail and much less noise thanks to the sensor being much larger and much higher resolution."

He also gives Apple credit for the specific 2x zoom increments, which are not new lenses but are processed to be sharper and better looking than a pure digital crop.

But he's not without his criticisms. He's still waiting for Apple to fix the point light problem at night and to add 8K video support. "There's a two terabyte iPhone model now," he says. "I feel like 8K video is just a flip of a switch away, but not this year."

One of the most exciting new features for pro users is the support for ProRes RAW, which allows for more flexibility in post-production. "I can literally change ISO and white balance after I shoot, which is very useful," he says.

He also highlights the new Genlock support, a pro feature that allows multiple devices to stay in sync during large shoots.

Under the hood, the A19 Pro chip is, as expected, a beast. It's benchmarked around 20% faster than the last generation, and when paired with 12 gigs of RAM, it makes the phone feel "really quick and snappy."

The bigger battery is also a welcome addition. The 17 Pro has a 20% bigger battery than last year, and the Pro Max is the first iPhone to crack the 5,000 mAh mark. "We welcome a 20% year-over-year improvement," he says. "Now, in Android land, obviously, it's it kind of looks like nothing... but for a phone that ships like in the volume that the iPhone does, very happy to see that sort of improvement when last year's phone already had really good battery."

At the end of the day, MKBHD's review is a glowing endorsement of the iPhone 17 Pro. He sees it as the best Pro iPhone yet, a phone that is more "pro" than ever, thanks to the freedom that the new iPhone Air has given Apple.

"The paradox is that making the pro iPhones more pro is actually better for the masses," he concludes. "And this is the best one yet. It's the most freed one yet."

So, what do you think of MKBHD's review? Do you agree with his assessment of the iPhone 17 Pro? And are you concerned about "scratchgate"? Let us know in the comments below.

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