The release of the iPhone 17 series has triggered widespread debate over variations in flash memory performance. Based on real-world testing conducted by Bilibili content creator "Director Feng's Phone Repair," it has been revealed that the 256GB variants of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are all equipped with lower-speed storage drives. These models achieved AnTuTu benchmark scores ranging from 90,000 to 100,000 points, with read and write speeds measuring approximately 1600MB/s and 1700MB/s, respectively. In stark contrast, the 512GB and 1TB models incorporate high-speed drives. Moreover, all full-capacity versions of the iPhone Air come standard with high-speed drives, delivering benchmark scores around 150,000 points and read/write speeds of up to 3200MB/s and 4100MB/s.

The discrepancy arises from Apple's use of older flash memory chips in the 256GB models, while newer chips are utilized in other variants. This strategy reflects Apple's approach to cost management. While everyday users may not readily notice the performance gap during typical usage, high-speed drives demonstrate superior performance in demanding scenarios, such as 4K video editing and loading large-scale games.

Additionally, the 256GB models of all iPhone 17 variants are factory-configured to operate in a lower-speed read/write mode. Modifying this setting incurs significant costs and may compromise the stability of storage expansion. It is also worth noting that high-speed 1TB and 2TB drives are currently unavailable in the market. Therefore, users considering storage upgrades for the 512GB model should proceed with caution and may wish to delay their plans until newer drives become accessible.