iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: All the differences
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The iPhone 18 Pro Max in Burgundy looks bedazzling. | Image by PhoneArena
John Ternus is in, and the first new device that he announced at the helm at Apple is the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which will traditionally be Cupertino's strongest candy bar phone.
The device feels like an "iPhone 17s Pro Max" this year, and the reason is clear: to not take away from the iPhone Duo's thunder.
Other improvements include the annual chipset upgrade to the Apple A20 Pro chip, new variable aperture for the main camera, and finally, a larger battery in the back. That Burgundy color is also new, though many other manufacturers have preemptively released similar dark red devices to bask in the glory of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
This is shaping up to be quite the small generational improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Should you upgrade? Our complete benchmark and in-house tests are still pending, but so far, the verdict is already clear: if you are not part of an upgrade program and don't really care about the camera and battery improvements, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max will serve you well for many years to come.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max all the essential differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| The same design language with new color options, including Burgundy | Apple's first camera plateau iteration with sharper corners |
| A more compact Dynamic Island | A regular Dynamic Island at the front |
| A more powerful 2nm Apple A20 Pro chip | Apple A19 Pro chipset, built on a 3 nm manufacturing node |
| Apple C2 modem, offering improved efficiency | Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 modem on board |
| Up to 2 TB of storage | A maximum of 1 TB of storage |
| Variable aperture on the main camera (f/1.48-f/4.0) | Standard 48MP Fusion camera with fixed f/1.8 aperture |
| Significantly larger 5,567 mAh battery on the eSIM US model | Large 5,088 mAh battery, among the largest on iPhone |
| $1,299 starting price for the 256GB model, a $100 price increase | A $1,199 starting price for the base model |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
Perfecting the new design
No surprises, the iPhone 18 Pro Max follows the iPhone 17 Pro Max's design language to the T. Expect the same aluminum build and flat design language that debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple will merely perfect the fairly new camera plateau design introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro generation, not get rid of it. What Cupertino revealed last year was an oversized camera island that spanned nearly side to side but faced some criticism for the sharp, right-angled edges of the camera plateau, which weren't very durable and chipped easily. That's just how aluminum is.
The most striking design difference between the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the smaller Dynamic Island at the front of the new device which is now significantly less intrusive. What's more, it can now fit up to three Live Alerts, boosting the functionality of this device element.
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple will merely perfect the fairly new camera plateau design introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro generation, not get rid of it. What Cupertino revealed last year was an oversized camera island that spanned nearly side to side but faced some criticism for the sharp, right-angled edges of the camera plateau, which weren't very durable and chipped easily. That's just how aluminum is.
The front Center Stage camera hasn't been positioned under the screen just yet, but seeing the iPhone Duo's internal hidden FaceTime camera, we are likely close to the uninterrupted notchless iPhone.
In terms of size, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is absolutely identical to the iPhone 17 Pro Max as far as dimensions go. The general thickness is 8.75 mm at the frame and around 13.5 mm at the camera plateau.
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm (~13.49 mm with camera bump) | 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm (~13.13 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 249.0 g | 233.0 g |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
In terms of size, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is absolutely identical to the iPhone 17 Pro Max as far as dimensions go. The general thickness is 8.75 mm at the frame and around 13.5 mm at the camera plateau.
The most striking change, however, is the weight: at 249 grams, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the heaviest standard iPhone we've seen, just a smidgen lighter than the iPhone Duo which stands at 254 grams. It will be a tough year for your pockets, that's for sure.
In terms of colors, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is available in a slew of new colors. Apple brings Black, Glacier, Silver, and the hero Burgundy colors to the range. Quite a different selection from last year's Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
In terms of colors, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is available in a slew of new colors. Apple brings Black, Glacier, Silver, and the hero Burgundy colors to the range. Quite a different selection from last year's Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Display Differences
The biggest improvement with the screen of the iPhone 18 Pro Max is the smaller Dynamic Island at the front.
Apple must have positioned some Face ID modules under the screen or slimmed down existing ones to minimize the Dynamic Notch significantly: it was 20.76 mm wide on the iPhone 17 Pro Max versus 13.49 mm on the iPhone 18 Pro Max), massively improving the immersion. The new solution allows more interface elements to fit, like up to three Live Activities, which is a good upgrade.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 1-120Hz |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The device retains its usual 6.9-inch ProMotion XDR OLED display, with the same peak brightness pushing 3,000 nits. That's mostly similar to what the iPhone 17 Pro Max offered.
And, in fact, pretty much all display specs are the same.
Performance and Software
The annual performance upgrade
Every year, Apple upgrades the chipset in the iPhone, and this isn't changing in 2026. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will arrive with the Apple A20 Pro chip, which is built on a 2 nm manufacturing node and would most certainly introduce major efficiency and performance gains.
The more intriguing development on the hardware front is the use of Apple's own C2 modem, which substitutes the long-lasting line of Qualcomm modems employed by previous iPhones. Using such a modem on the iPhone would be beneficial to the overall efficiency and potential battery life of the device.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB | 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
| OS | |
| iOS (27.x) | iOS (26.x) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Both the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro Max share the same amount of memory—12 GB on board. The minimum amount required for Apple Intelligence is 8 GB, and the Pro models deserve 4 GB of headroom that fits their status.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max arrives with iOS 27 right out of the box, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max launched with iOS 26 and will certainly get its taste of iOS 27 in a few days' time.
Camera
A switching aperture for the main camera
The biggest upgrade with the iPhone 18 Pro Max camera is the variable aperture for the main camera, which will be once again relying on a 48MP main sensor. The highlight here, however, is the six-blade aperture. The camera can now intelligently switch between f/1.48 and f/4.0 depending on ambient lighting and the user's own creative needs.
A variable aperture would allow the camera to intelligently switch to a wider aperture in lower-light conditions or when the need for a shallow depth of field arises (most often when taking portraits). Conversely, the opposite narrow end of the variable aperture would boost the focus, sharpness, and detail in standard light conditions.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (ToF 3D depth sensing, Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX905 Aperture size: F1.5/F4.0 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX903 Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX973 Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX973 Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
What about the rest of the cameras?
No changes to the rest of the array, with the cameras being pretty identical to the ones on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Both the ultrawide and telephoto cameras are 48 MP ones.
The same applies to the front camera as well: both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro Max will share the same 18 MP Center Stage camera which is genuinely better than older FaceTime iterations. It will intelligently keep you in frame during FaceTime calls and fit more content in the frame.
Battery Life and Charging
Improvements again!
Unlike Samsung, Apple has been giving us steady battery improvements in the past couple of years, increasing the battery capacity of its pro iPhone annually. That's great to see, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max continues this trend with a bang.
Apple has outfitted the iPhone 18 Pro Max with a massive 5,567 mAh battery in the US, while the international version with a physical nano SIM slot gets a slightly smaller 5,391 mAh battery, which will still be larger than what the iPhone 17 Pro Max had to offer in either its eSIM or physical SIM versions. Apple promises up to 30 hours of typical use and up to 40 hours of streamed video playback.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5567 mAh | 5088 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 25.0W | Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
In terms of charging, Apple has given us a very decent 60 W wired charging upgrade, a notable upgrade over the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 40 W charging. The iPhone 18 Pro Max takes just 15 minutes to charge to 50%, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max takes 20 minutes to do so. It might be a small difference, but it's definitely in the right direction.
Specs Comparison
Here's a complete breakdown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max specs in comparison with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm (~13.49 mm with camera bump) | 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm (~13.13 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 249.0 g | 233.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 1-120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB | 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
| OS | |
| iOS (27.x) | iOS (26.x) |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5567 mAh | 5088 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 25.0W | Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (ToF 3D depth sensing, Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX905 Aperture size: F1.5/F4.0 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm | 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX903 Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Sensor name: Sony IMX972 Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX973 Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX973 Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is focusing on two main areas: efficiency and camera prowess.
The faster new chipset, the larger battery, and the in-house modem all hint that Apple has truly put efficiency first and foremost with the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
At the same time, the main camera;s party trick is a neat one, but I don't think many people would benefit from it. Manually closing down the aperture is a very niche photography use case that has significantly smaller effects on phones as opposed to larger mirrorless cameras.
Of course, none of these would be enough to warrant upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The latter would be a top choice for years to come, as the iPhone 18 Pro Max is mostly geared towards users of the iPhone 14 Pro Max or earlier models.
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