Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max: Comparison

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, released in September 2025, represents the brand’s high-end approach to performance, photography and premium design. It combines an aluminium-alloy frame with ceramic elements, while its expansive 6.90-inch OLED display occupies 91.1% of the front surface. The QHD-resolution panel, at 1320 x 2868 pixels, supports a 120Hz refresh rate for fluid scrolling, gaming and animation. With typical brightness of 1,000 cd/m², a quoted 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and HDR10+ compatibility, it is designed to provide rich colour, deep blacks and strong visibility across a range of content.

Audio features include stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos support and a noise-cancelling microphone, making the handset suitable for entertainment, calls and video recording. Under the surface, Apple’s A19 Pro processor, built on a 3nm process, is paired with 12GB of RAM. Storage configurations range from 256GB to a highly capacious 2TB, using NVMe storage. An AnTuTu v11 score of 2,606,807 suggests flagship-level speed, while the inclusion of a cooling system should help maintain performance during demanding tasks.

Photography is another major focus. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a triple 48-megapixel rear camera arrangement. Its main Sony IMX903 sensor uses an f/1.6 aperture, while the Sony IMX972 ultra-wide and macro camera offers a 120-degree, 13mm field of view. A Sony IMX973 telephoto lens provides 4x optical zoom with optical image stabilisation. The 18-megapixel Sony IMX914 front camera has an f/1.9 aperture. Video capabilities include 4K recording and Dolby Vision 4K capture at 24, 25, 30 and 60 frames per second.

Its 4,823mAh battery supports 40W fast charging as well as wireless charging. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, GPS with L1 and L5 bands, Dual SIM capability and eSIM support.

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max, arriving in September 2026, builds upon this formula with notable upgrades in processing power and battery capacity. It retains a 6.90-inch QHD OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compatibility, 1,000 cd/m² typical brightness and the same 91.1% usable screen area. Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos and a noise-cancelling microphone remain part of the package. Its construction is listed as aluminium alloy, maintaining a premium but familiar character.

The central advancement is the Apple A20 Pro chip, manufactured on a more advanced 2nm process. Combined with 12GB of RAM and storage options from 256GB through to 2TB NVMe, it achieves a stated AnTuTu v11 result of 3,010,000. Like its predecessor, it also includes a cooling system for sustained workloads.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max continues with a triple 48-megapixel camera system. The standard camera has a variable f/1.5–2.4 aperture, complemented by 48-megapixel ultra-wide/macro and telephoto cameras at f/2.2 and f/2.8 respectively. Optical image stabilisation and 4K video are included, while the selfie camera rises to 25 megapixels with an f/1.9 aperture.

Perhaps its most practical improvement is the 5,567mAh battery, supported by quicker 60W fast charging and wireless charging. With the same modern connectivity suite as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the newer model appears to prioritise longer endurance, faster recharging and greater processing efficiency.