iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: All the differences explained

Alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone, a new generation of Pro iPhones has arrived, which means it's time to compare the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max. Other than a smaller Dynamic Island, Apple hasn't changed the overall design much from last year's model, but there are several upgrades on the new iPhone 18 Pro Max, including a variable aperture camera, longer battery life and the new A20 Pro chipset.

This guide breaks down the key differences between the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro Max, so you can make a more informed decision before placing your pre-order or upgrading to the newer model. So, whether you already own the iPhone 17 Pro Max or are choosing between the two, we'll help you figure out which one makes more sense.

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iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Specs

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Price, availability and colors

Amid the ongoing RAM crisis, Apple has increased the prices of both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by $100. This means the iPhone 18 Pro Max now starts at $1,299, compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max's $1,199 launch price. Unlike the last time Apple raised the Pro Max's price, there's no base storage increase to soften the blow either.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max comes in four color options: Silver, Glacier, Burgundy, and Black. Notably, Black is making a return after being absent from the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. In comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max launched in just three colors: Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available for pre-order starting September 12, with general availability beginning September 18. Check out our iPhone 18 Pro pre-order deals page for the best offers available.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is no longer officially available from Apple, but you can still find it through retailers like Best Buy and several carriers. With the new model now here, you may also be able to grab it at a decent discount. Check out our iPhone 17 deals page for the latest offers.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Design and display

Apple refreshed the iPhone Pro lineup's design just last year with the iPhone 17 Pro, so there aren't many major changes this time around. Looks-wise, you're getting the same horizontal camera plateau on the back, although the rear glass is now slightly more color-matched to the rest of the device.

In terms of dimensions, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is exactly the same size as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there is a noticeable difference in weight. The iPhone 18 Pro Max weighs nearly 249 grams, compared to 231 grams for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. In terms of durability, both phones are also IP68-rated and feature Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield protection on the back.

As for the display, the iPhone 18 Pro Max features the same 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. Peak brightness also remains unchanged at 3,000 nits.

The main difference is the smaller Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Thanks to its reduced size, the new model can now display up to three Live Activities at once, compared to two on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Cameras

Cameras are where Apple has made some of the bigger changes with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. On paper, you're still getting the same triple 48MP camera setup, consisting of a 48MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto camera with up to 8x optical zoom. But the big upgrade this year is the addition of a physical variable aperture on the main camera.

This allows the aperture to physically open and close to control how much light reaches the sensor, giving the camera more flexibility depending on the scene you're shooting. It should make a noticeable difference in both photos and videos, although we'll have to test it properly to see how much of an improvement it actually makes.

Apple has also added new Pro Controls, allowing users to manually adjust settings like ISO, shutter speed, white balance, exposure, and more directly in the Camera app

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Performance

The iPhone 18 Pro Max features Apple's new A20 Pro chipset, which is the company's first mobile chip built on a 2nm process. Apple has led the smartphone performance race for quite a while, but compared to the A19 Pro inside the iPhone 17 Pro Max, there are even more improvements this year in both performance and power efficiency.

You still get a six-core CPU but there's now a 7-core GPU that promises up to 40% faster graphics performance. Plus, the Neural Engine now features up to 32 cores, which should provide a major boost to AI performance on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Memory bandwidth has also improved, with Apple claiming the A20 Pro offers 50% more bandwidth than the A19 Pro.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max also features a second-generation vapor chamber, which should help improve thermal performance and allow the phone to sustain peak performance for longer.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Battery and charging

Apple never discloses the official battery capacities of its iPhones, but the company is claiming some big battery life improvements with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max can now last up to 43 hours of continuous video playback on a single charge, compared to 37 hours on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

We'll have to test that ourselves, but considering we were already impressed by the iPhone 17 Pro Max's battery life, we're expecting the iPhone 18 Pro Max to be an absolute battery champion.

Charging speeds have increased as well. The iPhone 17 Pro Max supported up to 40W wired charging, delivering up to a 50% charge in around 20 minutes. The iPhone 18 Pro Max increases that to 60W, with Apple claiming you can now reach 50% in just 15 minutes.

Wireless charging, however, remains the same on both phones, with up to 25W MagSafe charging support.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Software and special features

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will launch with iOS 27 out of the box. That said, the same software update will also be available for the iPhone 17 Pro Max around the time the new model goes on sale, which means there isn't much separating the two phones on the software front.

Both phones will get the new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features, so you aren't really missing out by sticking with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, with the improved Neural Engine, better thermal performance, and longer battery life, the iPhone 18 Pro Max should handle some of those AI and more demanding features better in the long run.

And since the iPhone 18 Pro Max is a year newer, you can also expect it to receive software updates for slightly longer than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Outlook

The differences between the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro Max may not look huge from the outside, but Apple has made some meaningful upgrades underneath. The improved battery life, faster charging, A20 Pro chipset, and new variable aperture camera make the iPhone 18 Pro Max a much bigger upgrade than the familiar design might suggest.

Of course, we'll have to properly test both models side by side before giving our final verdict. But based on what we've seen so far, the iPhone 18 Pro Max looks set to be an absolute performance and battery champion, even compared to the already impressive iPhone 17 Pro Max.

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