Phone comparison · UK prices · October 2026
iPhone 18 Pro Max or iPhone 17 Pro Max: which should you buy?
The short answer
The iPhone 18 Pro Max leads on battery life and speed. The iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn't pull clearly ahead on anything we compare. We have no current UK price for the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Comparing 2 phones
iPhone 18 Pro MaxOverall score 91/100
iPhone 17 Pro MaxOverall score 90/100
Differences in daily life
Battery and charging
Best: iPhone 18 Pro MaxThe iPhone 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (5,391 mAh vs 4,832 mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro Max), which may help it last longer between charges.
Speed
Best: iPhone 18 Pro MaxThe iPhone 18 Pro Max's chip (Apple A20 Pro) scores higher in benchmark tests than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro Max (Apple A19 Pro), so it should feel quicker in demanding apps and games.
Size and weight
EvenBoth have similar weights (249 g and 233 g), close enough not to matter much day to day.
Still can't decide?
Your pick
iPhone 18 Pro Max
- A bigger battery (5,391 mAh vs 4,832 mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro Max)
- A faster chip (Apple A20 Pro)
What you give up: Nothing that shows up in the specs we compare.
We may earn a commission whichever phone you buy. It does not change the pick.
Scores
| Score | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 77 | 70 |
| Screen | 91 | 91 |
| Camera | 88 | 93 |
| Speed | 98 | 92 |
| Toughness | 95 | 95 |
| Connections and extras | 98 | 98 |
| Overall | 91 | 90 |
How these scores are made: Each score is calculated from the maker's published specs and benchmark results, using one fixed formula for every phone. We have not tested these phones in the hand. How we score phones
Specs side by side
Display
- Resolution
- 1320 × 2868 pixels1320×2868 pixels
- Screen protection
- Anti-reflective coating, Ceramic Shield 2 GlassAnti-reflective coating, Ceramic Shield 2 Glass, Mohs level 5
Core Specifications
- Chipset
- Apple A20 ProApple A19 Pro
- CPU cores
- 65
- Fabrication Technology
- 2 nm3 nm
- CPU max frequency
- 4.93 GHz4260 MHz
- Microarchitecture
- 2x 4.93 GHz – Super cores 4x 2.64 GHz – Efficiency cores2x 4.26 GHz – Performance cores 4x 2.60 GHz – Efficiency cores
- GPU
- Apple A20 Pro GPU (7 cores)Apple A19 Pro GPU
- Expandable Storage
- NoN/A
Software
- Operating System
- iOS 27iOS 26
Main Camera
- Video Features
- 10-bit HDR, 3D (spatial) video/audio, Apple Log 2, Cinematic from regular video, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 120fps), ProRes, ProRes RAW (up to 120fps), Stereo Sound Rec10-bit HDR, 3D (spatial) video/audio, Apple Log 2, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, ProRes RAW, Stereo Sound Rec
- Features
- HDR (photo/panorama)Panorama
- Lenses
- 48 MP , 24 mm ( Wide angle ), 1.22 μm , 1/1.28" Sensor size Dual-Pixel PDAF sensor-shift OIS (gen2) 48 MP , ƒ /2.8, 100 mm ( Periscope telephoto ), 0.7 μm , x4 Optical zoom, 1/2.55" Sensor size 3D sensor‑shift OIS PDAF 48 MP , ƒ /2.2, 13 mm , 120° ( Ultra-wide angle ), 0.7 μm , 1/2.55" Sensor size PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)48 MP , ƒ /1.6, 24 mm ( Wide-angle ), 1.22 μm , 1/1.28" Sensor size - Dual-Pixel PDAF - sensor-shift OIS 48 MP , ƒ /2.8, 100 mm ( Periscope telephoto ), 0.7 μm , x4 optical zoom, 1/2.55" Sensor size - 3D sensor‑shift OIS - Dual-Pixel PDAF 48 MP , ƒ /2.2, 13 mm , 120° ( Ultra-Wide angle ), 0.7 μm , 1/2.55" Sensor size - PDAF
Selfie camera
- Lenses
- 18 MP , ƒ /1.9, 20 mm ( Ultra-wide angle ) PDAF18 MP , ƒ /1.9 ( Wide-angle ) - Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) - PDAF
- Video Features
- 3D (spatial) audio, Apple Log 2, Gyro-EIS, ProRes RAW, Stereo Sound Rec3D (spatial) audio, Apple Log 2, Dolby Vision HDR, HDR, ProRes RAW, Stereo Sound Rec
General
- Announced
- Wednesday, 09 September 2026Tuesday, 09 September 2025
- Released
- Friday, 18 September 2026Friday, 19 September 2025
Battery
- Capacity
- 5391 mAh4832 mAh
- Wired charging power
- 25 W25W
- Wireless charging power
- 25 W25W
- Fast charging support
- Yesno
- Features
- Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) MagSafe wireless charging Qi2 wireless charging Reverse wired charging Wired charging from 0-50% in around 15 minutes with a 60W-capable adapter (as advertised) Wireless charging from 0-50% in 30 minutes (as advertised)MagSafe wireless charging, Qi2 wireless charging, Reverse wired charging, Wired charging from 0-50% in 20 minutes (official specs),
Battery Life Test
- Browsing
- N/A15:19 hh:mm
- Video watching
- N/A8:29 hh:mm
- Playing games
- N/A9:26 hh:mm
Design
- Weight
- 249 g233 g
- Resistance cert. meaning
- Dust-tight and water-resistant (submersible up to 6m for 30 minutes)Dust and water-resistant (withstands high-pressure water jets; submersible up to 6m for 30 minutes)
Network
- SIM cards
- Dual SIM (Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM) Dual SIM (eSIM + eSIM) Dual SIM (Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM)Dual SIM
- Network Type support
- 5G, LTE, HSPAEV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps, 5G, LTE, HSPA
- Network_2G bands
- GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHzGSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz CDMA: 800 / 1900 MHz
Connectivity
- USB ports
- USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 DisplayPortUSB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort,
Multimedia
- Audio type
- Stereo speakersStereo speakers,