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iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro Max

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Starting at

£923.39

£1,199 new

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Out of stock right now

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iPhone 17 Pro MaxStarting at £923.39See options
iPhone 18 Pro MaxOut of stockView
1.0/5 (1 review)
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In a nutshell

Apple calls the 18 Pro Max's jump the largest increase in battery life ever on iPhone. The UK model is rated at 43 hours of video against 37. Around that sit the A20 Pro chip, a main camera with an adjustable aperture, Apple's C2 modem and faster wired charging. The 6.9-inch screen, the three 48MP rear cameras and the aluminium body carry over.

The 17 Pro Max suits you if you want the biggest Pro screen and a 4x telephoto for less money, and 37 hours is already plenty. The 18 Pro Max suits you if battery life decides it, or you want aperture control and the longest run of updates.

Available models

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Capacity

Condition grades in stock

Pristine, Excellent, Great, Good

iPhone 18 Pro Max

Out of stock right now. View product page

Durability

iPhone 17 Pro Max 89/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 95/100

Same aluminium unibody, Ceramic Shield 2 front and IP68 rating. The 18 Pro Max should get iOS updates for a year longer.

Water and dust:Both are rated IP68 to a depth of 6 metres for 30 minutes.

Software support:Apple doesn't publish an end date. Going by launch year plus seven, expect updates until around 2032 on the 17 Pro Max and 2033 on the 18 Pro Max.

Weight:249g against 231g. You'll feel the extra 18 grams in a pocket more than in your hand.

Released

2025
2026Newer

Updates until (est.)

2032
2033Supported for longer

Water resistance

IP68
IP68

Frame

Aluminium
Aluminium

Weight

231gLighter
249g

Release date

19 September 2025
18 September 2026

Front glass

Ceramic Shield 2
Ceramic Shield 2

Dimensions

163.4 x 78 x 8.75 mm
163.4 x 78 x 8.75 mm

Biometrics

Face ID
Face ID

Repairability

EU repairability class C
EU repairability class C

Performance

iPhone 17 Pro Max 94/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 100/100

A20 Pro against A19 Pro, with 12GB of RAM on both. Apple quotes 50% more memory bandwidth and up to 40% faster graphics.

Sustained speed:The 18 Pro Max's vapour chamber has three times the surface area of the 17 Pro Max's. That counts in long games and 4K exports.

Everyday use:Both are far quicker than most apps need. Day to day you won't feel the gap.

Chip

A19 Pro
A20 Pro

RAM

12GB
12GB

Storage options

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

AI features

Yes
Yes

Screen quality

iPhone 17 Pro Max 98/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 98/100

A draw. Same 6.9-inch 120Hz ProMotion panel, same 2868 x 1320 resolution, same 3000-nit outdoor peak.

Display size and clarity:6.9 inches at 2868 x 1320 on both.

Dynamic Island:Smaller on the 18 Pro Max, and it can show three Live Activities at once.

Screen size

6.9"
6.9"

Screen type

Super Retina XDR OLED
Super Retina XDR OLED

Refresh rate

120Hz
120Hz

Resolution

2868 x 1320
2868 x 1320

Peak brightness

3000 nits (maker figure)
3000 nits (maker figure)

Camera

iPhone 17 Pro Max 85/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 85/100

Same three 48MP rear cameras. The 18 Pro Max's main camera adds an adjustable aperture.

Variable aperture:Four settings from f/1.48 to f/4.0. Shoot wide open in low light or stop down to keep a whole group sharp.

Zoom:A 48MP 4x telephoto on both, cropping to 8x at what Apple calls optical quality.

Video:4K Dolby Vision at up to 120fps on both, with Apple Log 2 for footage you want to grade.

Main camera

48MP
48MP

Ultrawide

48MP
48MP

Telephoto

48MP
48MP

Optical zoom

4x
4x

Front camera

18MP
18MP

Video recording

4K 120fps Dolby Vision
4K 120fps Dolby Vision

Battery

iPhone 17 Pro Max 100/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 100/100

Both max out our battery score, which tops out at 35 hours of rated video. The 18 Pro Max's extra six hours, 43 against 37 on the UK models, is real but off the scale, and it also charges faster by cable.

Battery life:5391mAh against 4823mAh in the UK models. Six extra hours of rated video, which Apple calls the largest increase in battery life ever on iPhone.

Charging:50% in around 15 minutes with a 60W adapter on the 18 Pro Max, 20 minutes with a 40W adapter on the 17 Pro Max. Both do 25W on MagSafe and Qi2.

Battery

4823mAh
5391mAhBigger battery

Wireless charging

MagSafe 25W, Qi2 25W
MagSafe 25W, Qi2 25W

Video playback (maker)

Up to 37 hours
Up to 43 hours

Connectivity

iPhone 17 Pro Max 95/100
iPhone 18 Pro Max 95/100

Close to a tie. USB 3 at up to 10Gb/s, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 5G on both.

Modem:The 18 Pro Max uses Apple's own C2 modem. Apple quotes faster uploads and 15% less energy use than its earlier C1X.

Storage:Both go from 256GB to 2TB, so the biggest option is no reason to pick one over the other.

5G

Yes
Yes

Port

USB-C (USB 3, 10Gb/s)
USB-C (USB 3, 10Gb/s)

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 7

SIM

Nano-SIM + eSIM
Nano-SIM + eSIM

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 6
Bluetooth 6

Our verdict

Buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max if you want the big Pro screen and three 48MP cameras for less, and 37 hours of rated video already gets you through. Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max if battery life is the reason you buy a Max, or you want aperture control and updates until around 2033. Refurbished 18 Pro Max stock is only starting to arrive, so check the availability section on this page.

Buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max if

  • You want the 6.9-inch Pro for less
  • You prefer the lighter phone
  • 37 hours of video is enough for you
Shop from £923.39

Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max if

  • Battery life is your top priority
  • You want control over depth of field
  • You'll keep it five years or more
View iPhone 18 Pro Max

FAQs

Apple rates the UK 18 Pro Max at up to 43 hours of video playback against 37 for the 17 Pro Max. Streamed video goes to 38 hours.

No. Both have the same 6.9-inch 120Hz ProMotion panel at 2868 x 1320 with a 3000-nit outdoor peak. Only the Dynamic Island is smaller on the 18 Pro Max.

Both come in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB. The availability section on this page shows what's in stock right now.

Every Reboxed phone has a minimum of 80% battery health. If you want the closest thing to new, some phones offer our New Battery Upgrade, professionally installed before your phone is dispatched. If it's available, you'll see it on the product page.

Pristine, Excellent, Great and Good. Pristine has zero blemishes and at least 90% battery health. Good can show noticeable wear on the casing but works perfectly. Every grade is TechCheck certified and comes with a 12-month warranty.

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