Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max review

Introduction

Arriving a year ahead of the anniversary iPhone, this model marks the series' most modest update to date, dressed in burgundy. Meet the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Offering small incremental changes is probably the most 'Apple' way of doing things. And this year, the iPhone 18 Pro Max brings four of them: a new chip, a variable aperture lens, a larger battery with faster charging, and a smaller Dynamic Island.

Let's start from the beginning. The iPhone 18 Pro Max has the same design as the 17 Pro Max, but instead of Orange and Deep Blue, this year we get Black, Glacier Blue, and the signature Burgundy Red, plus the traditional silver.

The 6.9-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED remains the same, with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The Dynamic Island has shrunk, though, as Apple moved the IR camera under the display.

There is a new chip, of course - the Apple A20 Pro, manufactured on a 2nm node. It brings more powerful CPU and GPU cores, a redesigned internal architecture and a much larger vapor chamber for improved cooling.

Finally, the highlight feature of the iPhone 18 Pro is the variable aperture lens on the 48MP primary camera. It expands the camera's photographic capabilities and promises improved image quality across a wider range of shooting conditions. The 48MP 4x telephoto, 48MP ultrawide and 18MP selfie cameras remain the same.

The 18 Pro Max has an even larger battery than before, with different capacities depending on the model - the version with a physical SIM tray has a 5,391mAh cell, while the eSIM-only version comes with a 5,567mAh battery. The new model also supports faster wired charging.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max specs at a glance:

Body: 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.8 mm, 249g; Glass front (Ceramic Shield 2), aluminum frame, aluminum back/ glass back (Ceramic Shield); IP68 dust-tight and water-resistant (submersible up to 6m for 30 min).

• Display: 6.90" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak), 1320x2868px resolution, 19.55:9 aspect ratio, 460ppi; Anti-reflective coating.

• Chipset: Apple A20 Pro (2 nm).

• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 2TB 12GB RAM; NVMe.

• OS/Software: iOS 27.

• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.5-4.0, 24mm, 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS (gen2); Telephoto: 48 MP, f/2.8, 100mm, 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 4x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner.

• Front camera: Wide (main): 18 MP multi-aspect, f/1.9, 20mm, PDAF; Depth: SL 3D.

• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 120fps), ProRes, ProRes RAW (up to 120fps), Apple Log 2, 3D (spatial) video/audio, stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.

• Battery: 5391mAh; Wired, PD3.2, AVS, 50% in 15 min, 25W wireless MagSafe/Qi2, 50% in 30 min (15W - China), 4.5W reverse wired.

• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 6.0; NFC.

• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; stereo speakers; Ultra Wideband (UWB) support (gen2 chip), Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My via satellite.

   Apple die-hards aside, new iPhones are rarely aimed at owners of the previous          model. Apple builds long-lasting hardware, expecting most users to hold onto their      devices for a few years until a truly meaningful upgrade comes along. Of course,        that doesn't really excuse the minor upgrades we've been getting over the last few      years. Apple is far from the only manufacturer guilty of this, though. In 2026, it              almost feels like Samsung, Google and Apple are all racing to see who can upgrade    the fewest things and call it a day.

Unboxing the iPhone 18 Pro Max

The iPhone 18 Pro Max ships in a thin box that contains the phone and a braided USB-C cable.

Design, build quality, handling

If you've handled the iPhone 17 Pro Max, you already know what the 18 Pro Max feels like. The two are visually identical if you don't count the updated colors this year. The 18 Pro Max comes in a choice of new colors, which include the headlining Burgundy, which everyone is so eager to copy from Day 1, as well as the Glacier Blue and Black options. The Silver version sees a return, but it's now refined to have a glass back that matches the color of the frame instead of being white.

This consistency in design for a second year means all your 17 Pro Max cases and screen protectors will fit perfectly. On the downside, however, annual upgraders won't feel like they're holding a brand-new device.

As we established, the iPhone 18 Pro Max shares the same build as the previous model - and that's not a bad thing. It features Ceramic Shield 2 over the display, an aluminum unibody housing an enormous camera island, and a Ceramic Shield glass cover over the wireless charging coil. Combining these distinct materials was a departure from the Apple we've known, but it worked well then and continues to work now.

The device retains its IP68 rating for ingress protection, though Apple advertises survival in water up to 6 meters deep for 30 minutes - going well beyond standard IP68 requirements.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max measures 163.4 x 78 x 8.8 mm, identical to the 17 Pro Max. However, the new model weighs 249 grams - 15 grams heavier than its predecessor and 22 grams heavier than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Teardowns have revealed that responsible for the extra heft is not only the larger battery in a steel casing but also the new, extra-large vapor chamber cooling. Still, the body is well balanced, and most users will gladly accept the weight gain knowing it's down to upgrades in the internal components.

And now, let's explore the new iPhone 18 Pro Max up close.

On the front, you'll find the bright, colorful 6.9-inch LTPO display surrounded by incredibly thin, uniform bezels. Above the screen is an almost invisible earpiece that doubles as a stereo speaker.

The screen remains home to the signature Dynamic Island, which blends two physical cutouts into a single pill-shaped one. This year, however, that pill has shrunk by 35% - a noticeable reduction.

Previously, the cutout housed the selfie camera, the IR emitter, the IR camera, and the proximity and ambient light sensors. This year, Apple moved the IR camera to the left of the island directly beneath the screen, allowing the main cutout to shrink. There are fewer subpixels overlying the IR camera - a detail visible only under a microscope.

With a smaller Dynamic Island, iOS 27 now allows for three active mini Live Activities on the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The screen features an anti-reflective and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.

The back design retains a familiar feel, featuring a large, rectangular camera bump that gently curves up from the aluminum backplate. It houses three metal camera rings, the LED flash, the LiDAR scanner, and a dedicated microphone for clear audio capture in videos.

Positioned below the camera module, the wireless charging coil and MagSafe magnets are concealed under a rectangular glass piece. Apple has color-matched the glass and the aluminum across all four models this year, whereas last year the Silver version had a white glass panel there.

The sides of the iPhone 18 Pro Max haven't changed much. There is nothing at the top.

The bottom has symmetrically placed dotted grilles - one for the second stereo speaker and one for the primary microphone/mouthpiece. The USB-C port is centered in between.

The left side of the 18 Pro Max has the customizable Action key, the volume buttons, and the ejectable SIM tray.

The Side key (power/lock/Siri) and the Camera key (a physical button, which is also force touch-enabled) are on the right.

The new model is a heavy slab, no doubt about it - but it's a well-balanced smartphone with great weight distribution. The screen coating paired with the all-matte finish makes for a virtually smudge-free experience, which is a rare treat nowadays.

Unfortunately, that matte texture also offers less friction and compromised grip. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max isn't the slickest device we've tested, it's still slippery enough that you'll likely want to put a case on it.