Apple has launched the iPhone 18 Pro Max in India and global markets. The new model now competes with last year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max. Both phones target premium smartphone buyers with powerful hardware and advanced features. However, Apple has added several upgrades to the latest model.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max brings an A20 Pro chipset, variable aperture main camera and new C2 cellular modem. It also offers improved battery life and faster wired charging. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max features an A19 Pro chipset, 48-megapixel main camera and storage options up to 2TB.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Price difference
The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900 in India for the 256GB variant. It also comes in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options. The phone arrives in Black, Burgundy, Glacier and Silver colours.
On the other hand, Apple launched the iPhone 17 Pro Max at ₹1,49,900 for the 256GB model. It also offers 512GB, 1TB and 2TB variants. The older model comes in Silver, Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue colours.
Display and software comparison
The iPhone 18 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. It offers a 2,868×1,320 pixel resolution with 460ppi density. The display supports up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate with ProMotion.
Additionally, the phone includes Always-On Display, HDR, True Tone and 3,000 nits outdoor brightness. It runs on iOS 27.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max also carries a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. It offers identical resolution, pixel density, ProMotion, Always-On Display, HDR and True Tone features.
However, the older model runs on iOS 26. Both phones use aluminium unibody design and Ceramic Shield 2 protection.
Processor and battery performance
The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip. It includes a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU with neural accelerator and dual 16-core neural engines.
The chipset supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Apple claims up to 43 hours of video playback and 38 hours of streaming video playback.
Furthermore, the phone supports 60W adapters with USB-C cables. It can reach 50% charge in around 15 minutes.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max uses the A19 Pro chip. It includes a six-core CPU, six-core GPU with neural accelerator and 16-core neural engine.
It also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Apple claims 37 hours of video playback and 33 hours of streaming playback.
The older model reaches 50% charge in around 20 minutes with a 40W or higher adapter.
Therefore, the iPhone 18 Pro Max offers a newer processor and six extra hours of video playback. Both models support MagSafe and up to 25W Qi2 wireless charging.
The latest model also includes Apple’s C2 cellular modem. Both devices support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Apple N1 wireless networking chip and second-generation ultra wideband connectivity.
Camera and design comparison
The iPhone 18 Pro Max features three 48-megapixel rear cameras. The setup includes a variable aperture main camera with f/1.48 to f/4.0 aperture.
The ultra-wide and telephoto cameras complete the system. The telephoto lens offers 4x optical zoom and up to 8x optical-quality zoom.
Moreover, the phone includes Photographic Styles 3 and Smart Focus Tracking features.
For selfies, the device carries an 18-megapixel Centre Stage autofocus camera. Apple has added improved low-light 1080p video recording features.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max measures 78×163.4×8.75 mm and weighs 249 grams.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max also has three 48-megapixel rear cameras. These include main, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses.
Its main camera has an f/1.78 aperture. The telephoto camera provides 4x optical zoom and up to 8x optical-quality zoom.
The older model includes an 18-megapixel Centre camera for selfies and video calls. It measures 78×163.4×8.75 mm and weighs 231 grams.
Although both phones have similar dimensions, the iPhone 18 Pro Max weighs 18 grams more. The biggest camera change comes through the variable aperture sensor and new image processing features.
