Head to head
Apple iPhone 18 ProvsApple iPhone 17 Pro Max
The short answer
Choose the iPhone 17 Pro Max for the larger screen. The iPhone 18 Pro wins no row by a gap you’d notice. Both cost £1,199 at UK RRP. Apple publishes no date for either; its record with retired iPhones points to 2033–2037 for the iPhone 18 Pro and 2032–2036 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, our estimate, not Apple’s.
- Released
- 2026-09-18Apple Newsroom UK — Apple debuts iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, retrieved 2026-09-10
- Price
- £1,199Apple UK store, retrieved 2026-09-10
- Security updates until
- Not published by the makerendoflife.date — iPhone, retrieved 2026-09-10
- Released
- 2025-09-19endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-19
- Price
- £1,199Apple UK store, retrieved 2026-08-19
- Security updates until
- Not published by the makerendoflife.date — iPhone, retrieved 2026-08-19
0 wins for iPhone 18 Pro1 win for iPhone 17 Pro Max4 gaps borderline0 differences you won’t noticeSame RRP
Verdict: iPhone 17 Pro Max ahead on 1 row, iPhone 18 Pro on none
On the makers’ published figures, the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on display size (6.9 in against 6.3 in). 4 gaps are borderline, differences most people would not notice: weight (211 g against 231 g) for the iPhone 18 Pro, battery capacity (4,823 mAh against 4,056 mAh, both from GSMArena) for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, claimed video playback (37 h against 34 h) for the iPhone 17 Pro Max and fast charging (60 W against 40 W) for the iPhone 18 Pro. Both state the same refresh rate, peak brightness, typical brightness, HDR peak brightness, storage (base), RAM and wireless charging. The other 36 rows have no threshold or no direction to judge by, so nobody wins them.
True to scale
Outlines from each maker’s published dimensions, drawn to scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.
Specifications
A win is marked only where the figures can be ranked and the gap is one you could notice. A row the site has no threshold for says whether the two differ, and that it is not ranking them. = marks the same figure on both, ≠ not ranked a difference with no ranking. Every figure carries its source.
Body
Display
Platform
Memory
Camera
Battery
Connectivity
Benchmarks
3 attributes neither phone has a sourced figure for
Google Mobile Services · AnTuTu benchmark · DXOMARK camera score. Rows appear as sources are cited — a gap in our data, not a statement about either phone.
Questions
Is the iPhone 18 Pro better than the iPhone 17 Pro Max?
On the figures, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is ahead wherever there is a gap you’d notice: display size, 6.9 in against 6.3 in (both Apple UK). The iPhone 18 Pro wins no row by such a gap. That is a count of rows, not an overall score.
Which has the better battery?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is ahead, narrowly: claimed video playback, 37 h against 34 h (both Apple UK), a borderline gap most people would not notice. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is ahead, narrowly: battery capacity, 4,823 mAh against 4,056 mAh (both GSMArena), a borderline gap most people would not notice.
Which is lighter?
The iPhone 18 Pro is lighter, narrowly: weight, 211 g against 231 g (both Apple UK), a borderline gap most people would not notice.
Which has the brighter screen?
Neither: both state 3,000 nits for peak brightness (Apple UK). Both state 1,000 nits for typical brightness (Apple UK). Both state 1,600 nits for HDR peak brightness (Apple UK).
Which gets updates for longer?
Apple publishes no date for either; its record with retired iPhones points to 2033–2037 for the iPhone 18 Pro and 2032–2036 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, our estimate, not Apple’s. Sources: Apple’s record from endoflife.date and Apple security releases.
Which is cheaper?
Both cost £1,199 at UK RRP. Prices from iPhone 18 Pro: Apple UK store; iPhone 17 Pro Max: Apple UK store.
Other comparisons
The pairs a buyer of either phone would also weigh. Any two phones in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.