Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max review
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.
iPhone 18 Pro Max in Burgundy next to iPhone 18 Pro in Glacier Blue
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.
