Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review
Apple’s biggest iPhone returns with a lighter titanium build, the new A19 chip, and a camera system that pushes optical zoom further than ever. After a week of use, here’s how it measures up
Design, build quality, handling
The 17 Pro Max sticks to the flat-edge look but trims the bezels and swaps stainless steel for titanium. That drops the weight by about 15 g while keeping IP68 water and dust protection. The matte glass back resists smudges, and the new “Deep Blue” color stands out. At 6.9 inches it’s still a big phone—one-hand use is limited—but balance and grip are better than last year.
Display
The 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR OLED is brighter than ever, peaking at 2,000 nits outdoors. Resolution stays at 1290 × 2796 px, sharp enough for anything. ProMotion 1–120 Hz refresh keeps scrolling buttery smooth, while HDR10 and Dolby Vision playback look superb with deep blacks and punchy colors.
Performance and software
Apple’s A19 Bionic, built on a 3 nm process, pairs with 8 GB of RAM. Benchmarks show roughly a 15 % CPU bump and a noticeable GPU gain over the A18. Real-world use backs that up: heavy games and 4K editing run effortlessly, and the phone stays cooler under load. iOS 18 ships with smarter Siri, AI-powered photo editing, and the usual five-plus years of updates.
Camera
The triple-camera setup gets its biggest change in the telephoto: a 5× periscope zoom exclusive to the Pro Max.
Main: 48 MP, larger sensor, excellent dynamic range and low-light performance.
Ultra-wide: 12 MP, sharp edges, consistent colors.
Telephoto: 12 MP 5×, crisp detail even in evening light.
Video remains a strong point: 4K60 with Dolby Vision HDR, ProRes, and class-leading stabilization.
Battery life
The 4,600 mAh cell delivered 18 hours of continuous video playback in our testing—roughly a day and a half of mixed use. Charging is unchanged: 30 W wired hits 50 % in about 30 minutes; MagSafe wireless tops out at 15 W.
Verdict
The iPhone 17 Pro Max refines almost everything: lighter frame, brighter display, faster chip, and a camera system with real zoom. Downsides? The price is steep and charging speed still trails Android rivals. If you want the best iPhone experience and long software support, this is the one to buy.