Tom’s Guide assessment
The large display, 48 MP telephoto camera and vapor-chamber cooling suit demanding use; its size and premium price remain tradeoffs.
Tom’s GuidePhones & tablets / Review roundup
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
2025 Pro Max, 256GB; regional SIM and radio variants differ
Roundup updated 2026-10-03 · 2 assessment sources
What reviewers found
A large-screen iPhone to compare with the newer Pro Max at the actual selling price.
A working 17 Pro Max is still a capable everyday phone; check whether the newer camera controls and measured performance gains matter to your use.
A roundup of published reviews; we haven’t tested this product. How we work
At a glance
Good for
A large-screen iPhone to compare with the newer Pro Max at the actual selling price.
The catch
Large, heavy body; Premium cost even when discounted
Where to buy
Current prices are available at the retailer.Check price at Amazon Product search
Affiliate links · We may earn a commission.
Strengths and limitations
Pros
- Large 120Hz OLED
- 48 MP telephoto and Center Stage camera
Cons
- Large, heavy body
- Premium cost even when discounted
PERFORMANCE
Benchmarks
Battery endurance · web browsing
Higher is better · minutesApple iPhone 17 Pro Max
1,074minutes
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
1,107minutes
01,107 minutes
3.1% higher
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max records 3.1% higher battery endurance than Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max in this test. Percentage differences use Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max as the baseline. This result applies to the selected workload.
Tom’s Guide · original chart & methodology ↗Published 2026-09-20 · checked 2026-10-05
Continuous browsing over 5G at 150 nits; reported average, not the longest run.
Independent browsing test. Apple’s video-playback ratings use a different workload.
Test data and methodology
| Product | Result | Against first measured model |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | 1074 | 0% |
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | 1107 | 3.1% |
Bars start at zero. Percentage differences use the displayed baseline; they are not a combined rating. A geometric mean summarizes a suite, not the frame rate of every game. 1% lows describe the slowest portion of frames and help expose uneven delivery. Missing products are never assigned zero.
In depth
TechRadar assessment
The camera system and endurance stand out; display changes are limited and the software interface can feel busy.
TechRadarWho should buy it
A large-screen iPhone to compare with the newer Pro Max at the actual selling price. A working 17 Pro Max is still a capable everyday phone; check whether the newer camera controls and measured performance gains matter to your use.
Tom’s GuideTechRadarReview observations
What reviewers reported in use; these are qualitative observations, not benchmark scores.
Review observation · Published assessment
Qualitative findingTom’s Guide: The large display, 48 MP telephoto camera and vapor-chamber cooling suit demanding use; its size and premium price remain tradeoffs.
Tom’s GuideSpecifications
Check storage, regional radio support and the exact model before comparing an offer.
Manufacturer specifications · checked October 5, 2026
- Storage
- 256 GB selected
- Storage options
- 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB
- Display
- 6.9-inch OLED
- Resolution
- 2868 × 1320
- Refresh rate
- ProMotion up to 120 Hz
- Brightness claim
- 3000 nits outdoor peak; 1600 nits HDR peak
- Ultrawide camera
- 48 MP, f/2.2
- Telephoto camera
- 48 MP, 4× optical; 8× optical-quality crop
- Front camera
- 18 MP Center Stage
- Dimensions
- 163.4 × 78.0 × 8.75 mm
- Protection
- IP68; rated 6 m for up to 30 minutes
- Port
- USB-C; USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s
- Wireless
- Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6
- Wireless charging
- MagSafe and Qi2 up to 25 W
- Chip
- Apple A19 Pro
- CPU cores
- 6
- GPU cores
- 6
- Main camera
- 48 MP, fixed f/1.78 aperture
- Weight
- 233 g
- Video playback claim
- Up to 39 hours
- Streamed video claim
- Up to 35 hours
- Wired charging
- Up to 50% in 20 minutes with a 40 W or higher adapter
Still unknown
- No firsthand testing or long-term failure-rate study by Next Interrupt. Published measurements retain their original sample and test conditions.
Published reviews & comparisons
Tom’s Guide · Review
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review ↗
The large display, 48 MP telephoto camera and vapor-chamber cooling suit demanding use; its size and premium price remain tradeoffs.
Configuration & test scope
The large display, 48 MP telephoto camera and vapor-chamber cooling suit demanding use; its size and premium price remain tradeoffs.
Publisher group: Future
TechRadar · Review
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review ↗
The camera system and endurance stand out; display changes are limited and the software interface can feel busy.
Configuration & test scope
The camera system and endurance stand out; display changes are limited and the software interface can feel busy.
Publisher group: Future
Specification references
Tom’s Guide — The large display, 48 MP telephoto camera and vapor-chamber cooling suit demanding use; its size and premium price remain tradeoffs.
TechRadar — The camera system and endurance stand out; display changes are limited and the software interface can feel busy.
Apple — Manufacturer specifications and charging ratings; checked October 5, 2026
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