Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB polar

It's big. It's expensive. But it's great. The iPhone 18 Pro Max doesn't arrive with a notable single upgrade, rather a selection of smaller refinements from the camera, to the battery and the screen. All the elements are a little bit better than before, and when all is considered, that makes for a very good phone.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max take last year’s Pro reinvention and refine it in all the right places — but the cameras are where Apple has made the biggest leap, with a variable aperture and finally useful Pro controls giving you more creative freedom without sacrificing the effortless shooting iPhone is known for. The A20 Pro brings plenty of power, battery life is excellent, thermals are noticeably better, and Siri AI finally starts delivering on Apple’s long-running promise. Neither phone is a night-and-day upgrade from the 17 Pro generation, but taken together, these improvements, as well as longer battery life and a smaller Dynamic Island, make the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max incredibly capable flagships that feel built to last.

At first glance, the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max look a lot like last year's models, and we wouldn't rush to upgrade if you have a 17 Pro. However, there are some key improvements under the surface, namely the camera and battery life.

Besides new colors, on the outside, the iPhone 18 Pro Max looks mostly unchanged from its predecessor. But record-breaking battery life, jaw-dropping A20 Pro speed, and professional-grade camera upgrades make it the best Apple phone you can buy this year.