Hands-on review: No fold, but iPhone 18 Pro Max still shines

Since its introduction back in 2019, the iPhone Pro Max has always been the premium, flagship product in Apple's iPhone line-up, the jewel in the crown - until now.

Apple's first foldable iPhone, the Duo, which launches with a starting price of A$3,499, has taken at least the most pricey mantle from the Pro Max. But upgrades to the Pro Max's camera, battery and the lightning-quick A20 Pro chip still provide plenty of reasons for creatives and professionals to get excited.

While it may not fold, if that is not one of your key considerations for a new phone, the combination of excellent performance, exceptional battery life and an upgraded camera makes the iPhone 18 Pro Max a tantalising proposition. Read on to discover whether this is the best iPhone for you to purchase.

Improved battery can go all day - and then some

Let's start with something that has always been a key advantage for Pro Max users. If you're like me and sometimes need a quick battery boost before leaving the house, the Pro Max can be charged up to 50 per cent with a 35W MagSafe charger, or to the same level in just 15 minutes with a wired connection to a 60W charger.

But truth be told, running out of battery is unlikely going to be a common concern for anyone other than the most heavy users of the Pro Max. I've never gone close to emptying the battery over a day's use, and even on busier days, it is often hovering around 40-50 per cent by the evening.

While I haven't pushed the Pro Max to its limit, the battery will be game-changing, especially if you're making the upgrade from a base iPhone or a Pro Max from two or three generations ago.

New variable aperture makes photography a breeze

The camera has always been one of the cornerstones of the Pro Max's value proposition, and there is no change here with the introduction of a variable aperture in the new camera.

In simple terms, the 18 Pro Max camera can now open and contract automatically to suit different environments. In lower light settings, the aperture will widen to let in more light, so your photos at night will appear clearer. Conversely, it can contract in brighter conditions, allowing more of the scene to remain in focus, ideal for snapping a group of friends or a family BBQ.

There is one front-facing camera and three rear-facing cameras, the latter of which are all 48MP. The main camera is ideal for everyday photos, while the ultra-wide camera lets you capture landscapes, large groups and busy scenes. The telephoto camera is perfect for snapping a scene further away, boasting 8x optical-quality zoom.

While the camera has been designed to automatically adjust to varying conditions, there are also manual controls, with pros and budding photographers alike able to adjust shutter speed, white balance and styles like texture and grain.

Design largely unchanged, but bold new colours catch the eye

The fundamental design of the iPhone 18 Pro Max has not been upgraded from its predecessor. Its metal and glass construction still feels great in hand, although as someone whose daily driver is the iPhone Air, the extra 84g was certainly noticeable at first. It's worth noting there is a 16 gram increase from the 17 Pro Max, but this shouldn't feel significant if you are upgrading from the previous model.

After a couple of weeks, I'm definitely used to the more hefty feel, and it no longer feels especially heavy. Adding a case will, of course, increase the total thickness but you will want to protect your investment from dings, scratches and the dreaded drop onto hard concrete or tiles.

I've been using the silver variant and the switch to the single-tone finish has certainly been a winner. There are three other colours for the latest Pro Max: the all-new, eye-catching burgundy finish, deep black, and glacier (a blueish finish). It's a difficult choice but it's also hard to imagine any prospective purchaser will be disappointed with their decision as there is something for everyone colour-wise.

Performance packs a punch

This phone is given the same beefed-up A20 Pro chip under the bonnet as the iPhone Duo, which is also shared with the 18 Pro. Double the number of Neural Engines as the A19 Pro chip provides snappier AI performance, and the A20 Pro also features a six-core GPU and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. 

This is one of the fastest phones on the market, and even rivals chips in desktops and laptops, including Apple's recently released MacBook Neo, and Microsoft Surface and HP Windows-based machines.

Cooling has been redesigned in the 18 Pro Max, with the updated thermal management system and vapour chamber dispersing heat across more of the phone, also leading to improved performance.

Again, while it may not be the fairest fight, comparing this phone to my daily driver, the ultrathin iPhone Air, it is noticeably snappier and I definitely appreciated the performance of the Pro Max. For professionals and creatives, this is certainly one of the speediest phones you can purchase.

Verdict 

This is one of the best phones on the market and has been a pleasure to use in my few weeks with the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

With its significantly upgraded camera, more than all-day battery life, and laptop-level performance, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is a very attractive option for multiple use cases. Creators and professional users will no doubt find enough capability to justify an upgrade, and it is also an excellent phone for anyone looking to make the most of its captivating new features.