Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review: specs, battery & used prices

Summary

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the largest and longest-running iPhone of the 2025 generation: a 6.9-inch OLED at 120 Hz, the A19 Pro chip, a triple 48 MP camera system, and a 5,088 mAh battery — the biggest Apple has put in a phone. It ships with seven years of iOS updates, and our resale score of 100/100 says exactly what you would expect: Pro Max models lose value more slowly than almost anything else we track. A 256 GB unit sells new for about $1,199 and the used median currently sits near $974.

Display and design

The 6.9-inch OLED is rated at 3,000 nits peak brightness and carries a 120 Hz refresh rate, which puts it at the top of our screen-quality axis at 91/100. At 233 g it is a heavy phone, and the compactness score of 61/100 reflects that — one-handed use is a two-handed affair for most people. The build is rated IP68 against water and dust.

Performance

The A19 Pro is the fastest chip Apple has shipped in a phone to date, and our gaming score of 78/100 places the phone near the front of the iOS field for sustained 3D titles. The vapour chamber in the unibody design keeps long sessions more stable than the previous generation managed. Everyday tasks are effortless, and with roughly six years of updates remaining, the phone will stay current well into the 2030s.

Camera

The headline change is a trio of 48 MP sensors: main, ultrawide, and telephoto, all with sensor-shift or optical stabilisation. Video reaches 4K at 120 fps, which is the most demanding capture mode on any phone we track. The telephoto's longer native reach replaces the optical zoom gap that older Pro Max models had against Android rivals. If you want a more compact body with the same chip, the regular iPhone 17 Pro shares the platform in a 6.3-inch frame.

Battery and charging

The 5,088 mAh battery is the largest in an iPhone so far, and our battery-life score of 42/100 is solid rather than spectacular — big screens cost runtime. Charging tops out at 40 W wired, which is modest next to Android flagships that fill twice as fast; our charging score of 22/100 is the one clearly behind the competition.

Verdict

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the definitive big iPhone: fastest chip, best cameras, the brightest screen, and class-leading value retention — our resale score of 100/100 means a used purchase holds its money unusually well. Around $974 used for a 256 GB unit it is expensive, but it is also the iPhone that needs replacing last. If 6.9 inches is too much phone, the iPhone 16 Pro Max remains a strong second-hand alternative at a lower price.