Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max review: specs, battery & used prices

Summary

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a 2026 flagship on the Apple A20 Pro, with a 6.9-inch 120 Hz OLED rated at 3000 nits, a 5567 mAh battery with 60 W charging, and an IP68 body at 249 grams. Our catalog scores it 97 on everyday use, 91 on screen and 59 on camera, with the 12/256 GB trim listed new near $1299. A triple array of three 48-megapixel modules with optical stabilization records 4K120 video, and our records grant seven years of platform runway. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the predecessor, and the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the earlier generation.

Display and design

The 6.9-inch OLED refreshes at 120 Hz with a 3000-nit peak, and our screen axis of 91 places it at the top of the catalog together with its Pro sibling. The IP68 body at 249 grams is the largest slab in the platform's current line, and our compactness score of 52 reflects that plainly: this is a two-hand phone by design. Materials and ingress sealing remain the platform's reference standard.

Performance

The A20 Pro earns an everyday axis of 97 and a gaming axis of 85 in our model, among the strongest platform scores in our records, with the larger chassis sustaining long sessions comfortably. Tracked trims carry 12 GB of memory across storage tiers up to 2 TB. Seven years of platform runway in our records support the $1299 price as a long-horizon purchase.

Camera

A triple rear array of three 48-megapixel modules with optical stabilization covers main, ultrawide and telephoto duties, recording up to 4K120. The camera axis of 59 sits in the upper band of our catalog: the equal-resolution trio keeps quality consistent across the zoom range, and the video pipeline is the platform's standing argument, with low-light finesse the remaining gap to camera-first rivals.

Battery and charging

The 5567 mAh battery scores 51 on our battery axis, a dependable full day of heavy use and the endurance argument of the lineup, and the 60 W charger scores 41 in our records, restoring most of the cell in about an hour. The larger body buys battery where the compact Pro cannot. Wired and wireless refill are both present.

Verdict

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is the full-size expression of the 2026 platform: top-tier everyday and gaming scores, an equal 48-megapixel triple camera and the largest battery in the lineup at $1299 new. The 249-gram, 6.9-inch body is the price of that endurance, as our compactness score of 52 records. For buyers who want maximum screen, camera and runway in one device, it is the flagship of record, with the 18 Pro as the compact alternative.