The iPhone 17 Pro Max on my desk proper now has been my major machine for the previous 4 weeks. Switching from the iPhone 16 Pro Max to the iPhone 17 Pro Max appears like transferring from an already excellent flagship to a barely extra refined, stamina-focused powerhouse.
The first experiential distinction exhibits up in battery efficiency: whereas the 16 Pro Max was no slouch, routinely lasting a full day of heavy use, the 17 Pro Max pushes the envelope additional, providing noticeably longer screen-on time and permitting customers to eke out additional hours, particularly with demanding duties like video playback or gaming.
The improved battery feels substantial within the hand, and the elevated weight is perceptible however offset by the boldness that your machine will not often run out of juice earlier than the day is completed, thanks partially to the bigger 5,000 mAh cell and higher battery administration software program.
A generational leap in digital camera
The digital camera expertise defines a lot of the generational leap. On paper, each units function strong triple digital camera setups, however the 17 Pro Max introduces a extra superior telephoto lens and refined picture processing. In on a regular basis use, this interprets to richer element, higher low-light pictures, and notably improved zoom efficiency in each photographs and cinematic video pictures. Images shot on 17 Pro Max look crisper with much less noise indoors and higher spotlight dealing with in difficult situations.
While the 16 Pro Max continues to ship implausible outcomes, fanatics and creators will admire the refined however actual positive aspects in decision and sharpness from the upgraded {hardware}.
Display high quality on each units is excellent with the 16 Pro Max already delivering excessive peak brightness and glorious color accuracy. The 17 Pro Max maintains the identical dimension and refresh charge however pushes peak brightness and scratch resistance additional, together with a brand new anti-reflective coating that makes a distinction whereas outdoor.
In common use, these modifications really feel incremental slightly than transformational. The step up is tangible however solely actually appreciated when held aspect by aspect. And when positioned aspect by aspect, I discovered the 16 Pro Max’s titanium physique to look higher than the 17 Pro Max’s unibody aluminium body — extra on this within the design part under.
Indistinguishable efficiency
Performance feels nearly indistinguishable except pushing the units to their absolute limits. The new A19 Pro chip within the 17 Pro Max, mixed with superior vapour chamber cooling, does run cooler and powers via probably the most demanding video games and professional apps with a small however noticeable margin.
Most customers, although, gained’t really feel constrained by the 16 Pro Max’s capabilities, because it stays one of many prime telephones obtainable and handles iOS 26’s multitasking, video enhancing, and gaming with ease.
Charging is one other refined improve. The 17 Pro Max introduces quicker 40W wired charging, shaving a big chunk off top-up instances in comparison with the 16 Pro Max, which is noticeable should you typically have to shortly prime up in the course of your day. MagSafe charging speeds stay similar, so wi-fi habits gained’t really feel any totally different.
Lighter in hand
Design-wise, the 17 Pro Max shifts to a lighter aluminum body, which is snug and appears trendy. Both telephones proceed to really feel premium, however the change in supplies is one thing you’ll discover, particularly in each day dealing with or should you go case-free. When it involves software program, each handsets run iOS 26 and supply extraordinarily related consumer experiences.
Notably, the flagship Apple Intelligence options nonetheless stay largely in growth or have restricted rollout on each fashions, so quick software program differentiation is minimal. Despite the sameness, I did discover a little bit of delay in responsiveness in 17 Pro Max when utilizing Face ID and different Siri options.
The final selection?
Ultimately, the query of whether or not to improve boils right down to priorities. From an experiential standpoint, the positive aspects in battery life, nuanced digital camera high quality, show enhancements, and quicker charging on the iPhone 17 Pro Max are actual however evolutionary.
Those utilizing a 16 Pro Max in the present day will admire the refinements provided that they push their cellphone’s stamina, shoot loads of zoomed photographs or 4K video, or crave that little bit of additional display brightness and charging velocity.
For most customers, nevertheless, the leap is just not dramatically life-changing. The 16 Pro Max nonetheless feels trendy, highly effective, and related. The 17 Pro Max is completely value contemplating in case your utilization is intensive or should you improve on a two-year cycle, however one-year jumpers might discover a robust use case within the new digital camera system, which comes with an upgraded 18MP Centre Stage entrance digital camera and the Pro-Fusion digital camera system that comes with 8x optical-quality telephoto zoom. This cellphone may also be fascinating for somebody in search of a barely larger battery and lighter in-hand expertise.