iPhone 18 Pro Max review: what's left of the marketing promises

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is the most expensive, heaviest and, on paper, most advanced iPhone Apple has built so far. I took a look at it and summarize what is behind the promises and who should buy it.

Processor and battery: there is really something to it

Apple puts the new processor front and center every year, and this time rightly so. The performance of the A20 Pro, especially the graphics unit, and its energy efficiency are enormous. Apple has reworked the thermal design, placed the memory chip directly next to the processor and coupled it all to a new vapor chamber cooling system.

Together with the slightly bigger battery, the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasts two full working days. Even when editing 4K videos or during long gaming sessions, the body stays noticeably cooler than on its predecessors. The battery doesn’t have 7,500 mAh like some new Android smartphones, but the runtime is comparable or even better.

I do believe, however, that nobody pushes this performance to the limit on the iPhone today. That means you are well equipped for the next few years, including for whatever AI is still to come. But I wonder whether I should spend so much money on something I need neither today nor in two years.

• Worth it if you want to use your iPhone for six or seven years.
• Less worth it if you switch every two years anyway. Then it makes more sense to look at the predecessors.

Camera: variable aperture and finally manual white balance

The second big upgrade concerns the camera. The 48-megapixel main camera now has a mechanical, variable aperture. It switches between several steps depending on the light and the desired depth of field. Whether you can see the difference from the iPhone 17 Pro Max with its fixed aperture? Pros who pay attention to small details certainly can. Most others probably can’t.

There’s also, finally, manual white balance. The automatic white balance of the predecessors regularly bothered me when recording video, because I had no control over how warm or cold a shot turned out. In the Android camp, that has existed for a long time.

What’s missing:

• Zoom: While the competition delivers strongly at 10x and 20x zoom with periscope cameras, Apple is treading water here.
• 8K: Although Apple advertises the Pro and Pro Max for professional video users, you still can’t record videos in 8K.

Weight: a massive brick

Apple defies the trend toward slim and light devices. At almost 250 g, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is very heavy, and operating it with one hand isn’t possible for me. If you hold it for a longer time for filming or reading, you feel the weight in your wrist and your little finger. I recommend using MagSafe and attaching a grip on the back.

Ad: In the video I present accessories from Moft for this, including two cases, a card holder with a stand and a shoulder strap. You’ll find the links and the discount code above, next to the video.

AI: what arrives of Apple Intelligence in the EU

For us in the EU, that is the decisive question. The short answer: the centerpiece of the presentation is exactly what’s missing. Apple points to regulatory requirements and the Digital Markets Act. Siri AI is mostly blocked on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch in the EU until further notice. On the Mac, Siri AI runs, but only in English. On the iPhone, the familiar Siri remains.

The local tools that have been rolled out bit by bit for some time are available:

• creating images with Image Playground and cleaning up photos
• changing the perspective of a photo after the fact
• summarizing or rewording texts
• automatic audio transcription and summarized notifications

These are nice helpers in everyday life, but not features you should spend this much money on.

Verdict: who is the iPhone 18 Pro Max worth it for?

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is a fantastic work device for everyone looking for uncompromising battery life, maximum graphics power and a camera with variable aperture. If you absolutely want an iPhone and will keep it for five, six or seven years, it’s a clear recommendation.

If you already own an iPhone 15, 16 or 17 Pro Max, you can relax and skip this cycle. Without the full Siri AI, in Europe you are mainly buying expensive and rather heavy hardware.