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The iPhone 18 Pro Max changes the camera system most clearly: it adds variable aperture, raises the listed ultra-wide and telephoto resolutions to 48MP, and offers a 4x telephoto instead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s longer 5x lens. Apple also gives the 18 Pro Max higher video-playback estimates and a newer A20 Pro chip, but its published GPU speed claim compares A20 Pro with A19 Pro—not A17 Pro. Those specifications show what changed; they do not establish how much better the newer phone performs in independent, real-world tests.
What changed at a glance?
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP, 24mm, variable aperture: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 or ƒ/4.0; optical-quality 2x available. Apple specifications | 48MP, 24mm, ƒ/1.78. Apple launch specifications |
| Ultra-wide camera | 48MP, 13mm. Apple specifications | 12MP, 13mm. Apple launch specifications |
| Telephoto camera | 48MP, 100mm, 4x. Apple specifications | 12MP, 120mm, 5x. Apple launch specifications |
| Video playback estimate | Up to 45 hours; streamed video up to 40 hours. Apple’s 2026 specification. Source | Up to 29 hours; streamed video up to 25 hours. Apple’s 2023 launch specification. Source |
| Processor | A20 Pro. Apple says its GPU is up to 40% faster than A19 Pro. Apple announcement | A17 Pro. Apple launch specifications |
How is the camera different?
Variable aperture adds control over light and depth of field
The 18 Pro Max’s main camera can switch among four listed apertures: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8 and ƒ/4.0. Aperture controls how much light reaches the sensor and affects depth of field, so the range gives photographers more control over exposure and how much of a scene appears in focus. Apple also describes app-level Pro controls for aperture, shutter speed, white balance and a histogram, plus new texture and grain controls in Photographic Styles. Apple’s announcement
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The 15 Pro Max has a fixed ƒ/1.78 main-camera aperture in its listed specifications. That means the newer model’s clearest hardware distinction is aperture flexibility, not proof that every photo will look better.
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The 18 Pro Max lists 48MP ultra-wide and 48MP telephoto cameras, up from 12MP for both on the 15 Pro Max. Its telephoto is 100mm-equivalent at 4x, while the older model’s is 120mm-equivalent at 5x. The 18 Pro Max therefore offers higher listed resolution on those camera modules, while the 15 Pro Max reaches a longer optical telephoto focal length. The 18 Pro Max also lists optical-quality 2x from its main camera.
#1 Best Overall
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
These are different strengths, not a universal zoom victory for the newer phone. For distant subjects, the 15 Pro Max’s dedicated 5x lens reaches farther optically than the 18 Pro Max’s 4x telephoto. Apple’s cited specifications and announcement do not provide independent, side-by-side image-quality tests, so they cannot settle which model takes better photos in particular lighting or at each zoom level.
Does the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery last longer?
Apple’s published video-playback ceilings are higher for the 18 Pro Max: up to 45 hours of video playback versus up to 29 hours for the 15 Pro Max, a 16-hour difference between the stated maximums. For streamed video, the figures are up to 40 hours versus up to 25, a 15-hour difference. These are Apple estimates from the models’ respective specifications, published in 2026 and 2023, not guarantees of everyday runtime. Settings, network conditions, content and use affect battery life. Playback figures also do not establish battery capacity.
Rank #2
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
How much faster is A20 Pro than A17 Pro?
The processor generation advances from A17 Pro in the 15 Pro Max to A20 Pro in the 18 Pro Max. Apple says the A20 Pro GPU is up to 40% faster than the A19 Pro GPU, and describes improved sustained performance from a vapor chamber. That 40% figure is an Apple claim against A19 Pro—not a direct A20 Pro versus A17 Pro comparison. The cited Apple materials do not provide independent head-to-head benchmarks between these phones, so they do not support a quantified 15-to-18 performance uplift.
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Should you upgrade from iPhone 15 Pro Max?
The choice depends on which changes matter to you, and on the condition and cost of your current phone. Current prices, trade-in values and retailer availability are not established here, so compare those separately before deciding.
Rank #3
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
- Consider the 18 Pro Max if variable aperture, the newer camera controls, or the higher listed ultra-wide and telephoto resolutions are important to your photography.
- Think carefully if you rely on 5x optical reach. The 15 Pro Max has a 120mm 5x telephoto; the 18 Pro Max lists a 100mm 4x telephoto.
- Use the playback estimates as a specification comparison, not a personal forecast. Apple’s stated maximums are higher for the newer phone, but actual runtime depends on how you use it.
- Do not use the 40% GPU claim as an upgrade calculation. It compares A20 Pro with A19 Pro, not with the A17 Pro in your 15 Pro Max.
Apple’s launch description of the 18 Pro models is promotional; a claim that the changes are “huge leaps forward” is Apple’s characterization, not an independent assessment. Read Apple’s announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- When you receive the phone, insert a SIM card from a compatible carrier. Then, turn it on, connect to Wi-Fi, and follow the on screen prompts to activate service.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charger and charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Rank #4
- BIGGER, YET SLIMMER THAN EVER: Who would’ve guessed that wider could also be lighter? The design of Galaxy Z Fold7 is refined to feel like a traditional smartphone with its expanded cover display.
- BEST CAMERA ON A FOLD YET: You asked for more – now you can have the most. Galaxy Z Fold7 now boasts an ultra-premium 200MP camera with Pro-Visual Engine so you can effortlessly take incredibly detailed pics.
- SCREENSHARE FOR STREAMLINED ASSISTANCE: Intrigued by something you see? Go Live with Google Gemini, then screenshare or point your camera at it for additional info or assistance on the fly.¹
- DO AND VIEW MORE, ALL AT ONCE: With an 8” screen that allows you to view up to three windows at once, Galaxy Z Fold7 is the ultimate device for seeing and doing more.²
- ALL THE POWER AND SPEED YOU NEED Smoothly run your day with the power and speed of Galaxy Z Fold7. With its customized Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for Galaxy, you can stream your favorite shows, edit photos, scroll social feeds and more with ease.³
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