iPhone 18 Pro Max Review - Apple's Hyping The Wrong Thing

Summary

The reviewer argues that Apple is emphasizing the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max’s variable-aperture camera too heavily. In their view, the more impressive engineering change is the nearly invisible under-display Face ID camera.

Hidden Face ID camera

The Face ID camera has moved from the Dynamic Island to the top-left area beneath the display. Gaps in the pixel grid allow it to detect infrared dots from the remaining Face ID components.

In the reviewer’s tests, Face ID worked as well as it did on the iPhone 17 Pro, and the camera was difficult to spot without magnification. The change makes the Dynamic Island about 25% smaller.

The reviewer notes that matte screen protectors can interfere with the camera and recommends an optically clear protector. They also raise a question about long-term pixel degradation: pixels around the hidden camera are driven brighter to compensate for the missing pixels.

Dynamic Island

The smaller cutout can display three Live Activities instead of two. The reviewer considers this a modest improvement, especially for people who rarely use multiple Live Activities, and a possible step toward moving more components under the display.

Thermals and performance

A 3DMark stress test showed that the iPhone 18 Pro models sustain peak performance better than the already capable iPhone 17 Pro models. Apple’s cooling changes include improved vapor chambers, graphite and copper layers, and a revised A20 Pro chip layout.

The reviewer considers the additional sustained gaming performance more than most people need, but says improved cooling could help keep the screen bright in hot, sunny conditions.

Battery and charging

Apple claims up to 36 hours of video playback for the Pro and 45 hours for the Pro Max. The reviewer found battery life improved, particularly during ordinary use, though the gains were less noticeable under gaming loads.

Reaching 50% charge in 15 minutes requires a 60 W charger with newer power-delivery voltage switching—not just any high-wattage charger.

Variable-aperture camera

The main camera offers four aperture settings. It can open wider for low light or stop down for greater depth of field.

Low-light shots were somewhat better and could be captured more quickly. In good lighting, however, the reviewer often saw little difference from the iPhone 17 Pro. They were also unconvinced by the practical value of the tighter aperture settings, given the added moving parts and weight.

Design, weight, and price

The phones retain the previous generation’s shape, and iPhone 17 Pro cases fit. Both models are slightly heavier, which the reviewer considers a reasonable trade-off for improved cooling and battery capacity.

Base prices are $100 higher than last generation, with a particularly steep increase at the 2 TB tier—about $500 more than before.

Overall assessment

The iPhone 18 Pro models bring notable behind-the-scenes engineering, especially the hidden Face ID camera and stronger thermal performance, but the reviewer sees them as incremental upgrades. They recommend the iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max as better value and suggest waiting for the iPhone Duo review if considering a high-end purchase.

Review coverage

The video includes a microscope demonstration of the under-display Face ID camera and comparisons of performance, battery life, charging, and camera features. It is a review rather than a step-by-step tutorial.

Main speaker and source: Dave2D, the video’s reviewer.