Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review

Competition

The new iPhone 17 Pro Max is a complicated phone to sum up. It is the best iPhone ever. And for that it will become the best-seller Apple hoped it to be. That is a fact.

But we are not sure if it's the easiest to love iPhone. It brought a new design that immediately stirred controversy and it seems that it did not bring some the promised improvements. The camera quality hasn't drastically changed as we hoped, the screen isn't quite as bright as promised, and while the performance jump is there, the new cooling system isn't all that impressive.

The iPhone Air is the first alternative to those who really want a different iPhone this year instead of incremental upgrades and a polarizing design.

You should also consider the iPhone 17, which now has a 120Hz display, similar performance and camera options that range from 0.5x to 2x. It is a compact and light-weight phone with huge potential.

Finally, the previous, better crafted iPhone Pro Max models will remain valued by those looking for premium designs, until they finally disappear from store shelves.

Apple iPhone Air • Apple iPhone 17 • Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max • Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Few iPhone fans would consider an Android phone, though maybe they should. Smartphones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the S-Pen enabled Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the OG Android Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, or innovative offers like the Honor Magic V5 - will often make this iPhone look and feel behind the curve.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra • Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra • Google Pixel 10 Pro XL • Honor Magic V5

Verdict

The iPhone 17 Pro Max makes a controversial switch to aluminum, which helped keep the weight in check and perhaps maintains adequate sustained performance, but it also hurt the durability by making the iPhone more prone to scratches. Then there is the mix of glass and metal on the back, which combined with the new color options, make this iPhone one of the less likable in recent memory.

The display of the 17 Pro Max gained cool new anti-glare finish, but its cutout is still the same unsightly mess. It is a great screen, yes, but we have seen it a couple of times already.

We do appreciate the improved battery life and charging speeds, even if it requires the new charger with absurd name and its AVS charging protocol.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max brought some improvements for selfie and zoom photography and those will be universally appreciated. But the upgrade isn't as huge as the keynote had us believe and it's behind the curve in 2025. Yes, the images are very good to great, but the phone has the hardware, the processing power and the entire Apple hivemind, and it still lags behind the Chinese Ultra phones.

What the iPhone 17 Pro Max does amazing is videos - no matter the camera, the conditions, the chosen format - the iPhone 17 Pro Max will ace the scene. Once again Apple deserves praise for making a camera app that's suitable both for mainstream and pro users, something no one else in the industry can quite pull off.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max may be the most capable iPhone ever, but it's not looking like it will go down in history as the best loved one. Its mixed bag design, the lack of obvious improvements, and the unpolished state of iOS 26 right now, make up for a phone that millions will buy, but far fewer will be truly excited about. With the design taking a questionable direction and iOS falling behind the feature curve, the improved battery and new zoom camera face the unenviable task of carrying the entire expensive package. We are hoping Apple is quick to at least add some polish to the Liquid Glass ordeal as case makers take care of the other issue.

Pros

• Large OLED with Dolby Vision and HDR10.
• Great battery life
• Fast charging is finally here.
• Excellent performance.
• Class-leading video quality.
• Reliably great photo quality, if far from class-leading.
• 2TB storage option.
• Superb water resistance.

Cons

• Controversial design.
• Despite the switch to an aluminum body and the introduction of a vapor chamber, sustained performance has improved only slightly.
• The new telephoto camera isn't the massive upgrade we hoped for.

Pricing

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