iPhone 17 Pro Max review

Cell phones have gotten fairly standardized in the last few years. That’s mainly because Apple and Samsung have been copying each other with each new annual model, with innovations so minor that even the most diehard tech enthusiasts groan at them. Despite a similar thing here, the iPhone 17 Pro Max isn’t just a minor facelift; it’s a full-blown internal shift that not only makes it my favorite iPhone of all time but perhaps one of the greatest phones in the last few years.

Oozing with the sleekness that any of the best iPhones typically offer, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a giant beast of a handset that deserves a place in our guide to the best gaming phones list. Delivering an efficient chipset that’s cooled by a vapor chamber (finally, Apple), along with all of the other bells and whistles a 2025 phone should come with, it, unsurprisingly, requires a premium price, but it’s one that I really think is worth paying.

Specs

The specs don’t really offer too much of a change from last year’s model. Scribble out the eight and replace it with a nine in the A18 Pro, and boom, new generation. Obviously, that’s a bit harsh, but if you’re upgrading your Pro Max annually, chances are it won’t be a massive change from what you’re used to. However, 2025’s iteration does come with a few neat tricks of its own, including 12GB of RAM, a higher storage starting point, a 3,000-nit display, and a few other minor changes that aren’t massive but are still great.

Take, for instance, the improved wired charging speeds. 40W speeds are such a vast improvement over the 16 Pro Max’s 25W, to the point that it’s ridiculous Apple hasn’t jumped at faster speeds years ago. Sure, it’s not the same level as some Android phones, which can offer around 65W speeds, but it’s still a big jump up for Apple users.

Price and availability

Beastly performance comes at an equally monstrous price, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 for a 256GB model, going up to the massive $1,999 / £1,999 for a 2TB option. That’s, well, huge, and very fitting considering the sheer amount of storage it has. Even as a tech geek who has a chronic problem with hoarding the best mobile games on my handsets, that’s still a lot of storage, but the choice is always there.

Unlike the sheer amount of gorgeous colors that the base iPhone 17 comes in, the Pro Max has fewer options: Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue. Admittedly, I’m happy with all three of these as potential purchases, and while I prefer the Deep Blue, that Cosmic Orange is absolutely stunning.

Performance and gaming

Once you reach the realm of high-end flagship phones, the lines between each device can start to fade a bit. However, that does mean that – once again – the iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers exceptional performance, whether you’re maxing your FPS at high settings on some action games or doom scrolling your favorite social media apps.

Unsurprisingly, games like Marvel Snap or Pokémon Go have no issue running on this powerful handset. Neither game made the thermals of the 17 Pro Max hot, barely making it toasty enough to use as a hand warmer in the winter months. It’s the same as simply browsing Safari or watching a quick YouTube video.

However, in all honesty, the phone barely saw high thermals regardless of the game. Even gacha games like Zenless Zone Zero, with a fast FPS and incredible visuals, ran smoothly with no stutters, frame drops, or throttling from warmer temperatures. The only time I experienced any level of warmth coming from the handset was when downloading the resources for apps like ZZZ, but it was barely noticeable, and, as I wasn’t using my device really during that time, it wasn’t too bad.

Attaching one of the best mobile controllers to the phone basically turns the iPhone 17 Pro Max into a makeshift handheld console, which makes me wish Apple had invested more time in getting triple-A games running on its platforms. Its efforts have slowed down recently, but games like Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage still blow my mind when I see them running on an iPhone.

It’s not unexpected for Apple’s flagship 2025 cellphone to provide some of the best performance across the board, but it still surprises me whenever I boot up a game. Everything is silky smooth, and thanks to Apple’s continuous improvements with software (more on that in – checks notes – the next section), it all feels exactly how it should.

Software

By now, most of you should know the drill. iPhone = iOS. Other phones are usually Android. However, jumping from each side of the pond year by year makes me realize how finely tuned and efficient the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s software truly is, simply because of how you can get up and running with essentially no steps required.

FaceID is still a breeze to use, keeping my device secure yet opening it whenever my grimy little face pops up into view, and while I do miss the TouchID home button (RIP, my sweet prince), it’s still my preferred security over Android’s fingerprint sensors. There are no qualms and no problems; it’s all easy breezy.

Liquid Glass is the main selling point of iOS 26, which is the default software update that the latest iPhone family arrives with, and I quite like it. It takes some getting used to, admittedly, but much like a plateau at the back of the handset, it’s a nice change that feels as premium as the price Apple asks for it.

It brings together all of the internal specs and their raw power to a grinding, yet efficient halt. With a gorgeous, smooth design that’s easy to use, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has few faults when it comes to iOS. Sure, maybe I’d like a universal back button for such a huge device, but it’s a small complaint that doesn’t really affect my opinion on the overall package at all.

Battery

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has two different capacities, depending on which model you get. If you get the eSIM-only option, you’ll get a 5,088 mAh capacity, while the version with a physical SIM card tray has a slightly smaller 4,832 mAh capacity – for reference, the latter model is the one I’m currently reviewing. Physical SIM all the way, although I do wish my region had the option of an eSIM-only iPhone for the sake of an expanded capacity.

That being said, the battery is pretty great. Alongside the faster wired charging speeds, the 17 Pro Max is a true all-day smartphone. My usual pattern is charging it up to maximum capacity in the evening before I go to bed, taking it off charge around 10 PM, and then I usually use it for some light gaming, scrolling social media, and listening to music, and still have around 40% left when it goes back on charge the following night. The only issue is that Apple still doesn’t hold a candle to the Chinese brands, such as Xiaomi and Honor, when it comes to charging speeds. Even the improved rate of juicing takes almost twice as long to charge the phone from flat to full compared to some of the Android flagships out there.

Of course, playing games like ZZZ or Destiny Rising brings it down a bit faster than some mild use, but not by much. Running Destiny Rising at 60FPS and high graphics, the battery was only down by 5% after half an hour of gaming. I’m excited to try the upcoming 120FPS mode for the game when it releases in November, but right now, I’m impressed.

That’s all, thanks to how efficient iOS is. As mentioned in the software section, I’m constantly left surprised at how smoothly Apple keeps things running, and as a chronic swapper from Android to iOS and back again, I’m left amazed at how behind Android can be in some aspects. Sure, the customization is a lot higher than iOS, but my S25 Ultra – despite having a bigger capacity – didn’t last as long under the same conditions.

Display

When you get to premium devices like this or the S25 Ultra, you’re really picking apart threads to see which has the best display, but that also means the iPhone 17 Pro Max is impressively gorgeous. The vibrant OLED pops with color, which Apple seems to be very proud of, considering everything from the setup to the base wallpapers is gleaming with different hues.

It’s a massive 6.9-inch screen with amazing responsiveness, giving you that instant satisfaction whenever you switch pages of your home screen, scroll Reddit, or dive into those FPS games you’ve been playing. The refresh rate also helps, with a 120Hz panel that’s become practically standard across the cell phone industry, but one that remains blazingly fast.

Apple has boosted some of the specs behind the display with 2025’s flagship, with a 3,000 nits brightness – a huge boost over the 16 Pro Max’s 2,000 – while also adding an anti-reflective coating, which has become a necessity on my phones since using the S25 Ultra. Being able to use your phone outside without having to squint your eyes is a life-changing bit of tech. The simple things, eh?

The software works well because the display keeps it as responsive as it requires, while the OLED helps games and videos pop with brightness and vibrancy. Once again, picking apart threads, but the reality is a premium display that fits right onto the iPhone 17 Pro Max and works wonders to bring the whole device together.

Design

Controversially, Apple has gone for an aluminum unibody, leaving the titanium to last year’s model in favor of what seems like a strengthened chassis. Is that the case? I’m not going to test it, as I put my hard-earned money behind this phone, but it’s safe to say that it does feel strong, even if the plateau does seem like a potential scratch magnet. Personally, it’s not something I worry about, because I’m not sure why you would buy a $1,200 device without keeping it safe in a case.

I was a bit wary of the plateau, considering it’s very Google Pixel-like in giving the camera a large bump, but I’ve grown quite fond of it since then. It’s become a simple part of the device, and thankfully, it’s not so large that it makes the device float halfway up into the air.

Something I was pleasantly surprised with was the camera button, which I haven’t experienced besides a brief test in stores. I really thought it would be useless and/or frustrating, but luckily, Game Mode stops it from kicking in at inopportune moments. It’s also very handy to have a button you can press if you want to take a quick picture without having to mess around on the lock screen.

It does feel quite hefty to hold, but not so much that it feels draining after playing games. It’s all distributed fairly well to keep it comfortable to hold for long sessions or when you’re aimlessly researching random stuff at 2AM because you can’t sleep. As always, you’ve also got access to the brilliant MagSafe system, allowing you to use a variety of accessories on the back of your phone.

Camera

If I could end this entire section with one word, I’d simply say: amazing. I’m comparing again, which isn’t great to do in reviews, but it’s incredible how fast the camera processes brilliant, gorgeous images compared to the Samsung S25 Ultra, which pales in comparison. Images come out lifelike, but there are plenty of other photographic styles you can choose from if you prefer other visuals in your pictures.

The triple 48MP camera array makes for quick and easy professional-style photos, and the Live Photos are still as impressive as ever. Telephoto is also able to capture very detailed images with a great zoom, and as someone who doesn’t really take pictures often (much to my own disappointment), I’ve found myself frequently taking captures with the 17 Pro Max already.

However, the true star of the show – taking center stage, so to speak – is the selfie camera. The 18MP works exceptionally well at producing realistic captures, and speaking to people on WhatsApp or FaceTime has seen plenty of compliments on how great the camera quality is. The Center Stage feature, which zooms out to allow everyone to fit in the image, is smooth and a surprisingly useful feature.

Should you buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max?

Undoubtedly, and a huge resounding yes; you should buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max if you can. I can’t think of a phone that’s left me more excited and happy than this handset, and the only phone before this that left me equally satisfied was the Samsung Note 10+. Sure, if you’re on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, or perhaps even the 15, chances are you probably don’t need to upgrade right now, but there’s a resounding amount of improvements if you do want to.

Maybe it’s not a total revolution for Apple devices, but it’s my favorite iPhone since the 5c back when I was a teenager. Even though I’ve owned multiple handsets since then, the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers incredible performance, a gorgeous display, a beastly battery, and more, all packed into a luxury device.

Alternatives

iPhone 16 Pro Max

If you can find a great deal on 2024’s flagship giant, chances are you’ll still get great value out of it. It still offers a fantastic display, the A18 Pro chipset, and a brilliant battery life, although it’s sorely missing that wonderful vapor chamber that the latest model offers. Read our iPhone 16 Pro Max review for our full rundown.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

While I’ve had a few digs at Samsung’s early 2025 flagship, the S25 Ultra is still an excellent, hardware-packed handset that delivers. An impressive battery life, with the ever-powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite, is an efficient combination, and the open nature of Android still offers plenty of neat tricks. Read our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review for our full opinion on the cell phone.