Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Verdict
Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max tie on the OH Rank at a score of 75. They score identically across all ten categories too. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is 6.1mm wider than Apple iPhone 17 Pro.
Score Breakdown
Performance /15
Battery /15
Screen /15
IP Protection /15
Main Camera /15
Selfie /5
Video /5
SD Memory /5
Software /5
Desktop Replacement /5
TOTAL
75
75
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
71.9mm (2.83in) · Sep 19, 2025 · Rank #49
13+10+11+12+14+5+5+0+5+0 = 75
FLY* BEST Video* TOP Compact
EDITORIAL: A major redesign means bigger and heavier (in every way) 17 Pro with a new camera "plateau". The processor is improved and the first iPhone cooling chamber was added. It comes with a minimum of 256GB of storage, less bright but less reflective screen, new periscope telephoto and a new selfie camera. It has the same starting price as 16 Pro but arrived with no mention of any AI additions. Same old battery tech and 30hr endurance means you may still have to carry a charging brick.
PROs
compact size, attractive new colors (but no black), fast A19 Pro performance with fast NVMe memory, barely 30hr endurance from a 3900mAh battery with a sub-80min 30W wired charging (25W wireless), 460ppi LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED with Dolby Vision and new anti reflective coating, excellent triple (24mm, 100mm & 13mm) 48MP PDAF camera setup (main + periscope with OIS) with ProRes, excellent "Center Stage" 18MP selfie with OIS PDAF and ProRes too, best video recording in industry, stable OS with up to 6 years of updates, USB-C 3.2 with Video-out tech
CONs
sub-1050nits bright screen, 24MP default pic size eats up twice the space and forces use of iCloud (reenforcing dependency on Apple), no expandable memory, no desktop replacement feature, silence on AI improvements, overall lack of innovation Apple used to be known for
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
78mm (3.07in) · Sep 19, 2025 · Rank #50
13+10+11+12+14+5+5+0+5+0 = 75
FLY* BEST Video* TOP Software* TOP Selfie
EDITORIAL: Apple decided to introduce an aluminium frame for it's Pro phones after years of promoting steel and titanium as better options. The camera bump now stretches across the top portion of the back to allow for a bigger battery and the new cooling chamber. These make for the biggest design changes in years and its a needed move considering there is much more Android competition in the premium segment. All of the back cameras are now 48MP but photography is not showing improvement over 16 Pro Max while phones from Vivo, Huawei, Vivo and Xiaomi now offer better pics. A new 18MP selfie produces great photos (as did the old one) and iPhone Pros still record the best videos, front and back. New A19 Pro is a good processor but not as powerful as are the latest SnapDragon and Mediatec chips. iOS 26 brings Liquid Glass design language while keeping the fundamentals same. UI design feels a bit outdated with multiple pages of icons and (while labels can now be removed) the overall design is not as flexible as with Android competition.
PROs
attractive new hardware design and colors, great Apple A19 Pro with NVMe performance, over 30hr of battery life, sub-90min ~35W charging (25W wireless), new anti reflective LTPO HDR OLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP68 protection (down to 6m), great pics from 48MP OIS main + 48MP OIS periscope telephoto + 48MP ultrawide (all with PDAF) back lenses, new 18MP Center Stage selfie, the best video recording, 6+ years of OS updates, video out USB-C port and a new 2TB storage option
CONs
wider and heavier then 16 Pro Max, max screen brightness is about 1000nits, no memory expansion slot, no desktop replacement software, expensive for what it is
Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.
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