iPhone 18 Pro Max in review: few innovations, battery that never ends

The launch of the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Israel took place at the same time as the global launch in the US and other countries. The device arrived in Israel already in the first wave of sales, so fans could purchase it alongside consumers in many countries around the world. However, the new model offers few upgrades and arrives in stores in the shadow of the iPhone Duo, which attracts most of the attention.

Design and screen: the dynamic island is smaller

At first glance, the iPhone 18 Pro Max maintains Apple’s familiar design language, with an aluminum frame and dimensions that are completely identical to those of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, the most noticeable change in the hand is the weight: this smartphone weighs 249 grams compared to 233 grams, an increase that is due, among other things, to the increase in battery volume. Apple reduced its dynamic island (deficiency) – Dynamic Island, which was made possible thanks to the integration of Face ID technology under the display panel.

The 18 Pro Max comes in four colors: black and white and also two new colors: Glacier, this is a silver blue spring and also burgundy, a burgundy color spring.

In terms of durability, it is the same protection as last year, Ceramic Shield 2 glass on the front and regular Ceramic Shield on the back of the device, along with IP68 protection against water and dust that allows diving to a depth of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. Although the aluminum frame helps dissipate heat, it’s important to remember that it’s a softer metal than titanium; In addition, its matte finish can be a little slippery, but on the other hand, chances are you’ll buy a cover for this smartphone anyway.

The screen itself comes in the same size – 6.9 inches and with the same hardware data, an LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED monitor, which means a monitor that knows how to automatically adjust the image refresh rate to 120 Hz for smooth movement in the interface and battery saving, as well as technology that helps it display its rich colors and high definition. The brightness of the screen is 1000 nits and can reach up to 3000 nits at peak. In any case, I didn’t encounter any problems viewing it in sunlight.

Hardware: processor with reduced energy consumption

The 18 Pro Max comes with Apple’s A20 Pro processor in 2 nm technology compared to 3 nm in the previous generation, which allows the processor to heat up less and offer reduced energy consumption. This processor is also more optimized for gaming and AI processing. The iPhone has 12 gigabytes of working memory (RAM), alongside storage volumes that start at 256 gigabytes and reach up to 2 terabytes.

Of course the smartphone supports an eSIM alongside a physical SIM, the WiFi comes in version 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and successful stereo speakers.

Camera: variable aperture mechanism for the best

The photography setup in the 18 Pro Max incorporates this year a main sensor equipped with a variable aperture mechanism. The resolution in the three sensors remained 48 megapixels with a periscope-telephoto sensor with a 4x optical zoom and a 120 degree wide sensor.

The variable aperture mechanism (f/1.48 to f/4.0) allows you to physically switch between different apertures and get more precise control over the depth of field and the amount of light, which produces a natural bokeh effect (with the background blurred from behind) in portrait shots and better performance in low light conditions, while reducing the reliance on software processing. Of course, if you don’t have the strength to mess with this option, you can leave it on automatic mode, which works well, because it requires a bit of work for everyday photos.

As expected, the shooting results here were successful, with a wide dynamic range, great detail and realistic colors. In low light conditions or at night, the main camera provides very clean and good results. The selfie camera still remains at 18 megapixels and is excellent.

Battery: You won’t be stuck without energy during the day

Apple integrated a battery here with a capacity of 5391 mAh, compared to 4823 mAh in last year’s model. If you purchase the model that only comes with an eSIM – the parallel import version, the battery volume already increases to 5567 mAh. In any case, the battery performance is very successful, when the device came out of charging at 7:35 a.m. and at 11:00 p.m., 46% energy remained. A great figure with a screen time of just over 5 hours. In terms of wired charging, there is no official publication by Apple about the device’s supplier, but it suggests using a 60 watt charger that should charge the iPhone to 50% of the battery in about 15 minutes.

Of course, there is also a slow wireless charging of 25 watts and magnetic charging to connect to various accessories.

Price: NIS 5,950 in the Ai Digital network (including two-year warranty)

The device can be reviewed from the Digital Islands network

Bottom line, as usual there is no reason to rush to upgrade your iPhone if you own the previous generation, on the other hand, if you have had an iPhone for several years and the opportunity to upgrade has come, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is an excellent smartphone with a battery that lasts more than a day, a good quality screen and now also a smaller dynamic island. The high-quality camera includes the variable aperture mechanism that will improve the experience mainly for more professional photographers.