After Wednesday’s event, Apple allowed members of the media to take a look at the new iPhone 18 Pro models, so we can share some first impressions with you before pre-orders begin tomorrow.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are almost identical to the iPhone 17 Pro models, but there are some subtle changes that set the new devices apart. There’s less color difference between the aluminum frame and the glass back, so while the 17 Pro models had a two-tone look, the iPhone 18 Pro models are more uniform.
Apple sells the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in four colors, including silver, black, burgundy, and glacier, which is a light blue. Burgundy is particularly beautiful in person, and those who missed the black last year will be happy to see it again. There is no change in size or shape, so they are still available with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screens. Both are a bit heavier and the iPhone 18 Pro Max weighs 16 grams more than the 17 Pro Max.
The display quality is the same, but Apple has slimmed down Dynamic Island, so it takes up less space and can display up to three live activities at once.
Inside there is a new 2nm A20 Pro chip. If you’re upgrading to the iPhone 18 Pro from an iPhone 17 Pro, you probably won’t notice a day-to-day difference between the A19 Pro and A20 Pro, but the iPhone 18 Pro models might run cooler. There’s a new vapor chamber cooling system that takes up three times more surface area, and Apple says it supports up to 40% faster sustained performance. There is a new dual neural engine, but the RAM hasn’t increased and it’s still at 12GB.
Battery life is better in both Pro models. The iPhone 18 Pro lasts up to 36 hours when watching video, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasts up to 45 hours. Charging via USB-C is faster, and you can get a 50% charge in 15 minutes with a 60W power adapter. MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging are still supported, but with a maximum power of 25W.
There is a three-lens camera system with an improved main camera. The 48 MP main camera has a variable aperture which has four values: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, ƒ/4.0. The aperture will automatically adjust as you shoot, but there’s a new Pro Controls option if you want to make manual changes. You can adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, and there’s also a histogram for making adjustments. With variable aperture and Pro controls, you can adjust the amount of light and background blur in images.
Photographic Styles now have texture and grain controls, and when you’re shooting, intelligent focus tracking can lock on to a subject even if it leaves the frame so you never lose focus. Cinematic effects can be added to video after the first capture, and Audio Mix works with music. 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse videos are also supported.
All 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro models come with the C2 modem, while iPhone 18 Pro Max models in the US have a Qualcomm modem. iPhone 18 Pro Max models outside the US also come with C2, and it’s unclear why Apple opted for this modem split. The C2 is faster and more power efficient than the previous C1X, and it now supports mmWave 5G speeds in addition to sub-6GHz speeds.
As expected, Apple has increased the prices of its iPhones. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the US and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, so there’s a $100 increase for both base models. Starting storage remains at 256GB, but you can upgrade up to 2TB.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max begin at 5:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, September 12. The new iPhones will launch on September 18.
