iPhone 18 Pro
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RANKING
94
Rank 94 out of 117 Summarized in this category Rankings based on: • Pros-to-cons ratio • Number of reviews • Category average

Apple

iPhone 18 Pro

price N/A

i
All prices are estimates and may vary from actual prices.

436 Pros

66%
27 reviews (6h 19m)

229 Cons

67%

139 vs 68

Camera

65%

78 vs 42

Design and Build

52%

32 vs 30

Software

82%

27 vs 6

Display

76%

68 vs 21

Performance

Reviewer verdict

Pros Cons Index analysed 27 YouTube video reviews of the Apple iPhone 18 Pro: it earns an Index score of 3.6/5, ranking #94 among Smartphones. Reviewers most often praise its camera, design and build, performance, while the most common criticisms concern camera, design and build.

Pros: A20 Pro performance, improved thermals and battery plus a best-in-class pro camera system make the iPhone 18 Pro a powerful, well-rounded flagship.

Reviewers praise the iPhone 18 Pro for combining a major performance leap (A20 Pro 2nm chip, faster CPU/GPU and neural engine) with far better sustained thermals and noticeably improved battery life and charging. The camera upgrades—variable physical aperture, ProRes to internal storage, richer pro controls in the native app, improved low-light and video features (4K timelapse, cinematic 4K60, smart focus tracking, Apple Log 2)—make it the best video phone on the market. Additions like a brighter, responsive display, smaller Dynamic Island, stronger connectivity (C2 modem/Wi-Fi 7), and polished iOS 27 AI features round out a compelling, future-proof flagship.

Cons: Most changes are incremental and price/weight increases make it a poor upgrade for recent iPhone owners.

Common criticisms call the 18 Pro an 'S-year'—the design is largely unchanged, the variable aperture's real-world benefits are niche, and many pro features are software-locked to the new models. It's heavier, pricier, and still lacks some user-level manual controls (ISO/Kelvin), while issues like occasional Face ID quirks, QLC performance pain on high-capacity SKUs, and modest real-world battery gains versus the 17 Pro reduce the upgrade incentive for owners of recent iPhones.

Analysis based on 27 YouTube reviews (6h 19m of video) with 436 pros and 229 cons extracted.

Pros (436)

Camera (139)
  • Pro-level manual controls added to camera app (histogram, pro features, pin quick-access tools) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • ProRes video can be recorded directly to internal storage; front camera supports ProRes — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Improved skin smoothing/customizable styles in camera (more natural-looking) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Time-lapse upgraded to 4K 60fps with HDR support — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Useful future-proofing camera and software features for pro photographers/videographers — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Variable mechanical aperture on main camera (F1.48 to F4) for more control and better video usability — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Pro camera controls added (shutter speed, white balance, histogram) and updated photographic styles with grain/texture for creative freedom — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Video quality is best available on any smartphone; variable aperture especially helps video (reduces need for ND filters in some cases) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • New video features: smart focus tracking, cinematic mode up to 4K60, 4K timelapse — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Cameras make professional content creation more accessible; new variable aperture gives more control and creates starburst effects. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Apple added pro/manual camera controls into the native camera app (convenience for users who want manual control). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Overall camera system remains excellent (high-quality images) even if incremental over previous model. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Includes high-end DSLR-like camera hardware and new camera features (variable aperture, improved video/shutter features) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Camera improvements produce noticeable differences in real use despite similar on-paper specs — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture in camera lenses for better background blur control and creative options — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Advanced subject tracking and continuous tracking when subject leaves and returns to frame — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Cinematic mode upgraded: apply cinematic effect after recording; supports 4K 60fps and improved dolly zoom — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Cameras are really that good; records in Apple Log 2 — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Better stabilization compared to other iPhones — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Cleaner processing and better background separation — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Able to get some really nice footage / cinematic shots — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • iPhone 18's overall image quality looks more organic and vibrant — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • 4K 120 fps slow-motion mode available (exclusive to Pro iPhones) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Good color reproduction—colors like yellows and reds pop — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Telephoto and up to 8x digital zoom with stabilization makes capturing distant subjects easy — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent camera and a pretty amazing phone overall — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture camera works well as a proof of concept and can create strong background blur when used — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Native camera app gains new pro-like features (head tracking, gimbal-like stabilization, more white balance and shutter control) — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Best video camera on the market (high-quality video capture) — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • New 48MP rear sensor with variable aperture (F1.48–F4) enables better low-light and deeper focus/bokeh potential — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture produces some sharper images and sun stars; can help low-light and background blur in close shots — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's new photographic styles and texture controls give users more creative control over processing — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Camera shows improved detail and ML-assisted demosaicing/de-noising (visible on heavy crop) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Cloud photo cleanup quality mode is notably better than on-device mode — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture for cinematic motion blur and improved low-light performance — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • New Pro camera controls in the Camera app — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Aperture (f1.48) ~50% brighter than 17 Pro's f1.8, better for low-light shoots — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • New photographic styles (e.g., film preset) that produce pleasing looks — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Major camera upgrades including a 48MP Fusion main camera with variable aperture allowing manual aperture control and better low-light performance and depth-of-field control. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Full manual control of camera parameters (aperture, shutter speed, manual focus, histogram, full manual focus). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture is a standout feature allowing creative control (aperture from 1.48 to f/4) for depth of field and lighting. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Triple camera setup with versatile zooms (x1, x2, x4, x8) and enjoyable shutter speed controls for creative effects. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Support for ND filters and compatibility with third-party accessories for cinematic effects. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Focus improvements: manual focus, focus peaking, and improved tracking of moving subjects. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded photographic styles (3rd generation) with new customization like soft skin and glow and many presets for varied looks. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Video upgrades: 4K time-lapses with Dolby Vision HDR, improved audiomix for music, 4K at 120fps still supported, and dual capture feature retained. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Camera is amazing compared to base model iPhone; major camera highlight — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Focus tracking feature for video (double tap to keep subject in focus) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Main 48MP camera now has a physical variable aperture (1.4 to F4) — better low-light and creative control — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Improved low-light camera performance due to wider physical aperture — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Camera app adds more manual tools (shutter speed, white balance, histogram) for enthusiasts — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • New texture/film-grain style options for images — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Triple 48 MP cameras with variable aperture (hardware aperture control) — more flexible and professional photography/video capability. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Consistent matching cameras and significantly improved zoom reach (up to ~40x) compared to older models. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Wide ultra front-facing camera — useful and reliable for those not using foldables. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Image processing improvements yield more detail and less noise compared to previous iPhones and some competitors — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Better night mode and overall camera/video quality improvements — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded photographic styles and ability to choose which pro camera settings are exposed — easier pro workflows — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Cameras are among the best tested; overall fantastic camera system — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Smart Focus Tracking: reliable subject tracking even when object leaves and re-enters frame — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture and larger lens let in more light improving low-light photo and video quality (cleaner results without Night Mode) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Improved low-light detail and video clarity compared to 17 Pro — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Brand new camera with many pro features (aperture control, white balance, shutter speed, video tap-to-track). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Can physically control aperture (lens aperture) for creative effects like starburst and background change. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Manual white balance control (though auto recommended) for more precise color tuning. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Shutter speed control in video mode for crisp or cinematic motion. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Video tap-to-track that locks focus on a person and tracks them as they move. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Customizable camera layout and controls (add/remove/reorder), including quick access to 24MP/48MP format switch. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Ability to shoot at 48MP for double resolution and more detail versus 24MP. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • New Styles texture options (soft skin, glow, film) with strength controls for aesthetic looks. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Photos editing tools: Reframe and Extend generate surrounding content or change apparent capture angle for better framing. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Photos app ratings control to star-rate images and filter by rating. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Variable physical aperture on main camera (f/1.48 to f/4) giving more control and closer to a real camera — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture improves close-up shots (reduces excessive background blur) and enhances low-light performance — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Photos are bright, sharp, very detailed and fast to capture — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • More manual controls in default camera app (shutter speed, white balance presets, manual focus, focus peaking UI) — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Camera app customization to surface controls (aperture, focus, shutter speed, white balance) for easy access — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent video recording: smooth, stable, natural footage with wide dynamic range and beautiful colors; 4K up to 120 fps — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Front camera autofocus works well for close/far shots and short-form video — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Best video camera on a phone again, with improved imaging hardware including a variable aperture on the main 48MP sensor — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Main camera has new variable aperture (f/1.48–f/4) for more control and better low-light capability — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • True Tone flash with adjustable beam angle gives more natural flashlight lighting — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • New video feature: focus tracking works well and holds focus when moving off/on camera — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • New camera software features (Photographic Styles 3, film grain, glow) improve look/creative control — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Expanded manual controls in built-in Camera app (aperture, shutter speed, depth control) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Main camera improvements: wider aperture, improved sensor, fun to use variable aperture and pro controls in the stock camera — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Pro controls (manual focus, focus peaking, shutter speed) built into the stock camera app — good for prosumers — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Good night/creative shooting options (one-second shutter, motion blur) with variable aperture — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Video: up to 4K60 on all cameras, Dolby Vision, ProRes, Apple Log 2; high-quality matched rear-camera video output — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • New photo editing tools (rotate angle) and manual controls for white balance/shutter speed in camera app — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Camera system: brighter variable aperture main lens, 4x telephoto, ultrawide with autofocus; good daylight and night main camera results — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • 2x digital zoom and 4x telephoto produce solid results; selfies have good detail and autofocus — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • New variable aperture on the main 1x camera (gives control over exposure and sharpness) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Lens is significantly faster (moved from f/1.8 to f/1.48) — better low-light performance, lower ISO, sharper images with less noise — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Ability to stop down aperture (e.g., to f/4) for more depth of field/sharpness and to control background blur — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Automatic aperture mode is intelligent and adapts to scene/subjects/light — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Closing aperture helps with dragging the shutter to create subject motion blur while keeping rest sharp (good stabilization) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Macro of aperture lens and visible aperture blades are well engineered and look cool — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Ultrawide retains 48MP upgrade and excellent close-focus macro mode — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Telephoto system improved across generations; 4x larger sensor (from 17 Pro) and usable 8x optical quality zoom via sensor crop — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Improved selfie camera (more megapixels and bigger sensor) carries through to 18 Pro — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • New Apple Intelligence features (cleanup, extend, reframe) produce impressive edits and realistic fills — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Cinematic mode improvements: can add blur after shooting (monocular depth algorithm) and shoot cinematic at 60fps — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Apple Log support (professional log profile) for cinematic grading and better film-like workflows — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • New photographic style texture options (skin smoothing, glow) that give more control over look — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Film-like texture features (realistic grain and halation) modeled well — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Camera app gets improved pro feature management (more professional controls exposed) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • New camera with adjustable aperture and better optical control — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Camera app gains (manual aperture control, shutter speed adjuster, depth control, white balance, histogram, customizable controls) enabling more professional content creation — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Aperture leads to clearer photos in bright and dim settings and more creative control — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Can shoot cinematic-style video from regular 4K60 main camera and edit depth/track subjects non-destructively — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Cinematic mode now supports 4K60 — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture (f1.48–f4) gives shallower depth of field and allows manual aperture control for photos/videos — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Images appear less oversharpened/overprocessed and a touch more natural compared with previous model — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Very well-rounded camera system with pro options (4K120, ProRes, Apple Log 2) and expanded in-app pro controls (shutter, white balance, histogram, aperture) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • 4K time-lapses supported; overall camera refinements and new Pro Controls are welcome upgrades — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Camera gets a variable aperture (up to f/1.48) allowing more control over depth of field and low-light performance — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture can reduce noise and allow faster shutter speeds in low light (f/1.48 benefits) — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Adds more granular Pro controls in the stock camera app (shutter speed, manual focus, manual white balance, format) — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture and Pro tools help creative users get more control over images — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Adjustable (moving) aperture in main camera (six-blade iris) allowing opening to F1.48 — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Wider max aperture (F1.48) gives more light for low-light photography and slightly crisper shots (lower ISO, less noise) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Automatic aperture adjustment based on scene (sticks to F1.8, opens to F1.48 in low light, down to F4 for text to increase depth of field) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Manual camera controls in the Camera app (shutter speed, focus, white balance, ISO) for more advanced shooting — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Ability to stop down to F4 and create Sunstars thanks to aperture blades — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • AI-powered video focus tracking improved to stay on subjects (can pick them up if briefly leaving frame) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Reference image mode to cryptographically preserve original sensor image (helps verify unedited photos) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • New texture/film simulation options in photographic styles (grain, film-like looks) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Pro camera system offers flexibility and portability — good enough that reviewer sometimes ditched their proper camera; separate ultra-wide, main, and telephoto lenses and decent low-light performance. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Native Camera app now has Pro Controls (no longer need third-party apps). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture and camera improvements give marginally better subject separation and slightly better low-light quality vs 17 Pro. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • New variable-aperture camera allows manual control over aperture, shutter speed and exposure — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Camera photos can be very sharp in bright conditions; ultra wide and short-to-medium zoom usable; video capture excellent (4K up to 120fps, Dolby Vision, good stabilization) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Front 18MP selfie camera is fine for video chats and vlogging (4K60 with Dolby Vision and decent stabilization) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Front-facing 18MP camera with autoframing (good for group selfies) — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Main 48MP camera now has a variable aperture and new pro controls (aperture, shutter speed, white balance, histogram) — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture and pro controls enable noticeable bokeh/background control and improved video possibilities when used manually — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Additional camera features: smart focus tracking, add cinematic effects after shooting, audio mix with music, new texture/grain controls for photographic styles, 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Triple 48MP camera system retained including the 8x telephoto and unchanged ultra wide — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Design and Build (78)
  • Feels like the most complete iPhone the reviewer has used — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Engineering marvel with crazy tech in camera system, display, and internals — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • New cohesive color-matched back glass and housing (new colors: burgundy, glacier, black) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Glacier color doesn't show fingerprints as much — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Overall a packed, feature-rich phone that makes few sacrifices and is very useful compared to alternatives — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive black finish (personal preference) that looks fantastic. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Case (Torras Q3 Air Pro) protects well without bulk: slim, dual-layer airbag system, drop-rated up to 16 ft and includes practical O-stand and screen protector handling harsh light well. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Made in India (country of origin shown as India) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Comes with a braided cable and SIM ejector tool (India unit) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Available in four colors (Burgundy, Black, Silver, Blue) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Design/build largely similar to previous generation with small refinements — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Overall meaningful hardware improvements (battery, cooling, camera) even if incremental visually — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Amazing piece of hardware; best iPhone Apple has ever made — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Design is familiar and largely identical to previous model (comfortable one-handed device) — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • New color options (glacier blue and burgundy) and more color-matching between glass and metal — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Feels solid in hand; still easy to wield despite being a bit heavier — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive new colors and return of matte black — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Braided USB-C cable included and fast Face ID — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller/slimmer Dynamic Island with under-display Face ID placement — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • IP68 water resistance — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Color-matched aluminum and back glass rugged unibody design and attractive new colors (burgundy, black, glacier, silver). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller and more capable Dynamic Island (25% smaller) that shows up to three live activities and is more useful. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Feels premium in hand despite aluminium body; comfortable curved/smoother edges — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Zero issues with build quality and in-hand feel — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Best looking iPhone in years; deep, matte true black color (most talked-about color) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive new burgundy and glacier (light blue) and updated silver color options — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • You don't have to choose between beautiful and powerful this year — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Cases from iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max are compatible — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Weight increase gives a more premium, solid feel (sweet spot for Pro at ~211 g) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Feels great to use every day; comfortable in hand even without a case. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent balance of size, weight and ergonomics (curved edges, thin bezels, smaller Dynamic Island). — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Not too heavy (211 g) — strikes a good weight sweet spot. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Matte black color option is a proper black and looks very good. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Design is one of the favorite/strong designs from Apple with balanced soft corners and hard lines, flat edges with rounded corners — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Front glass uses Ceramic Shield 2 which is much more scratch resistant; held up well without a screen protector over 30 days — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive materials and finish; clean aesthetic (especially when paired with a minimal translucent case) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Case-Mate Cloud Bumper provides good protection without obscuring design (grippy, sturdy, elevated camera protection, raised lip, precise cutouts) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • New colors with color-matched glass plates that make the phone look and feel like a single material — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Keeps the visual identity forward with refined design and new color options (glacier and burgundy) offering personality to pro customers — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Shrunk Dynamic Island using under-display trickery, enabling more live activities to be shown at once and hinting at future smaller selfie/Face ID implementations — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Action button and physical camera control restore useful hardware buttons to the phone — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Nice burgundy color with depth to the glass cutout — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Feels good in the hand (solid build) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminum frame (first two iPhone Pros to use this much aluminum) which helps durability and heat spread — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Ceramic Shield 2 may offer very good screen protection (screen protector possibly not needed) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island while retaining Face ID (engineering improvement) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive new colors (glacier, black, burgundy, orange) and uniform color on the back — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Lots of great cases and accessories available — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Physical dimensions unchanged from last year so older cases still fit — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Overall refinement — described as perhaps the best 'S' year phone and a pinnacle/final form of current iPhone design — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Well-balanced compact flagship — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Back panel better matches aluminum frame / familiar but refined design — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Hardware keys including Action key and dedicated camera key — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • IP68 dust and water protection (6 m) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Box includes USB-C cable — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Bigger vapor chambers and improved thermal design for better heat diffusion and cooling — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • New pro-friendly color options (burgundy, black) that avoid color reflections in shoots — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Familiar premium unibody design (similar to last year) — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • New cooling chamber / improved vapor cooling prevents overheating — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Attractive new colors and centralized Apple logo; looks gorgeous under the right light — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Large Caseify ecosystem and high-quality protective cases (MagSafe, high drop protection) recommended to protect phone — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island (25% smaller) gives more usable screen space and supports three live activities — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island by moving Face ID sensor under display, allowing more screen space (three Live Activities fit) — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • New colors (Glacier Blue, matte black) and refreshed finishes — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic Island updates (shows up to three live activities) and new wrist strap accessory — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller and improved Dynamic Island — can show three live activities and displays more information (e.g., timer remaining) compared to previous versions. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID moved behind display allowing smaller Dynamic Island (trade-off noted). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded glass (Ceramic Shield 2) with noticeably better scratch resistance after long-term use. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Good compatibility with not using a screen protector due to durable glass (reviewer comfortable without one). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Delightfully compact and easy to use one-handed; comfortable hand feel and not too heavy — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Enormous camera bump doubles as a handy finger shelf — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Burgundy color is attractive (personal preference) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Pretty hardy build: Ceramic Shield front glass showing no scratches so far — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • IP68 dust and water resistance (can be submerged) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Comfortable one-handed 6.3 inch Pro size; best form factor for pocketability and balance of features vs Max — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Burgundy color attractive and well-matched between glass and aluminum — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminum unibody with improved vapor chamber cooling (now larger) helps thermal performance — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Ceramic Shield 2 front glass is durable; reviewer reports little to no scratches or cracks without a screen protector — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Performance (68)
  • A20 Pro (2nm) chip provides tangible performance and thermal improvements for heavy workloads — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Better sustained performance under extended recording workloads (less thermal throttling than 17 Pro) — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Reported CPU/GPU improvements (up to ~40%) useful for gamers and heavy mobile editors — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Much of Apple's performance and battery life claims are true in real use — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Major internal redesign: A20 Pro chip with significant CPU/GPU improvements and 2nm process yielding higher transistor density — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Redesigned thermal system (much larger vapor chamber) and memory placement improve sustained performance and keep the phone cooler under load — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent sustained performance and smooth frame rates in games without getting hot — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Dual neural engine for faster on-device AI and snappier local tasks (Siri, photo AI tools) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Very large generational performance leap over A19 Pro (A20 Pro "obliterates" previous chip) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Better thermal management despite much higher performance — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Significantly faster app installs, downloads and general responsiveness (very fast storage and CPU) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • New core layout with very fast "super cores" achieving top single-core scores (breaks 4000 in Geekbench) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Redesigned thermals reduce overheating, take longer to get hot, and recover faster (larger vapor chamber). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Less thermal load on the battery, allowing more sustained and efficient performance. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chip offers significantly improved CPU and GPU performance (20–30% CPU, ~40% GPU) and faster real-world tasks like editing and 4K renders. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Sustained frame rate and lack of overheating deliver smoother, longer gaming and better sustained performance. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Boring, practical upgrades (thermals, efficiency, modem, wireless) are the most appreciated daily improvements. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded chipset (A20 Pro) with 2nm process, better thermal design (vapor chamber) and sustained performance without throttling — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Solid performance for mobile gaming (Red Dead, Fortnite run great) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent sustained gaming performance (Wildlife Extreme: ~50% faster than competitors even after prolonged runs) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Enlarged vapor chamber helps keep thermals under control — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chip is very power-efficient (practically sips battery) — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • 820 Pro chip with vapor chamber keeps the phone cool under load — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent gaming performance and speaker experience — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chip on 2nm architecture with wider memory interface delivering blazing-fast performance and better thermals when combined with new cooling. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Completely redesigned vapor chamber with three times larger surface area and new materials, giving up to 40% better sustained performance vs 17 Pro and up to 2x vs 16 Pro (reduces overheating). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chipset feels smoother and faster than base iPhone 17; apps open faster with no lags and basic gaming is smooth — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Vapour cooling chamber meaningfully reduces heat and cools down faster than previous iPhones — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Most powerful iPhone Apple has ever built (A20 Pro chip, 2nm) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Performance approaching M1/M2 level; very fast in apps and games — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Biggest cooling system Apple has put in an iPhone (improved vapor chamber) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro: first 2nm chip, bigger GPU, double neural cores; excellent benchmark and real-world speed — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Improved sustained performance (up to ~40% better) due to redesigned cooling and memory placement — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Overall: confident, well-thought-out update — great for photographers, gamers, and power users — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Strong thermals — stays cool to the touch even under heavy use (larger vapor chamber, better than 17 Pro). — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chipset with 12 GB RAM and Apple modem — high hardware/software integration and efficiency. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Seven-core GPU with sustained high performance and steady frame rates (~50 fps average) — strong GPU performance. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Improved thermal efficiency and heat dissipation enabling the A20 Pro chip to push harder — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • High performance headroom from next‑G 2nm chip — future‑proofing for 3–4 years of use — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Overall a very safe, refined upgrade — not exciting but solid — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Efficiency and cooling improvements due to A20 Pro chip and larger vapor chamber (3x larger) leading to much better thermals and no hot spots — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Heat management: phone gets warm but not hot; heat is spread evenly thanks to the larger vapor chamber — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Pro-level improvements (battery life, charging speed, thermal performance, cameras) make it a worthwhile upgrade for users on 15 Pro or older — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Very fast performance with new A20 processor and 12 GB RAM; handles multitasking, editing, and on-device AI well — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Very powerful A20 Pro chipset with excellent thermal management — easily handles max graphics settings without throttling — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • A20 chip and large vapor chamber improve thermal dissipation vs previous models — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Vapor chamber produces more even heating (less hotspot) during heavy workloads — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Good benchmark performance (more than enough for typical iPhone tasks and high-end games) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Improved on-device AI capability (second AI engine, faster neural accelerator) for local models and features — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • A20 chip (first 2nm processor) — very fast, great for on-device LLM tasks, transcription, image generation, Siri responsiveness, gaming, and power efficiency — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • A20 chip should remain very fast for years (future-proofing) — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Powerful new chipset (Apple A20 Pro) with improved CPU, GPU, Neural Engine and memory bandwidth — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent gaming performance and strong benchmark gains over last year — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Improved thermals and good CPU sustained performance with limited throttling — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent sustained gaming performance without frame drops — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Improved cooling allows long gaming sessions and outdoor use without throttling or overheating — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Overall marginal but meaningful upgrades (20% faster CPU vs 17 Pro; faster than older models), making it the best iPhone available — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Much larger vapor chamber for improved thermal dissipation; runs cooler externally and maintains higher sustained peak performance — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • New A20 Pro chip gives significant graphics performance uplift (~33% faster in test) and good stability — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Overall iterative refinements keep phone very capable and a pleasure to use if upgrading — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • New A20 Pro 2-nanometer chip brings both higher performance and significantly better battery efficiency — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Improved cooling (3x surface area vapor chamber) helps sustained performance for heavy tasks — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Faster video export, image processing, and improved on-device AI (neural engine doubled) leading to faster Siri and AI tasks — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Other improvements: new A20 Pro chipset, updated thermals, faster wired charging and battery life improvements — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chip (2nm) yields major performance gains vs older phones (approx +25% CPU, +41% GPU vs A19 Pro) — very powerful. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Gaming performance strong with no throttling despite getting toasty; can play intensively for extended periods — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro chip (2nm) with 12 GB RAM and larger vapor chamber gives up to 40% faster sustained performance (claimed); reviewer observed no stutters, lags, or heat issues — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Overall refinement: small improvements and many great features carry over from 17 Pro — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Battery Life (50)
  • Battery life is better initially compared to 17 Pro (fantastic on paper and early use) — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Potentially improved battery health due to better heat management (example: 17 Pro retained 98% after 250 cycles) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Real-world battery life is fine for typical use and can last a full day in heavy/network-heavy scenarios (example with Sleeper app) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Faster wired charging (50% in ~15 minutes with compatible adapter) and same wireless charging speeds via MagSafe (~50% in 30 minutes) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Better real-world battery life than before (big improvement over previous generation) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life improved to comfortable all-day use (around 6.5 hours screen-on with mixed use; can end day with ~50% on light days). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Battery gains come from combination of A20 Pro efficiency, C2 modem, and improved thermals. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Supports up to 60W charging (phone supports 60W charging) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Can use MacBook charger and third-party chargers for full-speed charging — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Significant battery upgrades: larger battery (India SIM-tray model 5391 mAh; US ~5567 mAh) and faster charging (40W->60W) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Noticeable battery life improvement over iPhone 17 (about ~20% better in real use) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Handles heavy recording sessions reasonably well (example: 20 GB, 5 hours screen time dropped to 32%) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Can complete long recording sessions on a single charge (example: started at 40% and ended at 5%) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Huge battery endurance improvements (18 Pro near Pro Max endurance; Pro Max exceptional 34+ hours streaming) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Faster charging: ~50% charge in ~15 minutes (improved peak charging rates) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Supports faster charging up to 60W (with compatible charger) — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Long battery life — easily lasts a full day with plenty left — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Bigger battery (especially large improvement on Pro Max); claimed extra battery life — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Significant battery improvement: uses 17 Pro Max battery in the smaller 18 Pro chassis, resulting in much better battery life. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Improved battery life — lasts longer, can handle heavy shooting sessions without needing multiple full charges per day — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Charging is faster (advertised up to 60W; faster morning top-ups) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Phenomenal battery life for a smaller phone; can easily stretch into a second day on 6.3-inch model. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Faster charging than previous iPhones — can top up quickly (enough in ~25–30 minutes). — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Very good battery life; iPhone 18 Pro Max lasted longer than some 7,000 mAh rivals — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • World-class efficiency and improved battery performance (especially ES model would be better) — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Charging has improved and caught up — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life improved — Apple rates 33 hours streamed video (≈10% year-over-year improvement vs 17 Pro); large gains vs much older models (50% vs 16 Pro, 65% vs 15 Pro) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • MagSafe support for wireless power banks to extend camera/battery usage. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Larger battery (~500 mAh bigger) plus more efficient A20 chip and liquid cooling leading to noticeably better battery life — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Good real-world battery life (example: still 42% at 11pm after heavy use) and quick wired charging (50% in ~15 minutes with 60W charger) — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Consistent quiet competence: long battery life (more than all day) and faster charging than Pixel; reliable message delivery — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Bigger battery cells and generally good battery life — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Now supports much faster wired charging (up to ~60W with Apple's charger / faster than previous iPhones) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Apple-made modem (C2) on some units for improved power efficiency (better battery life) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Faster charging — can charge up to 45W with a compatible charger, ~50% in 15 minutes — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Improved power efficiency from Apple's new C2 modem (on iPhone 18 Pro) — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Better battery life on the 18 Pro (due to C2 modem) — big improvement over previous smaller Pro models — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • 18 Pro Max still has best battery life overall (largest battery) — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Slightly improved battery capacity and improved battery life (16h 43m active use) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Faster wired charging (now 45W) and 25W Qi2 wireless support; 0–74% in 30 minutes, full charge ~1 hour — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Much larger batteries (18 Pro offers significantly longer video playback — Apple claims 36 hours vs 23 on 15 Pro) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Increased battery capacity compared to last year's Pro — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life slightly better than previous generation; can get all-day battery without moving to Pro Max depending on usage — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • More efficient 2nm chip and larger batteries give a meaningful battery life boost versus previous model — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Faster charging to 60% (claimed up to 60W) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Meaningfully longer battery life (easily a day-and-a-half, sometimes two days) without a much larger battery — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Faster wired charging (pulls ~45W on a 67W charger; seven hours of video playback after five minutes charging claim) — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Improved battery life vs older models (about 30 minutes more than 17 Pro; much better vs 16/15/14 Pro) — often still ~50% at 9PM and lasts all day with heavy use (10–20% left after international roaming day). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Battery makes battery anxiety disappear for the reviewer; comparable to previous Pro Max battery life (16/17 Pro Max). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Bigger battery (456 mAh increase) yields slightly better battery life; up to 36 hours video playback (Pro) and fast charging: 50% in ~15 minutes — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Software (32)
  • iOS 27 polish and Liquid Glass UI improvements add customization and a more refined experience. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Siri AI is much improved: conversational, follows up, sees screen, accesses personal context and app actions — a meaningful upgrade to assistant functionality. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID sensors and fast unlock work reliably (with noted sensor placement) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • New wallpaper/effects and exclusive software features (tint blur, customizable wallpapers) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • AI features (Apple Intelligence) useful: generate shortcuts from plain text, cloud models for photo cleanup, and Siri personal context improvements — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Three Live Activities support (potentially useful) — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Adds many requested features and perfects the traditional iPhone experience (not a reinvention but meaningful upgrades). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Powerful on-device AI features with iOS 27 (Apple intelligence) for improved photo edits, object removal, image extend, and overall camera enhancements. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Siri AI (Apple intelligence assistant) added systemwide with onscreen awareness and personal context, enhancing usability. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Shortcuts app can create automations from natural language descriptions (e.g., battery reminder at 15%). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Control Center timer: tap-and-hold to adjust seconds (more granular timer control). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic Island is smaller and can show up to three live activities; live activities can be hidden/shown by swiping. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Swipe-down Dynamic Island shortcut to open the new Siri (convenient access). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • New Siri app with chat history and ability to switch between Siri and ChatGPT; customizable voice, pace, and expressivity. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Siri camera mode: point camera at something, snap a photo, and Siri provides info or image-based Q&A. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Appearance 'liquid glass' slider to adjust transparency of icons/menus. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Widgets can extend to full pages for quick control without opening apps. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Wallet app can create passes by scanning loyalty/tickets/membership cards to add to Wallet. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island cutout allowing three live activities at once — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Runs iOS 27 smoothly and supports new iOS features not available on older phones — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Improved Siri with deeper access (email etc.), making it a more useful assistant and sometimes outperforming Google Gemini — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • App Store exclusives widen the app ecosystem (examples: Flighty, Not Boring, Mana) available on iPhone — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Worth upgrading if coming from iPhone 15 or older — adds Siri AI/Apple Intelligence, major camera improvements, and many features — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • iOS 27 improvements and Siri AI features (contextual suggestions, customizable voice) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Apple reference image and Synth ID let you verify whether an image was modified or generated (source-of-truth verification) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Handles day-to-day tasks and smart home integration (wakes me up, tells bedtime, unlocks home, car key, controls smart devices) — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Very snappy performance (iOS 27 + A20 Pro chip) — lightning fast UI actions — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Apple Intelligence features (photo cleanup, image extension) are very fast — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • New Siri/customizable voices and Apple Intelligence features available on 18 Pro; improved Siri natural language and photo editing tools — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • New iOS 27 AI editing tools (Reframe and Extend) to change framing and fill gaps post-capture — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Runs iOS 27 with some useful new features (customizable lock screen, AI wallpaper tool) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island can show more information (up to three live activities) — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Display (27)
  • Display remains excellent: ProMotion Super Retina XDR, fantastic color and HDR, high peak brightness (1,600 nits HDR, up to 3,000 nits outdoors) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Much shorter Dynamic Island (less obstructed view) and can show up to three live activities — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Display largely the same and performs very fast; Dynamic Island is smaller and supports more activities — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Slightly more screen real estate due to ~30% smaller Dynamic Island — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • HDR/content viewing experience similar to previous gen (very good) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Dope, very bright, large display that's great for media and gaming — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • 120 Hz screen that remains smooth and responsive even at high brightness — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Display can dim to very low brightness (~1 nit) for night use — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Overall excellent displays (6.3" Pro, 6.9" Pro Max), 120Hz ProMotion, always-on display, up to 3,000 nits outdoor brightness. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Display same quality as previous gen: same resolution, brightness, 120Hz, Ceramic Shield 2 front — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island now fits three live activities — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Very high peak brightness (around 3,000 nits) and can sustain it — great outdoors visibility. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Improved anti-reflective coating compared to older iPhones (still behind some Galaxy models). — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island gives slightly more screen area — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Wallpaper extend and 3D spatial wallpaper options and ability to shrink clock for better framing. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent display: very bright (30,000 nits peak), anti-reflective coating, accurate and top-notch — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Very bright, high-quality display with ProMotion (up to 30,000 nits peak claimed, 1–120 Hz, good PPI) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Apple compensates lower pixel density area (around Face ID) by making surrounding pixels brighter so it's hardly noticeable — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller display cutout (less intrusive) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • 6.3-inch high-resolution OLED with adaptive 120 Hz and smaller cutout; Face ID works well — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Very high peak brightness (~2700 nits) and good automatic max (~970 nits); anti-glare coating for sunlight legibility — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island (more screen room) due to moving infrared sensor — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island that fits more widgets — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Displays individually calibrated for better color accuracy and more true-to-life viewing/editing — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Higher peak brightness (3,000 nits), PWM dimming improvements, and anti-reflective coating mentioned as incremental display improvements — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Display is strong: good HDR, bright enough for daylight and enjoyable for watching movies — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • 120 Hz display and A20 Pro performance are excellent; handles everything smoothly — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Connectivity (12)
  • Improved modem (C2) giving stronger 5G signal in poor coverage areas and Wi‑Fi 7/Bluetooth remaining great — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Improved daily connectivity with Apple's C2 modem (better reception vs previous model) and faster AirDrop via N1 wireless chip. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Under-the-radar daily improvements (reception, transfers) that are noticeable and appreciated in everyday use. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • USB-C 3 (up to 10 Gbps) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Apple C2 modem: faster uploads and 15% less energy (Pro Max uses C2 globally except US) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Improved signal strength and call/data reliability compared to older iPhones. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Unknown caller handling that asks caller to provide reason for calling before connecting. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Polish and ecosystem integration (hidden magnets, accessories, companion buds/watch, tight pairing) make the iPhone experience very cohesive — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Reliable pairing and fewer connectivity issues with AirPods and Apple Watch compared to competing Pixel accessories — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • AirDrop is astonishingly fast between Apple devices — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Millimeter wave window for improved cellular service in dense areas — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Modern connectivity: Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, satellite connectivity included — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
Audio (8)
  • Incredible speakers — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Strong stereo speaker / call performance compared to iPhone Air (better volume and clarity during FaceTime in noisy environment) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Separate volume sliders for ringtone, alarms, and notifications by turning off match ringtone volume. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Ability to set any MP3 as a ringtone via Files > Share > Use as Ringtone. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Color-matched USB-C and good speaker/microphone setup (stereo mics, strong audio) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Speakers sound great and are similar to previous generation (solid audio) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Excellent stereo speaker loudness and sound quality — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Built-in speakers are very good for a compact handset — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Other (8)
  • Solid overall design aesthetic — industrial and solid-feeling — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded charging speed to 60W enabling very fast charging (0–50% in ~15 minutes) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Connectivity Assist in Wi‑Fi settings automatically switches to cellular when Wi‑Fi is weak. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Upgraded vapor chamber gives better sustained performance and cooler temps under load (about 7°C cooler vs 16 Pro; more stable FPS during intensive gaming/recording). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Overall the 18 Pro is described as amazing — combines camera, battery, performance improvements that are meaningful over much older models. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Wi‑Fi and mobile network connectivity are fast and reliable — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life is fine for most regular users (around 6–7 hours SOT on light days; 5–5.5 hours on busier days) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Display peaks up to 3,000 nits — very bright and readable outdoors — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Security (5)
  • Under-screen IR Face ID camera works suitably fine (new implementation) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID sensor relocated under display (top-left) making island less noticeable — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID alternative appearance can be set to another person's face to allow them to unlock the phone. — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Under-screen Face ID sensor (less obtrusive than a camera cutout) and under-screen camera on some models — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Face unlock is super reliable and fast — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Value for Money (4)
  • Starts at a lower price than the expensive Duo and offers a boatload of great features — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Repair costs largely same as last year (minor battery repair cost increase) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Good choice for users who want the best phone camera, longer battery life, and a device that will last 5–7 years — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Some upgrades over last year: new camera lens, better chipset, faster charging — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
Overall (3)
  • Overall combines battery, camera, display, speakers, and AI improvements to provide a markedly better everyday iPhone experience (recommended upgrade from older models). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Overall meaningful upgrades compared to base iPhone 17 (better camera, battery, faster chipset, cooling) — worth upgrading from 17 — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Overall a well-rounded compact phone with no major shortcomings — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
Storage (2)
  • Fast storage on the reviewed 256 GB model (contributes to fast operations) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Multiple storage tiers up to 2 TB — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch

Cons (229)

Camera (68)
  • Variable aperture benefits are niche — most users won't notice difference during casual point-and-shoot use — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture's benefit for still photos is subtle due to small sensor — most users won't notice a huge difference over recent generations — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture is overrated for most users — on a small phone sensor it doesn't produce significant depth-of-field differences and at widest aperture images can be slightly softer at the edges. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Camera Control (physical control) is easy to accidentally brush, changing exposure unintentionally — more of an annoyance than useful for the reviewer. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Incremental camera image improvements versus 17 Pro — not a dramatic leap, so upgrading from 17 Pro may not be worthwhile for many. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Skin smoothing/makeup features exist (may be undesirable to some users) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Front camera ProRes recording needs external drive for long recordings (limiting) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Overall upgrades are incremental from 17 Pro Max—may not justify an upgrade for users coming from the immediate previous generation — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • 4K 120 fps slow-motion auto-selects where to slow; can choose incorrectly and be underwhelming — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture benefits are subtle and only matter in really dark scenes or close subjects; generally minor for most users — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Stock camera app's new manual controls are limited (missing ISO control), reducing usefulness for serious manual shooters — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's HDR/Photonic Engine processing can produce subtle blur with moving subjects and can interfere with manual workflows — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Some camera pipeline changes are inconsequential for most users and don't justify upgrading from very recent phones — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Still lacks some desired camera UI features (example: cannot reverse dual capture layout to make self larger than what you see). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture touted as major upgrade but disappointing in real-life use and not meaningful for most normal users — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • No focus tracking on earlier models (implied limitation before this model) — (note: reviewer praises focus tracking here as present) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Physical variable aperture increases complexity; closing aperture reduces background blur and lets in less light (trade-off) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • No significant main camera sensor size upgrade in 4 years — camera hardware stagnation — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture presented as an important feature but offers limited practical benefit on current sensor size — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Photos can be technically correct but lack personality (images may feel drained) — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Pro controls are half-baked: focus slider disappears when recording (no cinematic rack focus), white balance limited to five presets, ISO not exposed (only an exposure slider), Apple Log 2 only available with ProRes — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Texture controls are underwhelming: film emulation lacking, soft skin/glow have minimal impact, grain is only on/off with no slider — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture's practical usefulness limited — 99% of users won't need changing aperture; mainly beneficial for filmmakers seeking cinematic blur — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • White balance control exists but the presenter recommends leaving it on auto (implying manual may be confusing or unnecessary for most users). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture can produce starburst/diffraction spikes around bright light sources at narrower apertures — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Photos can be a touch more contrasty and saturated than desired at times — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Manual controls are limited: no ISO adjustment, white balance only as presets (no Kelvin control), and some controls unavailable while recording video — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Final Cut Camera app (at time of review) doesn't support adjusting aperture; third-party apps still needed for fuller manual control — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture is mostly inconsequential for typical users — limited practical benefit for most photos — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Main sensor hasn't changed dramatically from recent models, so photographic improvement may be limited unless you use new software/tools — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • White balance controls in stock camera are limited to presets — lack of fine/granular white balance dial — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture on main camera gives limited practical benefit for photos (mostly noticeable in close-ups) and offers little improvement in sharpness/quality — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Manual camera controls feel clunky with parameters in separate panels — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Telephoto detail could be crisper; 8x zoom photos are a bit grainy and soft — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Ultrawide indoor/detail performance drops; ultrawide is only 'decent' for video and photos — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Telephoto and ultrawide perform worse at night without Night mode (soft/grainy results) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Internal reflections from lights appear in video due to Apple lens quirks — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture and messaging may be confusing for average users who don't want to think about camera settings — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Faster lens can be a bit less sharp unless aperture is stopped down (trade-off between speed and sharpness) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Bokeh/background blur increase is noticeable but modest on a small sensor — won't match full-frame results — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Automatic aperture often defaults to about f/1.8 in many outdoor situations, so effect may be similar to prior models most of the time — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Limited control over film-style grain (Apple adds grain intelligently but user control is minimal) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Photographic styles and filmic modes don't fully replicate real film color/contrast; still need ProRAW plus third‑party editing for best results — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's AI image-editing features (extend/reframe/cleanup) can produce images that are essentially AI-generated and may alter authenticity; reviewer feels they went a bit too far — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Apple reference image verification is not enabled by default and requires manual setup (most users unlikely to turn it on) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Some sharpening/tone mapping applied to images prevents achieving a truly filmic look without extra editing — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Cinematic depth effect limited to main camera and didn't support some log footage from third-party Final Cut camera app — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture didn’t produce a significant real-world improvement over last year in many samples (limited night mode improvement) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Ultra wide, telephoto, selfie cameras largely unchanged from previous year — not a big image-quality jump — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture impact is subtle on this generation and may not be noticeable to most users — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Auto mode mostly defaults to brighter apertures (f/1.48 or f/1.8) and may not close aperture automatically often — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture would have greater value with larger sensors; limited immediate benefit until sensors grow — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • No 8K video recording despite sensor capability (user requests 8K 30) — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Moving aperture is a very small/tiny physical change and often doesn't produce a noticeable difference in background blur on small smartphone sensors — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Changing aperture on a tiny phone lens makes only a subtle difference to depth of field and Bokeh; often negligible — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Gains in low-light detail from the wider aperture are minor compared with existing Night mode performance — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Feature may add complexity for little benefit; other manufacturers tried and dropped variable apertures — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Unclear long-term commitment from Apple to the variable aperture; feature might be discontinued — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Aperture often stays at F1.8 by default, so users may not frequently see the benefits of F1.48 — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • AI editing tools (Reframe/Extend) feel unsettling/‘nightmare fuel’ and may produce ethically dubious edits; author dislikes big GenAI edits on photos — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Reference image workflow is clunky (requires uploading to private cloud compute) and currently feels niche — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Overall the moving aperture didn't make using the phone camera more fun for the reviewer; they preferred switching to the telephoto — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Video quality still not on par with proper cameras unless you shoot in log and color grade — out-of-the-box video less impressive. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Variable aperture on 18 Pro had limited impact — only marginal improvements over 17 Pro. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Camera hardware largely unchanged from previous generation; aperture differences make little practical difference and app reports f-stop incorrectly — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's image processing is heavy-handed (flatter results, warmer tones), producing inconsistent subject images — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Zoom beyond ~10x produces fuzzy/grainy results in less-than-ideal lighting — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Reviewer struggles to notice difference from new variable aperture in normal point-and-shoot use; improvements mainly visible when using manual pro controls — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Design and Build (42)
  • Design nearly identical to 17 Pro; few visible differences besides color and smaller Dynamic Island — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Heavier than last year's 17 Pro (211 g), which is noticeable — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Darker finishes (like black) are fingerprint magnets and show tiny scratches more noticeably due to anodised aluminium beneath, making long-term pristine appearance harder to maintain. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Black finish can feel slightly warmer in direct sunlight on hot days (absorbs more heat). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Certain color finishes (Burgundy, Black) show scratches and dents easily — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminium frame is thin and dents/scratches easily; camera bump area prone to major scratches — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Phone feels noticeably heavier (approximately 249g) and may affect balance/handling — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Edges are sharper compared with previous model; can feel uncomfortable and may increase scratches — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Camera bump and lenses slightly larger and sharper—more prone to scratches — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Worries about visible scratches/dents on light-colored finishes; reviewer recommends using a case — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Very few external/visual changes from the iPhone 17 Pro (almost indistinguishable) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Not a dramatic redesign or wow-effect upgrade compared with expectations—may feel incremental to some users. — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminum frame can chip over time (more delicate than titanium or stainless steel). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Body downgraded from titanium to aluminium — less premium compared to titanium or stainless steel — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Matte black shows more fingerprints than hoped — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Pro Max is heavier — now the heaviest non-folding iPhone ever (16 g heavier than 17 Pro Max) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Not a radically different design — those wanting a completely new form factor may prefer waiting for iPhone Duo — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminum chassis is softer and dents/chips easily; not as premium-feeling or as durable as stainless steel or titanium. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Material choice (aluminum) reduces perceived premium feel compared with past metals. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Design isn't groundbreaking — largely similar to prior iPhones (lack of novel redesign). — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Perceived lack of visible change in design year-to-year; feels the same after setup — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminium finish may scratch noticeably over time, suggesting need for cases — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Back of phone uses aluminum which dents and scratches easily — recommend using a case — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • A bit heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic Island is smaller compared to older models (may be a downside for some users). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Most of the body is aluminum which is softer than stainless steel or titanium and can dent if dropped or hit on a corner — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Glass back plate now color-matched to aluminum, reducing contrast—a change the reviewer dislikes as a concession to minimalism — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic Island shrink is minor; practical benefit currently limited to showing more live activities — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Aluminum surfaces can show scuffs and wear (recommend a case) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Fingerprints are more visible on darker/burgundy finish — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Phone is a few grams heavier than before — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Design is very slippery (new unibody), forcing use of cases for grip — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Heavier than previous models (18 Pro ~5 g heavier; 18 Pro Max significantly heavier — up to 16 g in some units) which may affect comfort — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Potential for paint/metal to chip and scratch if used without a case — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • New burgundy color described as ugly by reviewer — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Matte black shows more fingerprints than hoped — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Reviewer prefers using a case (phone is slippery/fragile); many rugged cases are bulky/heavy (implied inconvenience). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Some features/add-ons (like Torras case) are third-party solutions rather than built-in improvements (advertisement context). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Matte burgundy surface attracts fingerprints/grease despite finish — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Two-tone rear design feels cheapens overall look compared with competitors — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Chunky selfie camera cutout ('ugly poo-shaped blotch') is visually distracting — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island change is not very noticeable in daily use — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Software (30)
  • Some Pro Controls feel like they could have been software features available on other models — reviewer feels 'jipped' that they didn't carry over — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Native camera app limits variable aperture to four presets (no fine-grained control) and some pro features are limited to 18 Pro/Pro Max only — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Many software camera features were not backported to 17 Pro/16 Pro, making them exclusive and reducing upgrade incentive — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Upgrade process (transferring data, re-signing into accounts, changing digital keys) is a hassle for limited benefit — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Not all widgets can extend to full pages yet (limited support at launch). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Apple software-locked new native camera pro controls to 18 Pro models (product differentiation), preventing older models from getting the feature despite no obvious hardware limitation. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Some camera UI complexity and feature placement: many pro features are inside video section instead of a dedicated pro mode (can be overwhelming) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • iOS 27 has bugs and an animation style that feels slow, masking hardware responsiveness — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Some AI features (reframe, expand) feel useless for some users — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic island changes may be distracting (can show multiple live activities though can be reduced). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Siri AI availability is region-limited (implied: limited or partially available in EU at time of review). — Nikias Molina · ▶ Watch
  • Smaller Dynamic Island is a minor/nice-to-have change that many won't care about — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's AI features are still limited/simplistic compared with expectations (struggles with basic tasks like settings search and voice dictation) — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Slow to adopt features common on competitors (e.g., foldables, privacy display); Apple is often late to market — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Some new features (e.g., spatial 3D photo widget) currently only work with specific widgets (featured photo widget). — Hayls World · ▶ Watch
  • Minor software bugs observed (random restarts, power button not registering sometimes) though expected to be fixed in updates — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • iPhone interface feels joyless and gray to the reviewer — less expressive and harder to read than Google's Material design; ergonomics (gestures, notifications) are inferior — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Siri, despite improvements, is still slower and not always smart (examples: misinterpreting 'OPPO' as 'OPA'); limited by lack of access to iMessage for non-users — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Reviewer wishes Apple would innovate more on overall user experience; some Android ideas (ergonomics, haptics) are preferred — MrMobile [Michael Fisher] · ▶ Watch
  • Reviewer would prefer more control over photo app UI options (too many bottom options, some unnecessary) — Tyler Stalman · ▶ Watch
  • Physical aperture can't be directly adjusted from the camera control UI (control adjusts portrait depth effect only) — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Manual control icons in the Camera app are tiny and a little hard to hit — The Verge · ▶ Watch
  • Dynamic Island improvements sometimes show icons that don't convey useful info (often just shortcuts). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Siri AI / Ask AI functionality is poor and often inaccurate (slow or wrong answers; relies on external models like ChatGPT and made mistakes). — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • iOS is bulky, awkward and restrictive in many ways (file management, customization, gestures) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Frequent crashes and reboots during the review period (about three times in two weeks) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Some iOS 27 smart features (Safari clustering, page update alerts) are inconsistent or poorly implemented — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Apple apps (Maps, Siri) lag behind Google/other competitors: Maps gives convoluted navigation; Siri still limited and US-centric — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Siri 2.0 requires joining a virtual queue and is still not as capable as other AIs like Gemini — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Occasional camera app delays (black screen 5–10s) likely due to software — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Value for Money (27)
  • High price (~$1,200) not justified for owners of 16 Pro or 17 Pro — not worth upgrading for most — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Doesn't quite do everything Apple claims (some marketing overstatement) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Some Apple claims (36 hours battery, 20–40% performance) are optimistic / marketing and not fully realized in everyday use — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Price increased from last year (starts at $1,199, up from $1,099) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Higher price reduces value proposition versus 17 Pro; not a strong upgrade unless coming from much older phones or you need specific improvements (battery, thermals, camera controls). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • No charger included in the box — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Price is significantly higher in India (much larger increase compared to other regions) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Apple no longer includes a charger in the box — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Potential buyer remorse if purchasing just to flex; should be intentional due to price — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Marketing and incremental features (action button, variable aperture, titanium/aluminium messaging) feel gimmicky or poorly executed — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • If you already have a 16 Pro or 17 Pro, the improvements may not be worth upgrading now (recommend waiting) — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • Not a huge upgrade over the 17 Pro — many users of recent models may not find enough difference to justify upgrading — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Higher price (+$100 across the lineup; +$200 for 1TB) — more expensive this year — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • This is characterized as an 'S' year (incremental update) — not a full redesign, so owners of recent Pro models (17 Pro, 16 Pro) may not find it worth upgrading immediately — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • This year's update is minor — 'barely registers' as an update — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Overall upgrades may not be worth it compared to previous model for some users (not a huge upgrade) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • This is essentially an 'S-year' or marginal update — may not justify a price increase for those with recent models — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • More expensive than previous model (at least $100/£100 more for base model; higher storage much pricier) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Iterative nature of upgrades (minor overall changes) may not justify upgrading for many users with recent phones — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Overall update feels like an 'S' (incremental) update — iPhone 17 Pro with chip, camera tweaks, better battery, and new colors — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Phone is expensive ($1,200+), explicitly called out as costly — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Not a groundbreaking or surprising upgrade — many changes are incremental rather than bold or risky — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Price increase to $1,200 (base) — considered getting 'too expensive', especially outside the US where prices are higher; poor value if you already have 15/16/17 Pro. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Not worth upgrading from 15/16/17 Pro according to reviewer — recommends upgrading only from 14 Pro or older. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Overall consumer demand is weaker (Apple cut component orders) partly because the phone isn't different enough from 17 Pro and is expensive. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • At this price point, the phone feels bland and lacks standout features compared with competitors — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
  • Feels very similar to iPhone 17 Pro — an 'S' year; not worth upgrading from 17 Pro for most users — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
Performance (21)
  • Not many perceptible performance gains over 17 Pro in everyday use despite spec improvements — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Not enough meaningful upgrades over iPhone 17 Pro — essentially an 'S' year — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Performance and camera improvements largely unnoticeable for average users coming from recent iPhones — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Some performance uplift claims (GPU/CPU percentages) have limited real-world value for everyday tasks — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Not a must-have upgrade for most users coming from iPhone 17 — marginal day-to-day difference — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Somewhat higher hotspot temperature (about a degree hotter on back vs 17 Pro) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Performance and storage advantages may be less noticeable for non-gamers or non-power users (not worth upgrading for everyone) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Not for everyone; may not be worth upgrading for many users — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Some heating still occurs under prolonged heavy use (though improved compared to iPhone 17) — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • Not many differences compared to iPhone 17 Pro — not worth upgrading from 17 Pro for normal users given price difference — Ankit Deshwal · ▶ Watch
  • If coming from iPhone 17/16/15 Pro, regular users may not notice a huge difference — not a revolutionary upgrade — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Pro model battery improvement is modest (~1% increase over 17 Pro); biggest gains mainly on Pro Max — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Battery sizes in some Android phones are much larger; implication that Apple lags in raw capacity — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Many advertised performance gains are not meaningful for average users upgrading from recent models — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Upgrading from a very recent model (e.g., 17 Pro) yields minimal day‑one benefit for average users — Mrwhosetheboss · ▶ Watch
  • Battery improvement vs 17 Pro is modest (~10%); not a strong justification to upgrade from 17 Pro — Joshua Chang · ▶ Watch
  • GPU sustained performance and stress test less impressive (some throttling and GPU test only okay by flagship standards) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Battery capacity increase is minimal (4,056 mAh vs 3,998 mAh last year) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Despite faster chip, phone still heats under heavy load and reduces power over long demanding tests (thermal throttling observed though improved) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • A20 Pro performance is largely overkill for many users — you may not utilize the power but still pay for it. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Improvements over the 17 Pro are minor in some areas (vapor chamber upgrade small vs 17 Pro), so the 18 Pro feels like an incremental '17S' update. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
Battery Life (19)
  • Not a dramatic battery improvement in day-to-day use despite larger battery — MacRumors · ▶ Watch
  • Battery-life improvement may diminish over time; long-term gains uncertain — 9to5Mac · ▶ Watch
  • Recording video and camera use still eats battery substantially — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Despite efficiency gains, reviewer doesn't notice a large real-world battery life improvement over the 17 Pro — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's quoted battery life numbers are based on ideal lab conditions and may not reflect real-world usage — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Battery could be better — reviewer wishes for silicon carbon battery tech for multi-day life — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Apple's own charger currently is 40W whereas phone supports 60W (inconsistency) — Tech Burner · ▶ Watch
  • Always-on display is a feature kept off (implies personal dislike / battery concern) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Battery still drains significantly with heavy use (example: dropped 50% to 32% after intensive recording session) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Can reach very low battery (example: down to 5% after long session), so heavy users may need to watch charging — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch
  • Advertised 60W charging often not achievable in real testing (reviewer only hit ~43W) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • No major improvements to wireless charging — Canoopsy · ▶ Watch
  • Reported real-world charging rates may be below the 60W claim due to thermal throttling (users often see ~55W or less) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • Wired charging (45W) is faster but not as fast as the Pro Max (up to 54W) and not 'blazing fast' — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life improvements are only slight in real-world mixed/content-heavy use; quoted long playback times not matched by experience — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life improvement exists but is modest — not as large as expected and still behind Pro Max in absolute terms (boost but limited) — The Tech Chap · ▶ Watch
  • Reviewer notes Apple doesn't clearly state battery capacities (users must wait for teardowns), criticizing transparency — Marques Brownlee · ▶ Watch
  • Battery improvement over 17 Pro is small (only ~30 minutes); not a large day-to-day difference for 17 Pro owners. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Battery life lags behind many Android flagships with much larger batteries; not best-in-class for heavy users (around 3.5 hours under intensive gaming) — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Display (6)
  • Display panel largely unchanged from 17 Pro aside from smaller Dynamic Island (so not a major display upgrade) — Kyle Erickson · ▶ Watch
  • Not much change in screen content experience vs last gen (no major screen improvements) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Still not an all-screen front — Dynamic Island present; under-display Face ID/camera not implemented yet. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Anti-reflective performance still behind some Samsung Galaxy Ultra phones. — Nick Ackerman · ▶ Watch
  • Display brightness overall hasn't changed much from last year (only similar brightness) — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
  • Auto-brightness can be overpowered at times; PWM dimming may bother sensitive users and is less impressive than some Chinese flagships — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Security (6)
  • Face ID feels less reliable than prior model (occasional failures at certain angles; reports of 'Face ID not available'); iOS 27.0.1 fixed some bugs but reliability still seems slightly worse. — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Under-screen IR Face ID has had some rough patches for some users (works suitably for reviewer but not universally flawless) — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID under the screen is placed off to the side and can be hard to see/find — MinimalisTech · ▶ Watch
  • Some matte-textured or privacy screen protectors can interfere with the new Face ID layout causing recognition failures — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID sensor area has half pixel density which can be noticeable in certain lighting (direct sunlight) and is in top left corner — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Matte screen protectors can interfere with the under-screen Face ID sensor and cause struggles — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
Connectivity (5)
  • US Pro Max uses Qualcomm X80 modem instead of Apple C2 (weird regional inconsistency) — Mr8k · ▶ Watch
  • 18 Pro Max uses Qualcomm cellular processor currently, so it doesn't get the C2 modem power benefits (only 18 Pro gets C2) — Stephen Robles · ▶ Watch
  • Face ID less reliable / worse unlocking due to repositioned under-display sensor and smaller Dynamic Island — VittorTech · ▶ Watch
  • Relocated Face ID sensor can cause slight pixelation where pixels were removed (noticeable up close) and some screen protectors (privacy/matte) may interfere with Face ID reliability. — Created Tech · ▶ Watch
  • Bluetooth streaming is unreliable: pairing issues, sudden low-res audio, and sometimes audio defaults to phone speakers requiring reboots to fix — Tech Spurt · ▶ Watch
Storage (3)
  • QLC flash on 1 TB and 2 TB models can slow down significantly when full (throttling to ~45 MB/s), hurting long recording or large restores — Linus Tech Tips · ▶ Watch
  • Apple using QLC storage for 1TB/2TB SKUs (cost-cutting measure that could be lower endurance/performance than TLC) — ShortCircuit · ▶ Watch
  • 1 TB and 2 TB models use QLC memory which shows drop in write speeds when >60% full — GSMArena Official · ▶ Watch
Audio (2)
  • Speakers can sound raspy and pop at higher volumes (audible degradation compared to 17 Pro). — Andrew Ethan Zeng · ▶ Watch
  • Audio from phone microphones is inferior to dedicated mics (necessitates external microphone for good audio) — Carter Nolan · ▶ Watch

Review sources

Frequently asked questions

Is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro worth buying?

Based on 27 independent YouTube reviews, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro scores 3.6/5 with 436 positive and 229 negative points mentioned by reviewers, placing it #94 in the Smartphones category.

What do reviewers like most about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro?

The most praised aspects are camera, design and build, performance — Camera (139 mentions), Design and Build (78 mentions), Performance (68 mentions).

What are the most common complaints about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro?

Reviewers most frequently criticize camera, design and build — Camera (68 mentions), Design and Build (42 mentions).

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