The iPhone 18 Pro Max takes up 18.2 percent more pocket than the iPhone 18 Pro and gives back 19.7 percent more screen. That is the whole of the size trade in one ratio, and it comes from four numbers Apple publishes and never puts side by side: 150.0 x 71.9 mm against 163.4 x 78.0 mm, at 2622 x 1206 pixels against 2868 x 1320.
Multiply the height by the width and the smaller Pro covers 10,785 square millimeters of surface, against 12,745 for the Pro Max. Because both displays are listed at 460 ppi, the pixel counts stand in for display area, so the bigger phone is very slightly more generous with screen than it is demanding of space.
Key facts: what each number does when the size changes
| Measure | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body footprint | 10,785 sq mm | 12,745 sq mm | Up 18.2 percent |
| Display area, by pixel count | 3,162,132 pixels | 3,785,760 pixels | Up 19.7 percent |
| Weight | 211 g | 249 g | Up 18.0 percent |
| Width | 71.9 mm | 78.0 mm | Up 6.1 mm |
| Height | 150.0 mm | 163.4 mm | Up 13.4 mm |
| Thickness | 8.75 mm | 8.75 mm | No change |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | No change |
| US price at 256GB | $1,199 | $1,299 | Up 8.3 percent |
The dimensions and pixel figures are Apple’s. The areas, the percentages and the footprint comparison are arithmetic on them, since Apple publishes no display area or screen-to-body figure for any iPhone.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
Screen grows faster than body, by 1.5 points
A 1.5 point gap between 19.7 and 18.2 percent is small, and it is worth being precise about what produces it. Both phones are the same thickness and the same proportions, so the extra efficiency is in the outline rather than in the panel: the Pro Max devotes marginally more of its face to display.
Weight tracks the footprint rather than the screen, at 18.0 percent, which is the cleanest way to read the 38 g. You are not paying a weight penalty for the extra pixels. You are paying it for the extra outline, in a body Apple lists as an aluminum unibody with a Ceramic Shield 2 front and a Ceramic Shield back on both sizes.
Width is the number to test in your hand
Of the three body dimensions, only two move, and they do not move equally in what they cost you. The 13.4 mm of extra height mostly affects pockets and bags. The 6.1 mm of extra width affects every one-handed reach across the display, and it is the figure that decides the size question for most people.
| Dimension | Difference | What it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Width, 6.1 mm | Up 8.5 percent | One-handed reach and grip |
| Height, 13.4 mm | Up 8.9 percent | Pockets, bags, car mounts |
| Thickness, 0 mm | No change | Nothing, both are 8.75 mm |
| Weight, 38 g | Up 18.0 percent | Long reading and filming sessions |
Everything else about the two displays matches. Both are Super Retina XDR OLED panels with ProMotion up to 120Hz, an Always-On mode, 1000 nits typical brightness, 1600 nits peak for HDR and 3000 nits peak outdoors, as our launch-day specification rundown sets out.
What the bigger panel is worth against the rest
Apple charges 8.3 percent more for the Pro Max at 256GB in the US, which is less than half the proportional gain in screen area. Against that, the smaller phone is the one that is easier to hold, and the 19.7 percent does not sharpen anything, because the pixel density is identical. If more screen is the entire point, the 7.6-inch iPhone Duo goes further for a flat $700 more at every tier, as our Duo against Pro Max comparison sets out.
The other thing the bigger body carries is the longer battery rating, 45 hours of video playback against 36 and 30 hours of typical use against 24. Our Pro against Pro Max comparison and the 45-hour battery explainer weigh both against the price.
What Apple has not said
- The display area of either iPhone. Apple prints exact areas for Apple Watch, 970 sq mm at 42mm and 1196 sq mm at 46mm, and none for iPhone.
- Any screen-to-body ratio, bezel width or corner radius, which is why the 1.5 point gap cannot be attributed to a specific part of the design.
- How much of the quoted 6.3 and 6.9-inch diagonals is lost to rounded corners.
- The size of the redesigned Dynamic Island on either model, in pixels or millimeters.
- Any figure for one-handed reach, grip width or how the two sizes were tested for either.
Pre-orders open at 5 a.m. PT on Saturday, September 12, which is 12:00 UTC, and both sizes reach stores on Friday, September 18. Until then, 6.1 mm of width and 38 g describe the difference better than the two diagonals do.
