The iPhone 18 Pro Max and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are the same class of phone, the biggest Pro Apple makes, and after five years every line of the spec sheet has moved: A15 Bionic to a 2-nanometer A20 Pro, three 12MP cameras to three 48MP cameras, 28 hours of video playback to 45, Lightning to USB-C at 10 Gb/s, a notch to a smaller Dynamic Island, and $1,099 for 128GB to $1,299 for 256GB. The one thing that did not move much is the weight, 240 g then and 249 g now.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max went on sale on September 24, 2021. Apple no longer sells it, and Apple’s trade-in page puts its estimated value at up to $320. It gets iOS 27 on September 14, but Apple’s iOS 27 page limits full Apple Intelligence to iPhone 15 Pro and later, so Siri AI is off the table on the older phone. All figures are from Apple’s tech specs; our iPhone 18 Pro announcement roundup has the full new lineup.
Key facts: iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max
| Spec | iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) | iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A15 Bionic, 5-core GPU | A20 Pro, 2nm, 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, dual 16-core Neural Engine |
| Display | 6.7-inch OLED, 2778 x 1284, 458 ppi, ProMotion, notch | 6.9-inch OLED, 2868 x 1320, 460 ppi, ProMotion, Always-On, Dynamic Island |
| Rear cameras | 12MP f/1.5 Wide, 12MP f/1.8 Ultra Wide, 12MP f/2.8 3x Telephoto | 48MP variable f/1.48 to f/4.0 main, 48MP f/2.2 Ultra Wide, 48MP f/2.8 4x Telephoto |
| Optical zoom range | 6x | 16x (8x optical-quality in, 2x out) |
| Video playback | Up to 28 hours | Up to 45 hours |
| Port | Lightning, USB 2 | USB-C, USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s |
| Weight | 240 g | 249 g |
| Launch price | $1,099 (128GB) | $1,299 (256GB) |
A15 Bionic to A20 Pro, and the Apple Intelligence line
The 13 Pro Max’s A15 Bionic has a 5-core GPU. The A20 Pro brings a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine with 32 cores in total, on Apple’s first 2-nanometer process. Apple’s published figures compare it only with the A19 Pro: a GPU up to 40 percent faster, double the AI processing and 50 percent more memory bandwidth. Apple has not published an A15 to A20 Pro comparison; for this decision the plainer fact is that the 13 Pro Max cannot run Apple Intelligence at all.
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The A20 Pro sits on a vapor chamber Apple says has about three times the cooling performance of the prior design, alongside the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread and the C2 modem. Our guide to iOS 27 on older iPhones lists what the 13 Pro Max does still get.
Cameras: 12MP everywhere to 48MP everywhere
The 13 Pro Max’s f/1.5 Wide lens becomes a 48MP Fusion main camera at 24 mm with a variable aperture that stops at f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 and f/4.0, plus manual aperture and shutter speed controls. Apple’s 13 Pro Max spec page gives no focal lengths in millimeters, so the main and Ultra Wide comparison rests on aperture and resolution.
The 12MP 3x telephoto at f/2.8 is replaced by a 48MP 4x tetraprism lens at 100 mm and f/2.8 with 3D sensor-shift stabilization, plus a 12MP 8x crop at 200 mm that Apple lists as optical quality, taking the optical zoom range from 6x to 16x. The Ultra Wide keeps its 120-degree field of view but moves from f/1.8 to f/2.2 and from 12MP to 48MP. The front camera goes from 12MP at f/2.2 to 18MP Center Stage at f/1.9. Our variable aperture guide explains when each stop helps.
Battery, charging and the port
Apple rates the 13 Pro Max at up to 28 hours of video playback, 25 hours streamed and 95 hours of audio. The 18 Pro Max is rated at up to 45 hours of video playback, 40 hours streamed and 30 hours of typical use, a 17-hour gain on the headline figure.
Charging moves from 50 percent in around 30 minutes with a 20W adapter to 50 percent in around 15 minutes with a 60W USB-C adapter, and wireless from 15W MagSafe to 25W MagSafe and Qi2. The 13 Pro Max is Lightning at USB 2 speeds; the 18 Pro Max is USB-C at USB 3 speeds of up to 10 Gb/s, and in the US and 11 other countries it has no SIM tray.
Display, size and price
The display grows from 6.7 inches at 458 ppi to 6.9 inches at 460 ppi, ProMotion on both, with the notch replaced by a Dynamic Island that shows up to three Live Activities. The 13 Pro Max is 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm in stainless steel with a textured matte glass back; the 18 Pro Max is 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm in an aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2 front and Ceramic Shield back, 2.6 mm taller, 1.1 mm thicker and 9 g heavier.
| Storage | iPhone 13 Pro Max (launch, 2021) | iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $1,099 | Not offered |
| 256GB | Not quoted at launch | $1,299 |
| 512GB | Not quoted at launch | $1,499 |
| 1TB | Not quoted at launch | $1,899 |
| 2TB | Not offered | $2,499 |
With Apple’s top trade-in estimate of $320, the 256GB 18 Pro Max comes to $979 before tax, or Apple lists it at $54.12 a month over 24 months. Our trade-in value guide explains how the estimates are set.
What Apple has not said
- No direct A15 Bionic to A20 Pro performance comparison; Apple’s figures are relative to the A19 Pro.
- No millimeter focal lengths for the 13 Pro Max’s cameras on Apple’s spec page.
- No audio playback rating for the 18 Pro Max in the specs Apple has published so far.
- No per-condition trade-in value for the 13 Pro Max beyond the up-to $320 estimate.
Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches stores on Friday, September 18 from $1,299. Check the 13 Pro Max’s trade-in value in the Apple Store app before Saturday; our pre-order guide covers the steps.
