Apple rates the iPhone 18 Pro Max at up to 45 hours of video playback against 29 hours for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, its telephoto reaches 8x optical-quality zoom where the 14 Pro Max stopped at 3x, and it costs $1,299 for 256GB against the $1,099 the 14 Pro Max launched at with 128GB. Those three numbers are the whole decision for anyone moving up from the 2022 big Pro, and the rest of the spec sheet moves the same direction.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max went on sale on September 16, 2022. Apple no longer sells it, and Apple’s trade-in page quotes an estimated value of up to $360 for one. Apple’s iOS 27 page lists it as compatible, but full Apple Intelligence needs an iPhone 15 Pro or later, so the 14 Pro Max stays outside Siri AI. Everything below is from Apple’s tech specs; our iPhone 18 Pro announcement roundup covers the new phones in full.
Key facts: iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max
| Spec | iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) | iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Video playback | Up to 29 hours | Up to 45 hours |
| Streamed video | Up to 25 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| Telephoto | 12MP 3x, 77 mm, f/2.8 | 48MP 4x, 100 mm, f/2.8, plus 12MP 8x at 200 mm |
| Main camera | 48MP, 24 mm, f/1.78 | 48MP Fusion, 24 mm, variable f/1.48 to f/4.0 |
| Chip | A16 Bionic | A20 Pro, 2nm |
| Display | 6.7-inch, 2796 x 1290, 460 ppi | 6.9-inch, 2868 x 1320, 460 ppi |
| Weight | 240 g | 249 g |
| Launch price | $1,099 (128GB) | $1,299 (256GB) |
Battery: 29 hours to 45 hours, and charging twice as fast
Apple’s rating for the 14 Pro Max is up to 29 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 16-hour gain on the headline figure. Apple has not published an audio playback figure for the 18 Pro Max in the specs we have.
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Charging is the other half. The 14 Pro Max reaches 50 percent in around 35 minutes with a 20W adapter; the 18 Pro Max reaches 50 percent in around 15 minutes with a 60W USB-C adapter, and Apple says five minutes on a cable gives it about seven hours of video playback. Wireless moves from 15W MagSafe and 7.5W Qi to 25W MagSafe and 25W Qi2. Our 45-hour battery explainer looks at what the rating means day to day.
Zoom: 3x to 8x, and a variable aperture main camera
The 14 Pro Max’s telephoto is a 12MP 3x lens at 77 mm and f/2.8, with a 6x optical zoom range. The 18 Pro Max has a 48MP 4x tetraprism telephoto at 100 mm and f/2.8 with 3D sensor-shift stabilization, and Apple lists a 12MP 8x crop at 200 mm as optical quality, for a 16x optical zoom range. Both phones also offer a 12MP 2x crop at 48 mm from the main sensor.
The main camera keeps its 48MP resolution and 24 mm focal length but swaps a fixed f/1.78 aperture for a variable one with stops at f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 and f/4.0 and manual aperture and shutter controls in the Camera app. The Ultra Wide stays at 13 mm, f/2.2 and 120 degrees but moves from 12MP to 48MP, and the front camera goes from 12MP to 18MP Center Stage, both at f/1.9. Our variable aperture guide explains the stops.
Chip, display and size
The A16 Bionic gives way to the A20 Pro, Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, with a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple’s published gains are relative to the A19 Pro, not the A16: a GPU up to 40 percent faster, double the AI processing and 50 percent more memory bandwidth. It sits on a vapor chamber Apple says has about three times the cooling performance of the prior design.
The display grows from 6.7 inches at 2796 x 1290 to 6.9 inches at 2868 x 1320, both 460 ppi, both ProMotion up to 120Hz, and the 18 Pro Max is rated at 3000 nits peak outdoors. The Dynamic Island, which the 14 Pro Max introduced, is smaller and shows up to three Live Activities.
The 14 Pro Max is 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm and 240 g in stainless steel with a textured matte glass back. The 18 Pro Max is 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm and 249 g in an aluminum unibody with Ceramic Shield 2 front and Ceramic Shield back, so it is 2.7 mm taller, 0.9 mm thicker and 9 g heavier. Lightning at USB 2 becomes USB-C at USB 3 speeds up to 10 Gb/s, and Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and the C2 modem with mmWave 5G in the US come with the N1 chip.
Price: $1,099 then, $1,299 now
| Storage | iPhone 14 Pro Max (launch, 2022) | 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 |
The $200 gap narrows once trade-in is counted: Apple’s up-to $360 estimate for a 14 Pro Max brings the 256GB 18 Pro Max to $939 before tax. Apple also lists the phone at $54.12 a month over 24 months. Our trade-in value guide covers how Apple’s estimates work.
What Apple has not said
- No direct A16 Bionic to A20 Pro performance figure; Apple compares the A20 Pro only with the A19 Pro.
- No audio playback rating for the iPhone 18 Pro Max in the specs Apple has published so far.
- No digital zoom maximum for the 18 Pro Max in Apple’s spec summary.
- No per-condition trade-in value for the 14 Pro Max beyond the up-to $360 estimate.
Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max is in stores on Friday, September 18 from $1,299. Check the 14 Pro Max’s trade-in value in the Apple Store app first; our pre-order guide covers the steps.
