The iPhone 18 Pro has a 6.3-inch display at 460 pixels per inch. The iPhone Duo has two: a 7.6-inch folding panel at 430 ppi on the inside and a 5.4-inch panel at 460 ppi on the outside. Apple’s tech specs for both phones now list every resolution, brightness figure and finish.
The headline difference is size. Apple says the Duo’s inner display is 50 percent larger than the 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max screen, and that the 5.4-inch outer display has more than 90 percent of the screen area of the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro. Here is how the four panels line up. For the wider buying decision, see our iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro Max comparison.
iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone Duo display specs
| Spec | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo (inner) | iPhone Duo (outer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.9 inches | 7.6 inches | 5.4 inches |
| Resolution | 2622 x 1206 | 2868 x 1320 | 1878 x 2670 | 1398 x 2034 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi | 430 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Panel | OLED Super Retina XDR | OLED Super Retina XDR | Folding OLED Super Retina XDR | OLED Super Retina XDR |
| Refresh rate | ProMotion up to 120Hz | ProMotion up to 120Hz | ProMotion up to 120Hz | ProMotion up to 120Hz |
| Always-On | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Typical brightness | Not listed | Not listed | 1000 nits | 1000 nits |
| Peak HDR brightness | 1600 nits | 1600 nits | 1600 nits | 1600 nits |
| Peak outdoor brightness | 3000 nits | 3000 nits | 3000 nits | 3000 nits |
| Contrast ratio | Not listed | Not listed | 2,000,000:1 | 2,000,000:1 |
| Finish | Ceramic Shield 2 | Ceramic Shield 2 | Nano-texture, scratch-resistant coating | Ceramic Shield 2 |
All figures come from Apple’s tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. Where a cell says not listed, Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro specs do not publish that figure.
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460 ppi vs 430 ppi: what the density gap means
The 18 Pro, the 18 Pro Max and the Duo’s outer display all sit at 460 ppi. The Duo’s inner display is the outlier at 430 ppi, which is a 30 ppi, or roughly 6.5 percent, drop in pixel density. Apple has not said why the folding panel lands lower.
In total pixels, the picture flips. The inner Duo display works out to about 5.0 million pixels, against about 3.2 million on the iPhone 18 Pro and about 3.8 million on the Pro Max. The Duo’s outer display carries about 2.8 million pixels, fewer than the 18 Pro, but within a smaller 5.4-inch diagonal, which is how it holds the same 460 ppi figure.
The two Duo panels share one aspect ratio, according to Apple, so an app keeps its proportions when the phone opens.
Brightness: the same peaks, but only the Duo lists a typical figure
On peak brightness the two phones are identical on paper. Apple rates the 18 Pro, the Pro Max and both Duo displays at 1600 nits peak for HDR content and 3000 nits peak outdoors.
Apple’s Duo tech specs add two figures that its iPhone 18 Pro specs do not: 1000 nits of typical brightness and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio for both Duo panels. Apple has not published typical brightness or a contrast ratio for the iPhone 18 Pro, so we cannot say the Pro is lower, only that the number is not listed.
Nano-texture on the inner display, Ceramic Shield 2 on everything else
The Duo’s 7.6-inch inner display uses what Apple calls a custom nano-texture finish, which it says reduces glare and minimizes the visible crease, together with an Apple-designed scratch-resistant coating. Apple’s press release adds that the inner display cover is a custom polymer with 40 percent higher stiffness than the industry standard, layered over high-strength glass. Apple calls it the largest and thinnest iPhone display ever.
The Duo’s outer display is covered by Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says offers three times better scratch resistance, and the same Ceramic Shield 2 sits over the front of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Apple has not published a crease measurement or a hinge cycle rating.
Which display setup is right for you
- You want the densest, most conventional screen: the iPhone 18 Pro (6.3-inch) or 18 Pro Max (6.9-inch), both at 460 ppi with no crease and no fold.
- You want the most screen area: the Duo’s 7.6-inch inner display, 50 percent larger than the Pro Max by Apple’s measure, at the cost of 30 ppi.
- You want a small phone in the pocket and a big one when open: the Duo’s 5.4-inch outer display keeps more than 90 percent of the 18 Pro’s screen area at the same 460 ppi.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and goes on sale September 18. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, with pre-orders on October 16 and availability October 23. The full spec sheets are in our iPhone 18 Pro launch coverage and our iPhone Duo official specs guide.
