iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 for the same storage. That $700 gap buys a 7.6-inch folding display, a titanium frame and Touch ID, and it costs you a dedicated telephoto lens, Face ID, a SIM tray and about five weeks of waiting.
Both phones run the A20 Pro, Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, so this is a comparison of two very different bodies built around the same silicon. The figures below come from Apple’s press releases for both phones and the iPhone Duo tech specs page. If you are choosing between the two Pro models instead, see our iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max guide.
iPhone Duo vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: the spec table
| Spec | iPhone Duo | iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price (256GB) | $1,999 or $83.29 a month for 24 months | $1,299 or $54.12 a month for 24 months |
| Displays | 7.6-inch inner (430 ppi) and 5.4-inch outer (460 ppi), both 120Hz and Always-On | 6.9-inch |
| Chip | A20 Pro | A20 Pro |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main (f/1.6) with optical-quality 2x telephoto, 48MP Ultra Wide; no dedicated telephoto lens | 48MP main with variable aperture (f/1.48 to f/4), Ultra Wide, telephoto lens |
| Unlock | Touch ID in the side button | Face ID |
| Video playback | Up to 44 hours outer, 31 hours inner | Up to 45 hours (eSIM-only model) |
| Wired charge to 50 percent | About 20 minutes with a 60W adapter | About 15 minutes |
| SIM | eSIM only worldwide | eSIM only in 12 countries, SIM tray elsewhere |
| Size and weight | 5.2 mm open, 11.3 mm closed, 254 g | Not listed in Apple’s release |
| Colors | Night Sky, Star White | Black, Silver, Glacier, Burgundy |
| Pre-orders and availability | October 16 and October 23 | September 12 and September 18 |
Displays, cameras and battery: where the $700 goes
The display is the whole argument for the Duo. Apple says the 7.6-inch inner panel is 50 percent larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max display, and the 5.4-inch outer screen has more than 90 percent of the screen area of the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro. Both Duo panels run ProMotion up to 120Hz and reach 3000 nits outdoors.
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The camera argument runs the other way. The Pro Max gets the 48MP main camera with a six-blade variable aperture from f/1.48 to f/4, manual aperture and shutter controls, and a telephoto lens. The Duo’s main camera has a fixed f/1.6 aperture, the same Ultra Wide as the 18 Pro, and an optical-quality 2x telephoto cropped from the main sensor, with 10x digital zoom at most. Our iPhone 18 Pro camera explainer covers what the variable aperture does.
On battery, the two are closer than the bodies suggest. Apple rates the Pro Max at up to 45 hours of video playback on the eSIM-only model, or up to 30 hours of use. The Duo’s dual-cell battery is rated at 44 hours of video on the outer display, 31 hours on the inner display, and up to 24 hours of mixed use. The Pro Max charges faster: 50 percent in about 15 minutes wired against about 20 minutes for the Duo with a 60W adapter.
What Apple has not published
- Prices for the 512GB, 1TB and 2TB tiers of either phone
- Weight and dimensions for the iPhone 18 Pro Max in the launch release
- Battery capacity, RAM or a hinge cycle rating for the Duo
The iPhone 18 Pro Max goes up for pre-order on Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT and ships September 18 in more than 65 countries. The iPhone Duo opens pre-orders on Friday, October 16 and arrives October 23 in more than 70 countries and regions, with 28 more on October 30. Everything else Apple announced is in our Apple event live blog.
