Here it is: the iPhone 17 Pro Max, aka Apple’s latest attempt to convince us that bigger really does mean better.
And to be fair, it kind of does. This is the phone where Apple throws in every feature, every sensor, and every bit of titanium it can justify… then slaps on a price tag that makes you question your life choices.
Unboxing it, the first thing that hits you is the size. Yes, we know it’s big. It is a Pro Max, but the slimmer bezels and titanium frame make it feel just a touch more manageable than some of its older, heavier siblings. Still, if you’re the type of person who wears skinny jeans, good luck fitting this thing in your pocket without risking structural damage to your trousers.
This is the flagship of the flagship lineup. But the real question is: does it deliver enough to tempt you away from last year’s iPhone 16?
Design and Build
The iPhone 17 Pro Max keeps the same design language Apple has stuck with for years, but there are refinements worth pointing out. The titanium frame makes it lighter and more durable compared to the old stainless steel days, and the new matte finishes do a better job of hiding fingerprints.
Bezels are slimmer again this year, which means more screen without making the phone any taller or wider. It’s subtle, but side by side with the 16 Pro Max, the difference is noticeable. This is still the sharp, flat design Apple seems committed to, and it feels solid, premium, and… yes, still slightly too big for one-handed use unless your hands belong to an NBA player.
Colours are mostly restrained on the Pro Max, with Apple sticking to titanium-inspired finishes rather than the more playful shades of the regular iPhone 17. It’s classy, but you might find yourself wishing for something bolder if you’re tired of “graphite, silver, and a token blue.”
Display
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a phone that’s basically 50% screen, and Apple clearly knows that’s the selling point. The 6.9-inch OLED display is the largest ever on an iPhone, and it makes everything feel more cinematic.
Of course, size isn’t everything. The Pro Max keeps ProMotion at 120Hz, so scrolling feels silky smooth and gaming has that extra snap of responsiveness.
Brightness is also up again this year, with HDR content looking incredible indoors and finally holding its own outdoors in direct sunlight. Watching HDR movies or even just browsing through photos really shows off how far Apple’s panel tech has come.
Always-On Display is still here too, now with more customisation options integrated into iOS. You can keep widgets visible, dim notifications, or go minimalist with just a clock. It’s a small thing, but on a phone this size, it feels like having a little dashboard at all times.
Is it too big? For some people, yes. This isn’t the phone you use casually one-handed while holding a coffee. But if you live on your phone, the 17 Pro Max is in a league of its own.
Performance (A19 Chip)

Apple has a habit of making each new chip sound like a revolution, but the truth is a little more subtle. The A19 Pro chip inside the iPhone 17 Pro Max is faster and more efficient than the A18, but in everyday use, you won’t notice it opening Instagram or replying to WhatsApp messages.
Where you will see the difference is in Apple Intelligence and heavy workloads. Tasks like generating AI summaries, rewriting text, or even just letting Siri string together a more natural conversation all happen faster and with fewer hiccups than on last year’s Pro models.
Gaming also benefits. The A19 pushes higher frame rates with less battery drain, and combined with the ProMotion display, the result is as smooth as mobile gaming gets. Throw in support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and yes, it can now rival some handheld consoles.
Cameras

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is, unsurprisingly, all about the cameras. Apple knows this is the feature that sells phones, and this year’s setup is easily its strongest yet.
You still get the triple-lens system (wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto), but the big news is the improved 5x periscope zoom, now standard across both Pro and Pro Max. Last year, Apple forced anyone who wanted serious zoom into the Max model. This time, smaller phone fans aren’t left out, though the Pro Max still benefits from slightly larger sensors.
Low-light performance has had another quiet but important bump. Photos at concerts or in dim restaurants look cleaner, with less noise and more detail. Apple’s computational photography does a lot of heavy lifting here, and while Samsung still wins on pure zoom reach, Apple’s images feel more natural.
Video is where the Pro Max really stretches its legs. Extended 4K 120fps slow-motion recording is possible without the phone overheating, something that tripped up older models. For creators, that’s a huge deal. You can shoot longer clips without worrying about the dreaded “temperature” warning shutting you down.
Realistically, most people will just point and shoot, and that’s where the iPhone 17 Pro Max shines. It’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo with it. For content creators, this is the closest you’ll get to professional gear in a pocketable(ish) device.
Battery Life
Big phone, big battery. That’s always been the promise of the Pro Max, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max mostly delivers. Apple claims “all-day battery life,” which usually translates to around 20–22 hours of mixed use in the real world.
In testing so far, the Pro Max comfortably gets through a heavy day of screen time, camera use, and a fair bit of Apple Intelligence without begging for a charger by dinner. For lighter users, you might even squeeze into a second day before hitting 20%. That’s impressive for a phone pushing a massive 6.9-inch 120Hz display.
Charging is where things get a little less exciting. Apple still caps wired charging at around 30W, so you’re looking at roughly 30 minutes to 50% and about 90 minutes for a full charge with the right USB-C adapter. MagSafe charging hasn’t changed much either… convenient, but still a bit slower.
Where the Pro Max does shine is efficiency. The A19 chip sips power when handling background AI tasks, so you don’t see the same random drops in percentage as on older models. Extended 4K video recording also no longer tanks your battery in an hour.
Apple Intelligence on the Pro Max

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the first iPhone where Apple Intelligence actually feels ready for prime time. Last year, with the iPhone 16, the Apple Intelligence features were half-baked and limited to certain regions.
This year though, the A19 chip and expanded rollout make it a core part of the experience. Here’s what stands out so far:
- Smarter Siri - Conversations flow more naturally. You can hesitate mid-sentence without Siri cutting you off, and it actually understands context from your apps, emails, and messages. It finally feels like an assistant rather than a nuisance.
- Notification Summaries - Instead of a chaotic lock screen, Apple Intelligence groups and summarizes notifications into something you can skim in seconds.
- Call Recording and Transcriptions - A new feature that works surprisingly well. Calls are auto-transcribed and saved, with a clear notice to the other person. Great for interviews, meetings, or if you just forget details five minutes after hanging up.
- Smart Replies and Text Rewrites - Handy for quick responses, but often generic. Most people will still prefer typing their own replies.
- On-Device Processing - The biggest win: all this happens locally. No constant cloud connection. No worrying about privacy leaks. Apple has somehow managed to make AI useful without making it creepy.
Is it life-changing? Not yet. But for the first time, Apple Intelligence feels less like a gimmick and more like a feature you can actually use.
Storage and Pricing
The iPhone 17 Pro Max comes in the usual range of storage options, starting at 256GB this year. From there, you can step up to 512GB or the full 1TB if you’re planning to shoot endless ProRes video or hoard a decade of 4K family footage.
Here’s the catch: storage upgrades aren’t cheap. Jumping from 256GB to 512GB adds a hefty premium, and the leap to 1TB pushes the Pro Max into small laptop pricing territory. Apple knows creators will pay for it, and they’ve priced accordingly.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max: The Best iPhone Money Can Buy… But Do You Need It?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is, without question, the most advanced iPhone Apple has ever made. The titanium build feels premium without weighing down your pocket, the display is massive, and the cameras are good enough to replace a dedicated camera for most people. Add in Apple Intelligence that finally feels useful, and this is as complete an iPhone package as we’ve ever seen.
But here’s the rub: not everyone needs it. For most people, the regular iPhone 17 or 17 Pro will be more than enough. The Pro Max is for creators, enthusiasts, and anyone who just wants the absolute top-end phone Apple makes, regardless of whether they’ll ever use its full potential.
If you’re upgrading from an older iPhone, this phone will blow you away. If you’re already rocking an iPhone 15 or 16 Pro Max, you’ll struggle to justify the price tag.
So yes, it’s the best iPhone money can buy. But the smarter question is whether you actually need it.