TechRadar95
Praised as better in all the right places, with excellent cameras, new Siri AI and strong performance and battery.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
6 expert reviews#4 of 80 smartphones
Image: Apple6/6critics
recommend
recommend
Best for cameras and speed
Critics’ consensus
6 professional reviewers tested the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max, and 6 recommend it. Most praised: performance and battery life. Most common complaint: size and weight.
Reviewed by TechRadar, Expert Reviews, Trusted Reviews and 3 more
The catch: It is big, heavy and pricier than last year.
Critics agree
Scores run from 83 to 955 printed scores, 1 estimated · printed scores only: 92
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What do critics say about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Expert Reviews95
A highly capable, super solid update with fast speed, better battery, a more flexible camera and Siri that works.
Trusted Reviews90
A beast of a phone with standout endurance, strong cameras and top performance, though it is heavy and lacks a headline new feature.
Tom's Guide90
Obscenely fast phones with an easy-to-use variable aperture camera and better Siri, called the best non-folding phones around.
WIRED90
Very good Pro phones with stellar performance, battery and a fun customizable camera, though pricier and not needed by recent Pro owners.
CNN Underscored83est.
The editors name it their pick for big phones, saying it outlasts every handset they have put through their battery test and adds a lot of new camera controls.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
What critics praise most
Performance5 of 6
Battery life5 of 6
What critics dislike most
Size and weight2 of 6
Alternatives
Not sure about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Also reviewed, not yet scored
- Motorola Moto G Power (2026) · 3 reviews so far
- Nothing Phone (3a) · 3 reviews so far
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 · 3 reviews so far
Common questions
Is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max worth it?
Most critics think so: 6 of 6 recommend it. It is big, heavy and pricier than last year.
Do critics agree about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Critics agree: scores range from 83 (CNN Underscored) to 95 (TechRadar), a spread of 12 points across 6 reviews. Reviewers broadly agree.
What do critics dislike about the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Size and weight (2 of 6 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max?
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra (critic score 94), best overall.