After Wednesday's event, Apple let members of the media take a look at the new iPhone 18 Pro models, so we're able to share some early first impressions with you before pre-orders start tomorrow.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max look almost identical to the iPhone 17 Pro models, but there are some subtle changes that make the new devices stand out. There's less of a color difference between the aluminum frame and the glass back, so while the 17 Pro models had a two-tone look, the iPhone 18 Pro models are more uniform.
Apple is selling the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in four colors, including silver, black, burgundy, and glacier, which is a light blue. Burgundy especially looks good in person, and people who missed black last year will be glad to see it back. There's no change to size or shape, so they're still available with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays. Both are a little heavier, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max weighs 16 grams more than the 17 Pro Max.
Display quality is the same, but Apple slimmed down the Dynamic Island, so it takes up less space, plus it can show up to three Live Activities at once.
Inside, there's a new 2nm A20 Pro chip. If you're upgrading to the iPhone 18 Pro from an iPhone 17 Pro, you're probably not going to notice a day-to-day difference between the A19 Pro and the A20 Pro, but the iPhone 18 Pro models might run cooler. There's a new vapor chamber cooling system that takes up three times more area, and Apple says it supports up to 40 percent faster sustained performance. There's a new dual Neural Engine, but RAM hasn't increased and it's still at 12GB.
Battery life is better in both Pro models. The iPhone 18 Pro lasts for up to 36 hours when watching video, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasts for up to 45 hours. Charging over USB-C is faster, and you can get a 50 percent charge in 15 minutes with a 60W power adapter. MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging are still supported but max out at 25W.
There's a three-lens camera system with an upgraded Main camera. The 48MP Main camera has a variable aperture that has four stops: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, ƒ/4.0. Aperture will adjust automatically when you're taking photos, but there's a new Pro Controls option if you want to make manual changes. You can adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, plus there's a histogram for making tweaks. With the variable aperture and the Pro Controls, you can adjust the amount of light and the background blur of images.
Photographic Styles now have texture and grain controls, and when you're filming, smart focus tracking can lock on to a subject even if it leaves the frame so you never lose focus. Cinematic effects can be added to video after capture for the first time, and Audio Mix works with music. There's also support for 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse videos.
All 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro models have the C2 modem, while iPhone 18 Pro Max models in the U.S. have a Qualcomm modem. iPhone 18 Pro Max models outside the U.S. also have the C2, and it's not clear why Apple opted for that modem split. The C2 is faster and more energy-efficient than the prior C1X, and it now supports mmWave 5G speeds in addition to sub–6GHz.
As expected, Apple raised its iPhone prices. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the U.S., and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, so there's a $100 increase for both base models. Starting storage remains at 256GB, but you can upgrade up to 2TB.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max start at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12. The new iPhones will launch on September 18.
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