iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: What has changed — from colour options, iOS, camera, battery, price to chipset
Apple on Wednesday launched its latest models — iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max— with notable updates and advanced features compared with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Though the display sizes and the headline 48MP/8x camera setup remain broadly similar, several other specifications have been updated to match the latest technology.
Let’s have a look at key features that have changed:
Colour options
While previous-generation smartphones offered three colour options — deep blue, cosmic orange, and silver — the new model comes in 4 variants — black, silver, glacier, and an all-new burgundy.
Chipset
When compared with previous-generation models, we find that the new model is equipped with an A20 Pro based on a 2-nanometer chipset, which features “50% more memory bandwidth than A19 Pro.” Promising a significant graphics upgrade, the A20 Pro’s 7-core GPU design is up to 40% faster.
“A20 Pro also features a new Dual 16-core Neural Engine, which accelerates on-device AI models and computational photography, and includes 32 total cores for double the AI processing power of A19 Pro, ” the iPhone maker said in a press statement.
Camera
Moving to main camera, the new model comes with the same 48MP Fusion camera, but now with “variable aperture” which allows users to customize their experience in the Camera app.
Battery
Offering the largest increase in battery life on iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro comes with up to 36 hours of video playback. “iPhone 18 Pro can also charge up to 50% in around 15 minutes, or wirelessly charge up to 50% in 30 minutes,” the press release states, suggesting that iPhone 18 Pro Max provides up to 30 hours of usage on a full charge. Meanwhile, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could charge 50% in 20 minutes.
| Feature | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Colour Options | Deep blue, cosmic orange and silver | Black, silver, glacier, and an all-new burgundy |
| Chipset | A19 Pro | A20 Pro |
| Main camera | 48MP Fusion Main | 48MP Fusion Main with variable aperture |
| Battery | 50% in about 20 minutes | 50% in about 15 minutes |
| iOS | iOS 26 | iOS 27 |
| Storage | 256GB–1TB | 256GB–2TB |
| Materials | 30% recycled content | 40% recycled content |
| Launch price | $1,099 | $1,199 |
Vapor chamber
The iPhone 18 Pro features a new thermal management system, with its redesigned vapour chamber ensuring up to a 40% increase in performance compared with the iPhone 17 Pro.
iOS
New generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI — iOS 27 — replaces iOS 26.
Storage
Moving to storage capacity, iPhone 18 Pro will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, while iPhone 17 Pro came in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants.
Modem
Introducing AI-powered improvements with C2, Apple’s next-generation cellular modem system. The iPhone 18 Pro features a wireless networking chip, N1, that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Notably, C2 offers faster uploads than C1X and consumes 15% less energy while supporting mmWave in the US.
Material
Made with 40% recycled material, the iPhone 18 Pro’s battery uses 100% recycled cobalt and 85% recycled aluminium. “Manufactured with 50% renewable energy, like wind and solar, across the supply chain…. their paper packaging is 100% fibre-based12 and can be easily recycled at home,” the company said.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro was made with 40% renewable electricity and 30% recycled materials, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and 100% recycled gold plating on all printed circuit boards.
Launch price in the US
iPhone 17 Pro — $1,099
