Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. Both launched at roughly the same price ($1,199 vs $1,199), so cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max stands out for first apple titanium frame, lighter than predecessor, while Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is praised for 48mp periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if…
- →First Apple titanium frame, lighter than predecessor
- →Powerful A17 Pro chip with hardware ray tracing
- →New 5x tetraprism telephoto camera
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- →48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- →4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- →Up to 2TB storage
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Pros
- First Apple titanium frame, lighter than predecessor
- Powerful A17 Pro chip with hardware ray tracing
- New 5x tetraprism telephoto camera
- USB-C with USB 3 transfer speeds
- Excellent ProMotion 120Hz display
Cons
- Premium pricing
- Heavy device despite titanium
- No charging speed improvements
- Initial overheating reports at launch
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- 48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- 4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- Up to 2TB storage
- Ceramic Shield 2 front and back
- Spatial Video recording
Cons
- 227g is heavy
- Still 27W wired charging
- $1199 starting price
- Aluminum unibody less premium feel than titanium
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 17 | iOS 19 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 221 g | 227 g |
| Material | Titanium frame | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25 mm | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 24 MP, f/1.9 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 5x | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4422 mAh | 4823 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 27W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 25W MagSafe |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion |
| Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 1320 x 2868 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 2000 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | 6-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (6-core) | 6-core GPU |
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro | Apple A19 Pro |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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