Here’s how the new iPhone 18 Pro stacks up to the last-gen models

Both 18 Pro models cost $100 more than last year’s versions, but come with some hefty camera upgrades.

Both 18 Pro models cost $100 more than last year’s versions, but come with some hefty camera upgrades.

by Sep 9, 2026, 6:53 PM UTCImage: ApplePart OfAll the news from Apple’s ‘Surprise and shine’ eventsee all updates Cameron Faulkner is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.

Apple’s release cadence for the latest iPhones is unusual. It’ll start with the 18 Pro models, then with the foldable iPhone Duo releasing in October for $1,999. It hasn’t confirmed when its base iPhone 18 model will launch. So, this post is focused just on the new the 18 Pro and the 18 Pro Max.

Both phones are launching September 18th, with preorders opening Saturday, September 12th. The 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, which is $100 more than last year’s phone. The 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max goes up to $1,299, another $100 jump.

With the iPhone 18 Pro being Apple’s 2026 flagship phone, it makes sense to compare it to its two predecessors to see how things have evolved. The biggest differences between the two sizes of this year’s Pro phone are the same as always: the physical dimensions, the battery size, and the size and resolution of the screen. The specs are otherwise identical. But, compared to previous Pros, the most meaningful updates come with the cameras, performance, and speed for chewing through AI-related tasks.

By holding off on unveiling its base iPhone 18 until a later date, Apple is making deciding on a new phone this fall a little easier — that is, if you’re someone who typically buys the pricey Pro variant. Whether you’re ready to upgrade or not, we’ve got the specs below to make it simple to compare the specs of the most popular high-end phones of 2026.

iPhone 18 Pro spec comparison

Category

iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 17 Pro

iPhone 18 Pro

iPhone 18 Pro Max

Operating system at launchiOS 18iOS 26iOS 27iOS 27Apple Intelligence supportYesYesYesYesDisplay6.3-inch (2622 x 1206) OLED6.3-inch (2622 x 1206) OLED6.3-inch (2622 x 1206) OLED6.9-inch (2868 x 1320) OLEDDisplay refresh rate120Hz120Hz120Hz120HzPeak brightness2,000 nits3,000 nits3,000 nits3,000 nitsMinimum brightness1 nit1 nit1 nit1 nitAlways-On displayYesYesYesYesGlass displayCeramic ShieldCeramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2Ceramic Shield 2BuildTitanium frameCeramic Shield back, aluminum unibodyCeramic Shield back, aluminum unibodyCeramic Shield back, aluminum unibodyDimensions149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25mm150.0mm x 71.9mm x 8.75mm150.0mm x 71.9mm x 8.75mm163.4mm x 78.0mm x 8.75mmWeight199 grams206 grams211 grams249 gramsBattery capacityUp to 27 hours of video playbackUp to 33 hours of video playbackUp to 36 hours of video playbackUp to 45 hours of video playbackWireless chargingYes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 22W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Yes, MagSafe / Qi2 (up to 25W)Fast charge-capableYes; up to 50 percent in 30 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 20 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 15 minutesYes; up to 50 percent in 15 minutesProcessorA18 ProA19 ProA20 ProA20 ProProcessor cores6-core CPU / 6-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 6-core GPU / 16-core neural engine6-core CPU / 7-core GPU / 32-core neural engine6-core CPU / 6-core GPU / 32-core neural engineRAM8GBNot sharedNot sharedNot sharedStorage256GB, 512GB, 1TB256GB, 512GB, 1TB256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TBPortsUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB-C charging and data portUSB speedsUSB 3 (up to 10Gbps)USB 3 (up to 10Gbps)USB 3 (up to 10Gbps)USB 3 (up to 10Gbps)Rear cameras48-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel telephoto48-megapixel main, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephoto48-megapixel main with variable aperture, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephoto48-megapixel main with variable aperture, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 48-megapixel telephotoHighest optical magnification5x8x8x8xMacro modeYesYesYesYesFront camera12MP18MP18MP18MPVideo recordingUp to 4K at 120fps (ProRes with external recording)Up to 4K at 120fps (ProRes with external recording)Up to 4K at 120fps Dolby Vision (ProRes with external recording)Up to 4K at 120fps Dolby Vision (ProRes with external recording)BiometricsFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDSIM supportDual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Dual eSIM (no physical SIM)Action ButtonYesYesYesYesCamera Control buttonYesYesYesYesDynamic IslandYesYesYesYesWi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7Bluetooth version5.36.06.06.0Satellite SOS featureYesYesYesYesMessages via satelliteYesYesYesYesCrash DetectionYesYesYesYesApple PayYesYesYesYesIP ratingIP68IP68IP68IP68Starting price$999$1,099$1,199$1,299AvailabilitySeptember 20th, 2024September 19th, 2025September 18th, 2026September 18th, 2026ColorsBlack titanium, white titanium, natural titanium, desert titaniumCosmic orange, deep blue, silverBlack, silver, burgundy, glacierBlack, silver, burgundy, glacierFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.