i Phone 18 Pro vs i Phone 17 Pro: 5 key differences between Apple's newest and previous best smartphones | Tech Radar
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i Phone 18 Pro vs i Phone 17 Pro: 5 key differences between Apple's newest and previous best smartphones
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Apple has unveiled the i Phone 18 Pro and its September 9 'Surprise and Shine' event, but how does it stack up against last year’s mighty i Phone 17 Pro?
Among other things here’s the powerful new A20 Pro chip, and the main camera’s new variable aperture, but these mean the i Phone 18 Pro costs a little more than its older sibling.
If you’re weighing up the two i Phone Pros, these are the five key differences you’ll need to consider before you make your choice…
If you care about photography this is easily the biggest i Phone 18 Pro feature: variable aperture.
Normally phone camera apertures are locked, meaning the aperture has to strike a compromise between maximizing depth of field and maximizing night and low-light performance by letting more light in. With its variable aperture the i Phone 18 Pro’s 48MP fusion main camera solves this problem by adapting to meet your needs for each shot.
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The i Phone 17 Pro lacks this capability, though its camera array is still very solid, even if it lacks the latest model’s versatility.
As you’d expect, the i Phone 18 pro boasts better specs thanks to its A20 Pro chip. According to Apple its CPU’s two supercores are 20% faster than what you’ll find in the i Phone 17 Pro, and its GPU is 40% faster. It also boasts improved neural accelerators for better AI performance — meaning on-device Siri AI assistance should feel snappier than before.
The change you’ll notice the most, though, is the bigger battery.
While the i Phone 17 Pro achieved a 33-hour battery life in Apple’s internal video playback tests, the 18 Pro managed to last for 36 hours — the same length of time as the i Phone 17 Pro Max. If you were wondering, the i Phone 18 Pro Max can hold out for a whopping 45 hours.
The i Phone 18 Pro comes in classic Silver and Black, as well as Glacier (a sort of lilac) and Burgundy if you want a more bold and unique look for your new smartphone.
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Meanwhile the i Phone 17 Pro comes in Silver, a dark Deep Blue, and that Cosmic Orange hue that people either love or hate.
I was a big fan of Cosmic Orange, but Burgundy takes the cake for me. It looks iconic without looking silly or sickly — traps the orange could sometimes fall into. Though this design choice will be entirely personal, and let’s be real — you’ll probably just put it in a case anyway, whichever model you get.
As was teased by leaks ahead of the reveal, the i Phone 18 pro boasts a smaller Dynamic Island — which should make it a less annoying permanent distraction on your screen compared with the i Phone 17 Pro’s Island.
At the same time it has become a little more versatile too. The i Phone 18 pro’s Dynamic Island can now support three live activities at once, up from the previous maximum of two.
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The i Phone 18 Pro was only just revealed, but it’ll be up for sale globally at $1,199 for 256GB of storage (regional pricing TBC) from September 18, 2026. You can preorder starting Saturday September 12 to lock in a unit early if you decide it’s the smartphone for you.
Meanwhile the i Phone 17 Pro can be picked up right now with a lower list price of
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Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for Tech Radar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
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