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Apple just leveled up its battery on its new premium iPhone. Is it worth the leveled-up price tag?
As expected, Apple unveiled the pricier part of the iPhone 18 lineup at its “Surprise and Shine” event on Wednesday. The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max have some serious upgrades, including faster performance from the A20 Pro processor, a new automatically adjustable camera aperture with built-in AI software, and a larger vapor chamber.
But the big “wow” factor is the battery. We saw a big improvement in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which holds the crown as our current best-tested phone battery. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max is a pretty sweet upgrade for $100 more than its predecessor’s original price.
During the event, Apple said you can get 45 hours of video playback and 30 hours of usage per charge with the new premium version. It’s also expected to have faster wireless charging, and 15 minutes of wired charging should put the phone at 50%. By comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max promises 39 hours of video playback. And based on our testing, the phone’s battery life reached 49% in 20 minutes.
The 18 Pro Max seems to pack a powerful punch with its battery. And surprisingly, Apple’s not raising the price too much. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 for 256GB, which is only $100 more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max for the same storage. But are the battery upgrades worth the price? I don’t think so.
Sure, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has a better battery, but if you’re like me, you just want your phone to hold a battery for a day without rushing to a charger. If you’re not watching videos for days, you may not see much of a difference between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the new model. Especially if you want a better battery on a budget. So if you have the iPhone 17 Pro Max, it’s not worth upgrading for better battery life. However, if you have an earlier model, it may be worth considering one of the latest models.
A recent CNET survey highlighted what US adults really want in a phone upgrade. Most (55%) want a cheaper phone, and next to that is better battery life (52%). Truthfully, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max price increase seems small (especially given the RAM shortage), you may be able to get a solid battery for less.
I have the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I’m not sold on the new model’s $1,299 price tag when its predecessor is still available at select retailers. Shortly after Apple’s event, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max disappeared from Apple’s site. But you still may be able to find the phones at other retailers and mobile carriers. We also noticed Apple quietly increased prices on other iPhone models, so it’s worth shopping around.
Apple’s Upgrade program and other mobile carrier trade-in programs may make the newer model cheaper. But if you’re buying outright or won’t get a deep discount, save yourself the money and look for the older model that still holds a charge for the day. And if you have the iPhone 17 Pro Max, don’t rush to upgrade for better battery life quite yet.
Dashia Milden
Senior Consumer Insights Editor
Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family. See full bio
