Compare iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max
Which one is best for you?
While iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max are both high-performance smartphones, iPhone 17 Pro Max benefits from several advancements.
One of the most noticeable upgrades is its design. iPhone 17 Pro Max features an aluminium unibody with a Ceramic Shield 2 front and a Ceramic Shield back, making it up to 3x more scratch-resistant than iPhone 15 Pro Max’s titanium frame and Ceramic Shield front. The display is also slightly larger at 6.9 inches (compared to 6.7 inches), though this comes with a modest 10-gram increase in weight.
Both models support adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, Always-On display, HDR, and Apple’s Super Retina XDR technology, along with Apple Intelligence. However, iPhone 17 Pro Max takes a clear lead in battery life, giving you up to 37 hours of video playback compared to iPhone 15 Pro Max, which lasts up to 29 hours.
Another area where iPhone 17 Pro Max shines is its camera enhancements. iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Pro camera system is replaced by a 48-megapixel Pro Fusion setup in the 17 Pro Max, with enhanced Ultra Wide and Telephoto lenses, and the ability to zoom up to 8x. iPhone 17 Pro Max also has the added enhancements of 3D sensor-shift optical image stabilisation, and support for Dual Capture, ProRes RAW, Genlock, and better audio recording. So, it’s ideal for professional-grade videography.
The front-facing camera has also had an uplift, jumping from 12-megapixels in the 15 Pro Max to 18-megapixels in the 17 Pro Max. iPhone 17 Pro Max also introduces new features like Centre Stage to ensure you and your friends are always in frame, ultra-stabilised video, and Dual Capture. These enhancements make the iPhone 17 Pro Max a compelling choice for content creators and camera enthusiasts.
So, if you appreciate the software advancements and a tougher build, you may want to opt for iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, if price takes priority over photos and battery, iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great, affordable option – you may even be able to buy it from our range of excellent refurbished iPhones