iPhone 17 Pro Max review: Large and in charge

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Upon first look, that garish display of orange is a lot. But with time, and a case to subdue how loud it is, it’s grown on me. Initially, I was intimidated by the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Coming from last year's iPhone 16 Plus, the Pro Max seemed like overkill. Who needs that much battery when my current iPhone can already last the day on a single charge? Why would I need a dedicated telephoto lens? It wasn’t until I gave it a shot that I realised how wrong I was. 

While these upgrades might seem incremental, they coalesce to form an upgrade that genuinely feels like an upgrade. It’s a top-of-the-line phone that performs like one, and to be honest, I don’t think I can go back.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $2,199 for the 256GB model, $50 up from last year's model. For double the storage, you're looking at $2,599, up $100 from last year's iPhone 16 Pro Max. For 1TB and 2TB storage options, you're looking at $2,999 and $3,799, respectively. 

For those who prefer to pay for their iPhone 17 Pro Max on a plan, it’s available through all three major telcos.

For years, the design of the iPhone Pro Max has remained largely unchanged. Three cameras in the back with a square module, and one in the front. This new iteration is still the biggest handset in the iPhone 17 lineup, but it's also the biggest departure from the signature Pro style since the iPhone 11 Pro. It brings with it a unibody design, a sleek, raised camera "plateau", and the ceramic shield back, covered by a two-toned panel insert. That garish orange, combined with the new design, feels surprisingly refreshing. Like when it’s forecast to drizzle in the morning, but the clouds don’t appear until the afternoon. Not exactly a game-changer, but still a welcome change from the boring hues of previous generations. 

At the core of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s unibody design is a heat-forged aluminium chamber. It houses the thermal management system that can better dissipate and distribute heat, so your phone won’t get hot in your hands. After eight hours of TikTok, Pokémon GO, hundreds of snaps and ceaseless Maps use later, the iPhone 17 Pro Max didn’t inch past warm. 

Even though the new aluminium frame is better at keeping your phone cool, the downside is that it’s not as scratch-resistant as the titanium. After a week, I’ve managed to get some very minor scratches on the edges, mostly from the occasional drop and from removing the clear case. Fortunately, the display of the 17 Pro Max is protected by Ceramic Shield 2 glass, which is three times as scratch-resistant and twice as crack-resistant as the previous model, so while the body may get the odd scratch, the screen should stay as good as new.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has three fusion cameras – the main camera, ultra wide, and telephoto, all at 48MP each. While there isn’t much of a difference between the 16 Pro Max and 17 Pro Max’s cameras, it's the first time the telephoto lens is finally getting the 48MP treatment. If you’re snap-happy or a budding photographer, you’ll notice how much more detail is in every zoom range and light level when shooting with the new 48MP telephoto lens. There’s plenty of detail in each shot, and colours seem sharper, more contrasting and expressive. Unfortunately, that means darker photos if you live in a permanently cloudy city like Melbourne. 

The iPhone 17 Pro Max also features the new 18MP Center Stage front camera. It’s got a larger square sensor and a wider lens, so you can easily reframe your selfies in portrait or landscape orientation. No more wishing you had Elastigirl arms to take the perfect group selfie, your camera will adjust to include your pals with the click of a button.

All good things come in threes, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s performance is no exception. The thermal cooling chamber casing, the A19 Pro chip, and the variable refresh rate display work together seamlessly. It’s like having the Powerpuff Girls trio inside your phone, committed to keeping things fast, cool, and efficient. 

Whether you’re sinking your time into doomscrolling, mobile gaming, or you’re better than everyone else and reading an ebook, the ProMotion display will adapt accordingly. The always-on display dials down to 1Hz, then scales up to 120Hz when required. Coming from the 60Hz fixed display on the 16 Plus, it's a genuine game-changer. Everything feels smoother, cleaner, and faster, but it also doesn’t hold your battery for ransom. 

Apple claims the A19 Pro chip boasts 40% better performance compared to last year’s model, and the proof is in the pudding. The iPhone 17 Pro Max feels snappy, responsive, and ready for any graphically demanding games you can throw at it. It handled several hours of Infinity Nikki with ease, and could handle more if you’ve got battery to burn. 

In terms of battery life, this guy is a tank. Every year, Apple seems to extend the battery life so you can get more from its biggest, priciest smartphone. With the iPhone 17 Pro Max, you can expect it to last at least a full day with moderate to heavy usage.  After eight hours of using battery-sucking apps, I still returned home with about 35%. The iPhone 17 Pro Max charges faster, too, taking you from flat to 50% in just 20 minutes with a 40W charger, or 30 minutes with a 30W charger. 

The vapour chamber casing keeps things cool, nicely complementing the upgraded performance with some much-needed heat management and power efficiency. Even when you’re pushing the iPhone 17 Pro Max to its capabilities to the limit, it remains cool, calm, and collected. 

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a thermally efficient powerhouse. I’m floored by the slew of high-end features it’s managed to squeeze in since last year, but the design overhaul and brash orange frame are just part of the deal. Its battery is a step up from its predecessor, the camera refinements are a delightful touch, and the plateau doesn’t make it feel as hefty as I anticipated. Less might be more, but in this case, large is still in charge.