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iPhone 17 Pro Max — Worth UPGRADING from iPhone 15 Pro Max?

September 23, 2025 01:09

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Comprehensive Review

This video provides a detailed comparison between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, focusing on whether the latest model is a worthwhile upgrade for users coming from a 2-3 year old iPhone. The reviewer has used both phones side-by-side for several days to deliver a comprehensive review.

Main Points

Design and Build

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: Features a titanium frame, making it lightweight and strong. [1:02-1:34]
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Utilizes a forge aluminum unibody (aerospace grade 7000 series), which feels solid, more balanced, and slightly more durable. [1:32-2:05]
  • The iPhone 17 Pro Max has slimmer bezels around the screen compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. [1:32-2:05]
  • The camera bump design on the iPhone 17 Pro Max also contributes to less wobbling when placed on a flat surface. [2:04-2:39]

Display

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display. [2:04-2:39]
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Upgraded to a 6.9-inch display with thinner bezels, feeling more immersive and noticeably brighter. [2:04-2:39]
  • Brightness: The iPhone 17 Pro Max can reach 3,000 nits outdoors, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is limited to 2,000 nits, making it easier to read messages and frame shots in bright sunlight. [2:36-3:10]
  • Both phones have 120Hz ProMotion, HDR, and True Tone. The iPhone 17 Pro Max adds Ceramic Shield on both sides and an anti-reflective coating. [2:36-3:10]

Performance

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: Powered by the A17 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM. [3:08-3:41]
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Features the A19 Pro chip with 12GB of RAM. This significantly improves multitasking, allows for more headroom for future iOS updates, and shows gains in benchmark tests like Geekbench and Antutu. [3:38-4:13]
  • However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is still considered a very capable phone. [4:11-4:45]

Cameras

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: Main sensor is 48MP, with a 12MP ultrawide and a 5x telephoto lens. [4:43-5:16]
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Features three 48-megapixel lenses and sensors. [4:43-5:16]
  • Zoom Capabilities:
    • iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.5x to 25x zoom. [5:15-5:48]
    • iPhone 17 Pro Max: 0.5x to 40x zoom. [5:46-6:18]
  • Front-Facing Camera: Upgraded to 18MP on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, offering better quality and portrait/landscape shot options. [6:17-6:52]
  • Video: The iPhone 17 Pro Max offers improved zoom clarity and a higher digital zoom capability in video (24x) compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (15x digital zoom). [6:50-7:55]
  • Dual Video Feature: The iPhone 17 Pro Max includes a "dual camera mode" for video, allowing users to see what they are recording with the zoom simultaneously. [8:24-8:59]

Cooling and Battery

  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Introduces vapor chamber cooling, which significantly improves heat management, especially during demanding tasks like exporting large files or long video recordings. [8:57-9:30]
  • Battery Life: The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a larger battery and a more efficient chip, offering approximately 8 hours of screen-on time compared to 6-7 hours on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. [9:59-10:34]
  • Charging:
    • Wired: The iPhone 17 Pro Max can charge up to 50% in about 20 minutes with a 40W adapter, compared to 30 minutes on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. [10:31-11:06]
    • MagSafe Wireless: Increased to 25W on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, from 15W on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. [10:31-11:06]

Storage and Software

  • Storage: Both phones start at 256GB. The iPhone 15 Pro Max maxes out at 1TB, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max can go up to 2TB, which is suggested for heavy 4K 60fps ProRes video recording. [11:35-12:07]
  • Operating System: Both run on iOS 26 with no feature differences at this stage. However, future iOS updates may favor the iPhone 17 Pro Max due to its superior hardware. [12:05-12:39]

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

  • The iPhone 17 Pro Max offers notable upgrades in display brightness, battery life, camera zoom capabilities, and internal performance. [12:36-13:10]
  • The vapor chamber cooling is a significant improvement for sustained performance.
  • For users with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the upgrade is only strongly recommended if you are coming off a contract and have the budget. The 15 Pro Max is still a very capable phone and will remain so for some time. [13:07-13:39]
  • For users coming from an iPhone 14 Pro Max, the upgrade story might be different, and a future comparison video is planned. [13:07-13:39]

The reviewer encourages viewers to consider their current contract status and budget when deciding whether to upgrade from an iPhone 15 Pro Max.