iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: 5 key differences between Apple's newest and previous best smartphones

Date:
Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:13:20 +0000

Description:
From battery life to a variable aperture here are the key iPhone 18 Pro vs
17 Pro differences

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Apple has unveiled the iPhone
18 Pro and its September 9 'Surprise and Shine' event , but how does it stack up against last years mighty iPhone 17 Pro?

Among other things heres the powerful new A20 Pro chip, and the main cameras new variable aperture, but these mean the iPhone 18 Pro costs a little more than its older sibling. If youre weighing up the two iPhone Pros, these are the five key differences youll need to consider before you make your choice Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: 1. Variable aperture @techradar

original sound - TechRadar If you care about photography this is easily the biggest iPhone 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 iPhone 18 Pros 48MP fusion main camera solves this problem by adapting to meet your needs for each shot. You may like Apple Event 2026
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The iPhone 17 Pro lacks this capability, though its camera array is still
very solid, even if it lacks the latest models versatility. 2. Battery life and specs (Image credit: Apple) As youd expect, the iPhone 18 pro boasts better specs thanks to its A20 Pro chip. According to Apple its CPUs two supercores are 20% faster than what youll find in the iPhone 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. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The change youll notice the most, though, is the bigger battery.

While the iPhone 17 Pro achieved a 33-hour battery life in Apples internal video playback tests, the 18 Pro managed to last for 36 hours the same
length of time as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If you were wondering, the iPhone 18 Pro Max can hold out for a whopping 45 hours. 3. iPhone Pro colors (Image credit: Apple) The iPhone 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. What to read next Will iPhone 17 prices drop when the iPhone 18 arrives? The answer is complicated Why the iPhone 18 Pros variable aperture is its biggest camera upgrade, by a pro photographer iOS 27 leak suggests major camera upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro

Meanwhile the iPhone 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 lets be real youll probably just put it in a case anyway, whichever model
you get. 4. Dynamic Island (Image credit: Apple) As was teased by leaks ahead of the reveal, the iPhone 18 pro boasts a smaller Dynamic Island which
should make it a less annoying permanent distraction on your screen compared with the iPhone 17 Pros Island.

At the same time it has become a little more versatile too. The iPhone 18
pros Dynamic Island can now support three live activities at once, up from
the previous maximum of two. 5. Price and availability @techradar

On The Dance Floor (Instrumental) - BLVKSHP The iPhone 18 Pro was only just revealed, but itll 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 its the
smartphone for you.

Meanwhile the iPhone 17 Pro can be picked up right now with a lower list
price of $1,099 / 1,099 / AU$1,999.

On paper that $100 difference isn't major, but given that the iPhone 17 Pro
is a year old we can expect to see its price drop further, especially as we head into the Black Friday sales period. And with Apple hiking prices of its other iPhone 17 models on the Apple Store by $100 / 100, the 17 Pro which
has been discontinued, so won't be affected suddenly looks like a relative bargain. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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