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iPhone 18 rumored to be a big step up in performance over iPhone 17

The iPhone 18 is going to feel closer to the iPhone 18 Pro.

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Oct 25, 2025, 1:34 PM

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The iPhone 17 family. | Image Credit - PhoneArena

The base iPhone 18 model will have as much RAM as the other models in the lineup, according to a new report. Right now, the iPhone 17 is the only variant in the iPhone family to have 8GB of RAM, making it something of an outlier.

All iPhone 18 models will reportedly have 12GB of RAM

The iPhone 18 series is rumored to come with a better type of RAM. | Image Credit - Micron

The iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max feature 12GB of RAM, making them better equipped to handle multitasking and intensive AI workloads than the standard model.

The iPhone 18 could get 12GB of RAM, per a now-deleted report from the South Korean outlet The Bell, which was referenced by MacRumors. It appears that The Bell took down the article to protect the secrecy of the information, or the report may have been based on false intel.

However, the iPhone 17 was also rumored to have 12GB of RAM, but that didn't end up happening, so it's not unreasonable to expect its successor to have more RAM.

While 8GB of RAM may be sufficient for now, the base iPhone may start struggling as Apple rolls out its more ambitious AI features.

Apple can't lean on hardware forever

Save for the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 lineup is doing well, and that's largely because of the improved hardware. The base iPhone 17 model comes with an always-on screen and high-refresh rate for the first time, making it easier for customers to overlook the relative lack of AI features.

Apple might not be able to get away with that in 2027, which is when the standard model and the iPhone 18e are expected to be released. This year, the company will reportedly only launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, the foldable iPhone, and the iPhone Air 2, assuming it exists.

An iPhone 18 with 8GB of RAM would not be able to keep up with more advanced and powerful AI tools. The CPU would shoulder any additional pressure, slowing down the device and forcing background apps out of the memory.

Do you think iPhone 18 can get away with 8GB of RAM?

No way.

47.62%

Don't underestimate Apple's ability to justify anything.

34.13%

Only if they lower the price.

18.25%

More RAM and a better chip will uplift the iPhone 18's performance

Even if you don't use AI features frequently, more RAM is always welcome because it makes a device run smoothly.

Per a previous report, the iPhone 18 series will feature 6-channel LPDDR5X RAM, increasing the memory bandwidth. This should allow for faster multitasking and better AI capabilities.

Apple's RAM suppliers, Samsung and Micron, don't offer LPDDR5X memory in 8GB, which adds weight to the rumor that the base iPhone 18 will come with 12GB of RAM.

The entire iPhone 18 family will allegedly be fueled by 2nm chips, enabling faster performance and improved power efficiency.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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