iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Main differences to expect
The iPhone 18 Pro Max looks stunning in red. | Image by PhoneArena
This September, we are getting the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which will be announced on stage by Apple's new CEO John Ternus and other key executives.
The rumor mill has been painting a pretty exciting picture for the upcoming device, which will likely get the largest battery on an iPhone so far, snatch a new 2nm chipset, and get a camera with variable aperture. Oh, and it might come in a classy red hue.
As a person who has been using the iPhone 13 Pro Max for the better part of three years, I can frankly admit that if I was still stuck with one of those, I'd be ready to upgrade to the iPhone 18 Pro Max as soon as possible. Don't get me wrong, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a classic, but even good things come to an end, and so far, the 2026 best conventional iPhone seems like the best upcoming option.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max expected differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Aluminum design language with an expansive camera plateau in the back | A flat stainless-steel design with a compact camera island |
| Narrower second-gen Dynamic Island at the front | The last iPhone with an old-school display notch |
| 2 nm Apple A20 Pro chip | 5nm Apple 15 Bionic chip, slower and less impressive |
| 12 GB of RAM on board | Just 6 GB of RAM, no Apple Intelligence support |
| Apple C2 modem, offering improved efficiency | Way less efficient 5G modem |
| Starting at 256 GB and up to 2 TB of storage, likely | Starts at 128 GB and comes with a maximum of 1TB of storage |
| Variable aperture on 48MP main camera | A triple 12 MP camera system |
| Potentially wider aperture for the telephoto lens | A fairly short 3X telephoto camera |
| Even larger 5,200+ mAh battery | A way smaller 4,352 mAh battery |
| Possibly improved charging | 25W wired charging, 15W standard MagSafe wireless charging |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
What a difference five years make
I'm certain that putting the iPhone 18 Pro Max next to the iPhone 13 Pro Max this autumn will be a profound revelation to all Apple fans out there. One represents the glorious past, the not-so-distant height of the lineup, whereas the other clearly shows the telltale signs of the iPhone's steady evolution.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max wouldn't be that much different from the iPhone 17 Pro Max, as we don't expect any major design changes. It will remain a phone with an aluminum frame and an expansive camera plateau at the rear.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max represents a distant yet familiar design language with a flat exterior combining a stainless-steel frame and a glass backplate.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be thicker and potentially heavier than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The phone will measure 8.75 mm, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max was sleeker at 7.65 mm. In terms of weight, the iPhone 13 Pro Max tipped the scales at 240 grams, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max will possibly be in the ballpark of 240 grams.
And when it comes to custom buttons, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will come with the Action Button and Camera Controls, whereas the iPhone 13 Pro Max was equipped with the old-school ring switch.
One big difference between the two devices lies at the front: the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a smaller Dynamic Island punch-hole, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max had the classic notch up front.
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm (~11.25 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 231.0 g | 240.0 g |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The new hero color of the iPhone 18 Pro Max will reportedly be Dark Cherry. The rest of the hues are possibly Light Blue (Pantone 2121), Dark Gray (426C), and Silver (Pantone 427C).
At the same time, the iPhone 13 Pro Max was available in Graphite, Gold, Silver, and the Sierra Blue colors.
Display Differences
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, we are getting a 6.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion. The peak brightness will probably surpass 3,000 nits.
The big upgrade here will be the efficiency of the panel, as Apple is reportedly using LTPO+ technology to have greater control over the light emission. This will potentially deliver battery savings.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, had a 6.7-inch screen, and it was the first iPhone to come with 1-120 Hz ProMotion on deck. The peak brightness wasn't impressive, but was good enough back in the day. The minimum brightness of 2 nits was also less than ideal.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 10-120Hz |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Both phones rely on Face ID for biometrics, but as we mentioned, the Dynamic Island on the newer device would be much more compact.
Performance and Software
Like night and day
No beating around the bush here: the iPhone 18 Pro Max will mop the floor with the iPhone 13 Pro Max in terms of performance and efficiency. That's because it will be coming along with the Apple A20 Pro chipset; it will be built on a 2 nm manufacturing node, which would be a first for the iPhone. This device will likely come with 12 GB of RAM.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max came with the 5 nm Apple A15 Bionic, which is already outdated and not up to par for any demanding tasks these days. Sure, it will do you just good for basic browsing, light gaming, and using the phone as a, well, phone, but not much more. It also had just 6 GB of RAM, so no Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and probably a 2 TB version. The iPhone 13 Pro Max was available with 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB of storage.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
6GB (LPDDR4X)/128GB (NVMe) 6GB/256GB 6GB/512GB 6GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | iOS (18.x, 17.x, 16.x, 15.x) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
iOS 27 will make it to both devices. The iPhone 18 Pro Max will get it out of the box, while the 13 Pro Max will get it as a software update.
Camera
Triple 48 MP versus triple 12 MP cameras
Expect the iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same camera setup as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, so a triple 48 MP selection in the back with a long 4X periscope. The big upgrade here would be the main camera, which will score a variable aperture.
A variable aperture would allow the camera to intelligently switch to a wider aperture in lower-light conditions or when the need for a shallow depth of field arises (most often when taking portraits). Conversely, the opposite narrow end of the variable aperture would boost the focus, sharpness, and detail in standard light conditions.
At the same time, the iPhone 13 Pro Max had a triple 12 MP camera setup with a slightly shorter 3X telephoto camera.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
12 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.5 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.65'' Pixel size: 1.9 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Ultra-wide, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/3.4" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 77 mm Sensor size: 1/3.4" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), EIS, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The front of the iPhone 13 Pro Max has the 12 MP FaceTime camera, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely score the 18 MP Center Stage camera, which will be able to intelligently keep you centered in the frame.
Battery Life and Charging
From one legend to another
Rumors claim the iPhone 18 Pro Max will get a battery larger than 5,100 mAh, potentially, setting a new record for battery capacity on the iPhone. Paired with all the efficiency gains, we might get much better battery life out of the device.
Battery life was something that the iPhone 13 Pro Max was well known for, as its 4,352 mAh delivered an impressive endurance. Well, it has since been dethroned by most of its successors, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max has all the chances to set the biggest spread yet.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5088 mAh | 4352 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 25.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
In terms of charging, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely boast 40 W of wired charging and 25 W MagSafe 2.0 wireless charging. The iPhone 13 Pro Max supported slower speeds, maxing out at around 25 W.
Specs Comparison
Here's how the iPhone 18 Pro Max specs match the iPhone 13 Pro Max specs.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm (~11.25 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 231.0 g | 240.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.7-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | OLED, Variable 10-120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
6GB (LPDDR4X)/128GB (NVMe) 6GB/256GB 6GB/512GB 6GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | iOS (18.x, 17.x, 16.x, 15.x) |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5088 mAh | 4352 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 25.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
12 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.5 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/1.65'' Pixel size: 1.9 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Ultra-wide, Autofocus) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/3.4" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
12 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 77 mm Sensor size: 1/3.4" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), EIS, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple is setting key upgrades to its best conventional phone. Better performance, battery life, and camera image quality are what the rumor mill believes could be the essential upgrades.
Sounds like more than a perfect set of improvements to sway over those holdout iPhone 13 Pro Max users. While that older iPhone is still good for general use and not very demanding tasks, time is starting to take its toll.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max sounds like the perfecet replacement.
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