iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Time to upgrade
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Intro
Apple's latest and greatest iPhone 17 Pro Max has been launched with the largest battery on an iPhone, a faster chipset, and a brighter screen, ushering in a new upgrade era for fans of aging iPhone flagships, like the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
How does the iPhone 17 Pro Max stack up against the now aging iPhone 14 Pro Max, a device that still offers decent performance, the iconic stainless-steel design, and has some gas left in the tank?
If you already have the iPhone 14 Pro Max, then the big question for you is whether the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers enough improvements to justify upgrading.
As usual, to help us deliver a verdict, we put both iPhones through our in-house benchmark tests for battery life, camera quality, display performance, and raw speed. Aside from the synthetic data, we've also spent time living with these phones to see how they perform in real life and what the experience is like. In this detailed comparison, we’ll share our results and help you decide which phone is the smarter choice going forward.
How does the iPhone 17 Pro Max stack up against the now aging iPhone 14 Pro Max, a device that still offers decent performance, the iconic stainless-steel design, and has some gas left in the tank?
As usual, to help us deliver a verdict, we put both iPhones through our in-house benchmark tests for battery life, camera quality, display performance, and raw speed. Aside from the synthetic data, we've also spent time living with these phones to see how they perform in real life and what the experience is like. In this detailed comparison, we’ll share our results and help you decide which phone is the smarter choice going forward.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max differences:
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Design | |
| Slightly lighter at 233 gr | Heavier at 240 grams |
| Taller at 163.4 mm | Shorter at 160.7 mm |
| Wider at 78 mm | Narrower at 77.6 mm |
| Thicker at 8.75 mm | Thinner at 7.85 mm |
| Two-tone aluminum frame | Single-tone stainless steel frame |
| Ceramic Shield 2 front, Ceramic Shield back | Ceramic Shield front, glass back |
| Silver, Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue colors | Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple |
| Display | |
| 6.9" OLED with 1-120Hz ProMotion | 6.7" OLED with 1-120Hz ProMotion |
| 3,000 nits of peak brightness | 2,000 nits of peak brightness |
| Anti-reflective properties | No anti-reflective properties |
| Performance | |
| Apple A19 Pro chipset, 3nm | Apple A16 Bionic, 4nm |
| Vapor chamber cooling | No vapor chamber cooling |
| 12GB of RAM | 6GB of RAM |
| 2TB storage option | Maxes out at 1TB |
| Cameras | |
| 48MP F1.8 main camera | Same main camera |
| 48MP F2.2 ultrawide camera | 12MP F2.2 ultrawide camera |
| 48MP 4X telephoto with larger sensor | 12MP 3X telephoto with smaller sensor |
| 18MP Center Stage FaceTime camera with square sensor | Standard 12MP FaceTime camera |
| Battery | |
| Larger 5,088 mAh battery | Smaller 4,323 mAh battery |
| Up to 39 hours video playback | Up to 29 hours video playback |
| 40W wired charging: 50% in 20 minutes | 27W wired charging: 50% in 35 minutes |
| 25W MagSafe | Slower 15W MagSafe |
| Models | |
| 256GB base ($1,199) | 256GB base ($1,199) |
| Other | |
| Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Second-gen wideband chip | First-gen wideband chip |
| Apple Intelligence support | No Apple Intelligence support |
Design and Size
Wait, what's that in the back?
iPhone 17 Pro Max features an aluminum unibody
The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a two-tone design language that subtly separates the back glass plate from the new aluminum unibody. Yes, aluminum, not titanium, a strange change of mind after for Apple, after it tried to convince us in just how amazing titanium was in the last two years. In comparison, the 14 Pro Max features a stainless-steel frame and a full-sized glass plate on the back.
There's also a larger camera strip (Apple insists on calling it a "plateau") at the rear. Aside from making the phone a bit top-heavy, this is the signature design element that distinguishes the new device from older Pro Max models.
Other than that, the iPhone 17 Pro Max features an Action Button and Camera Control that are missing on the 14 Pro Max. The newer Pro Max also has a USB-C port at the bottom rather than Lightning.
One advantage for the older iPhone 14 Pro Max is its thinner, 7.8 mm profile, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max measures 8.65mm thick. However, the 17 Pro Max at 233 grams still weighs a bit less than the 14 Pro Max with its 240 grams.
In terms of colors, the 17 Pro Max comes in just three variants—Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue and Silver. The 14 Pro Max was available in Space Black, Silver, Gold, and Deep Purple.
Display Differences
The screen can now hit 3,000 nits of peak brightness
With the iPhone 17 Pro Max, we're getting a 6.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR OLED display. It's a slightly bigger screen compared to the 6.7-inch display on the 14 Pro Max, but both have ProMotion.
Leaks suggest that the 17 Pro Max uses Samsung's new M14 OLED panel that not only boosts the energy efficiency of the device, but also allows for a much higher peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Compare this to a peak brightness of 2,000 nits on the 14 Pro Max.
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Screen size 6.9-inch | Screen size 6.7-inch |
| Peak Brightness 3,000 nites | Peak Brightness 2,000 nits |
Our benchmark tests reveal that the display of the new iPhone 17 Pro Max is much brighter and can also achieve lower minimum brightness. Other than that, the two are mostly comparable. If you've seen one display of an iPhone Pro, you've seen them all.
One other exciting change is a new seven-layer anti-reflective coating on the 17 Pro Max. This is not quite Galaxy Ultra level of anti-reflectivity, but Apple says it achieves 33% less reflections compared to its previous displays, so it is noticeable.
Anti-reflective coating on iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16
You can clearly see that it makes a difference in a direct comparison with the iPhone 16 series in these images from a hands-on video by YouTuber MrWhoseTheBoss.
The 17 Pro Max also goes down to a minimum brightness of just 1 nit, making it easier on the eyes at night, while the 14 Pro Max does not quite get as low.
Performance and Software
A major leap in performance
Much better sustained performance and neural accelerators in each GPU core
One thing is certain: the performance difference between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the 14 Pro Max is substantial, given the generational difference between the two chips. The newer model features the A19 Pro chipset, Apple's third-generation 3nm chip.
Does this mean the iPhone 14 Pro Max is terribly outdated? No, of course not. It's still fairly capable and delivers a decent amount of performance in standard everyday usage scenarios, but if you want fast photo and video editing or heavy-duty performance, the 17 Pro Max makes a strong case with up 40% faster CPU performance.
Also, don't forget that the iPhone 14 Pro Max does NOT support Apple Intelligence, while the 17 Pro Max does and it has more memory and neural accelerators in each GPU core, making on-device AI processing much faster.
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Chip Apple A19 Pro | Chip Apple A16 Bionic |
| Node 3nm | Node 4nm |
| Memory 12GB | Memory 6GB |
That's a significant performance difference if we've ever seen one. Separated by two generations, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are on two sides of the performance spectrum, with the newer phone way ahead.
The same can be said for the graphics performance, where the iPhone 17 Pro Max can't really compare with its successor.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max features 12 GB of RAM, which shapes it as a very future-proof device, especially when we factor in the tasking requirements of Apple Intelligence. The 14 Pro Max only 6 GB of RAM, failing the requirements for Apple Intelligence. This also means that the multitasking experience with the older device would be nowhere near as good.
Storage-wise, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was the last Pro iPhone to boast a 128GB version along with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB ones. The 17 Pro Max starts from 256GB for the base tier, but also at a higher price.
New about the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the vapor chamber that can immensely help with dissipating heat during intense tasks. The aluminum chassis also helps with that.
Both models run on iOS 26, Apple's latest operating system, so the software is the same.
iOS 26 is the biggest visual overhaul of Apple’s mobile OS in the last decade, and it comes with a new Liquid Glass design. This can either be (relatively) subtle if you stick with the default look of the system, or it can be very "in your face" if you go for the new "Clear Look" that makes everything glassy and transparent. Windows Vista called; it wants its glass back.
Camera
Not all triple cameras are equal
A big upgrade to the telephoto camera
Sure, both the 17 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max use a triple-camera array at the back, but they are quite different.
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Main camera 48MP F1.8 | Main camera 48MP F1.8 |
| Ultrawide 48MP F2.2 | Ultrawide 12MP F2.2 |
| Telephoto 48MP F2.8 4X | Telephoto 12MP F2.8 3X |
| Front 18MP | Front 12MP |
With the iPhone 17 Pro Max, we are getting 48MP sensors on all cameras, and the tetraprism telephoto camera is getting a big upgrade.
This new zoom camera features a larger physical sensor and a new 4X native zoom level. With sensor cropping, you can get lossless quality at 8X too, and the maximum digital zoom level is now 40X.
The 14 Pro Max has a regular (non-tetraprism) telephoto camera with 3X zoom level, so it's not quite as good with long-range zooming.
Another change is found up front, where a new 18MP Center Stage camera not only brings a higher resolution and more detail, but it also uses a square sensor like action cameras. This allows for Action Mode-like stabilization on it, and a very cool new ability to shoot landscape photos while you still hold the phone vertically.
PhoneArena Camera Score:
The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a much better and more capable camera according to our custom camera test, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max surprisingly holds its own very well in comparison with the newer model. That's because the hardware behind the main camera has not changed that much; it's only the software processing and algorithms that have been tweaked on the newer models.
Main camera
The main differences between the two phones are the dynamic range, color science, and temperature that tip the scales in the iPhone 17 Pro Max's favor. It has simply snapped a better photo, period.
At night, the iPhone 17 Pro Max demonstrates better dynamic range, more natural detail, and slightly more appealing night-time colors.
Zoom Quality
Surprisingly, the differences between the two aren't that drastic, though the iPhone 17 Pro Max does pull ahead.
Ultrawide camera
The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to have a slightly more aggressive image processing. This can be best observed in the dynamic range, which is a bit more moody and underexposed in comparison with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Selfie
Selfies are great on both phones. If there's any benefit from upgrading the front camera to an 18MP square sensor, it isn't visible in terms of overall quality. Still, we'd ha
Video Quality
Video quality is better on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max actually holds its own very well.
We also like the new Dual Capture mode in video where you can simultaneously record using the rear cameras and overlay the front camera on top of that. With the new Center Stage camera, the front camera feed is more stable and you are always in frame.
When it comes to video recording, the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets ProRes RAW video recording where you can squeeze the highest dynamic range (but the files will also be gigantic). The other signature new feature is GenLock, which allows you to sync videos across multiple devices on a larger production. While nice and dandy, these features will probably only interest the 1% that are into serious video making and not your average user.
Battery Life and Charging
Biggest battery on an iPhone so far
It can last longer and charge faster
The iPhone 17 Pro Max comes with a large 5,088 mAh battery, the largest one on an iPhone so far. However, battery sizes on the iPhone 17 Pro Max are different depending on whether you get the eSIM model (all iPhones in the US are eSIM) or not (European models have a physical SIM card). The eSIM models have a slightly bigger battery, making use of the extra space not occupied by the plastic SIM card.
Here are the official battery life estimates by Apple:
- iPhone 17 Pro Max eSIM: 39 hours of video playback
- iPhone 17 Pro Max physical SIM: 37 hours
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: 29 hours
And below, you can see the battery and charging specs:
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Battery size 5,088 mAh | Battery size 4,323 mAh |
| Wired 40W | Wired 25W |
| Wireless 25W | Wireless 15W |
PhoneArena Battery and Charging Test Results:
In our tests, however, it turns out that the iPhone 14 Pro Max holds its battery life well against the newer device.
Charging-wise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets a big upgrade. After years of limiting iPhones to slower charging, Apple is finally allowing for 40W charging. The iPhone 14 Pro Max can charge up to 25W only. This allows the new device to fully charge in an hour and 16 minutes, up from an hour and 38 minutes on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In practical terms, that means that you can reach a 50% charge in just 20 minutes on the 17 Pro Max, while it takes more than 30 minutes to get there on the 14 Pro Max.
MagSafe is available on both, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max supports the faster 25W charging speeds compared to 15W on the 14 Pro Max.
There is no reverse wireless charging on either of these models.
Charging-wise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets a big upgrade. After years of limiting iPhones to slower charging, Apple is finally allowing for 40W charging. The iPhone 14 Pro Max can charge up to 25W only. This allows the new device to fully charge in an hour and 16 minutes, up from an hour and 38 minutes on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In practical terms, that means that you can reach a 50% charge in just 20 minutes on the 17 Pro Max, while it takes more than 30 minutes to get there on the 14 Pro Max.
MagSafe is available on both, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max supports the faster 25W charging speeds compared to 15W on the 14 Pro Max.
There is no reverse wireless charging on either of these models.
Audio and haptics
While it's usually safe to assume that newer always means better, in a surprising twist, the iPhone 17 Pro Max sounds a bit worse than the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The new model doesn't get as loud and sounds a bit thinner at higher volumes, lacking the appealing depth of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
We'd say that the iPhone 17 Pro Max sounds pretty much similar to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In terms of haptics, we can't say there's a real tangible difference between the two. Both deliver strong and precise vibrations, which are a joy to experience when navigating the interface.
Specs Comparison
Here's how the iPhone 17 Pro Max compares against the iPhone 14 Pro Max:
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 14 Pro Max |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 163.4 x 78 x 8.75 mm 233 grams | Size, weight 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm 240 grams |
| Screen 6.9" OLED 120Hz ProMotion 3,000 nits peak brightness | Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz ProMotion 2,000 nits peak brightness |
| Processor A19 Pro 3nm | Processor A16 Bionic 4nm |
| Versions: 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB LPDDR5 | Versions: 6GB/128GB 6GB/256GB 6GB/512GB 6GB/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 48MP main 48MP ultra 48MP 4X zoom 18MP front | Cameras: 48MP main 12MP ultra 12MP 3X zoom 12MP front |
| Battery: ~5,000 mAh | Battery: 4,323 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 40W wired 25W MagSafe 2.0 | Charging: Lightning port 25W wired 15W MagSafe |
Also read: iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra
Summary
A lot has changed in three years.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max looks bolder and different, it has much better battery life and faster charging, it no longer uses a Lightning port and it has a new Camera Control and Action buttons.
It is also faster with a new chip and ready for Apple Intelligence (even if that takes an extra beat to arrive).
The changes in the camera are not massive, but with better quality telephoto camera and new front camera tricks, they are noticeable.
We also like the smaller touches like a brighter screen during the day, dimmer at night and the new anti-reflectivity coating and better scratch protection.
If your iPhone 14 Pro Max is starting to feel a bit old, you surely won't regret updating to the 17 Pro Max.
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