Between the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 17 Pro comes out ahead in weight, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on battery capacity and screen size. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro scores 63.4 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (63.4 vs 67.5), but the 4.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery capacity, screen size, antutu.
Both ship with comparable ram, main camera, refresh rate, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro wins
- ▲Weight — 24.00 g less. 203 vs 227.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Battery capacity — 26.90% more. 4685 mAh vs 3692 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 9.52% more. 6.9 " vs 6.3 ".
- ▲AnTuTu — 0.96% more. 2100000 vs 2080000.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 203 glead | 227 g |
| Thickness | 8.3 mm | 8.3 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.3 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 2200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3692 mAh | 4685 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 30 W | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 W | 25 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOS | iOS |
| Promised OS updates | 6 years | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has 26.9% more battery — 3692 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro is 24g lighter — 203g vs 227g.
Is iPhone 17 Pro waterproof?+
iPhone 17 Pro has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 48 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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