{"id":932713,"date":"2026-10-18T15:14:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932713\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T15:14:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:14:24","slug":"i-tested-the-iphone-18-pro-max-vs-iphone-14-pro-max-side-by-side-should-you-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932713\/","title":{"rendered":"I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro Max side by side: should you upgrade?"},"content":{"rendered":"

So far, I\u2019ve pitted the iPhone 18 Pro Max<\/a> against some of its fiercest rivals \u2014 like the Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a>. But I\u2019ve also put it to the test against its predecessors, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max<\/a> and iPhone 15 Pro Max<\/a>, to see what major improvements the latest model actually delivers.<\/p>\n

This time, I\u2019m going further back to pit the iPhone 18 Pro Max against the iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/a>. Clearly, a four-year gap gives the 18 Pro Max a major advantage, but if my past face-offs are any indication, there are always surprises that make me rethink when it’s truly time to upgrade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll break down side-by-side camera samples, battery life runtimes, and benchmark scores so you can determine if it\u2019s worth the jump. Because honestly, given the current state of flagship phone prices, I could easily see someone holding onto their phone for five full years.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Cameras<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

To see the biggest impact of that four-year gap, look no further than camera performance. On paper, the iPhone 18 Pro Max clearly packs the superior setup: a 48MP triple-camera system headlined by a mechanical variable aperture<\/a> on the main lens and a 48MP telephoto shooter with 4x optical zoom. Other notable hardware upgrades include a brighter f\/1.48 maximum aperture on the primary sensor and a wider field of view from the upgraded 18MP Center Stage selfie camera.<\/p>\n

The upgrades aren’t just limited to hardware. The shooting experience on the iPhone 18 Pro Max is significantly elevated by new Pro Controls<\/a>, offering granular manual control over settings like shutter speed, focus, and white balance. On the video front, the iPhone 18 Pro Max pulls well ahead with native 4K 120fps recording, Log capture, ProRes, Cinematic mode, Audio Mix, and smart focus tracking.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Look closely at the side-by-side low-light samples above, and a clear pattern emerges. Considering its four-year-old hardware, the iPhone 14 Pro Max still holds up reasonably well.<\/p>\n

However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max\u2019s wider aperture and updated optics clearly give it the edge \u2014 delivering sharper detail, better-exposed shadows, and noticeably cleaner results with far less noise.<\/p>\n

Sign up to the Tom’s iGuide weekly newsletter with coverage on everything from product launches to software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content.<\/p>\n

Zoom is another area where the iPhone 18 Pro Max holds an inherent hardware advantage: it packs a 48MP telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom versus the iPhone 14 Pro Max\u2019s older 12MP sensor with 3x optical zoom. For the comparison above, I captured test shots at 4x, 8x, and 15x to highlight the differences across the range.<\/p>\n

At 4x zoom, it\u2019s tough to spot a clear winner from the overall frame, but cropping in reveals sharper edge definition around the statue with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Pushing to 8x zoom, the textures on the surrounding stone blocks are noticeably crisper on the 18 Pro Max as well. And finally, at 15x zoom, that advantage becomes unmistakable. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max takes the win across the focal range, the zoom gap isn’t quite as dramatic as the disparity in low-light performance.<\/p>\n

What about other shooting conditions? The differences are mostly minor, proving that the iPhone 14 Pro Max\u2019s main camera is still a solid performer that consistently delivers excellent results. You can see in several of the side-by-side shots above how closely it matches the iPhone 18 Pro Max in dynamic range and color reproduction.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

That said, here are a few other takeaways worth noting:<\/p>\n

Ultrawide detail: The iPhone 18 Pro Max captures slightly finer detail and crisper edges with its ultrawide shooter.Macro mode: While close-up shots look sharp on both, the iPhone 14 Pro Max suffers from more visible noise and grain.Selfies: The iPhone 18 Pro Max\u2019s updated 18MP Center Stage camera offers a noticeably wider field of view, making it far better suited for group shots.<\/p>\n

Just like in my previous face-offs against older flagships, the iPhone 14 Pro Max proves it’s still a capable everyday shooter. However, there are simply too many compelling reasons to justify jumping to the iPhone 18 Pro Max. I\u2019m not just talking about its massive leap in low-light photography\u2014it\u2019s the mechanical variable aperture, granular Pro Controls, and versatile video suite that ultimately seal the deal.<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Specifications<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Header Cell – Column 0 <\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max<\/p>\n

iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/p>\n

Price<\/p>\n

From $1,299<\/p>\n

From $1,099<\/p>\n

Main Display<\/p>\n

6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display (2,868 x 1,320)<\/p>\n

6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display (2,796 x 1,290)<\/p>\n

Refresh Rate<\/p>\n

1-120Hz ProMotion<\/p>\n

1-120Hz ProMotion<\/p>\n

Processor<\/p>\n

A20 Pro<\/p>\n

A16 Bionic<\/p>\n

Storage<\/p>\n

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB<\/p>\n

128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB<\/p>\n

RAM<\/p>\n

12GB<\/p>\n

6GB<\/p>\n

Front Camera<\/p>\n

18MP Center Stage camera (f\/1.9)<\/p>\n

12MP (f\/1.9)<\/p>\n

Rear Cameras<\/p>\n

48MP main with variable aperture (f\/1.48, f\/1.8, f\/2.8, f\/4), 48MP ultrawide (f\/2.2), 48MP telephoto w\/4x optical zoom (f\/2.8)<\/p>\n

48MP main (f\/1.78), 12MP ultrawide (f\/2.2), 12MP telephoto w\/3x optical zoom (f\/2.8)<\/p>\n

Battery Capacity<\/p>\n

5,391 mAh\u00a0<\/p>\n

4,323 mAh<\/p>\n

Charging<\/p>\n

60W wired, 25W wireless<\/p>\n

20W wired, 15W wireless<\/p>\n

Size<\/p>\n

6.43 x 3.07 x 0.34 inches (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)<\/p>\n

6.33 x 3.05 x 0.31 inches (160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm)<\/p>\n

Weight<\/p>\n

8.78 ounces (249 grams)<\/p>\n

8.47 ounces (240 grams)<\/p>\n

IP Rating<\/p>\n

IP68<\/p>\n

IP68<\/p>\n

Colors<\/p>\n

Black, Silver, Glacier, Burgundy<\/p>\n

Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Battery and charging<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Due to its larger footprint, the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs a larger 5,391 mAh battery \u2014 a massive increase over the 4,323 mAh cell inside the iPhone 14 Pro Max.<\/p>\n

In our battery drain test, the iPhone 18 Pro Max turned in an average endurance time of 18 hours and 27 minutes<\/a>. By comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max fell short at 13 hours and 39 minutes<\/a>. That\u2019s a difference of 4 hours and 48 minutes, or roughly a 35% improvement in battery life. Don\u2019t get me wrong: the iPhone 14 Pro Max can still easily clear a normal workday, but the 18 Pro Max\u2019s extra endurance means plenty of gas left in the tank for the commute home and late into the night.<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Row 0 – Cell 0 <\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max <\/p>\n

iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/p>\n

Battery Size<\/p>\n

5,391 mAh\u00a0<\/p>\n

4,323 mAh<\/p>\n

Battery Life (hours:minutes)<\/p>\n

18:27 <\/p>\n

13:39<\/p>\n

Charging level in 15 minutes<\/p>\n

53%<\/p>\n

21%<\/p>\n

Charging level in 30 minutes<\/p>\n

80%<\/p>\n

42%<\/p>\n

Another compelling reason to make the jump is the significantly faster charging. Thanks to upgraded 60W wired charging support, the iPhone 18 Pro Max reaches an impressive 53% in just 15 minutes and hits 80% after 30 minutes. Over the exact same intervals, the iPhone 14 Pro Max crawled to just 21% and 42%.<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Performance<\/p>\n

\n

\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

I almost forgot about Apple\u2019s “Bionic” branding until I pulled up the benchmark results for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but the numbers offer concrete proof of the massive generational leap you get with the 18 Pro Max<\/a>. Four years is an eternity in the phone arena, and it definitely shows in this face-off.<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s bleeding-edge A20 Pro chip<\/a> powering the iPhone 18 Pro Max makes daily navigation feel buttery smooth, but our synthetic benchmark tests truly drive home the divide. On Geekbench, the iPhone 18 Pro Max pulled in single-core and multi-core scores of 4,741 and 12,789, respectively \u2014 easily eclipsing the 1,887 and 5,374 turned in by the 14 Pro Max. If you thought single-core gains from recent generations were impressive, the massive 151% increase here puts the gap in perspective.<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Row 0 – Cell 0 <\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max<\/p>\n

iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/p>\n

Chipset<\/p>\n

A20 Pro<\/p>\n

A16 Bionic<\/p>\n

Geekbench (single \/ multi-core)<\/p>\n

4,741 \/ 12,789<\/p>\n

1,887 \/ 5,374<\/p>\n

3DMark Wild Life Original Unlimited (fps \/ score)<\/p>\n

230.37 fps \/ 38,474<\/p>\n

74.1 fps \/ 12,380<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s not enough to convince iPhone 14 Pro Max owners, the graphics testing shows an even wider chasm. Running 3DMark Wild Life Original Unlimited, the iPhone 18 Pro Max averaged an astonishing 230.37 fps with an overall score of 38,474. Those results leave the iPhone 14 Pro Max\u2019s 74.1 fps and 12,380 score looking closer to today’s budget handsets.<\/p>\n

To be fair, the iPhone 14 Pro Max still handles everyday tasks effortlessly \u2014 like browsing the web, scrolling social feeds, and streaming video. But for demanding workflows like rendering 4K video or running graphically intense 3D games, the iPhone 18 Pro Max simply leaves its predecessor in the dust.<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Software and AI<\/p>\n

\n

\"Siri\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Even though both phones run iOS 27<\/a>, the iPhone 18 Pro Max exclusively delivers Apple’s newest and most powerful intelligence features \u2014 and alone, they make a compelling case for an upgrade.<\/p>\n

It all boils down to Apple Intelligence<\/a> and Siri AI<\/a>. Because the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to the older A16 Bionic chip and 6GB of RAM, it doesn\u2019t make the cut for Apple\u2019s AI-powered suite. That means missing out on everyday features I rely on with the iPhone 18 Pro Max: Writing Tools<\/a> to refine drafts, the Clean Up tool in Photos<\/a> to erase photobombers, prioritized notification summaries<\/a>, Visual Intelligence<\/a>, and newer ones like Reframe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"iOS<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Siri<\/a> AI represents another massive generational leap. The assistant is far more context-aware and capable of executing complex cross-app actions. In CarPlay<\/a>, for instance, I regularly use Siri AI to dictate new notes on the road and add updates to existing lists all while being hands-free. On the iPhone 14 Pro Max, you\u2019re stuck with legacy Siri, and even a brief conversation highlights just how much more natural and conversational Siri AI has become.<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

On top of that, the iPhone 18 Pro Max takes full advantage of iOS 27\u2019s redesigned, slimmer Dynamic Island, supporting up to three simultaneous Live Activities compared to just two on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Displays<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s only a modest increase in physical footprint between these two flagships, but Apple elevates the screen on the iPhone 18 Pro Max with meaningful upgrades. Not only does it pack a more expansive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display \u2014 up from the iPhone 14 Pro Max\u2019s 6.7-inch panel \u2014 but the bezels around the glass are noticeably slimmer, framing an unobtrusive, smaller Dynamic Island.<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Row 0 – Cell 0 <\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max<\/p>\n

iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/p>\n

Display<\/p>\n

6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display (2,868 x 1,320)<\/p>\n

6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display (2,796 x 1,290)<\/p>\n

Peak Brightness<\/p>\n

2,326 nits<\/p>\n

1,565 nits<\/p>\n

sRGB<\/p>\n

115.4%<\/p>\n

117.5%<\/p>\n

DCI-P3<\/p>\n

81.8%<\/p>\n

83.2%<\/p>\n

Delta-E<\/p>\n

0.26<\/p>\n

0.26<\/p>\n

Personally, I find the iPhone 14 Pro Max plenty capable for everyday use, but it simply can’t match the superior outdoor visibility of the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Thanks to a measured peak brightness of 2,326 nits, the newer panel delivers a massive 49% boost over the 1,565-nit peak we recorded on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.<\/p>\n

Coupled with its anti-reflective coating, looking at the iPhone 18 Pro Max\u2019s screen leaves no doubt that it\u2019s a genuine generational leap forward.<\/p>\n

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Verdict<\/p>\n

\n

\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: John Velasco \/ Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t thrilled to see a $100 price hike on this year\u2019s flagship, pushing the iPhone 18 Pro Max to $1,299 for its 256GB base configuration. That means it costs $200 more than what iPhone 14 Pro Max owners shelled out four years ago. Interestingly enough, that older model started with just 128GB of base storage.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve held onto the iPhone 14 Pro Max for the past four years, you\u2019ve gotten incredible mileage out of your investment. But there\u2019s a huge incentive to take the leap, even with that steeper barrier to entry. Simply put, the iPhone 18 Pro Max doesn’t just edge past the 14 Pro Max \u2014 it decisively dominates across every category.<\/p>\n

Is it finally time to upgrade? Absolutely.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"So far, I\u2019ve pitted the iPhone 18 Pro Max against some of its fiercest rivals \u2014 like the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":932714,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[64,63,203,105],"class_list":["post-932713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-mobile","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/932714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=932713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=932713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}