iPhone 17 Pro Max iPhone 17 Pro Max is here! First impressions and photos thread

[Allen_Wentz]

Thank you!

Aluminium/num is the only thing I am put off by. I get that it may dissipate heat better and achieving complex unibody structures is likely easier with the soft metal, but it is definitely a downgrade in my opinion - even visually.

I don’t quite experience my iPhone 15 Pro Max heating up all that much.

What are you all thinking about this material choice?

I agree, a visual downgrade. I bought a 17PM for the tele lens, and despite the downgrade from (natural) titanium alloy to (silver) aluminum alloy.

The superb tele lens iPhone Pro performance totally makes the lame colors irrelevant.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

They're so beautiful together. They were meant to be with each other. 🥰View attachment 2553855

That pic above is not a representative image. In real life the white ceramic of the iPhone 17 Pro visually jumps out. I bought one to get the great camera competence but I do dislike the bright white ceramic.

 

[Tevosn]

On my phone the glass is not level with the aluminum frame. The glass corner closest to the flash is higher than the frame. Can’t tell by looking at it, but you can easily feel it.
If you trace it to the corner close to the cameras it gets level. Also not aligned at the center of the cutout.
Not really a big deal, but I expected better manufacturing with such an expensive phone.

I’m curious if it’s just my phone that is like that, or other have noticed it too?

 

[zonai]

For me, I’m looking at the screen 99.999% of the time I have my phone so the backside and overall look doesn’t really bother me.

Kind of like how you don't really see the color of your car when you're driving it

 

[zakarhino]

I suspect this will probably be one of the best iPhones ever and I’m typically pretty pessimistic. I think if you’re looking for “the one” that will last you many years this might be it. We'll see where we stand in a few weeks but I'm more impressed than I am neutral or disappointed.

Every iPhone for the past few years has always left me wanting because I always felt like something was being left on the table. I have been waiting for a much improved telephoto for so long and the sensor has always been the weak point.

Now we have a great high res sensor with a much more sensible and useful 4x default. 8x also looks really great. Now all sensors are 48mp. Macro works great. Battery is much improved. Modem has finally been upgraded. Thermals seem to be a huge step up which should also make the new 3k nit display more useful out in the sun.

I basically have no complaints and shockingly I feel like there’s nothing left on the table this time. I couldn’t say that about many of the previous iPhones I’ve bought over the years.

 

[eoblaed]

I wonder what Jony Ive thinks of these new Pro iPhones lol

Given he was pretty solidly in the 'form over function' camp, I'm guessing he can't stand them. Probably a fan of the Air, though.

 

[eoblaed]

I just got my 17PM and this thing gets hot every time I pick it up. I was actually looking forward to the cooling bc my 16PM would get hot but after a lot of use, this is getting hot, no joke, ordering a pizza on DoorDash; (that's a me problem). Anyone else just consistently hot; iOS26 v the phone itself; hoping it's just software.

You can't judge anything about battery or heat for at least a day or two, depending on your content on the phone and especially if you've done a restore from backup.

 

[zonai]

I think it's too early to declare something like that. Every year we think Apple is going to fix some perceived shortcomings of the phone, but then the problem isn't actually solved or a new one pops up. Like 15 Pro/Pro Max would heat up a lot. Then 16 Pro/Pro Max was supposed to solve that but apparently not because Apple ditched titanium and added a vapor chamber. Now some are claiming these 17 Pro phones scratch really easily.

Probably one of the best iPhones ever honestly and I’m typically pretty pessimistic. I think if you’re looking for “the one” that will last you many years this might be it.

Every iPhone for the past few years has always left me wanting because I always felt like something was being left on the table. I have been waiting for a much improved telephoto for so long and the sensor has always been the weak point.

Now we have a great high res sensor with a much more sensible and useful 4x default. 8x also looks really great. Now all sensors are 48mp. Macro works great. Battery is much improved. Modem has finally been upgraded. Thermals seem to be a huge step up which should also make the new 3k nit display more useful out in the sun.

I basically have no complaints and shockingly I feel like there’s nothing left on the table this time. I couldn’t say that about many of the previous iPhones I’ve bought over the years.

 

[buruuburu]

Hi all, picked up my phone yesterday at 4:45PM after ordering it the same morning around 6:00AM. The whole collection process was smooth and quick. Apple had separate queues for people who pre-ordered and those who hadn’t, which really helped. I was surprised to see all the models on display this time (when I got my 15 Pro Max, I don’t remember seeing the Pro versions out). Apple definitely did a great job stocking the stores this year! The staff member who brought out my phone mentioned they had a couple of each model, but most were already reserved early in the morning (just like mine). Setup was also pretty seamless. I did a proper cleanup on the train cutting my storage down from 176gb to 87gb 😅 and the phone-to-phone transfer took about 40 minutes (I know some people experienced some issues). As for the phone itself… I’m really happy with the navy color! Out of the three, it’s definitely my favorite and it matches my MacBook nicely (didn’t realize that before). Like the MacBook, though it does show fingerprints, and I hate that 🥹. For now I grabbed a navy blue silicone case, but I’ll be looking for a good clear one since Apple’s version isn’t great. Haven’t tested the camera properly yet, but I’m looking forward to doing that today. I also really hope the battery will be an improvement over my 15 Pro Max. I set it to charge only up to 80% to help maintain battery health. Hopefully that pays off in the long run. Overall, really happy with the experience and the phone so far

 

[zakarhino]

I think it's too early to declare something like that. Every year we think Apple is going to fix some perceived shortcomings of the phone, but then the problem isn't actually solved or a new one pops up. Like 15 Pro/Pro Max would heat up a lot. Then 16 Pro/Pro Max was supposed to solve that but apparently not because Apple ditched titanium and added a vapor chamber. Now some are claiming these 17 Pro phones scratch really easily.

Yes that's fair, more testing time is needed. I'm getting ahead of myself because typically I lower my expectations coming into the reveal event and my actual day 1 experience with the device is pretty lukewarm. This time however I'm more pleasantly surprised than I am neutral.

For example I didn't think much of the new thermal system, I actually thought marketing was overhyping it. Then I ran a software upgrade on my 16PM, iPhone Air, and 17PM at the same time. The 16PM and Air were both hot to the touch as usual, meanwhile the 17PM was 'warm' but nowhere near the same heat level I've come to expect.

So I should preface my post to say I suspect this will be remembered as a great generation of iPhone Pro... I am optimistic for the first time in a while.

 

[kawa636r]

just opened up my 17 Pro Max (in silver) and the first thing that surprised me the most is how much cooler the 17PM is compared to my 16PM

while transferring around 200gb from my 16PM to the 17PM, the 17PM was a bit warm around the camera plateau but that’s about it. the 16PM was literally dangerous to touch. i had to find places around my desk so the 16PM would have something cool to cool off on.

Second was when the transfer completed and the 17 Pro Max started downloading all of my apps. I also noticed it was getting warm so i do my usual where i put the device on my kitchens granite counter and see how it cools down. on my 16PM it usually takes a good few minutes for it to cool down to the temp of the granite. the 17PM cooled in under 15 seconds. I was shocked. It could be the combination of the phone running cooler and the vapor chamber.

Very pleasantly surprised.

this is exactly the thing i’ve liked the most

 

[Davidnguyen_89]

i went to the apple store earlier today in canada metrotown, the lineup was hella long. i guess people preordered their phones last week and waiting to grab it. im gonna pick up my ultra 3 watch tommorow morning. i held the orange pro max it was light and the color was growing on me. i currently have 15 pro max 89 percent battery life. still good. dropped it a few times but no scratches/nicks yet.. i put on a case. the blue 17 pro i saw some scratches and it was visible. didnt see or touch the air. too light too thin for my liking plus the battery life will drain quickly.

 

[Xutos]

Has anyone else's phone have alerts about pausing charging due to overheat? I have yet to have my 17 pro max up to 100% battery yet.

Same here!

My iPhone 17 Pro Max is the same! While I was setting it up, connected to the charger, it got quite hot and I also received a warning. I notice it heats up a lot (I don’t remember my 16 Pro Max getting this hot…) and it struggled to charge up to 100%. In fact, I had to switch to a higher-watt charger. Today, I noticed that the battery percentage gets stuck at a certain level, but after restarting the iPhone, it drops by 5–6%.





I hope it’s just a software issue!

 

[joeblow7777]

What's funny is that some people complain about the 17 PM being too heavy and calling it a "brick", but for me coming from a 14 PM it's lighter than I'm used to! And I never considered the 14 PM to be too heavy anyway.

 

[JamesMay82]

What is lower cut out cover looking thing on the back? It’s the one thing I don’t like the look of and one thing I’ve not really seen talked about much on reviews

 

[ShadowGuardian87]

I think it's too early to declare something like that. Every year we think Apple is going to fix some perceived shortcomings of the phone, but then the problem isn't actually solved or a new one pops up. Like 15 Pro/Pro Max would heat up a lot. Then 16 Pro/Pro Max was supposed to solve that but apparently not because Apple ditched titanium and added a vapor chamber. Now some are claiming these 17 Pro phones scratch really easily.

People are always going to whine about something, especially here on this site, unfortunately. When the 15 Pro models were released two years ago, people complained that titanium felt cheap and not as premium as the stainless steel on the 14 Pro Max. Additionally, titanium scratches or scuffs easily. Then there was the infamous Jerry Rig durability test, where he was able to snap the 15 Pro Max in half (almost) with little effort. I saw the 17 Pro Max vs the 16 Pro Max durability test from YouTuber Apple Tracker and the 17 did scuff easily after drops with no case, but it the screen, back panel, and internals all held up. The 16 Pro max died early on in the drop tests.

 

[pst23]

Additionally, titanium scratches or scuffs easily.

15 Pro Max - Titanium - not one scratch.

 

[Fred Zed]

Yeah, it’s not really about the colors or even the undeniably unattractive two-tone finish.
It’s the round corners, extra thick body and aluminium feel that make it almost like a soap bar. not a pretty design at all. Compared to the 16 Pro Max (or any other Pro from the 12 and up), this design is an instant disappointment.

The Air is in a league of its own, oozing premium style and modernity. It’s just the camera that’s making the decision so hard for me.

Indeed. The new design and materials really are a step back for the pros. Regardless still a great powerhouse.

 

[IslesFan]

Same here!

My iPhone 17 Pro Max is the same! While I was setting it up, connected to the charger, it got quite hot and I also received a warning. I notice it heats up a lot (I don’t remember my 16 Pro Max getting this hot…) and it struggled to charge up to 100%. In fact, I had to switch to a higher-watt charger. Today, I noticed that the battery percentage gets stuck at a certain level, but after restarting the iPhone, it drops by 5–6%.





I hope it’s just a software issue!

I saw the same behavior yesterday, but after a few hours it seemed to stop. I’m wondering if it was some caching or background downloading.

 

[bdemirdover]

I got my Silver 17 pro max delivered yesterday. Completed transfer from old iphone and suddenly realized that whenever I open camera app, there is clicking sound both for front and rear camera. It seems to be related to ois but i guess i got a faulty device. Has anyone encountered such clicking sound whenever camera opens? Thanks.

 

[gdjsnyder]

Anyone else having issues with the haptics not working? Am I the only one?

Mine are also not working either. Did you figure anything out?

 

[Seige]

I got my Silver 17 pro max delivered yesterday. Completed transfer from old iphone and suddenly realized that whenever I open camera app, there is clicking sound both for front and rear camera. It seems to be related to ois but i guess i got a faulty device. Has anyone encountered such clicking sound whenever camera opens? Thanks.

I have the exact same thing. The click is most noticable, when switching between modes on the camera app (does not always happen, though). Also, I get a faint click, when the phone is warm and I wake the screen. I can kind of feel the click if I rest my fingers underneath the camera hump. Odd.

 

[bdemirdover]

I have the exact same thing. The click is most noticable, when switching between modes on the camera app (does not always happen, though). Also, I get a faint click, when the phone is warm and I wake the screen. I can kind of feel the click if I rest my fingers underneath the camera hump. Odd.

It was a low possibility but I did restore considering it might be software related. No chance. I’ll keep it around 14 days and request a new device if thing is not cleared till then.

 

[Snot Rox]

I like the feel of my 17 PM. Although I really don’t care if it’s aluminum. Everyone is treating as if this is Apple’s first time using aluminum in their phones and surprised how cheap it feels. Or how easily it scratches.

It’s just a tool that’s meant to be used — not like it’s some precious jewelry.

 

[TTTedP]

They're so beautiful together. They were meant to be with each other. 🥰View attachment 2553855

here I was lamenting how un-premium the silver aluminum looked compared to years past - but you're changing my mind. Good pic!