iPhone 18 Pro Arrives at $1,199, $300 More Than the iPhone 17

The 18 Pro was announced in September 2026. Its 256GB version costs $1,199, £1,199 or AU$2,099, with 512GB at $1,399, £1,399 or AU$2,499, 1TB at $1,799, £1,799 or AU$3,299, and a 2TB configuration at $2,399, £2,399 or AU$4,499. The iPhone 17, launched in September 2025, is sold in only two configurations: 256GB for $899, £899 or AU$1,549, and 512GB for $1,099, £1,099 or AU$1,949. Buyers who want 1TB or 2TB therefore have no option below the Pro.

The iPhone 17 was priced at $799, £799 or AU$1,399 when it launched, but Apple raised the price after the 18 Pro's September debut. TechRadar reported that the increase followed similar rises for iPads and MacBooks in June, which Apple attributed to "significantly higher memory costs."

The two phones share a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The differences sit underneath: the 18 Pro runs Apple's A20 Pro chipset with 12GB of RAM, while the iPhone 17 uses the A19 with 8GB. TechRadar found no major screen upgrades on the newer model.

Cameras separate the pair more sharply. The 18 Pro carries three 48MP rear sensors covering main, ultra-wide and telephoto shooting. The iPhone 17 has 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras but no telephoto lens. Both use an 18MP front camera.

Battery capacity also favours the Pro. It holds 4,288mAh in the eSIM-only version and 4,056mAh where a physical SIM is used, against 3,692mAh in the iPhone 17. Apple rates the 18 Pro at 50% charge in 15 minutes and the iPhone 17 at 50% in 20 minutes.

In design, both phones have flat screens protected by Ceramic Shield 2, aluminium frames, an IP68 water and dust rating and a Dynamic Island cut-out. The 18 Pro's cut-out is smaller and can show three Live Activities at once, against two on the iPhone 17. The 18 Pro measures 150 x 71.9 x 8.8mm and weighs 211g, while the iPhone 17 measures 149.6 x 71.5 x 8mm and weighs 177g. The 18 Pro has a glass back panel surrounded by aluminium and a wide horizontal camera block; the iPhone 17 has a glass back and a smaller vertical camera block. Colour choices differ as well, with the 18 Pro in Black, Silver, Glacier and Burgundy, and the iPhone 17 in Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage and Lavender.

TechRadar's comparison credits the 18 Pro with superior cameras, battery life and processing power, and lists its higher price, unchanged screen specifications and familiar design as drawbacks. The iPhone 17 is described as a relatively basic phone that still performs well, with a lower price, a good screen and capable cameras, but less power, shorter battery life and no telephoto lens.

Editor's Summary

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro is on sale from $1,199, $300 above the iPhone 17 at the 256GB and 512GB tiers both phones offer, after Apple also raised the iPhone 17's price from its $799 launch level. The Pro adds an A20 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, a 48MP telephoto camera, a larger battery and up to 2TB of storage, while sharing the same 6.3-inch display, refresh rate and peak brightness as the older model. The absence of a standard iPhone 18 this year leaves the two devices competing directly in Apple's lineup until that phone reportedly arrives in early 2027.