Apple iPhone 18 Pro review: big changes for small differences
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro brings longer battery life, a faster chip, a brighter anti-glare screen and a variable-aperture main camera, while keeping much of last year’s design. The improvements make it a substantial upgrade in performance and endurance, but the £1,199 starting price is £100 higher, and a regular iPhone 18 has not yet been announced.
The 6.3-inch display supports 120Hz, and the A20 Pro chip is reported to be 27% faster than its predecessor, with graphics 45% faster. Battery life improves by about six hours, with the phone lasting close to two days for typical use. The new Siri uses Google AI technology and can understand more requests, but several features depend on using Apple’s own apps.
- iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199, £100 more than last year’s model.
- Battery life gains about six hours and can approach two days.
- Faster chips and a variable-aperture camera headline the upgrades.
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Apple is a technology company that makes iPhones, smartphones used by hundreds of millions worldwide. The iPhone 18 Pro is the premium model in Apple's current range, and new releases attract significant consumer and industry interest.
The iPhone 18 Pro brings several hardware improvements including a faster processor, smoother display, enhanced camera and notably, battery life that lasts close to two days with typical use. These upgrades are designed to improve performance and extend the time between charges.
Apple has raised the starting price to £1,199, £100 more than the previous model, which may influence whether consumers upgrade their existing phones. The design largely remains unchanged from last year's model, and Apple has not yet released a standard iPhone 18, leaving some consumers uncertain about their purchasing options.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The iPhone 18 Pro represents substantive improvements where it matters most: the 27 per cent processor speed increase and 45 per cent graphics boost deliver meaningful real-world performance gains for demanding applications, whilst the six-hour battery life extension is genuinely valuable for users who rely on their phones throughout extended days. For professionals and power users who keep their devices for several years, these cumulative improvements in performance, endurance, and capability—alongside the variable-aperture camera and brighter anti-glare display—justify the £100 price increase.
The case against
The largely unchanged design suggests the improvements, whilst real, are incremental rather than transformative, and the £100 price increase to £1,199 compounds concerns about Apple's pricing trajectory on an already premium device. The absence of a regular iPhone 18 announcement leaves consumers uncertain about value positioning, whilst the dependence of several new features on Apple's own ecosystem raises questions about genuine innovation versus vendor lock-in. For typical users whose current phones perform adequately, the cost of upgrade may well exceed its practical benefit.