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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, Manufacturer

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Time to compare Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max with Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. We will cover the essentials so you can buy with confidence.

Ratings: 4.4★ vs 4.8★

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Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

4.4
(250)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (4nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

4.8
(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

4.4(250)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

4.8(126)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Rating:4.4(250)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (4nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR5)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.7" (6.69" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2796 x 1290 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:48MP Main (24 mm, f/1.78), second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), 100% Focus Pixels, Macro photography support
Telephoto Camera:12MP 3x Telephoto (77 mm, f/2.8), optical image stabilization, 6-element lens
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x optical zoom steps (6x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 15x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps; ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage)
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:4323 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 29 hours video playback (25 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:Lightning; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (First-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:Lightning connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s)
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Surgical-grade stainless steel; Textured matte glass back
Dimensions:6.33" x 3.06" x 0.31" (160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm)
Weight:8.47 oz (240 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Dynamic Island; Always-On display; LiDAR Scanner; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Ring/Silent switch

✓ Pros:

  • First iPhone to introduce the Dynamic Island interface
  • Excellent battery life (4323 mAh), still competitive with newer models
  • Bright 120Hz ProMotion display with Always-On functionality
  • Premium stainless steel build feels more substantial than aluminum models
  • Versatile camera system with 3x optical zoom and macro mode

✗ Cons:

  • Uses the obsolete Lightning port instead of USB-C
  • Significantly heavier (240 g) than the newer Titanium 'Pro Max' models
  • Wi-Fi 6 is slower than the Wi-Fi 6E/7 found in newer iPhones
  • No support for newer Qi2 wireless charging standard (limited to 7.5W on generic Qi)
  • Repair costs for the back glass are higher compared to iPhone 15/16 series

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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Rating:4.8(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz)
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera:48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent)
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 40x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Front Camera:18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber)
Dimensions:6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)
Weight:8.22 oz (233 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite

✓ Pros:

  • Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor)
  • Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom
  • A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling for sustained performance
  • Excellent battery life (up to 39 hours video playback)
  • Faster 40W wired charging and 25W wireless charging

✗ Cons:

  • Large and heavy form factor (233 g)
  • Fastest charging speeds require purchasing a 40W+ adapter separately
  • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
  • Expensive starting price
  • Camera bump is significantly larger due to new tetraprism lens

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Which one is better?

Overall, Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers better satisfaction. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is still a quality option with specific strengths worth considering.

Who should buy each?

For performance and polish: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (First iPhone to introduce the Dynamic Island interface, Excellent battery life (4323 mAh), still competitive with newer models)

For value or versatility: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor), Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom)

Conclusion

We hope this comparison helps you buy with confidence. Both products are dependable; the right one depends on how you will use it.

Frequently Asked Questions

+Which has better value?

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max excels if you value first iphone to introduce the dynamic island interface. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is better if you prioritize brightest iphone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor). Pick based on your budget and daily use.

+Is this an independent review?

Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.

+Do newer models exist?

Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.

Affiliate disclosure

PageBen uses Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This supports independent content for US shoppers.