• Wion
  • /Photos
  • /iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: 7 differences that actually matter

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: 7 differences that actually matter

The iPhone 18 Pro offers seven major upgrades over the 17 Pro: a 2nm A20 Pro chip, a mechanical variable aperture camera, a 35 per cent smaller Dynamic Island, an expanded vapour chamber, the new C2 modem, improved battery, and a Rs 30,000 price hike.

The 2-Nanometre Silicon
1 / 7

The 2-Nanometre Silicon

The iPhone 18 Pro replaces the 3-nanometre A19 Pro with the all-new A20 Pro chip. Manufactured on TSMC's cutting-edge 2-nanometre process, this silicon leap delivers roughly 18 per cent faster peak performance and 30 per cent better power efficiency.

Variable Aperture Camera
2 / 7

Variable Aperture Camera

While the iPhone 17 Pro used a fixed aperture main lens, the 18 Pro introduces a mechanical variable aperture. This physical iris allows users to manually control light intake and depth of field, offering true DSLR-like optical versatility.

Shrinking the Island
3 / 7

Shrinking the Island

After years of a standard 20.7-millimetre cutout, the Dynamic Island shrinks by roughly 35 per cent down to just 13.5 millimetres. By moving Face ID sensors beneath the display, Apple reclaims valuable screen real estate without losing functionality.

Advanced Vapour Cooling
4 / 7

Advanced Vapour Cooling

To manage the immense heat generated by heavy on-device Apple Intelligence workloads, the internal thermal system has been radically redesigned. The iPhone 18 Pro features a revised, larger vapour chamber to sustain peak gaming and processing performance.

The Proprietary C2 Modem
5 / 7

The Proprietary C2 Modem

Moving away from third-party suppliers, Apple has integrated its bespoke C2 modem into the iPhone 18 Pro. This proprietary silicon promises faster 5G connectivity, better battery efficiency, and robust satellite communication for off-grid emergencies.

Battery and Efficiency
6 / 7

Battery and Efficiency

Though physical battery capacity increases only slightly on the smaller Pro, real-world endurance gets a major boost. The combination of the highly efficient 2-nanometre chip and a new LTPO+ OLED panel delivers meaningfully longer screen-on time.

A Steep Price Hike
7 / 7

A Steep Price Hike

These advanced hardware upgrades come at a severe financial cost. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 in India, representing a massive Rs 30,000 price hike compared to the iPhone 17 Pro's Rs 1,34,900 launch price last year.