In recent years, Apple has favored evolution over revolution and the iPhone 18 Pro follows the same philosophy, we could summarize. At first glance it might seem like a minor update: the design remains practically the same as the iPhone 17 Pro, the identity of the product is immediately recognisable. By using it and delving into its characteristics, however, something deeper emerges. The most important innovations concern less "flashy" but fundamental aspects in daily use: performance, battery life, camera functionality and AI processing. directly on the device. An update, therefore, capable of concretely improving the experience of "Pro" users.
The engine of the iPhone 18 Pro is the new A20 Pro chip, made with a 2 nanometer production process. Apple claims a six-core CPU that's up to 20 percent faster and a seven-core GPU that delivers up to 40 percent faster graphics performance than the previous generation. The new 32-core Dual Neural Engine also doubles the processing capacity of AI features. performed directly on the device. Beyond the numbers, which Apple is always keen to show, the quality of a product is not only determined by performance peaks, in our opinion, but also by the ability to maintain high performance for prolonged periods, and this is where the cooling system comes into play. The vapor chamber, introduced last year, has been redesigned again: the one installed on the iPhone 18 Pro has a surface area three times larger than that of the 17 Pro, and is now able to distribute heat more evenly inside the phone. Which translates into improved performance and more demanding tasks such as gaming, photo processing, video recording and data processing with artificial intelligence. On the storage space front, the device is offered in memory sizes of 256 gigabytes, 512 gigabytes, 1 terabyte and, for the first time on the standard Pro model, also 2 terabytes.
The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR screen remains one of the best on the market. We find the ProMotion adaptive refresh rate up to 120 Hz and the Always-On mode, supported by a maximum brightness that reaches 3,000 nits outdoors and by a further improved anti-reflection treatment. If the quality of the panel was already high, the real leap forward however concerns autonomy: Apple claims up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro model, approximately three additional hours compared to the previous generation. The result derives from the combination of three factors: greater chip efficiency, new batteries and new thermal management. In our tests with intense use the phone always accompanied us for an entire day on average. On the busiest days we recharged towards the late afternoon, on the quieter days we easily arrived at lunchtime the following day. The new 18 Pro are also compatible with a new fast charging via cable, which however is obtained using compatible USB-C adapters: 50 percent battery is reached in about 15 minutes. The charger, as always now, is not included in the package.
The most important new feature of the iPhone 18 Pro is undoubtedly the 48-megapixel Fusion main camera with variable aperture. For the first time, Apple introduces a real physical iris control mechanism. Six laser-cut blades allow you to go from f/1.48 up to f/4, concretely modifying the behavior of the camera; not a software gimmick but a real real optical system. While it is true that features like this are mostly intended for those who use the iPhone Pro as a work tool, the system improves shots even when used automatically. In low light situations, setting the aperture to f/1.48 means letting in about 50 percent more light than the previous model. Faster capture times, a less "aggressive" Night mode and photographs with less "noise", better management of lights and shadows or blur or depth of field effects are the main advantages of this innovation. For the first time, therefore, the native application offers professional tools that until now almost always required third-party software.
We had the opportunity to test the iPhone 18 Pro camera in the most diverse situations. Like every year, the iPhone Pro's photographic system convinces. The main sensor with variable aperture allows you to shoot even in very low light, gathering much more contrast while avoiding digital noise; the blurred effect is also very good, which is now purely optical. The ability to manually adjust shutter speed, white balance, live histogram and grain is also excellent: all elements that, until now, required the installation of third-party apps. The video performance is also excellent, according to many experts and our iPhone also remains the reference standard in the sector and guarantees a professional result.
iPhone 18 Pro arrives with iOS 27 installed and the new generation of Apple Intelligence, which introduces advanced tools for photo retouching, new features in Safari, Image Playground and broader integration of artificial intelligence in system applications. However, for Italian and European users, the picture remains incomplete, due to compliance constraints imposed by the European Union through the Digital Markets Act. The main absence concerns Siri AI, the new version of the digital assistant based on Apple's linguistic models. The new version is capable of understanding the context on the screen, performing actions directly within applications and reasoning in a "multimedia" way. Apple has not yet communicated a precise date for the release in the community market. Apple Reference Image also cannot be used in Europe upon debut. The text processing functions, notification summaries, voice transcription and basic photo editing functions remain.
One of the most interesting interventions concerns the Dynamic Island, reduced by around 25 percent, thanks to the miniaturization of the infrared system used by Face ID and the movement of the relevant camera under the display. The new Dynamic Island can show up to three Live Activities simultaneously. Other innovations worth mentioning include the new Apple C2 modem, support for Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via the N1 chip and the new 18 megapixel Center Stage front camera with functions such as Dual Capture.
Compared to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the differences are limited. Cameras, processor and software features are identical. What essentially changes are size, screen and battery life. The differences compared to the previous generation are more interesting: A20 Pro chip, new variable aperture, professional photographic controls, smaller Dynamic Island, new cooling system and larger battery. Those who own an iPhone 17 Pro may not find sufficient motivation for an immediate update, while for those using an iPhone 15 Pro or previous models the leap is particularly interesting.
iPhone 18 Pro therefore convinces thanks to the sum of many small improvements. The variable aperture camera represents a genuinely useful innovation, performance improves significantly thanks to the new thermal management, while battery life records one of the most significant steps forward in recent years in the Pro range. For those who use the iPhone 18 Pro camera professionally, it is perhaps the best choice to make at the moment and certainly the most complete model made by Apple. There remains the limit of artificial intelligence innovations not available on the European market. And then there is the price, which is true Pro and has increased compared to last year: it starts from 1,489 euros for the 256 gigabyte model; iPhone 18 Pro Max instead starts from 1,639.
