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| The Apple A20 Pro impresses, but Apple falters in familiar areas - Review Apple iPhone 18 Pro Review |
Our in-depth verdict on Apple's 2026 flagship — blistering A20 Pro performance, a gorgeous OLED panel, and a camera system that still can't quite match the best Android phones.
Introduction: Small Phone, Big Ambitions
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro arrives with a familiar promise: flagship power in a body you can actually use one-handed. And for the most part, it delivers. The new A20 Pro chip is an absolute monster, the 6.3-inch OLED display is stunning, and the build quality remains class-leading.
But after spending serious time with this phone, I can't shake the feeling that Apple is resting on its laurels in a few key areas. The cameras — while good — aren't class-leading. Charging speeds remain stuck in the past. And there's one display issue that could be a genuine dealbreaker for sensitive users.
Let's break it all down.
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| Apple iPhone 18 Pro |
If you were hoping for a radical redesign, you'll be disappointed. The iPhone 18 Pro looks almost identical to its predecessor, with only subtle tweaks to the chassis. The exclusive Glacier (light blue) and Burgundy (dark red) finishes are the only real giveaways that you're holding the newest model.
At 211 grams, it's noticeably heavy for a compact phone, but the payoff is exceptional build quality. The Ceramic Shield 2 front glass and IP68 rating mean this thing can take a beating. The Action button and Camera button both return, and honestly, they've become genuinely useful additions.
Verdict: Premium, durable, and reassuringly solid — but visually identical to last year's model.
Display: Bright and Beautiful (With One Big Caveat)
The 6.3-inch OLED panel is gorgeous. With peak brightness hitting around 3,000 nits, it's perfectly readable even in direct sunlight. Colors are accurate, blacks are deep, and the 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate keeps everything silky smooth.
But here's the problem: PWM dimming.
Apple continues to use a low-frequency PWM dimming system (around 480Hz, dropping as low as 60Hz at minimum brightness). Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Honor are pushing frequencies north of 4,000Hz. For users sensitive to display flicker, this can cause eye strain, headaches, and discomfort.
If you've never had issues with OLED screens, this won't bother you. But if you're among the millions who are sensitive to PWM, this is a genuine concern that Apple needs to address in the iPhone 19 Pro.
Verdict: Stunning brightness and color accuracy, but the low PWM frequency is a real weakness.
Performance: The A20 Pro Is an Absolute Beast
Let's talk about the star of the show. The Apple A20 Pro is Apple's first 2nm chip, and the benchmark results are frankly absurd.
In Geekbench 6, the iPhone 18 Pro scored:
- Single-core: 4,733 points
- Multi-core: 12,854 points
For context, that's roughly 25% faster than the already-blistering A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro, and it absolutely demolishes the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 found in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Gaming performance is equally impressive. The 7-core GPU handled everything I threw at it without breaking a sweat, and the 12GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking even with dozens of apps open.
The NPU (Neural Processing Unit) also received a significant boost, with 50% higher memory bandwidth for AI applications. Apple is clearly laying the groundwork for on-device AI features that will roll out over the coming years.
Verdict: The fastest smartphone chip on the planet, period. This phone will remain relevant for years.
Cameras: Good, But Not Great
Here's where things get complicated. Apple introduced a variable aperture on the main camera for the first time — a six-blade system that can shift from f/1.48 to f/4.0 in three steps.
It sounds impressive. In practice? It's a solution looking for a problem. There's a reason Android manufacturers abandoned this feature years ago.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro
The 48MP main sensor produces good results in low light, but in good lighting, it sometimes lacks the sharpness and detail you'd expect from a flagship. The ultra-wide and telephoto lenses (both 48MP) are fine in daylight but struggle in darker conditions due to their smaller 1/2.55" sensors.
Compared to the very best camera phones — the Vivo X300 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra — the iPhone 18 Pro simply can't compete. It's not bad, but it's no longer the benchmark.
If photography is your priority, check out some of the best camera phones available.
Verdict: Solid, versatile, but no longer class-leading. The variable aperture feels like a gimmick.
Battery Life & Charging: Falling Behind
The iPhone 18 Pro packs a 4,056 mAh battery (in the European nanoSIM model), and battery life is... fine. In our WiFi browsing test, it lasted just under 20 hours, which is actually slightly worse than the iPhone 17 Pro.
Charging is where Apple really needs to catch up. The phone maxes out at 40W wired charging, taking over an hour to fully charge. Meanwhile, Android competitors are hitting 100W+ and charging in under 30 minutes.
Wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 is supported, which is nice, but the speeds are equally conservative.
Verdict: Acceptable battery life, but charging speeds are embarrassingly slow for a 2026 flagship.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro
Software: iOS 27 and the AI Question
The iPhone 18 Pro ships with iOS 27, which brings a smaller Dynamic Island (now capable of displaying three widgets) and a range of AI features. However, some of the more advanced AI services require a paid subscription to Apple One Premier.
Apple still doesn't officially disclose its update policy, but based on historical patterns, you can expect around five years of software support. That's good, but Google and Samsung now offer seven years.
Verdict: Polished and feature-rich, but the AI subscription model feels like nickel-and-diming.
Pros & Cons
Pros ✅
- Premium, durable chassis with IP68 rating
- Blistering A20 Pro performance
- Excellent speakers for a compact phone
- Bright, color-accurate OLED display
- Good battery life for the size
Cons ❌
- Low PWM dimming frequency (eye strain risk)
- Slow charging speeds
- Limited Bluetooth codecs (SBC, AAC only)
- No official update guarantee
- Cameras lag behind the best Android flagships
- Only 12 months warranty in many regions
- Expensive, especially the 2TB model ($2,399!)
Final Verdict: A Great Phone With Frustrating Compromises
The iPhone 18 Pro is a genuinely excellent compact flagship. The A20 Pro is a marvel of engineering, the display is gorgeous, and the build quality is second to none.
But Apple's refusal to address PWM sensitivity, its glacial charging speeds, and a camera system that's no longer best-in-class make it hard to recommend unconditionally — especially at $1,199 for the base 256GB model.
Should you buy it?
- Yes, if you want the fastest phone on the market in a compact form factor and don't mind the premium price.
- No, if you're sensitive to PWM flicker, prioritize camera quality, or want faster charging.
Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Buy
Ready to pick up the iPhone 18 Pro? Check out the latest deals below:
- Apple iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) — Check Price
- Apple iPhone 18 Pro (512GB) — Check Price
- Apple iPhone 18 Pro Accessories
- Apple iPhone 18 Pro (Amazon.de)
This review is based on the comprehensive testing conducted by Notebookcheck. For the full technical breakdown, visit their original review.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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| Apple iPhone 18 Pro |