Video summary

iPhone 18 Pro Review: All About that Chip

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

iPhone 18 Pro review — subtitle-based summary

Overall verdict

An “S-level” upgrade that feels underwhelming on paper (small camera change, incremental design/display tweaks). But after a week of use, the reviewer found it underrated, mainly because:

  • The A20 Pro 2nm chip delivers both noticeable performance and meaningful battery life
  • Better Pro camera controls are available in the stock camera app

It’s recommended for Pro users who want the best iPhone experience—even if it’s expensive and not a radical redesign.

Key product features mentioned

Camera system

  • Same 3-camera layout as iPhone 17 Pro:

    • 48MP primary
    • 48MP ultrawide
    • 48MP 4x telephoto

  • Main camera change: variable aperture lens

    • New maximum f/1.48
    • Can step down to f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4
    • Reviewer notes third-party apps may be able to use infinite/smooth stages

  • Expected behavior (auto mode)

    • Mostly defaults to f/1.48 or f/1.8
    • Reviewer didn’t see it auto-close beyond that during testing

  • Claimed image impact

    • In this generation, the difference is subtle
    • Wide open vs stopped down changes background blur/sharpness, but not dramatically at first glance

Stock camera app “Pro” controls (user experience upgrade)

The reviewer says Apple’s camera app is now much more usable for Pro features.

  • Customizable camera UI controls

    • Hold a bar, add/reorder tools

  • Notable improvements:

    • Manual focus
    • Manual white balance (called out as a major improvement)
    • Shutter speed
    • Format controls

This reduces reliance on third-party camera apps that were previously used to unlock “Pro” capabilities.

Chip & performance / efficiency

  • A20 Pro chip in iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max
  • Built on a 2-nanometer process

The reviewer’s core point: the chip update is highly underrated because it improves both:

  • Performance
  • Battery efficiency (together—not just one)

Additional architecture/cooling detail:

  • DRAM moved next to the CPU (not stacked)
  • Enables a 3x surface area vapor chamber for better cooling

AI mention:

  • Neural engine doubled
  • Reviewer says Siri runs faster due to more on-device processing
  • Notes Siri has been sluggish on some prior phones

Battery life & charging

  • Battery life (18 Pro):

    • Easy day-and-a-half without overnight charging
    • Sometimes approaches two days on lighter use
    • Reviewer emphasizes the gain is from efficiency, not a massively larger battery

  • Battery capacity notes:

    • Pro battery not “massively larger”—~3% bigger (reviewer estimate)
    • Pro Max is ~10% larger than last gen
    • EU energy-label numbers cited:
      • Pro: 4,056 mAh
      • Pro Max: 5,391 mAh
    • US is eSIM-only; reviewer expects slightly higher capacity but not confirmed

  • Charging improvements

    • Tested on a 67W charger
    • Phone pulled ~45W for a while
    • Apple’s claim of 7 hours video playback after 5 minutes charging is called credible

Other hardware / UX changes

  • C2 modem mentioned as contributing to efficiency/battery life

  • Colors

    • Burgundy (reviewer calls it ugly)
    • Glacier Blue (reviewer likes)
    • Matte Black (reviewer loves it; notes more fingerprints)

  • Dynamic Island smaller

    • Done by moving the infrared Face ID sensor to the top-left and behind the display
    • Reviewer says it was rarely noticeable, mainly in direct sunlight

  • Live Activities

    • Three fit at the top instead of two
    • Reviewer calls it a game-changer

Pros highlighted

  • A20 Pro (2nm): combines faster performance + meaningfully better battery life
  • Stock camera app improvements: Pro-level controls (notably manual white balance) reduce need for third-party apps
  • Variable aperture has future potential
    • Subtle now, but expected to matter more with larger sensors
  • Faster charging
  • Better thermals for heavy tasks (gaming, long video export, hot-weather filming)

Cons / criticisms mentioned

  • Upgrade is incremental and may feel like an “S update”
  • Variable aperture looks subtle in real photos this generation
  • Price is very high ($1,200 referenced)
    • Review suggests it’s not “underrated” in price—more like underrated in perceived value
  • Burgundy criticized as unattractive
  • Matte black: more fingerprints than expected
  • Naming quip: chip name (A20) vs phone generation naming pattern (18/19/20/21 mismatch)

Comparisons / context

  • Reviewer frames iPhone 18 Pro as competing against:

    • past Pro phones that had riskier spotlight features in other models
    • market noise (Air and folding iPhone “Duo” mentioned as distractions)

  • Camera innovation comparison:

    • Variable aperture could become more powerful with future larger sensors
    • Reviewer references prior experiences with 1-inch-type sensors and shallow depth-of-field issues

  • Other brands mentioned for context:

    • Galaxy S9 for bringing back Pro-like camera ideas / Android/Google influence

  • Siri behavior referenced compared to prior iPhones (including iPhone 16)

Unique points mentioned (consolidated)

  1. iPhone 18 Pro is “basically iPhone 17 Pro with a chip update, camera upgrade, better battery, new colors.”
  2. Camera hardware largely unchanged (same 3x 48MP cameras).
  3. Main camera adds variable aperture up to f/1.48 down to f/4.
  4. Variable aperture impact judged subtle this generation.
  5. Auto mode tends to stay near f/1.48/f/1.8.
  6. Variable aperture may matter more with larger future sensors.
  7. Stock camera app now supports more granular Pro controls.
  8. Stock camera app includes manual white balance (standout improvement).
  9. Camera UI includes shuffle/order + add tools (better UX vs prior iOS camera app limits).
  10. New chip: A20 Pro, 2nm, “underrated.”
  11. Chip improves both performance and efficiency, reflected in battery life.
  12. Vapor chamber cooling improved due to DRAM placement changes.
  13. Neural engine doubled; Siri runs faster via more on-device AI.
  14. Reviewer suggests it could power a future high-end “MacBook Neo”-class laptop.
  15. Battery life: day-and-a-half typical, up to two days on light use.
  16. Battery size not massively increased (~3% for Pro); Pro Max ~10% larger.
  17. EU energy labels cited: Pro 4,056 mAh, Pro Max 5,391 mAh.
  18. Charging faster; on a 67W charger, peaks around 45W.
  19. C2 modem added for efficiencies (battery contribution).
  20. Color refresh: burgundy (mixed reaction), Glacier Blue, matte black (fingerprints).
  21. Dynamic Island smaller due to relocating the infrared Face ID sensor.
  22. Live Activities: 3 instead of 2.
  23. Final take: not perfect, expensive, but expectations mostly met—described as a “tock update.”
  24. Ending includes sponsor callout (dbrand cases & Prism screen-protector bundle), not core device critique.

Speaker breakdown

  • Single main reviewer voice throughout (no separate speakers indicated in the subtitles).

Original video