The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max have been on sale since 18 Sept. The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, opens for pre-order on 16 Oct at 7 pm and goes on sale 23 Oct (per Thai press). All three use the same A20 Pro chip, but they feel very different on paper.
This piece is based on Apple Thailand's official specs and first hands-on impressions from international press. We have bought and are using one iPhone 18 Pro Max (in Burgundy), but we have not handled the 18 Pro or the Duo, so our opinions on those two are analysis, not test results.
Quick take: who wins each category
• Camera: the 18 Pro / 18 Pro Max, with a real telephoto and variable aperture; the Duo drops the telephoto • Battery: the 18 Pro Max, up to 43 h of video (the Duo gets 44 h on the outer screen but 31 h on the inner one) • Light and one-handed: the 18 Pro at 211 g, the lightest of the three • Pocketable when folded and biggest screen when open: the Duo, 117.8 mm tall folded, a 7.6-inch screen unfolded • Lowest price: the 18 Pro from 48,900 baht (Duo from 79,900 baht) Overall for most people: the 18 Pro (editor's opinion, based on the specs)
Spec comparison
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3 in | 6.9 in | 7.6 in inner (folding) + 5.4 in outer |
| Size (H x W x D) | 150 x 71.9 x 8.75 mm | 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm | Folded 117.8 x 84.1 x 11.3 mm / open 117.8 x 164.6 x 5.2 mm |
| Weight | 211 g | 249 g | 254 g |
| Body | One-piece aluminium | One-piece aluminium | Titanium |
| Chip | A20 Pro | A20 Pro | A20 Pro |
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear cameras | Pro Fusion 48MP (variable aperture ƒ/1.48-ƒ/4.0 + telephoto) | Same system as the 18 Pro | Dual Fusion 48MP (fixed ƒ/1.6 main + ultra wide), no telephoto, 2x crop zoom |
| Front camera | 18MP | 18MP | 12MP on the outer screen + under-display FaceTime camera inside |
| Unlock | Face ID | Face ID | Touch ID in the side button |
| SIM | nano-SIM + eSIM | nano-SIM + eSIM | eSIM only |
| Battery (video) | Up to 34 h | Up to 43 h | 31 h inner / 44 h outer |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) |
| Colours | Black, silver, glacier, burgundy | Same as the 18 Pro | Star White, Night Sky |
| iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 256GB | 48,900 | 52,900 | 79,900 |
| 512GB | 56,900 | 60,900 | 87,900 |
| 1TB | 72,900 | 76,900 | 103,900 |
| 2TB | 96,900 | 100,900 | 127,900 |
What really differs
The Duo is not a bigger iPhone but a different kind of product. You get a 7.6-inch screen and Split View (a first on iPhone), and you give up camera hardware, Face ID, and some weight. It is the heaviest of the three.
The price gaps are constant at every storage tier. The Duo costs 31,000 baht more than the 18 Pro and 27,000 baht more than the 18 Pro Max. The 18 Pro at 1TB (72,900) is still cheaper than the smallest Duo (79,900).
iPhone 18 Pro (6.3 in)
Strengths • The most complete camera setup, with a variable aperture and a real telephoto • Lightest and thinnest at 211 g and 8.75 mm, easy to use one-handed on the BTS/MRT • Face ID, plus a physical SIM slot alongside eSIM • Starts at 48,900 baht, 31,000 less than the Duo
Weaknesses • About 9 hours less video playback than the Pro Max (34 vs 43 h) • A 6.3-inch slab is the familiar iPhone shape, nothing new to get excited about • Aluminium body, not titanium like the Duo • Prices climb fast, with 2TB at 96,900 baht
iPhone 18 Pro Max (6.9 in)
Strengths • 43 hours of video playback, well ahead of the Pro and ahead of the Duo's inner screen (31 h) • A big 6.9-inch screen with no hinge and no crease to worry about • Same Pro Fusion camera system and Face ID as the Pro • 5 g lighter than the Duo and 27,000 baht cheaper
Weaknesses • Big (163.4 mm) and heavy (249 g), tiring for small hands or small bags • 4,000 baht more than the Pro at every tier • No Split View and none of the Duo's dual-screen features
From someone who bought the 18 Pro Max
We bought an iPhone 18 Pro Max and have been using it, in Burgundy, which is a lovely colour. Personally it feels only slightly different from the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the camera feels a little better than before.
If you already have an iPhone 17 Pro, you don't need to switch. If you upgrade every year anyway, go for it. And if you are hoping for the iPhone Duo, wait to see the real thing first; a lot of people are still waiting on the Duo.
18 Pro vs 18 Pro Max
Per Apple Thailand's spec page, the two differ in size (6.3 vs 6.9 in), weight (211 vs 249 g), battery (34 vs 43 h) and a flat 4,000-baht price gap. The chip, camera system, Face ID, colours and 8.75 mm thickness are listed the same. Put plainly, choose by hand size and battery anxiety.
iPhone Duo
Strengths • The 7.6-inch inner screen is the largest Apple has put in an iPhone, with Split View for two apps at once • Folded, it is only 117.8 mm tall, about 32 mm shorter than the Pro, so it fits pockets • Camera tricks a slab can't do: Smart Take, Duo Preview, Kid Cue, Duo FaceTime, plus the hinge works as a built-in stand • Hands-on press praised the hinge, the spot where first-gen foldables usually stumble
Weaknesses • Starts at 79,900 baht, a big premium over the Pro • Trimmed cameras: no true telephoto (2x crop), fixed ƒ/1.6, and per MacRumors no LiDAR, ProRAW or ProRes • Heavy and thick (254 g, 11.3 mm folded), no Face ID (Touch ID instead), eSIM only • Long-term durability is unproven. Press disagrees on the crease (some say barely visible, one report says as visible as the Galaxy Z Fold 8), Apple's out-of-warranty repair price is unpublished, and US AppleCare+ charges 99 dollars for an inner-screen claim (Thai price unconfirmed)
Who should buy which
Buy the Duo if you are • An office worker who reads decks, PDFs and email on the move and wants to stop carrying an iPad • Someone who takes lots of group shots or selfies and likes propping the phone up • A tech fan with budget to spare who accepts first-gen risk
Buy the 18 Pro if you are • A student or commuter who uses one hand and carries small bags • Upgrading from an older iPhone and want the best camera at a sane price
Buy the 18 Pro Max if you are • A creator, rider or salesperson who uses the phone all day and can't charge often • A big series or comic reader who wants a large screen without hinge risk
Picks • Already on an iPhone 17 Pro: no need to rush (from someone using the 18 Pro Max), though if you upgrade every year anyway, go for it • Office worker who wants to ditch the iPad: Duo (after full reviews land, if you can wait) • Student on a budget: 18 Pro 256GB • Video creator: 18 Pro Max • One-handed user with a small bag: 18 Pro
Bottom line: most people should pick the 18 Pro. Pick the Pro Max if battery is everything. The Duo is for people who know they want a big screen that folds and can afford it.
Sources: apple.com/th (specs and compare pages), Apple Newsroom, nationthailand.com, telecomlover.com, macrumors.com, gsmarena.com, 9to5google.com
