iPhone 18 Pro review roundup: variable aperture and A20 Pro justify a careful upgrade

Apples iPhone 18 Pro is landing as an “S”-year upgrade: same familiar 6.3-inch silhouette as last year’s Pro, with the biggest leaps in camera control, sustained performance and battery rather than a full redesign. In a detailed Oct. 1 AppleInsider hands-on, reviewer Andrew OHara credits a new variable-aperture 48MP Fusion main camera (ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0) for better low-light shots and fewer forced Night Mode captures, plus stock Camera “Pro Controls” for aperture, shutter, focus and white balance. Geekbench 7 scores in that review rose from about 3168/8258 on an iPhone 17 Pro to 3927/10462 on the 18 Pro — roughly 24% single-core and 27% multi-core — with Apples larger vapour chamber aiding sustained loads. Video playback claims stretch further, and wired charging can reach about 50% in roughly 15 minutes with a compatible adapter. Apple’s Canadian product page frames the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max as the fall Pro duo alongside the still-unlaunched iPhone Duo, listing aluminium unibody colours (including burgundy and Glacier), Ceramic Shield front and back, A20 Pro with dual 16-core Neural Engines, and MagSafe/Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W. For Canadians on iPhone 16 Pro or older who shoot a lot or push AI workloads, the camera and thermal story is the clearest reason to move; 17 Pro owners may fairly wait for Duo comparisons or a deeper discount cycle. This is a newsroom summary of published hands-on reporting and Apple specifications, not a lab test by Serious Pick. We have no affiliate arrangement with Apple; product links are informational. Confirm Canadian pricing, trade-in and carrier offers on Apple.ca before you buy. Sources: AppleInsider iPhone 18 Pro review; Apple (Canada) — iPhone 18 Pro.