A few months ago, I advised not to rush into buying the iPhone 17 Pro and to wait for the iPhone 18 Pro. The argument seemed simple: the new model was just around the corner, so why grab the outgoing generation. Since then, one detail has surfaced that makes me ready to take my words back: if you’ve been eyeing the 17 Pro, get it right now.
I’m not afraid to change my stance and I advise you not to wait for the iPhone 18 Pro — get the iPhone 17 Pro now
It’s not even about the iPhone 18 Pro’s specs themselves. Those are actually fine. The problem is the price tag that comes with them, and this year it looks particularly unpleasant.
How Will iPhone 18 Pro Differ from iPhone 17 Pro
If you put all the leaks together, the picture looks like this:
- Variable aperture on the main camera. For the first time in four Pro generations, Apple is ditching the fixed f/1.78 and installing a mechanical iris like in DSLRs. You can play with depth of field and shoot long exposures in daylight, but in reality, only a handful of people will actually do this.
- A20 Pro chip on 2 nanometers. Apple’s first such chip, promising 15-30 percent gains in speed and energy efficiency. But the A19 Pro in the current 17 Pro already doesn’t know what to do with itself.
- Smaller Dynamic Island. The Face ID illumination sensor is being hidden under the screen, making the cutout more compact. There’s no full under-display camera yet, so this is cosmetic.
- Bigger battery. The Pro Max capacity could reach a record 5100-5200 mAh, while the regular 18 Pro gets a very modest bump — roughly from 4252 to 4288 mAh.
- New stacked sensor from Samsung for better low-light performance, a fresh color (leaks mention dark cherry, and it’s already been shown in photos), C2 modem, and N2 wireless chip.
And there will also be new colors
The list is decent, I won’t argue. But pay attention to the key point: the design stays the same, the dimensions are the same, the screen is the same. This is a careful evolution, not a generational leap worth clearing the shelves on launch day.
iPhone 18 Pro Price in Rubles
And now the very thing that made me change my mind. Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099. Experts have named the new price for the 18 Pro: the base version could cost $1,299. That’s $200 more for the same 256 GB of storage.
The price will skyrocket significantly
Let’s convert to rubles at 75 per dollar. iPhone 17 Pro is 82,425 rubles, iPhone 18 Pro is already 97,425 rubles. The difference is exactly 15,000 rubles for a smartphone that is essentially the same. There are even gloomier forecasts: if Apple factors in the expensive camera module, the price could reach $1,399 — that’s almost 105,000 rubles.
Where does such a jump come from? The reason isn’t Apple’s greed but a memory shortage. Demand for DRAM and NAND chips from AI data centers has skyrocketed, and memory prices have increased dramatically. Tim Cook has already hinted directly that price increases on some products are unavoidable. Add the expensive 2-nanometer chip and the aperture mechanism, and there you have it — an extra $200 on the receipt.
And this is still based on the US price. Here, through gray market imports, you’ll also have to add markups and logistics, so in Russian retail the gap between generations will be noticeably more than 15,000 rubles. Those who bring in the devices will factor the price increase into the very first batch.
To be fair, not all analysts agree. Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple might absorb the cost increase and keep the base version prices at the same level, just to avoid scaring off buyers. So the final price is still up in the air, but it’s wiser to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Is It Worth Overpaying for iPhone 18 Pro
Now let’s put it all together. For an extra 15,000 rubles, you get a slightly faster chip whose difference you’ll barely notice, a camera with variable aperture you’ll use a couple of times a year, and slightly more battery life on the larger model. For an experienced photographer, these are real arguments. For everyone else, these are nice-to-haves.
There’s also a nuance Apple prefers to keep quiet about. The main problem won’t go away in the new model either, so the premium doesn’t even address it. It turns out you pay more while living with the same annoying issue.
I’m in favor of buying the current Pro models and not waiting
Here’s my honest position today. If you’ve been eyeing the Pro for a while and were waiting for a reason, get the 17 Pro now while prices hold. Same design, powerful chip, excellent camera — and you save a significant amount. If your current phone is still going strong, like the 16 Pro, just keep using it.
Waiting for the new model makes sense in two cases. First: you shoot a lot and need that specific aperture and stacked sensor. Second: you have an iPhone 14 Pro or older, and you were planning to upgrade anyway — then the differences accumulate and the premium at least pays off.
Otherwise, the math is simple. The iPhone 18 Pro’s innovations are nice but not significant enough to justify paying 15,000 rubles or more extra. So yes, I’m changing my mind: the best purchase this fall might not be the newest iPhone after all.
