The iPhone 17 Pro Max user review
Right, let’s talk about the iPhone 17 Pro Max, because honestly, I’m still trying to work out whether my hands are abnormally dry or if this affects most owners. This phone is ridiculously slippery – like they’ve engineered it to escape the moment you so much as think about a firm grip. I have what I would call soft hands (don’t judge), and this new aluminium and matte glass chassis might as well be made of soap.
Now, here’s the kicker: thanks to O2 and their chaotic shipping, I ended up receiving the phone before my Suti cases turned up. I was told two weeks minimum, so I’d resigned myself to a bit of a wait, only to get a next-day delivery out of the blue. Picture this: brand new, slippery, £1,500 phone in my palm, zero protection, and a nail-biting commute into London. I spent the entire journey with the phone clamped in a death grip like it was a baby bird I couldn’t let escape.
Had I known it was going to be this much of a balancing act, I’d have gone for the regular Pro. At least then I could wrap my entire hand around it.
On the bright side (because I’m trying to be fair here), the cameras are… fine. No massive leap from the 16 Pro, but I’ve not exactly been pixel-peeping. I’m just mostly relieved I’ve survived week one without yeeting the thing onto the pavement.
In short: the iPhone 17 Pro Max is gorgeous, but it might also be the most stressful piece of tech I’ve ever owned. Apple, please, for the love of all that is holy, add a bit more grip before I start carrying it around in oven mitts.
