As Motorola has just launched its highly-anticipated Signature 27 flagship smartphone, we’re keen to see how it measures up to the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Though we’re yet to review the Motorola Signature 27, we have reviewed the iPhone 18 Pro Max and awarded Apple’s flagship with a 4.5-star rating. With this in mind, the Signature 27 has a lot to live up.
Otherwise, we’ve compared Android vs iOS to help you decide which operating system will suit you best, while our round-up of the best smartphones reveals our current favourite models.
Price and Availability
Pre-sales of the Motorola Signature 27 will start on November 16, with an RRP of $1,599.
The top-end iPhone 18 Pro Max is available to buy now, and has a starting price of £1,299/$1,299.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 vs A20 Pro
The biggest differences between the Motorola Signature 27 and iPhone 18 Pro Max is with their processors and operating systems. The Signature 27 is among the first Androids to ship running Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip, which Motorola promises will power advanced gaming, better camera experiences and, of course, next-generation AI capabilities too.
Though we’re yet to review the handset, we have reviewed the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 within the RedMagic 12 Pro and were impressed with its performance. With that in mind, we expect the chip to perform well within the Motorola flagship, and to power many of the best Android phones of 2027.
In comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro Max runs on Apple’s A20 Pro chip. During our time with the Apple handset we concluded that A20 Pro enabled a performance that was hard to fault, with everything from gaming and processing AI requests to multitasking across apps performing brilliantly.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max also, unsurprisingly, slots perfectly into Apple’s ecosystem and makes it easier to share files between other iPhones and Macs. Having an iPhone is also a necessity to run an Apple Watch and offers easier pairing with AirPods too.
Motorola Signature 27 promises to be “brightest” smartphone on the market
With its Extreme AMOLED Duo display that’s built with tandem technology, and up to 12,000 nits of peak brightness, Motorola has hailed the Signature 27 as having the “brightest display” currently available on a smartphone.
Otherwise, we’ve praised the 6.9-inch iPhone 18 Pro Max as having “one of the best phone displays around”, as it’s not only good for content but its Ceramic Shield 2 coating means it can withstand drops and tumbles too.
The Motorola Signature 27 also promises to be durable, with a Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 coating, an aerospace-grade aluminium frame and both IP68 and IP69 ratings too.
Motorola Signature 27 has a larger battery
Apple has never been one to offer hefty batteries like many of the best Android phones tend to do, but although the brand hasn’t disclosed the exact size of its cell, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has shown serious stamina. We found during our review period that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could easily see us through a busy day in the office, with 20-30% left in the tank by bedtime.
Not only that, but we even found we could eke out almost two-days of battery with more casual use too. For an iPhone, that’s pretty impressive.
In comparison, the Signature 27 is equipped with a large 7000mAh cell that Motorola promises will comfortably see you through a full-day. There’s also 90W wired charging support, which Motorola claims will give the Signature 27 enough power to last a day in just 12 minutes.
Motorola Signature features a dedicated EVS action camera
Motorola makes huge claims with the Signature 27’s photographic ability, and promises the handset features the brand’s “most advanced camera system to date”. The Signature 27 is made up of a 50MP Sony LYTIA L910 main camera, 200MP periscope telephoto with 100x Super Zoom, a 50MP ultrawide and the “first-ever dedicated EVS action sensor on a smartphone”.
The EVS action sensor is designed to capture fast-moving subjects with greater clarity as it works alongside the Action Shot feature to freeze motion while maximising available light.
In comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is fitted with three 48MP lenses – including a main, ultrawide and telephoto. Not only that, but its main lens is fitted with variable aperture which allows you to alter the amount of light that hits the lens. It’s a first for an iPhone and, though it shouldn’t be the sole reason you chose the handset, we found it performs well.
Otherwise, all three lenses are reliable shooters and are consistently good at capturing crisp and detailed images, without needing too much effort on the photographers’ part.
Aside from the obvious Android vs iOS debate, how do you decide between the Motorola Signature 27 and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Consider that the Motorola Signature 27 promises a hefty battery, the brand’s most advanced camera set-up and an industry-leading bright display too.
In comparison, during our time with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, we were left seriously impressed with its overall performance. Not only did both general apps and intense games perform incredibly well, but its camera set-up offered consistently brilliant shots too.
We’ll be sure to update this versus once we review the Motorola Signature 27.