I Used the iPhone 17 Pro Max Without a Case for a Year. Here’s How It Looks Now

Key Points:

• Apple claimed the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have “industry-leading durability,” featuring upgraded Ceramic Shield 2 for 3x better scratch resistance and a ceramic back four times more crack-resistant than previous models.
• Initial concerns about scratching were attributed to worn-out MagSafe risers transferring material to the phone backs, which could be cleaned off; discoloration issues were found to be minimal and not a fault of Apple.
• After 11 months of daily caseless use, the iPhone 17 Pro Max showed minor color chipping and dents from drops but maintained a largely pristine screen with far fewer scratches compared to the iPhone 16 Pro used under similar conditions.
• The Ceramic Shield 2 screen proved highly resistant to damage from multiple accidental drops, with no cracks despite falls onto hard surfaces, though cracking remains possible under certain impacts.
• Some fading and color chipping occurred on the cosmic orange model’s curved corners and camera island edges, likely from friction with other phones, but overall the phone aged well, showing typical wear without significant durability or usability issues.