Smartphone gaming has evolved considerably with Apple’s integration of AAA gaming titles on the iPhone 15 Pro, including major hits such as Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s initial overheating challenges have been addressed through software updates, solving issues that arose from operating system bugs and third-party apps.
Apple’s choice to use a titanium frame for the iPhone 15 Pro series, despite its lesser thermal conductivity compared to the steel frame in the iPhone 14 Pro series, has raised questions about its impact on device temperature. Although it is officially considered “expected behavior,” users can anticipate the iPhone 15 Pro models to run warmer than their predecessors.
To put the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the test, it was compared with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro in a gaming thermal test using the title Alien: Isolation. With devices running the game for 30 minutes, we assessed the temperature post-gaming, excluding factors like frames per second or power consumption from our analysis.
The three devices were all measured using an infrared temperature monitor, both at idle and after the gaming session. The iPhone 15 Pro Max started at 30.3°C, the Galaxy S24 Ultra at 29.4°C, and the ROG Phone 8 Pro at 29.5°C. Post-gaming, the iPhone 15 Pro Max recorded 44.6°C, significantly warmer than the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 35.1°C and the ROG Phone 8 Pro’s 34.3°C.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra showcases its advanced thermal management by using a large vapor chamber and a unique thermal compound, which combines copper sheeting and graphite film to efficiently disperse heat.
The ROG Phone 8 Pro employs its own advanced thermal solutions, including boron nitride compound and a “rapid-cooling conductor” coupled with graphite layers, providing formidable cooling performance under sustained load, as shown in the 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s more rudimentary cooling falls short compared to its counterparts. It lacks a vapor chamber and extensive graphite layering, which are critical for thermal management under heavy loads, such as extended periods of gaming.
Though the iPhone 15 Pro Max is fitted with the powerful A17 Pro chip, its limited cooling capability is a concern, especially when held in direct contact during touchscreen gaming. The device’s titanium frame, while robust and high-quality, contributes to greater heat retention.
Contrastingly, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, despite also using a titanium frame, opts for a different grade that provides marginally better thermal conduction.
With expectations high for improved thermal management in future iPhone models, rumors suggest Apple might adopt materials like graphene—known for excellent heat dissipation—allowing Apple to continue slimming down the iPhone while enhancing its gaming prowess.
It is evident that if Apple aspires to dominate in the mobile gaming sector, more sophisticated cooling solutions will be paramount. Users eagerly anticipate seeing these advancements in upcoming iterations of the iPhone Pro series.
