With the launch of any Apple iPhone line-up, the sheer variety of device variations on offer means that users might have a hard time deciding which to get to suit their needs. At least from a gaming standpoint, although the latest iPhone 17 series now comes packed with Apple’s next-generation A19 processor, the 17 Pro Max looks to have the edge over the base model with its upgraded A19 Pro chip, but how much of a difference does it truly make?
Hardware-wise, both devices come equipped with a crisp LTPO Super Retina XDR HDR10 screen capable of outputting at a smooth 120Hz, although differences come in screen size and resolution, with the larger 17 Pro Max featuring a 6.9-inch, 2,868 x 1,320 resolution display compared to its smaller base model counterpart, which has a 6.3-inch, 2,622 x 1,206 resolution screen.
When it comes to graphical prowess, the new A19 chip, while similar in architecture to the A18, now features increased clock speeds and added Neural Accelerators to its GPU, which, according to Apple, enables 20 per cent faster GPU performance compared to its predecessor. The A19 Pro chip further increases the enhancements with a larger cache, more GPU cores, faster LPDDR5X RAM, and higher memory bandwidth.
So, how do the power boosts for both the A19 and A19 Pro chips translate to gaming performance? The iPhone 17 Pro Max is the clear standout here, with its beefy upgraded chip breezing through our gaming gauntlet of Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, and PUBG Mobile, with its new vapour chamber doing wonders for its thermal management. The base iPhone 17 is no slouch either, largely holding its own despite its weaker chip with decent performance and manageable heat levels.
Check out their performance in the videos above, which cover device temperatures, gaming benchmarks, and more. Both phones will be available from 19 September, with the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max starting from S$1,299 and S$1,749, respectively.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
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