The iPhone 17 Pro is the most effective telephone Apple has ever launched — high specs, lengthy battery life, a crisp display screen and excellent cameras. The first three additionally make it an important gaming gadget, however how nice? I made a decision to check it to search out out. And if you will discover one other telephone that does not warmth up when taking part in a graphics-intensive, console-quality recreation like Resident Evil 8, I’d prefer to see it.Most video games will play on even the bottom performing telephones. Game builders wish to open their market to as many gamers as they will, even when which means having their video games run sluggish and look ugly. But higher specs imply sharper graphics, extra frames per second and an general higher gaming expertise. The iPhone 17 Pro is on the high of the efficiency rankings amongst all our checks, so it is no shock that the telephone handles video games nicely. It’s quick, highly effective and beats most different handsets in battery life. And its specs are spectacular. The A19 Pro chip and estimated 12GB of RAM or extra (in accordance with iFixIt and GSMArena — Apple by no means releases RAM numbers) deal with recreation graphics easily. With a beginning storage of 256GB, house owners have loads of house to obtain video games, in addition to choices for 512GB and 1TB, or 2TB on the Pro Max, making certain there’s sufficient room for pictures and different recordsdata with massive information footprints. The iPhone 17 Pro performs loads of video games nicely, and its App Store options cell variations of fashionable PC video games like Dredge, pictured. David Lumb/CNETThe 6.3-inch show is massive for a “smaller” telephone, and its 2,622 x 1,206-pixel decision is vibrant. Even higher is its 3,000-nit most brightness, which could be one of many highest amongst telephones offered at the moment, making it simple to see in vivid daylight. For readability, I’ve been taking part in video games on an iPhone 17 Pro, that means I miss out on the marginally longer battery life and bigger show of the telephone’s sibling, the iPhone 17 Pro Max.While the most recent iPhones frequently match or overcome their opponents in photograph or video high quality, in recent times, Apple has pushed the narrative that every one of its gadgets, massive and small, are able to taking part in the most recent high video games — one other utilization area of interest that the corporate desires to dominate. That’s been true for the small choice of console-quality video games which have been ported to iOS, like Resident Evil 8 and Alien: Isolation, full with phone-friendly contact controls. Obviously, this can be a feather in Apple’s cap to carry over competing Android gadgets, but it surely additionally exhibits off the iPhone’s horsepower.This yr, the iPhone 17 Pro added one thing on high of its premium silicon: a vapor cooling chamber that sits on high of the A19 Pro chip. While gaming telephones have lengthy integrated these cooling infrastructures, that are usually tiny chambers stuffed with water to vent sizzling air away from graphics-processing silicon, that is the primary iPhone to have one. Apple additionally reverted from its titanium body in prior years’ Pro fashions to an aluminum one, which is healthier at venting warmth. This mixture permits the iPhone 17 Pro to run video games for longer with out overheating. The iPhone 17 Pro, left, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, proper, each taking part in Resident Evil 8, round 20 minutes into the sport. David Lumb/CNETI put these claims to the take a look at, pitting my two-year-old iPhone 15 Pro Max with a titanium body in opposition to the brand new aluminum iPhone 17 Pro with a vapor chamber. Downloading and taking part in the primary 20 minutes of Resident Evil 8, which is heavy on in-game cutscenes and dramatic graphics, with each telephones was illustrative. The older iPhone 15 Pro Max heated up shortly and its glass again was barely toasty below my fingertips, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro remained cool till I reached an overlook within the recreation with a pleasant view for a photograph (above), at which level it received heat.Heat is vital for gaming: A warmer telephone drains battery extra shortly, can robotically shut down if overheated and is disagreeable to carry. While a case can insulate fingers from toasty telephones, it will possibly additionally hold the warmth inside, stopping pure cooling and doubtlessly cooking the telephone.The iPhone 17 Pro additionally used much less battery, draining 15% within the download-and-play session in comparison with the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 28% in my informal Resident Evil 8 take a look at. The 17 Pro was additionally noticeably smoother when taking part in the graphically intensive recreation, and whereas there wasn’t a frames-per-second counter, I noticed body price dips on the older iPhone that I did not on the newer mannequin. Gaming on the iPhone 17 Pro is even higher with third-party controllers just like the Backbone. David Lumb/CNETWhat it is prefer to recreation on the iPhone 17 ProLike different high-end telephones, taking part in video games on the iPhone 17 Pro is a clean expertise. There are quirks, each within the telephone’s design and software program, that throw some curveballs into the gaming combine — not all of that are dangerous, however many have an effect on how one can play on the telephone.Apple Arcade, which is barely accessible to iOS gadgets, is the primary and most blatant issue that units the iPhone 17 Pro other than different gaming telephones. For a $7 month-to-month payment, you get entry to a catalog of ad-free video games, lots of that are unique to the service. While the catalog skews family-friendly, it does have a variety of video games throughout quite a lot of genres, corresponding to Cult of the Lamb Arcade Edition, What the Clash, PowerWash Simulator and NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition. In common, the standard is greater than the typical recreation on the App Store. The Games app is a brand new standalone heart for gaming on the iPhone that launched in September with iOS 26. Truth be advised, I’m caught in my methods, laboriously swiping by means of each residence display screen till I get to the app tile for the sport I wish to play identical to I’ve finished for the reason that iPhone 4 (my first iOS gadget). But the Games app does robotically accumulate each recreation you have downloaded in a straightforward hub, which is a blessing for many who’ve given up on organizing their apps. It additionally alerts you to updates and occasions for downloaded video games and allows you to problem your pals to in-game contests, in addition to indicating what they’re taking part in (which is how I do know when buddies succumb to a different time-devouring spherical of Balatro). It’s not overwhelmingly higher than the opposite recreation facilities on non-iOS telephones, but it surely’s good to have.The iPhone 17 Pro’s design has a slight flaw in terms of gaming. Many video games, like Resident Evil 8 and shooters like Call of Duty: Mobile, require the telephone to be rotated on its facet for a widescreen format. When it is oriented horizontally, my proper hand cups the facet of the handset masking the one downward-firing speaker, which noticeably mutes the sport’s audio. Other telephones have better-placed audio system, and a few, just like the OnePlus 15, even blast audio from below the show, that means it is not lined up regardless of the place your hand is positioned. The digital camera block (or plateau) is one other design quirk that unexpectedly impacts gaming. This yr’s digital camera bump extends throughout the width of the telephone, and I really feel it below my fingers whereas holding the telephone horizontally. (Vertically oriented video games like Pokemon Go or What The Clash aren’t affected.) I can curl my fingertips across the lip to get a little bit of grip whereas taking part in, so it is simply an oddity to get used to. Its raised floor is evened out with a case. (I want Apple’s TechWoven case for the feel below my fingers whereas I’m gaming.) The massive digital camera block makes it troublesome to suit the iPhone 17 Pro into some third-party controllers, like this Backbone, with out alteration. (In this case, I pulled out the spacer tab.) David Lumb/CNETThe digital camera bump is extra of a problem with third-party controllers wrapping across the iPhone 17 Pro. I tucked the telephone into my Backbone One controller after taking off the TechWoven case, which was blocking the USB-C port on the peripheral, and tried to suit the highest finish into the spacing tab — a wedge that may be eliminated and changed with completely different sizes to suit varied telephones. I discovered that the iPhone 17 Pro’s digital camera bump stands out too removed from the again of the telephone to suit the spacing tab. These may be swapped out, however even the smaller tab did not match, so I needed to take away it. Not a deal-breaker, however the digital camera bump’s thickness protruding from the again of the telephone would possibly block its compatibility with some third-party equipment.Speaking of cameras, the Camera Control button on the underside proper facet of the telephone (the place a shutter button can be on a traditional digital camera as soon as the telephone is rotated horizontally) is suitably positioned to be a helpful further button for gaming. Alas, as of iOS 26, it will possibly solely be set as a shortcut to open the digital camera app or a pair different features, and cannot be put to make use of whereas taking part in video games. This is unlucky, since gaming telephones like these from the RedMagic line have been utilizing capacitive shoulder buttons for years.Once I received it located, the Backbone was a dream to make use of with the iPhone, giving me bodily and shoulder buttons I sorely missed. While the contact controls of most video games make them roughly playable on telephones, having controller inputs elevates gameplay considerably. Games like Dead Cells that profit from quick response occasions are a lot extra satisfying when I’ve the safety of a bodily button below my fingers, in contrast to onscreen buttons that my fats thumbs someway discover methods to overlook. Shooters like Call of Duty Mobile are additionally higher with the Backbone than contact controls, as I can intention, soar, transfer and shoot on the similar time with devoted thumbstick and set off inputs. Fast-paced horror video games like Resident Evil 8 are improved when it is the fright that retains me from taking part in nicely, not mistakenly tapping the flawed cluster of onscreen contact controls. Games like Dead Cells, pictured, run nicely on the iPhone 17 Pro, however the contact controls usually are not as exact as bodily buttons on a third-party controller. David Lumb/CNETThere are some quirks that even controllers cannot overcome. Unlike different telephones, the iPhone 17 Pro’s iOS settings are restricted in tweaking its show refresh price, that means you are caught with no matter 1-120 frames per second the telephone decides is suitable until you wish to manually cap it at 60Hz by means of roundabout controls (Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Limit Frame Rate). Without an FPS counter, I wasn’t positive how good the efficiency is relative to different handsets. And in contrast to different telephones, I am unable to drop the body price down a step to 90Hz, in any other case I’d need to hope that video games themselves would have FPS limits included of their app settings. The battery appears about common for a premium smartphone, draining no roughly than comparable gadgets just like the Samsung Galaxy S25. Playing a spherical of Call of Duty Mobile would possibly drain 1-2% at most settings, whereas taking part in Dead Cells for 10 minutes would possibly shave off one other 3%. The telephone’s 40-watt most recharging is a pleasant improve from earlier iPhones, and whereas it is not as quick because the 80-watt charger included within the OnePlus 15’s field, Apple says it will juice an iPhone 17 Pro 50% of its battery in 20 minutes — which is sweet to high again up after taking part in video games on the street. Luckily, CNET’s Patrick Holland discovered that to be true in testing. In CNET Labs 30-minute wired charging take a look at, the iPhone 17 Pro went from empty to 74% and the Pro Max from 0% to 69%. By comparability, the OnePlus 15 gained 72% in the identical take a look at. And each of Apple’s Pro telephones virtually hit 50% after 20 minutes, with the Pro including 55% and the Pro Max with 49% in that point. Ultimately, the iPhone 17 Pro is a strong gaming gadget along with being a top-notch images and videography telephone. Its premium specs ship clean gameplay, although its design is a blended bag, with an inconvenient speaker and obtrusive digital camera block that’s balanced by the heat-managing vapor chamber and good battery life. Compared to Android telephones, Apple’s software program perks give it a slight edge, with Apple Arcade and the App Store’s try-before-you-buy characteristic giving gamers extra choices than within the Google Play Store. There’s nothing revolutionary about gaming on an iPhone 17 Pro, however contemplating all the things else it does nicely, that it is also gaming gadget (and even higher with a Backbone or different controller) makes it a critical contender for individuals who wish to play on a tool that does all the things else nicely, too. Watch this: One Month Later: The iPhone 17 Pro Strikes Back
08:33
© Copyright - TechSwitchCF