Key Takeaways
1. The A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro Max features significant GPU upgrades, achieving benchmark scores similar to the M2 iPad Air.
2. Real-world gaming tests show the A19 Pro consistently outperforms the A18 Pro, with smoother frame rates and improved thermal management.
3. Games like GRID Legends and Resident Evil 2 demonstrate the A19 Pro’s capability to maintain higher frame rates compared to previous models, with GRID Legends achieving 60 FPS.
4. The new vapor chamber cooling system in the A19 Pro helps manage temperatures better, reducing throttling issues common in previous Pro models.
5. Despite improvements, many AAA titles still target 30 FPS, highlighting Apple’s ongoing challenge with a limited gaming library compared to other handheld devices.
The A19 Pro chip that powers the iPhone 17 Pro Max includes major upgrades to the GPU. This was shown in a leaked set of benchmarks, where the A19 Pro achieved scores similar to the M2 iPad Air. Additionally, in a review video from popular YouTuber The Tech Chap, it was clear that the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro Max easily outperformed the previous year’s A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Real-World Performance
However, benchmarks are just one piece of the puzzle. To see how the chip performs in real-world situations, YouTuber MrMacRight tested 10 AAA games on Apple’s latest flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the results were quite impressive.
One of the first games he tested was GRID Legends. When running in performance mode, it achieved a smooth 60 FPS at a resolution of 1778 × 818 with dynamic resolution scaling. Frame pacing was steady, and thermal output remained within normal limits. MrMacRight noted that the iPhone 16 Pro Max often dropped closer to 50 FPS in similar conditions, making the A19 Pro’s consistent performance a clear upgrade.
GPU Gains in Gaming
Resident Evil 2 also showcased the GPU improvements. On the A19 Pro, the game reached almost 50 FPS at native 1080p, while the A17 and A18 Pro struggled to stay above 35 FPS. The YouTuber mentioned that switching to a 30 FPS preset improved frame pacing and graphics, but it did come with a sacrifice in responsiveness.
When it came to Resident Evil 4, Apple’s latest chip showed its most significant advancements. By tweaking configuration files, MrMacRight managed to push the A19 Pro to nearly 60 FPS, though it wasn’t perfectly stable. More crucially, the updated vapor chamber cooling system helped keep temperatures in check, showing a thermal rating of “Fair” instead of “Serious,” which was common with the A18 Pro and A17 Pro where throttling issues were frequent. Previous Pro iPhones tended to overheat under similar loads.
Strengths and Limitations
On the contrary, Death Stranding pointed out both strengths and weaknesses. The game aims for 30 FPS at 720p with aggressive upscaling. On the A19 Pro, it consistently hit this target and ran cooler than the A17 Pro and A18 Pro. By experimenting with the configuration files and capping it at 60 FPS, the YouTuber demonstrated that the game could achieve up to 40 FPS, indicating potential for further optimization.
Lastly, Assassin’s Creed Mirage offered a more realistic picture of gaming on the iPhone. The game is limited to 30 FPS and relies on upscaling, but with the new chip, it managed to maintain higher graphical quality. However, the YouTuber pointed out that this “high” preset isn’t quite the same as what is available on PC and consoles.
In conclusion, these findings show that the A19 Pro marks a significant advancement for mobile gaming, particularly in sustaining stable performance without quick thermal throttling. Nonetheless, most AAA titles still target 30 FPS, and Apple’s ongoing challenge is its limited gaming library compared to other handheld devices like the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch 2.
For a more detailed look, including tests on Hitman, Sniper Elite 4, Subnautica, and more, you can check out MrMacRight’s complete video where he analyzes all ten games thoroughly.
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply