iPhone 15 Pro Max Gaming Review
The new iPhone 15 Pro Max has arrived at The Studio, and we're about to put its gaming capabilities to the test.
I made a mistake by setting up my new phone as "new." I had to download all the same apps, configure the settings, rearrange the app icons, factory reset my watch, and reapply the wallpapers. I could have restored from a backup, but hindsight is 20/20. I won't make that mistake with the iPhone 16 next year, and I recommend restoring from a backup instead of setting it up as new.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the 17th generation of iPhone, and it was released on September 22, 2023. It has 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and a 4422mAh battery rated for 6 hours of screen time. Still, I average around 7 hours and 41 minutes of on-screen time over 10 days, according to the battery section in settings. And it's the first iPhone with Wi-Fi 6E and Qualcomm's new X70 modem. It also has a USB-C port with USB 3.0 speeds (Sadly Only on Pro models). I was hoping for a Thunderbolt port, but hopefully next year.
Gaming Performance
Let's talk about the iPhone 15 Pro Max's gaming performance. I played various mobile games, from AAA titles like Genshin Impact to casual ones like Tomb of the Mask and Bloons TD 6. I skipped games I had no interest in, such as COD Mobile or PUBG Mobile.
Sayonara Wild Heart
"Sayonara Wild Heart" is a fantastic rhythm game designed for your iPhone. The game boasts impressive sound quality, ensuring you won't hear any annoying distortion even when you significantly turn up the volume using either your headphones or the phone's built-in speakers. One of the standout tracks, "Parallel Universe," is a personal favorite due to its catchy beat and fun gameplay. Additionally, the game maintains its original charm with striking graphics and smooth performance, just like when it first launched. The visuals are eye-catching, and the game runs without frustrating delays or hiccups.
Genshin Impact
The game ran even smoother at standard settings compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, when I tried to push it to the max (Ultra Settings and 120fps), I encountered an issue – 120 fps wasn't available, only 60. After playing at 60 frames per second for a while, I began to feel that 120 frames per second might not be all that useful for this type of game; it seemed more like a tech demo. But who knows, things might take a different turn once the game updates to support the iPhone 15 Pro's.
Asphalt 8
"Asphalt 8" is a racing game I played in high school on an iPhone 5. Even on that device, it was impressive, so playing it on an iPhone 15 is just as remarkable, if not more. It's not exactly mind-blowing, but it's fun nonetheless. I prefer "Asphalt 8" over "Asphalt 9" because the latter has too many paywalls that limit the gameplay. "Asphalt 8", on the other hand, is part of Apple Arcade and free of extra charges. I can enjoy the game fully without spending any extra money. The gameplay is decent, and the settings allow me to choose a higher frame rate. However, it doesn't say what "High Frame Rate" means, and since iPhones have no FPS Counter Apps, I can't tell whether it's 60fps or 120fps. The controls are responsive, but the buttons in the corners of the main menu are hard to press. The audio is realistic, especially the engine sounds, but nothing remarkable.
Sonic Racing
In my experience with "Sonic Racing," I noticed a few things that stood out. First, the game looked outstanding, with its graphics set to ultra settings. But, sometimes, when I was driving around corners, the game suddenly had frame drops, which was a bit annoying. Another thing that caught my attention was this game's steering mechanics or visuals of the turning. It felt strange and will take some time to get used to. This odd steering mechanism is not present in the game's console version.
Monument Valley 2
"Monument Valley 2" is a puzzle game that follows a mother's and her child's adventures as they explore a magical world of architecture and geometry. The game uses a unique art style inspired by the works of M.C. Escher, a famous artist who created impossible constructions and optical illusions. The player has to rotate, slide, and manipulate the environment to create new paths and perspectives. The game also features a beautiful soundtrack that complements the visuals and creates a relaxing atmosphere. "Monument Valley 2" is a great game to play in your spare time, requiring little visual attention or complex controls. The game runs smoothly and flawlessly on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which enhances the gaming experience with its high-resolution screen and powerful performance.
Tomb of the Mask
"Tomb of the Mask" is a casual puzzle game similar to Monument Valley but in a maze style. It's relatively easy to play or process, and I've been playing it since high school, just like Asphalt 8. However, I can't get past the tutorial screen for some reason. It crashes back to the home screen, even after I force-close the app. And even though the app is killed, the audio still plays in the background.
Benchmark
For the obligatory phone "benchmarks" – which, in my opinion, are rather useless and don't truly evaluate a device's day-to-day performance – I charged the phone to 100%, let it cool down for about 5 minutes, and ran back-to-back tests without any breaks.
3D Mark
During the 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme test, we started with a full battery at 100%, but things gradually went south over five runs. Both the overall scores and average FPS took a hit. In Run 1, we got an overall score of 3116 and an average FPS of 18.7. But in Run 2, things cooled down a bit, with the overall score dropping about 1% to 3081 and the FPS dipping to 18.4. Then came Run 3, and we saw a more noticeable drop, about 2%, in the overall score to 3041, and FPS dropped by roughly 1% to 18.2.
Run 4 wasn't kind either, with the overall score falling approximately 4% to 2984 and the FPS shrinking by about 1% to 17.9. But brace yourselves because the significant drop came in Run 5, with an overall score about 20.4% lower than Run 1, landing at 2478, and FPS taking a nosedive by approximately 20.6% to 14.8. Surprisingly, our battery only lost 1%, holding strong at 99% after the test, so kudos to Apple for their power management.
Geekbench
For Geekbench, We started with a fully charged battery. The CPU performance was up and down in my five runs but held up well overall. The single-core scores ranged from 2871 to 2921, and the multi-core scores ranged from 6951 to 7208. On the GPU side, it consistently performed well, with scores hovering around the 27,000 mark in each run.
Speaking of battery life, it went from 100% to 98% after all those tests. It seems reasonable but surprising compared to the 3D mark, which had the screen displaying graphics and the GPU pushing pixels. The phone did get more noticeably hotter, though.
Antutu
With the Antutu benchmark test, the battery was at 100% again before I began. In my five runs, the scores were relatively consistent. Run 1 scored 1,406,186, Run 2 showed a significant improvement at 1,511,786, Run 3 came in at 1,494,358, while Run 4 delivered a slight boost at 1,502,737, and Run 5 reached 1,498,401. Here's the kicker: after all these tests, the battery took a huge hit, falling to 79%. (I take back my kudos apple.. or Antutu. It was one of you!)
Battery
I drained the phone through regular use for the battery test and then charged it back up to 80%. My preferred setting is to prolong battery life and practice good battery health, preparing for my future EV 😜.
| Percentage Range | Approximate Time (Minutes) | Approximate Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Dead to 1% | 2 | 15w |
| 1% to 10% | 9 | 27w |
| 10% to 20% | 6 | 21w |
| 20% to 60% | 25 | 10w |
| 60% to 80% | 20 | 1w |
Wi-Fi
I decided to test the Wi-Fi performance of my Internet connection to our Google Nest Pro Wi-Fi connected to an Xfinity modem at different distances from the router. When I was about 10 feet away, I got impressive speeds of 239 Mbps download and 6.61 Mbps upload, which is solid. Moving approximately 20 feet away didn't make much difference, as I still managed to pull 238 Mbps down and 11.9 Mbps up, which is great for most tasks. However, when I ventured around 50 feet away, I was in my front yard, and the speeds took a noticeable dip, hitting 96.5 Mbps down and 5.89 Mbps up.
| Distance | Down | Up |
|---|---|---|
| ≈10 ft | 239.0 Mbps | 6.61 Mbps |
| ≈20 ft | 238.0 Mbps | 11.90 Mbps |
| ≈50 ft | 96.5 Mbps | 5.89 Mbps |
Action Button
Let's discuss the Action Button. I've set it up for a multi-step shortcut. When my phone is either facing up on a flat surface or held in portrait orientation in my hand, I can press and hold the action button. Doing so opens a pop-up menu offering quick actions such as orientation lock, silencing options, and frequently used apps I've selected.
But this functionality also adapts to Focus Modes. When I'm at work, it displays the same options as mentioned earlier, but with the addition of a 'Set Timer' action (with a default of 30 minutes) and an 'Open App: Translate' action. However, when writing or creating YouTube videos for Eventide, I switch to a specific focus mode, and the Action Button presents the same options. This time, it includes actions for opening the Lofi Girl playlist on Apple Music and launching a focus app I use called 'FocusedTraveller.'
When I hold the phone in landscape and click the action button, it launches the camera. If I have the phone face down or upside down (like when it's in my pocket), it silences it.
It would be cool if Apple allowed double or triple presses to trigger different actions – that would be amazing! Perhaps in iOS 17.2? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
USB-C
The iPhone 15 finally features USB-C, especially on the Pro models, which offers USB-C with USB 3 speeds. According to various tests, it works seamlessly with multiple devices, including monitors, keyboards, mice, gaming pads, hard drives, and even Ethernet adapters. It's incredibly versatile. However, some people might be annoyed by the need to buy all-new cables. I won't deny that I've encountered issues, particularly when searching for a USB-A to USB-C cable for my car, which seemed odd considering the prevalence of USB-C in many Android devices. Nonetheless, USB-C to USB-C cables are readily available. I love the convenience of charging all my electronics with a single cable. Except for my AirPods, which I charge wirelessly anyway. It's fantastic
Build Quality
When comparing this phone to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, it feels surprisingly lighter despite the numbers suggesting otherwise. Early tests indicate that, although titanium is more rigid than aluminum, it is more fragile. Of course, I won't be conducting any drop tests with this phone since it's my primary device, essential for tasks like making calls and texting, and ordering that Dunkin' Donuts half sweet, half unsweet iced tea (if you know, you know)
Verdict
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has left a lasting impression on my daily tech adventures. With its impressive gaming performance, USB-C versatility, and the handy Action Button, this phone is a significant upgrade. If you're considering an upgrade, I wholeheartedly recommend it. I eagerly anticipate what Apple has for the iPhone 16 next year.