Technologies

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Keeps Cool While Playing the Hottest Mobile Games

Its cooling vapor chamber is a standout feature for the powerful phone, though its design isn’t the best for gaming.

The iPhone 17 Pro is the best phone Apple has ever released — top specs, long battery life, a crisp screen and outstanding cameras. The first three also make it a great gaming device, but how great? I decided to test it to find out. And if you can find another phone that doesn’t heat up when playing a graphics-intensive, console-quality game like Resident Evil 8, I’d like to see it.

Most games will play on even the lowest performing phones. Game developers want to open their market to as many players as they can, even if that means having their games run slow and look ugly. But better specs mean sharper graphics, more frames per second and an overall better gaming experience. The iPhone 17 Pro is at the top of the performance rankings among all our tests, so it’s no surprise that the phone handles games well. It’s fast, powerful and beats most other handsets in battery life.

And its specs are impressive. The A19 Pro chip and estimated 12GB of RAM or more (according to iFixIt and GSMArena — Apple never releases RAM numbers) handle game graphics smoothly. With a starting storage of 256GB, owners have plenty of space to download games, as well as options for 512GB and 1TB, or 2TB on the Pro Max, ensuring there’s enough room for photos and other files with large data footprints.

The 6.3-inch display is large for a “smaller” phone, and its 2,622 x 1,206-pixel resolution is vibrant. Even better is its 3,000-nit maximum brightness, which might be one of the highest among phones sold today, making it easy to see in bright daylight.

For clarity, I’ve been playing games on an iPhone 17 Pro, meaning I miss out on the slightly longer battery life and larger display of the phone’s sibling, the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

While the latest iPhones regularly match or overcome their competitors in photo or video quality, in recent years, Apple has pushed the narrative that all of its devices, large and small, are capable of playing the latest top games — another usage niche that the company wants to dominate. That’s been true for the small selection of console-quality games that have been ported to iOS, like Resident Evil 8 and Alien: Isolation, complete with phone-friendly touch controls. Obviously, this is a feather in Apple’s cap to hold over competing Android devices, but it also shows off the iPhone’s horsepower.

This year, the iPhone 17 Pro added something on top of its premium silicon: a vapor cooling chamber that sits on top of the A19 Pro chip. While gaming phones have long incorporated these cooling infrastructures, which are typically tiny chambers filled with water to vent hot air away from graphics-processing silicon, this is the first iPhone to have one. Apple also reverted from its titanium frame in prior years’ Pro models to an aluminum one, which is better at venting heat. This combination allows the iPhone 17 Pro to run games for longer without overheating.

I put these claims to the test, pitting my two-year-old iPhone 15 Pro Max with a titanium frame against the new aluminum iPhone 17 Pro with a vapor chamber. Downloading and playing the first 20 minutes of Resident Evil 8, which is heavy on in-game cutscenes and dramatic graphics, with both phones was illustrative. The older iPhone 15 Pro Max heated up quickly and its glass back was slightly toasty under my fingertips, while the iPhone 17 Pro remained cool until I reached an overlook in the game with a nice view for a photo (above), at which point it got warm.

Heat is key for gaming: A hotter phone drains battery more quickly, can automatically shut down if overheated and is unpleasant to hold. While a case can insulate fingers from toasty phones, it can also keep the heat inside, preventing natural cooling and potentially cooking the phone.

The iPhone 17 Pro also used less battery, draining 15% in the download-and-play session compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 28% in my casual Resident Evil 8 test. The 17 Pro was also noticeably smoother when playing the graphically intensive game, and while there wasn’t a frames-per-second counter, I saw frame rate dips on the older iPhone that I didn’t on the newer model.

What it’s like to game on the iPhone 17 Pro

Like other high-end phones, playing games on the iPhone 17 Pro is a smooth experience. There are quirks, both in the phone’s design and software, that throw some curveballs into the gaming mix — not all of which are bad, but many affect how you can play on the phone.

Apple Arcade, which is only available to iOS devices, is the first and most obvious factor that sets the iPhone 17 Pro apart from other gaming phones. For a $7 monthly fee, you get access to a catalog of ad-free games, many of which are exclusive to the service. While the catalog skews family-friendly, it does have a range of games across a lot of genres, such as Cult of the Lamb Arcade Edition, What the Clash, PowerWash Simulator and NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition. In general, the quality is higher than the average game on the App Store.

The Games app is a new standalone center for gaming on the iPhone that launched in September with iOS 26. Truth be told, I’m stuck in my ways, laboriously swiping through every home screen until I get to the app tile for the game I want to play just like I’ve done since the iPhone 4 (my first iOS device). But the Games app does automatically collect every game you’ve downloaded in an easy hub, which is a blessing for those who’ve given up on organizing their apps. It also alerts you to updates and events for downloaded games and lets you challenge your friends to in-game contests, as well as indicating what they’re playing (which is how I know when pals succumb to another time-devouring round of Balatro). It’s not overwhelmingly better than the other game centers on non-iOS phones, but it’s nice to have.

The iPhone 17 Pro’s design has a slight flaw when it comes to gaming. Many games, like Resident Evil 8 and shooters like Call of Duty: Mobile, require the phone to be rotated on its side for a widescreen format. When it’s oriented horizontally, my right hand cups the side of the handset covering the single downward-firing speaker, which noticeably mutes the game’s audio. Other phones have better-placed speakers, and some, like the OnePlus 15, even blast audio from under the display, meaning it isn’t covered up no matter where your hand is placed.

The camera block (or plateau) is another design quirk that unexpectedly affects gaming. This year’s camera bump extends across the width of the phone, and I feel it under my fingers while holding the phone horizontally. (Vertically oriented games like Pokemon Go or What The Clash aren’t affected.) I can curl my fingertips around the lip to get a bit of grip while playing, so it’s just an oddity to get used to. Its raised surface is evened out with a case. (I prefer Apple’s TechWoven case for the texture under my fingers while I’m gaming.)

The camera bump is more of an issue with third-party controllers wrapping around the iPhone 17 Pro. I tucked the phone into my Backbone One controller after taking off the TechWoven case, which was blocking the USB-C port on the peripheral, and tried to fit the top end into the spacing tab — a wedge that can be removed and replaced with different sizes to fit various phones. I found that the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera bump sticks out too far from the back of the phone to fit the spacing tab. These can be swapped out, but even the smaller tab didn’t fit, so I had to remove it. Not a deal-breaker, but the camera bump’s thickness protruding from the back of the phone might block its compatibility with some third-party accessories.

Speaking of cameras, the Camera Control button on the bottom right side of the phone (where a shutter button would be on a conventional camera once the phone is rotated horizontally) is suitably positioned to be a useful extra button for gaming. Alas, as of iOS 26, it can only be set as a shortcut to open the camera app or a couple other functions, and can’t be put to use while playing games. This is unfortunate, since gaming phones like those from the RedMagic line have been using capacitive shoulder buttons for years.

Once I got it situated, the Backbone was a dream to use with the iPhone, giving me physical and shoulder buttons I sorely missed. While the touch controls of most games make them roughly playable on phones, having controller inputs elevates gameplay significantly. Games like Dead Cells that benefit from fast reaction times are so much more enjoyable when I have the security of a physical button under my fingers, unlike onscreen buttons that my fat thumbs somehow find ways to miss. Shooters like Call of Duty Mobile are also better with the Backbone than touch controls, as I can aim, jump, move and shoot at the same time with dedicated thumbstick and trigger inputs. Fast-paced horror games like Resident Evil 8 are improved when it’s the fright that keeps me from playing well, not mistakenly tapping the wrong cluster of onscreen touch controls.

There are some quirks that even controllers can’t overcome. Unlike other phones, the iPhone 17 Pro’s iOS settings are limited in tweaking its display refresh rate, meaning you’re stuck with whatever 1-120 frames per second the phone decides is appropriate unless you want to manually cap it at 60Hz through roundabout controls (Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Limit Frame Rate). Without an FPS counter, I wasn’t sure how good the performance is relative to other handsets. And unlike other phones, I can’t drop the frame rate down a step to 90Hz, otherwise I’d have to hope that games themselves would have FPS limits included in their app settings.

The battery seems about average for a premium smartphone, draining no more or less than similar devices like the Samsung Galaxy S25. Playing a round of Call of Duty Mobile might drain 1-2% at maximum settings, while playing Dead Cells for 10 minutes might shave off another 3%. The phone’s 40-watt maximum recharging is a nice upgrade from previous iPhones, and while it’s not as fast as the 80-watt charger included in the OnePlus 15’s box, Apple says it’ll juice an iPhone 17 Pro 50% of its battery in 20 minutes — which is nice to top back up after playing games on the road.

Luckily, CNET’s Patrick Holland found that to be true in testing. In CNET Labs 30-minute wired charging test, the iPhone 17 Pro went from empty to 74% and the Pro Max from 0% to 69%. By comparison, the OnePlus 15 gained 72% in the same test. And both of Apple’s Pro phones almost hit 50% after 20 minutes, with the Pro adding 55% and the Pro Max with 49% in that time.

Ultimately, the iPhone 17 Pro is a powerful gaming device in addition to being a top-notch photography and videography phone. Its premium specs deliver smooth gameplay, though its design is a mixed bag, with an inconvenient speaker and obtrusive camera block that is balanced by the heat-managing vapor chamber and good battery life. Compared to Android phones, Apple’s software perks give it a slight edge, with Apple Arcade and the App Store’s try-before-you-buy feature giving players more options than in the Google Play Store.

There’s nothing revolutionary about gaming on an iPhone 17 Pro, but considering everything else it does well, that it’s also a good gaming device (and even better with a Backbone or other controller) makes it a serious contender for people who want to play on a device that does everything else well, too.

Technologies

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”