On paper, the iPhone 16 Series should do well in gaming compared to its predecessors, thanks to a new implementation.
Are you one of those who want a gaming-ready iPhone? The concept of high-powered gaming was unleashed in full effect during the reign of the iPhone 15 Series, specifically the Pro models.
But it fell a bit short because of some technical issues. Although Apple fixed them later, they left a lasting impression. Still, we managed to see that the iPhone can run popular titles from PC and consoles.
With the iPhone 16, will we finally experience the concept for real? Let’s find out.
Disclaimer: The iPhone 16 Series hasn’t arrived in PH yet. The insights in this article are based on what Apple claimed during the announcement. Read with caution.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
Compared to the non-Pro models of the iPhone 15 Series, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus boast major improvements in performance. Not only did they receive a boost, but that boost is also from a new line of chipset, the A18.
Although not the Pro chipset, it’s still on a 3-nm process node, better than the 4-nm of the previous lineup. According to Apple, the A18 comes with improvements like:
- 30% faster than A16 Bionic
- 2x faster on machine learning than A16 Bionic
- 30% more power efficient than A16 Bionic
- 40% faster GPU than A16 Bionic
- 35% more power efficient GPU than A16 Bionic
- 30% higher sustained performance while gaming
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will beat their predecessors by a landslide on paper. They may even get more stable frame rates since they can use Apple Intelligence better with more refined neural cores.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Heading to the Pro models, these are expected to deliver gaming performance that we missed on previous models. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are both powered by the A18 Pro, which has six GPU cores.
Compared to the previous generation, the A18 Pro sports improvements like:
- 20% faster GPU performance
- 2x faster ray tracing
- 15% faster CPU performance
- 20% less power consumption
- 2x faster video encoding
These improvements may not be noticeable for some users in the real world, but Apple didn’t just invest in those. The tech giant actually added something new to the signature titanium design of the iPhone 16 Pro models. It’s a crucial but missing part in previous Pro models.
Passive Cooling
You may have read or heard about vapor cooling chambers on Android phones. They are installed to help dissipate heat faster and better, alleviating the stress from the battery and chipset and keeping sustained performance.
A VC is something we never expected Apple will add to any iPhone. But that’s a thing in the past now.
Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro feature a passive cooling system involving an aluminum substructure. Since the material is a good conductive of heat, it’s expected to help dissipate heat and maintain sustained performance by up to 20%. That’s a lot considering the default cooling strategy of iPhones.
Can it keep the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max cool for long periods? That’s something we’ll find out soon.
Gaming Features
The iOS 18 has Game Mode and the hardware on the iPhone 16 Series allows ray tracing. Yet machine learning and Apple Intelligence are planned to elevate gaming experience to the next level.
In simple terms, the plan is combining the CPU, GPU, and NPU to reach peak performance during gaming, while the new cooling system works on sustaining that performance level. This series should be better at running games at 60 and 120 FPS with maximum graphics.
Then, what about battery life?
Battery Life
Apple isn’t big in detailing the exact battery capacity of the iPhone 16 Series. Though, we have an idea of the estimated life per specific task. The company claims that the battery has been improved based on the revealed info:
| Video Playback | Video Streaming | Audio Playback | |
| iPhone 15 | 20 hours | 16 hours | 80 hours |
| iPhone 16 | 22 hours | 18 hours | 80 hours |
| iPhone 15 Plus | 26 hours | 20 hours | 100 hours |
| iPhone 16 Plus | 27 hours | 24 hours | 100 hours |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 23 hours | 20 hours | 75 hours |
| iPhone 16 Pro | 27 hours | 22 hours | 85 hours |
Keep in mind that using the camera and playing games for hours will drain the battery fast, no matter how good a chipset is. A powerful chipset, despite energy efficiency, will always demand higher power because it can do a lot, compared to weak chipsets.
There’s also the contributing effect of ambient temperature. Phones with lower temperatures tend to consume less power. Thus, a powerful chipset and hot ambient temperature can affect battery life.
Do you think the iPhone 16 Series can deliver us the gaming experience we’ve been deprived of last year?
