Apple promised a 40% graphics leap with its A20 Pro processor, but real world gaming tests show even bigger gains. Tech creator Dame Tech tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max against the older iPhone 17 Pro Max across heavy titles like Resident Evil 4 Remake and Assassins Creed Mirage. The results show the newer flagship easily beating official estimates while running cooler.
Testing Assassins Creed Mirage proved tricky because the game engine locks output to 30 fps. Running at a native resolution of 2868x1320 pixels, both devices handled the visuals reasonably well. The iPhone 18 Pro Max stayed pinned to the 30 fps maximum almost the entire time. The iPhone 17 Pro Max struggled to keep up, frequently dipping down to 25 fps during heavy action scenes.
The real performance gap appeared in Resident Evil 4 Remake using unlocked custom graphics settings. Here the extra power was obvious. The iPhone 18 Pro Max delivered a nearly stable 60 fps throughout the benchmark run. The iPhone 17 Pro Max lingered between 35 and 40 fps on the exact same sequence. That jump represents an actual 50% performance increase over the older hardware, beating the 40% boost Apple advertised.
Efficiency was another clear win for the newer silicon. Additional testing reveals that the A20 Pro draws less power from the battery than rival mobile processors while generating far less physical heat. This thermal control keeps the phone from throttling clock speeds during long gaming sessions, giving players consistent frame rates without burning through battery capacity.
