Present-day iPhone 17 Pro benchmark results indicate Apple's A19 Pro chip outperforms Qualcomm's Snapdragon, potentially posing challenges for the competitor.
Apple has unveiled its latest smartphones, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, featuring the powerful A19 Pro system-on-chip built on a 3nm process. These new models demonstrate significant improvements in graphics performance compared to previous iPhone models, setting a new benchmark in the mobile industry.
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are the first Apple phones to ship with a vapor chamber cooling system, a move that has paid off in terms of stability and performance. In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the iPhone 17 Pro Max shows a marked improvement in stability scores compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The A19 Pro's multicore results put the iPhone 17 Pro slightly ahead of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max just behind. This indicates that Apple's response to the graphics performance gains made by Android phones powered by the latest Snapdragon silicon is a bold one.
In the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max show improved graphics performance compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra still holds the top spot. However, in the 3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited test, both iPhone 17 models achieve higher graphics performance compared to the Galaxy S25 series.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 3871 in the Geekbench single-core test, and the iPhone 17 Pro scores 3834. In the multicore tests, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 9968, and the iPhone 17 Pro scores 9988. Compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the iPhone 17 Pro Max shows a 14% improvement in single-core results and a 20% improvement in multicore results.
The A19 Pro chipset inside the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max has six CPU and six GPU cores. This improvement in graphics performance is evident in real-world use, with Adobe Premiere Rush video transcoding tests showing both iPhone 17 Pro models completing the task in 22 seconds, while every Galaxy S25 model takes over twice as long.
As Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit approaches next week, it is likely to bring a first look at the silicon powering next year's Android phones. However, it seems that Apple has made a strong move in the mobile graphics performance race with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
It's worth noting that Qualcomm is also making strides in the automotive industry with the AI-enabled Snapdragon Ride Pilot automated driving system, built on Snapdragon Ride system-on-chips and jointly developed with BMW Group. This system debuted globally in the BMW iX3 and targets wide automotive adoption by 2026.
In conclusion, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max offer impressive graphics performance, setting a new standard for Apple devices and posing a strong challenge to Android flagships. The vapor chamber cooling system, the A19 Pro chipset, and the real-world performance improvements make these new models an exciting addition to the mobile market.
