Your iPhone could be the next Nintendo Switch – we put it to the test
WHEN Apple revealed the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it announced a shocking feature that no one was expecting.
The company claims that it is capable of running big-budget games usually saved for modern consoles and high-end PCs.
A number of games released this year are expected to land on the latest iPhone, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage and the Game of the Year nominated Resident Evil 4.
However, it might be some time before we see those ports, so instead, we tried out one of the biggest games that is currently available on the iPhone.
For our gaming test, we chose Resident Evil Village, the last mainline game in the Resident Evil series.
Originally developed for the PS4, there are more intensive games, but this one felt like a good starting point.
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We also previously tried Resident Evil Village on iPad Pro, and were fairly disappointed with the results due to battery draining, lag, and overheating.
When playing on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, there definitely were big improvements in these areas.
While the battery still drained too quickly to be used as a handheld – around 35% battery loss in an hour – the heating issue was much improved.
This is likely due to the titanium shell, which distributes heat better, though it may be generating the same amount of heat, it’s not too hot to handle like the iPad.
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We were also able to use more of the graphical options on the iPhone as this device didn’t struggle nearly as much with the standard settings.
We still found it ran better at a stable 30fps than the standard variable framerate, particularly with shooting.
The smaller screen is a major downside, though; at 6.7”, it’s smaller than the Portal, Steam Deck or Switch OLED, though larger than the Switch Lite or the original Switch model.
However, the Switch models have the controller at the side of the screen, keeping your hands away from the action.
Using touchscreen controls means your hands cover a large portion of the screen, but using a controller means that the screen feels too small.
An accessory like the Backbone would help with this, though this needs to be purchased separately.
Despite our misgivings, we were surprised with just how well the iPhone 15 Pro Max deals with a high-end game.
You might have to stay near a power source, but we are interested in how it stands up when tested with the gaming monsters of today.
If you want to read how it compares to the iPad Pro, then check out our full Resident Evil Village iOS review.
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You might also want to read how current-gen games play on another recent handheld in our PlayStation Portal review.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of .
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