iPhone 17 Pro smartphones will use vapor chamber cooling according to leak

The industry anticipates an iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max release date later this year. The A19 Pro chip should boost performance, but overheating could limit gains. Previous rumors have circulated about Apple embracing vapor chamber cooling to rival Samsung phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Now, the leaker known as Instant Digital is confident that some iPhone 17 models will use the more effective cooling system.

According to the Instant Digital Weibo post, vapor chamber cooling will not come to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air. Instead, buyers would need to upgrade to Apple's upcoming Pro models. Less premium smartphones rely on a heatsink's conductive materials to dissipate heat outwards toward a case. Unfortunately, this approach may not be sufficient for intensive gaming or video editing.

Vapor chamber cooling typically involves a liquid-filled thin copper pipe placed above a processor. When heated, the liquid converts to vapor before spreading to a cooler section of the chamber. The vapor then changes back into liquid form, and the process repeats itself. To this point, the system has been more common in Android smartphones. The Galaxy S25 Ultra amplified the size of its cooling chamber to prevent the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip from throttling.

The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will use the A19 Pro chip, which promises more speed and efficiency. However, the improvements may not be massive compared to previous iPhone Pro models. Vapor chamber cooling could allow the smartphones to reach their full potential.  

Overheating is especially a concern in the massive mobile gaming industry. With cutting-edge visuals, AAA titles can push the limits of any smartphone. Manufacturers like GameSir offer controllers with fans attached, but a vapor chamber is a far more elegant solution.