WTF?! Aftermarket coolers for stabilizing thermals on mobile devices are already widely available, but Redditor T-K-Tronix has taken things to a ridiculous new level. Covering the back of an iPhone with massive coolers might look unsightly, but a 3DMark screenshot shows that it gets results.
A Redditor recently shared photos of his iPhone 17 Pro Max with several SSD heatsinks attached to the back. The added cooling pushes the phone's 3DMark test results far beyond similar benchmarks on unmodified units.
Thermals are crucial when using phones for high-end workloads, such as gaming and recording high-resolution video. Overheating devices can throttle, affecting frame rates, screen brightness, and more. Modder T-K-Tronix suggests that his unique cooling solution is ideal for ProRes recording while using camera cages.
Comparing the Redditor's photo of a 3DMark Steel Nomad Light Unlimited results page with other tests demonstrates the mod's effectiveness. While 3DMark's website doesn't publish results for iPhones, YouTuber Max Tech recently ran the same benchmark on a "standard" iPhone 17 Pro Max and its predecessor.
Max Tech recorded scores ranging from 1,608 to 2,318 with a 69.4% stability rating. Although the unmodded iPhone 17 Pro Max significantly improves over the 16 Pro Max's 912-to-1,395 score and 65.4% stability, and the new phone returns to full screen brightness more quickly, T-K-Tronix's Frankenstein cooler outperforms it substantially in stability and score range.
Reaching 90.5% stability, the modified phone scored between 2,455 and 2,712, a range of only 257 points. Commenters joked that, in light of the results, Apple or third-party accessory makers should consider offering heavy-duty iPhone coolers for enthusiast users.
T-K-Tronix also shared heatmap photos that revealed significant thermal differences between the lower and middle sections of the phone, covered by the cooler, and the uncovered camera bump. While the heatsinks maintained temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius, the rest of the device exceeded 35 degrees.
This is not the first unofficial upgrade a modder has introduced for the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the four weeks since its release. On launch day, YouTuber DirectorFeng demonstrated that with patience, users could potentially save hundreds by installing 1TB of storage on a 256GB model. A 2TB upgrade, which could save customers nearly a grand, is pending.
Modder attaches SSD coolers to iPhone 17 Pro Max for unprecedented benchmark results
