Thoughts on Apple’s New iPhone 17 Pro Max

Recently, iPhone, the most popular cell phone brand in America, has released a couple of new models, including the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The new update promises several new features, including a vapor cooling chamber, new camera features, and the best battery life of any iPhone.

However, opinions are divided on whether or not the new model lives up to its expectations. Models are also available in bolder colors such as Cosmic Orange, and this decision is praised by some but criticized by others.

One of the most interesting features of the new cell phone is a temperature regulation function that promises to ameliorate overheating. The VC Vapor Chamber, featured in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models is made of stainless steel, and it contains deionized water that vaporizes when heated, then condenses again, efficiently conducting heat and preventing overheating. This design transfers heat away from the mainboard, which houses the A19 Pro chip and other important components, and diffuses it along the aluminum frame that the rest of the iPhone is made of.

The aforementioned A19 Pro chip, which is featured in the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and the iPhone Air, has a 6 - core CPU, meaning it can more efficiently handle a greater number of tasks at once.

According to Apple, it has the most advanced GPU and fastest CPU of any phone. According to the Apple website, “The Apple silicon powering iPhone 17 Pro delivers the highest iPhone performance ever, ideal for advanced gaming and the most demanding tasks.”

They also claim that the iPhone 17 Pro Max has the “best-ever iPhone battery life”, due to an internal redesign.

This claim was corroborated by some BIFU students.

“For as long as I’ve been using this phone, the battery has never gone below 70%,” said Cindy Gu (10).

Another student said something similar.

“I can use it for the whole day, and it will still be at 70%,” said Katherine He (12).

Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max features several useful camera features. There’s a button on the side of the phone, which instantly opens the camera and takes pictures.

The cameras have also been improved, as they feature a very high quality 8x zoom. On the back side of the phone, there are 3 48MP cameras, a main camera, an ultra wide camera, and a telephoto camera. There’s also the center stage function of the camera, which auto-centers the face when taking selfies, and allows taking horizontal selfies while holding the phone vertically. This seems like a useful feature, but not everyone agrees.

“Sometimes [the camera] will constantly change the frame. I don’t like that, and I turned it off,” continued He.

During video recording, by using the dual capture function, both the front and rear cameras simultaneously are used, allowing for capturing and filming moments. This is useful for people who want to capture their reactions as they film as well. Surprisingly, many BIFU students seem to be unfamiliar with the dual capture feature, but after it was mentioned, many agreed that it sounded interesting.

Overall, the new functions of the iPhone 17 Pro Max seem very interesting. It provides benefits such as a longer battery life and many useful camera functions. However, not everybody likes the new addition to the iPhone lineup.

One student had strong opinions about the new iPhone. She believes that her current iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, is more than sufficient to use, and that the new iPhone 17 is not worth buying.

“I don't like the new design, new camera look, or how thin it feels. It feels like the phone is regressing,” said Helena Huang (10), “I suppose it's Apple's way of trying to improve but it is lowkey a scam. The colors are fine, nothing new. Plus, I feel like since this is a new start to a series of trends Apple is doing, I think waiting for the next phone is better.”