A fun new video from the PhoneBuff YouTube channel shows just how much faster iPhones actually get year over year. Or do they? Watch it below to find out.
How much do yearly performance gains really add up to?
You’ve probably seen one of PhoneBuff’s videos, where robotic arms zip across smartphone screens to compare how different models handle the same set of tasks.
And while many may feel compelled to point out that these tests aren’t exactly scientific or definitive, there’s something about them that’s equally entertaining, creative, and hypnotic.
In its latest video (via MacMagazine), PhoneBuff takes on what they claim is their biggest and most intensive speed test yet, comparing six iPhone Pro Max generations, from the 12 to the 17.
The experiment is an interesting way to visualize just how much each device improved or even slipped in performance year over year, as well as to highlight how those year-to-year gains compound over several generations.
With tasks involving image capture and processing, app loading, gaming, and heavier workflows like photo and video editing, the video shows that performance gains aren’t as straightforward as one might think.
During multiple stages, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, for instance, holds its own pretty solidly against newer models, even though (spoiler alert) the iPhone 17 Pro Max glides by and finishes the test with time to spare against all competitors.
Even if you’re not a fan of this sort of speed test, and if I’m being honest, they’ve never been my jam, this one is particularly interesting, and may be well worth 12 minutes of your time.
Watch it below:
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