iPhone 17 Pro Max With Desktop SSD Coolers Hits 90% Stability in Benchmarks

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has already proven itself to be a powerhouse, but a recent experimental modification has pushed its limits even further. While Apple introduced a new vapor chamber cooling solution to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max that already delivers impressive sustained performance during heavy workloads like AAA mobile gaming, one inventive modder decided to take things to an entirely different level. By attaching multiple desktop-grade M.2 SSD coolers to the back of the flagship device, they achieved performance stability rarely seen on a smartphone, hitting an extraordinary 90 percent stability in 3DMark’s notoriously demanding Steel Nomad Light Unlimited benchmark.

The unusual test was conducted by Reddit user T-K-Tronix, who strapped what appeared to be five desktop M.2 SSD coolers onto the rear of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

These aren’t ordinary phone accessories: they are chunky cooling solutions designed for high-performance PCIe NVMe Gen 5 SSDs, complete with copper heatpipes and miniature fans. On paper, it sounds absurd. In practice, the results were astonishing.

According to the benchmark data, the device without any added cooling managed a Steel Nomad Light Unlimited score of 2,233. Once the SSD coolers were attached, the iPhone peaked at an impressive 2,712, marking a 21.45 percent increase. Even at its lowest observed score with the mod, 2,455, the phone still held nearly a 10 percent improvement compared to its stock performance. These numbers translate directly into the kind of stability gamers crave: fewer frame rate drops, less thermal throttling, and an experience closer to what you’d expect from a dedicated gaming handheld rather than a smartphone.

The context makes these gains even more remarkable. Apple’s new A19 Pro chipset already boasts a 6-core GPU that outpaces its predecessors by a wide margin, offering up to 69 percent better frame rates in demanding titles like Resident Evil 4 Remake, Death Stranding, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Adding this improvised cooling rig effectively ensures those boosts are not lost over time, making the iPhone 17 Pro Max behave like a miniature gaming console with sustained horsepower to match.

Of course, practicality is the big question. Mounting five heavy copper coolers on a delicate glass-and-metal smartphone is hardly something most users would attempt. The contraption looks like a small cyberpunk science project, with spinning fans jutting out from the back of a device that’s meant to slide into your pocket. But enthusiasts have always pushed boundaries with wild mods, and this one is no different. For those who prioritize raw performance over elegance, it’s a glimpse into what could be possible if phone cooling systems borrowed more from the world of desktop hardware.

While it’s unlikely Apple will officially endorse attaching SSD coolers to iPhones anytime soon, this mod underscores how much demand there is for improved thermal solutions in mobile gaming. If this kind of DIY experiment can bring stability close to 90 percent under extreme benchmarks, it may push manufacturers to rethink future designs. For now, though, this remains a one-of-a-kind stunt – equal parts brilliant and ridiculous.