Unleash the Ultimate Gaming Experience: Transform Your iPhone 15 Pro into an Epic Gaming Console

Key Takeaways

Get a USB-C to HDMI adapter for your new iPhone 15 Pro to connect it to your TV and enjoy a larger display for gaming.

Get a smartphone cooling accessory to avoid overheating and keep your device performing at its best. Opt for controllers that are compatible with the iPhone, like the Xbox Series controller, to elevate your gaming experience and enjoy support for various titles.

Charging Dongles With Video Output

Apple is touting the iPhone 15 Pro as a "gaming console" due to its range of games, including popular titles like Death Stranding and Resident Evil Village. However, the limited touch controls and small screen size fall short of providing a true console experience. So, how can you truly achieve the console transformation?

Ensure that the USB-C to HDMI adapter you purchase includes a USB-C charging port, like the Belkin USB C to HDMI Adapter. This adapter is compatible with the new iPhone 15 phones, which now feature a USB-C port, and also works with iPad Pros.

$22 $35 Save $13 A simple HDMI adapter that also charges your USB-C device while you use an external display. Perfect for iPad Pro extended display.

$22 at Amazon

Smartphone Cooling Accessories

To connect older iPhones, you'll need an adapter that converts Lightning to HDMI. It's important to note that if the app doesn't have support for external displays, you'll only see a mirrored version of what's on your iPhone or iPad screen. Additionally, the aspect ratio may not be a perfect match. However, newer titles are more likely to offer full-screen support for external displays.

Now that your iPhone has a way to connect to your TV without draining the battery, the next concern is keeping it cool. Unlike devices with fans, iPhones rely on passive heat dissipation through their body to manage the heat generated by the CPU and GPU. This means that you may initially experience excellent performance during gaming, but as the phone heats up, it automatically reduces performance to maintain a safe temperature.

Introducing the Black Shark Magnetic Cooler

$40 $50 Save $10 The Black Shark Magnetic Cooler takes advantage of MagSafe technology to easily add cooling to your phone for intensive tasks.

$40 at Amazon

iPhone-Compatible Controllers

By opting for an attachable active phone cooler, you can address this problem, although its effectiveness may not be on par with conventional active cooling methods. Additionally, it is advisable to remove your iPhone from its casing prior to affixing the cooler.

This is undoubtedly the simplest part of the setup because Apple has done a tremendous amount of work to seamlessly integrate controllers into macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. At present, you have the ability to use a variety of controllers, including the PS4, Xbox One (Bluetooth), PS5, Xbox Series, and even Nintendo Switch controllers, with any game that supports controller functionality. The best part is that newer games automatically adjust the on-screen button prompts to match the specific controller you're using. It's so immersive that it's easy to forget you're not actually playing on an Xbox or PlayStation.

Introducing the Xbox Core Wireless Controller in Robot White for the Xbox Series X|S.

$40 $60 Save $20 The perfect controller for Xbox One, Xbox Series, Android, iOS, and Windows gamers.

$40 at Amazon

Great iPhone Console Ports To Get Started

Older titles will continue to display Xbox-style prompts, meaning that if you do not currently possess a compatible controller, we strongly recommend acquiring an Xbox Series controller solely for this purpose.

At present, the highly anticipated high-quality console games revealed by Apple for the iPhone 15 Pro have not been released. However, there are numerous impressive console ports readily available on the platform. Here are a few top recommendations:

1. Alien Isolation

GRID Autosport

The Talos Principle

Journey

Minecraft

There are also plenty of great indie games that have full controller support, and don't forget about cloud-gaming services that will also work with your controller.

A Note About Battery Health

While it's enjoyable to use your iPhone as a gaming console, there is a significant drawback to consider: the decline in battery performance. Due to their sensitivity to heat and limited charge cycles, lithium batteries gradually lose capacity and eventually become unusable. This means that playing intense games while connected to a power source poses a risk to the health of your battery.

However, upcoming iPhones may incorporate a bypass charging feature, and software updates could introduce new battery preservation functionalities for existing models. Although Apple's flagship phone isn't quite ready to replace gaming consoles like the Xbox or Playstation that are typically connected to TVs, it is evident that Tim Cook and his team are focusing on the console gaming market with investments in Apple Silicon and features such as AI upscaling.