The evolution of processor technology has resulted in smaller chips that pack in more power than ever. The A19 Pro chip that powers the new iPhone 17 Pro is built on a 3nm foundation. That’s about the same width as a stand of human DNA. But that feat of engineering comes at a cost: heat. In order to dissipate that heat, Apple has developed and refined several technologies to help manage the heat that comes from this powerful new chip.
The big change is the implementation of vapour chamber cooling.
What is vapour chamber cooling?
Vapour chamber cooling is not new. It’s been used to keep systems cool for decades. It relies on a sealed container filled with a small amount of liquid. When the liquid gets hot, it evaporates and the heat in the vapour is transferred to the body of the sealed chamber and then out through the outer casing of the device.
The heat generated by the A19 Pro chip heats the deionised water in the sealed vapour chamber. This distributes the heat across a larger surface area. That heat is then transferred to the iPhone casing. By the time the heat reaches the casing much of it has dissipated.
The evaporation of the water in the chamber uses some heat (the water condenses when the heat is reduced when the A19 Pro chip is not working as hard) and the rest is transferred to the system casing.
As a result, there are no ‘hot spots’ on the phone and the device can run faster for longer periods as the processor doesn’t have to be throttled back when it gets hot. And it will be more comfortable to hold.
How has Apple implemented vapour chamber cooling
Here’s how Apple describes it:
Deionised water is sealed inside the vapour chamber, which is laser-welded into the aluminium chassis to move heat away from the powerful A19 Pro, allowing it to operate at even higher performance levels. The heat is carried into the forged aluminium unibody, where it is distributed evenly through the system, managing power and surface temperatures…
When Steve Jobs announced that Apple was moving away from the PowerPC architecture on the Mac to Intel he emphasised that a key issue was the amount of heat generated by the older technology as the amount of processor power increased. That problem has never gone away. Instead, engineers have designed systems that manage the increased heat that comes from modern processors.
Vapour chamber cooling is not Apple’s invention. Like many ‘innovations’ Apple brings to its products, the vapour chamber is an idea that it has integrated, in a very specific, Apple way.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.