ScoreCam does demanding video processing that makes it more heat-intensive than a standard camera app. The table below shows the relative heat load for common configurations, with recording-only at 1080p 30fps as the baseline (1.0). Higher numbers mean proportionally more heat.
These figures apply mainly to iPhone X, XS, XR, and iPhone 11. Newer iPhones (iPhone 12 and later) handle all of these configurations with much less heat — see Which iPhone models handle ScoreCam best?
| Configuration | Load | Heat on iPhone X–11 |
|---|---|---|
| Record 1080p @ 30fps (baseline) | 1.0 | Warm — normal |
| Stream Only 1080p @ 30fps | 1.1 | Warm |
| Stream Only 1080p @ 30fps + Replay | 1.3 | Warm–Hot |
| Stream + Record 1080p @ 30fps | 1.4 | Hot |
| Record 1080p @ 60fps | 1.5 | Hot |
| Stream Only 1080p @ 60fps | 1.6 | Hot |
| Stream + Record 1080p @ 30fps + Replay | 1.6 | Very hot |
| Stream Only 1080p @ 60fps + Replay | 1.9 | Very hot |
| Stream + Record 1080p @ 60fps | 2.1 | Very hot — may throttle |
| Stream + Record 1080p @ 60fps + Replay | 2.4 | Extreme — throttle likely |
Why does 60fps add so much heat? ScoreCam draws the scoreboard overlay on every single video frame. At 60fps the GPU does twice as much rendering work as at 30fps — switching to 30fps is the single most effective change you can make.
Why do recording and streaming together add more heat? Each active mode (local recording, live streaming, replay buffer) runs its own independent video encoder. More encoders running at the same time means more sustained heat.
For tips on reducing heat during a session, see My iPhone stops recording due to high temperature. How can I prevent this?