A16 Bionic Archives - Gizmochina

Apple A17 Pro vs A16 Bionic: What’s The Difference?

Soumyakanti — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:12:21 +0000

When Apple announces a new chipset, it’s often met with excitement around the world. This year, the spotlight was on the A17 Pro. But how does it fare against its predecessor, the A16 Bionic?

Let’s break it down.

A17 Pro vs A16 Bionic Chipset Comparison

Manufacturing Process

A17 Pro: The standout feature of the A17 Pro is the industry’s first 3-nanometer chip built on TSMC’s latest 3nm fabrication process. This nanometric reduction from its predecessor means the chip can fit more transistors in the same space, resulting in improved performance and energy efficiency. To be precise, the A17 Pro houses approximately 19 billion transistors.

A16 Bionic: The A16 Bionic, which works on a 4nm process and has around 16 billion transistors, was quite impressive in its time. However, with its 3nm process, the A17 Pro represents a major step ahead.

Raw Performance

CPU Cores: Both chips feature a 6-core CPU. However, architectural enhancements in the A17 Pro deliver what Apple describes as “the fastest single-threaded performance in any smartphone.”

Geekbench Insights: Benchmarks indicate a substantial performance boost for the A17 Pro. The single-core performance on Geekbench shows an improvement of around 16%, and the multi-core performance jumps by approximately 13% compared to the A16.

AnTuTu Insights: The iPhone 15 Pro Max scored 1,641,883 points on AnTuTu. In the CPU test, it achieved 392,643 points, and in the GPU test, it scored 597,734 points. It excelled in the memory department with a score of 306,164, surpassing the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s score of 233,925.

Graphical Prowess

GPU: While the A16 Bionic houses a 5-core GPU, the A17 Pro ramps it up with a 6-core GPU. According to Apple, this enhancement results in up to a 20% performance boost.

Real-World Impacts: This isn’t just a numbers game. The added core means better handling of high-res graphics, from gaming to professional graphic tasks.

Moreover, the A17 Pro’s GPU includes hardware-based ray tracing, a significant improvement in rendering realistic lighting and shadow effects. To be precise, the A17 Pro chip offers four times faster ray tracing performance compared to the A16 Bionic.

GFXBench Insights: In GPU benchmark results on GFXBench, it outperformed the A16 Bionic by significant margins. For example, in the Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen test, the iPhone 15 Pro Max with A17 Pro performed about 19% better than the iPhone 15 Plus with A16 Bionic. In the Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen test, the A17 Pro showed improvements of up to 31.5%, with 199.8 fps compared to the A16’s 151.9 fps. While not all comparisons reached the advertised 20% boost, the A17 Pro appears to deliver greater GPU performance improvements.

AI and Neural Capabilities

Neural Engine: Artificial Intelligence (AI) tasks play a crucial role in modern smartphones. While both chips incorporate a 16-core Neural Engine, the A17 Pro’s version is said to be twice as fast, performing up to 35 trillion operations per second. This leads to improved performance for AI tasks and better photo and video optimizations.

Memory and Efficiency

RAM: The A17 Pro boasts 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, outshining the A16’s 6GB. This additional memory will assist in multitasking, allowing smoother app transitions and better performance in memory-intensive tasks.

Efficiency: The A17 Pro’s 3nm process improves energy efficiency, enabling tasks to be performed with less power consumption. This leads to longer battery life and reduced heat generation, ensuring the device remains cool during demanding operations.

Improved ISP (Image Signal Processor)

Photonic Engine: The A17 Pro features improvements in its Image Signal Processor, including the new Photonic Engine and Smart HDR 5, resulting in improved photo and video quality compared to the A16 Bionic.

Mesh Shading: It also introduces Mesh shading and offers video capabilities such as 2.8K @ 60 fps in Cinematic and Action Modes, surpassing the A16’s 30 fps limit. Additionally, the A17 Pro captures 48MP HEIF images in addition to 48MP Pro RAW images.

Connectivity and Additional Features

USB 3 Performance: The A17 Pro brings USB 3 capabilities to iPhones, allowing for faster data transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps, a significant step up from the 480 Mbps seen in the A16 Bionic.

Media Engines: The A17 Pro also stands out with the addition of an AV1 decoder, expected to improve video streaming on newer iPhones.

The A17 Pro builds upon the A16 Bionic’s foundation with a range of refinements and enhancements, solidifying its position as a formidable contender in the mobile chipset industry.

The importance of these enhancements may vary from user to user, but for those seeking top-tier performance, the A17 Pro establishes a new standard in the continually evolving realm of smartphone technology.

RELATED:

The post Apple A17 Pro vs A16 Bionic: What’s The Difference? appeared first on Gizmochina.

A17 Pro Barely Beats A16 Bionic in iPhone 15 Pro Leak

Oğuz Çakır — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 21:39:05 +0000

Apple recently introduced the iPhone 15 series at the Wonderlust event. While the new models attracted attention with their features and Pro-ness, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, like last year, stood out for their performance compared to the standard models thanks to the A17 Pro processor. At least, that’s what Apple wanted us to think. However, some tests showed otherwise. According to a leak, A17 Pro is only slightly faster than the A16 Bionic, with a 10% improvement in single-core performance. Here are the details…

iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro Benchmarks: Single-Core Improvement Falls Short of Expectations

According to a Geekbench benchmark, the A17 Pro has a single-core score of 2914, which is only 10% higher than the A16 Bionic’s score of 2655. The multi-core score is also only slightly higher, at 7199 compared to the A16 Bionic’s 6952. These results are a bit surprising, given that Apple had previously claimed that the A17 Pro would be up to 20% faster than the A16 Bionic. However, it’s possible that Apple was referring to the GPU performance, which is really 20% faster.

However, that’s normal that considering the fundamental differences between the two processors. For example the A17 Pro has a 6-core GPU, compared to the A16 Bionic’s 5-core GPU. The A17 Pro is also more power-efficient than the A16 Bionic, which could lead to better battery life. However, it’s too early to say for sure how the A17 Pro will perform in the real world.

It’s also worth noting that the A17 Pro is still a very new chip, and it’s possible that it will improve over time with software updates. So, it’s too early to say definitively whether or not the A17 Pro is a disappointment. Moreover, the A17 Pro has a new neural engine that is twice as fast as the previous generation, and it also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. This could make the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max better for gaming and augmented reality applications.

So, what does this mean for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max? Well, they will still be among the fastest smartphones on the market, but they may not be as much of a leap forward as some people were expecting. Therefore, if you are an iPhone 14 Pro Max user like me, or if you have one of the other current models, you may want to wait for the iPhone 16 series to upgrade your phone.

RELATED:

(via)

The post A17 Pro Barely Beats A16 Bionic in iPhone 15 Pro Leak appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple’s A16 Bionic chip may be a 5nm chip despite being marketed as a 4nm chip

Rajesh — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:15:56 +0000

Apple marketed the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max as being manufactured on a 4nm process. However, a new rumor suggests that the chip was actually internally labeled as a 5nm part, and not a 4nm one.

Apple A16 Bionic: 5nm chip internally, 4nm chip externally?

According to tipster @URedittor, the A16 Bionic chip was advertised as a 4nm chip but was actually referred to internally as a 5nm chip. If the tipster’s claims are true, then Apple’s marketing of the A16 Bionic chip as being manufactured on a 4nm process is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

An interesting tidbit about the A16 – looks like the whole “4nm” thing was apparently a marketing gimmick, I’ve seen it labeled as a 5nm chip internally.

This does not Apply to the A17, that one is undoubtedly 3nm, so it should be a more significant upgrade. https://t.co/GjE8XWcLch
— Unknownz21 (@URedditor) August 21, 2023

Jason Cross of Macworld also covered this topic back in October, after the launch of the iPhone 14 series. He analyzed the design of the A16 chip and concluded that it is mostly the same as the A15. Cross stated the point:

The chip is manufactured on a new “4 nanometer” process from TSMC, according to Apple, making it the first such processor in a smartphone. It’s worth noting, however, that TSMC’s “N4” process is not a 4nm process in the truest sense, with TSMC itself even calling it “an enhanced version of N5 technology.” While it’s a more advanced process than earlier A series processors, it is not a real next-generation silicon manufacturing process.

Regardless, the leakster suggests that the Apple A17 Bionic chip will be made on a 3nm process, which could lead to a significant performance boost over the A16 Bionic. Previously, it was rumored that the A17 Bionic would be up to 31% faster than the A16 Bionic in single-core and multi-core tests.

Apple’s A16 Bionic chip may be a 5nm chip despite being marketed as a 4nm chip

This makes the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max even more enticing, as they are said to be the only models that will be equipped with the A17 Bionic. The less expensive iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are likely to be powered by the A16 Bionic.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 More Expensive Than Apple’s A16 Bionic

Oğuz Çakır — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 22:27:23 +0000

The cost of smartphones, laptops, and other devices has been steadily increasing in recent years. This increase can be attributed to several factors, including inflation, supply chain disruptions, and the rising demand for high-end features. One of the reasons for the price hike in some flagship phones appears to be the desire for more power. Interestingly, it has been revealed that Qualcomm, the manufacturer of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, is selling it at a higher price compared to the manufacturing cost of Apple’s A16 Bionic chip. Here are the details…

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Costs More Than Apple’s A16 Bionic

Qualcomm released its latest flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, in November 2022. Since then, it has been featured in many high-end Android phones, and has often been praised for its performance. However, it appears that this high performance comes at a great cost. Qualcomm is reportedly selling its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip to smartphone makers for $160 per unit. This is higher than the price that Apple pays to make its A16 Bionic chip, which is $110 per unit.

This means that Qualcomm is charging its smartphone partners $50 more for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 than Apple is charging its partners for the A16 Bionic. This is a significant difference, and it could lead to higher prices for smartphones that use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There are a few possible reasons why Qualcomm is charging more for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

One possibility is that Qualcomm is merely trying to increase their profits. Alternatively, Qualcomm might hold the belief that their Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a superior chip compared to the A16 Bionic, thus justifying a higher price tag. While an additional $50 may not sound like a lot at first glance, when you consider that manufacturers add their profit margin on top of their costs, it becomes clear just how significant this amount is.

RELATED:

(via)

The post Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 More Expensive Than Apple’s A16 Bionic appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro’s A16 Bionic to Outperform New Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Phones: Report

Sean — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 11:21:41 +0000

Qualcomm had just recently announced its latest and greatest flagship chipset, which is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. While this is the company’s most powerful mobile processor so far, it appears that it still might be outperformed by the Apple A16 Bionic chip that powers the iPhone 14 Pro series.

This news arrives from a GeekBench benchmark listing (Via MacRumors), ahead of any Android smartphones that feature the new Qualcomm chip. However, looking at the early GeekBench benchmark results, the next gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was outpaced by the Apple iPhone 14 Pro model’s A16 Bionic chipset. The synthetic benchmarks revealed that the Snapdragon SoC scored 1483 points in the single core test and 4709 points in the multi core test. Meanwhile, the the A16 Bionic processor scored 1874 and 5372 points in the respective tests.

So it is clear that the Cupertino based giant’s new chips are still ahead of their Android counterparts. Interestingly enough, the last gen iPhone chips, the A15 Bionic, managed to score 1709 points in the single core tests, which is also higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This would have one question Qualcomm’s claim of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 revolutionizing “the landscape of flagship smartphones in 2023.”

Although the company did state that the advancements would being a “new standard for connected computing, intelligently engineered with groundbreaking AI across the board to enable extraordinary experiences.” In other words, raw performance bump isn’t the only thing new in the new 8 Gen 2 chipset. Keep in mind that benchmarks do not always reflect a better user experience or real life performance. But this does goes to show how Apple’s chips, even the older models, are still quite capable in the current market.

Apple’s A16 Bionic GPU shows an underwhelming improvement over its predecessor the A15

Jed John Ikoba — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:34:57 +0000

The latest performance tests of Apple‘s A16 Bionic GPU have shown a less than significant improvement over its predecessor. The A16 Bionic powers the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models. The chipset was put through the paces of GPU tests and it did not deliver noticeable improvements over its predecessor, the A15 Bionic.

The A16 Bionic debuted with the iPhone 14 series and it has been put through several benchmarking performance tests. The current performance tests sought to examine how much better the new chipset is over its predecessor and other flagship chips like the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The tests were carried out by Golden Reviewer and the A16 Bionic chalked a score of 3,359 on 3DMark’s Wildlife Extreme test, higher than any other tested chipset. However, its 444.1 efficiency score was less than that of MediaTek’s Dimensity 8100 and Dimensity 9000 SoCs. The A16 Bionic is also about 20% more powerful than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and also slightly more efficient.

For Apple A16, GPU performance improvement may be marginal, but some better efficiency is still welcomed. And before the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is available, A16 is still hands down the fastest mobile SoC. pic.twitter.com/AbCHAgnTWg

— Golden Reviewer (@Golden_Reviewer) October 3, 2022

When squared up against the A15 Bionic, The new Apple chipset was only 5% more powerful and 20% more efficient. A few other benchmarking tests have put the A16 Bionic as the most powerful mobile chip in terms of GPU. The performance metrics show a significant improvement in the efficiency of the A16 Bionic over the A15 Bionic. However, in terms of raw power, there is only a minimal improvement.