Yearly, Apple introduces a brand new A-series system-on-chip to pair with the most recent iPhones. This yr, the corporate has taken a very new path. The brand new A16 processor is reserved for the “Professional” iPhone fashions solely, whereas the usual iPhone 14 fashions get the identical A15 we had been launched to final yr (the 5-core GPU model discovered within the iPhone fashions). 13Pro).

This yr’s break up and final yr’s is not the one factor distinctive. The A16 is, greater than ordinary, a comparatively minor evolution of the earlier SoC. There are definitely some adjustments, however the common person is unlikely to note them. The variations between the A15 and A16 look like comparatively slight in comparison with Apple’s typical annual cadence.

Originally of this yr, I made some predictions on the A16 that had been guided by assumptions that had been definitely not all passable. Whereas some issues had been true, the efficiency enchancment on the A16 is about half of what I predicted, and there are fewer main tech upgrades seen. This is what’s new within the A16 and what you possibly can count on from Apple’s first “Professional-only” A-series chip.

What has modified from A15 Bionic

At first look, the A16 appears to be like architecturally much like the A15. There are two high-performance CPU cores and 4 high-efficiency cores, 5 GPU cores, and 16 Neural Engine cores to run AI and machine studying algorithms. Similar to the A15.

The chip is manufactured in a brand new “4-nanometer” course of from TSMC, in keeping with Apple, making it the primary such processor in a smartphone. In response to The takedown of Nikei Asia, that is an costly change. The positioning discovered that the chip prices “greater than 2.4 occasions greater than the A15 model used within the iPhone 13 Professional Max launched final yr.” The positioning stories that Apple is paying $110 for every chip, which has pushed iPhone manufacturing prices “to an all-time excessive.” To its credit score, Apple hasn’t elevated the worth of iPhone 14 Professional fashions over the previous yr.

Nevertheless, it’s value noting that TSMC’s “N4” course of shouldn’t be a 4nm course of within the truest sense, as TSMC even calls it “an improved version of the N5 technology.” Whereas it’s a extra superior course of than earlier A-series processors, it’s not a real next-generation silicon manufacturing course of; you may have to attend for the 3nm course of subsequent yr for such a factor.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The transistor depend has elevated a couple of p.c to 16 billion (from 15 billion), and most of that greater price range is prone to be spent on the brand new show engine (which manages the iPhone 14 Professional show till 1 Hz on display screen at all times lively). mode and may enhance it as much as 2000 nits in daylight), reminiscence controller and picture sign processor.

As for the extra normal components of the processor, they appear to have barely modified. The high-performance CPU cores are codenamed “Everest” and may clock as much as 3.46 GHz, a rise of about 7% over the A15’s 3.24 GHz most for its “Avalanche” cores. The high-efficiency cores are codenamed “Sawtooth” and clocked at as much as 2.02GHz, which is about the identical as the two.01GHz of the A15’s 2.01GHz “Blizzard” cores. Whereas these cores have a brand new title, the architectural adjustments appear minor at greatest, offering no efficiency exterior of the anticipated enhance from the rise in clock pace.

The Neural Engine continues to be 16 cores, the identical as within the A15. Apple says it performs as much as 17 trillion operations per second, which is a rise of about 8% over the A15’s 15.8 trillion. I feel it is most likely the identical design with a barely taller clock.

Maybe probably the most vital change is the transfer to LPDDR5 reminiscence, which ought to present 50 p.c extra reminiscence bandwidth than LPDDR4x reminiscence within the A15. Actually, Apple made the change to LPDDR5 within the M1 line of processors (within the M1 Professional, Max, and Extremely), which relies on the A14 chip structure; the one actual shock right here is that the corporate waited so lengthy to do it on its iPhone-linked Chips. There could also be some very particular circumstances the place a job is totally restricted by the reminiscence bandwidth on the A15, wherein case the A16 ought to carry out significantly better.

So, at first look, now we have what seems to be basically a sooner operating A15, with a brand new show engine and maybe a picture sign processor. Now we have learn stories that there are new safety measures within the processor ROM; Not stunning, contemplating how onerous Apple works on each the {hardware} and software program sides to make its units tough to hack.

cpu efficiency

For the reason that CPU structure hasn’t modified a lot, however solely runs at as much as 7 p.c greater clock pace (and with extra out there reminiscence bandwidth), we should always count on most benchmarks of the CPU present efficiency positive factors of 10 p.c or much less.

A fast take a look at the numbers from Geekbench 5 reveals us that, the truth is, the utmost efficiency of the single-core CPU appears to have elevated by 8 to 10 p.c over the A15. Multi-core efficiency is a bit higher, but it surely’s probably that these exams might extra simply overwhelm the chip’s caches and thus acquire some profit from the upper reminiscence bandwidth.

GPU efficiency

The A16 Bionic has 5 GPU cores, identical to the top-end A15, and I do not assume there was any change in structure. However high-end 3D graphics are typically very demanding on reminiscence bandwidth, and I count on the transfer to LPDDR5 reminiscence to have a big influence right here. I’ve no actual concept of ​​GPU clock speeds, however it will be affordable to count on cores to have the ability to clock in at 7 p.c extra, simply as high-performance CPU cores do.

Looking at one of the crucial strenuous 3D graphics benchmarks, 3DMark Wild Life, efficiency ranges from round 7 p.c sooner on the simplest modes to round 19 p.c on the “Wild Life Excessive” check. Limitless”. That is a pleasant enchancment, and in step with what you’d count on from a slight improve in clock pace and a big improve in reminiscence bandwidth.

When utilizing the GPU for normal function computations, as examined within the GeekBench compute rating (see above), the efficiency enchancment is within the 7 to eight p.c vary.

A15+ can be a extra trustworthy title

There is no query that the A16 is not merely a “bundled” model of the A15 (“bundled” is when chips which can be examined to work greatest in manufacturing are separated and offered as a unique mannequin). It is a new chip. However there are not any main architectural revisions right here that I can see, simply minor revisions to enhance high clock pace and energy effectivity. It is a smaller soar over final yr’s mannequin than we’re used to seeing in Apple’s annual iPhone refresh, a reality solely highlighted by the truth that the usual iPhone 14 fashions nonetheless use the yr’s A15. previous and nonetheless present necessary options like Motion Mode, Photonic Engine and 4K Cinematic Mode.

Apple

Apple did not tout any explicit processor characteristic as “new” aside from the show engine (which is required to handle the iPhone 14 Professional’s always-on show and 1Hz refresh charge) and, the truth is, marketed it extra straight in opposition to Android telephones. and the A13, its three-year-old flagship. The efficiency charts simply do not look very spectacular with a 7-10 p.c efficiency enhance.

To that finish, I really feel like Apple most likely should not have given this chip the A16 moniker. In most ways in which matter, it is a tuned A15. Even the brand new “4nm” manufacturing course of is healthier described as a modified 5nm course of. It is most likely unreasonable to count on groundbreaking developments yearly, with fully new architectures providing 20% ​​efficiency positive factors. The occasional “tweak” yr is ok, particularly since Apple has such a commanding lead in smartphone efficiency proper now. However the title ought to replicate that, and a title like A15+ or A15 Professional seems like a extra trustworthy illustration of this chip.