Apple announced its plan to switch Mac computers from Intel processors to Apple silicon at WWDC 2020 on June 22, 2020.[1][2] The first Macs built with the Apple M1 chip were unveiled on November 10, 2020. As of June 2023, the entire Mac lineup uses Apple silicon chips.
Apple fully controls the integration of Apple silicon chips with the company's hardware and software products. Johny Srouji is in charge of Apple's silicon design.[3] Manufacturing of the chips is outsourced to semiconductor contract manufacturers such as TSMC.
The "A" series is a family of SoCs used in the iPhone, certain iPad models, and the Apple TV. "A" series chips were also used in the discontinued iPod Touch line and the original HomePod. They integrate one or more ARM-based processing cores (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), cache memory and other electronics necessary to provide mobile computing functions within a single physical package.[4]
The Cortex-A8 core used in the A4, dubbed "Hummingbird", is thought to use performance improvements developed by Samsung in collaboration with chip designer Intrinsity, which was subsequently acquired by Apple[16][17] It can run at far higher clock rates than other Cortex-A8 designs yet remains fully compatible with the design provided by ARM.[18] The A4 runs at different speeds in different products: 1GHz in the first iPads,[19] 800MHz in the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod Touch, and an undisclosed speed in the 2nd-generation Apple TV.
The A4's SGX535 GPU could theoretically push 35 million polygons per second and 500million pixels per second, although real-world performance may be considerably less.[20] Other performance improvements include additional L2 cache.
The A4 processor package does not contain RAM, but supports PoP installation. The 1st-generation iPad, fourth-generation iPod Touch,[21] and the 2nd-generation Apple TV[22] have an A4 mounted with two low-power 128MB DDR SDRAMchips (totaling 256MB), while the iPhone 4 has two 256MB packages for a total of 512MB.[23][24][25] The RAM is connected to the processor using ARM's 64-bit-wide AMBA 3 AXI bus. To give the iPad high graphics bandwidth, the width of the RAM data bus is double that used in previous ARM11- and ARM9-based Apple devices.[26]
The Apple A5 is an SoC manufactured by Samsung[27] that replaced the A4. The chip commercially debuted with the release of Apple's iPad 2tablet in March 2011,[28] followed by its release in the iPhone 4Ssmartphone later that year. Compared to the A4, the A5 CPU "can do twice the work" and the GPU has "up to nine times the graphics performance",[29] according to Apple.
The A5 contains a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU[30] with ARM's advanced SIMD extension, marketed as NEON, and a dual core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. This GPU can push between 70 and 80 million polygons/second and has a pixel fill rate of 2billion pixels/second. The iPad 2's technical specifications page says the A5 is clocked at 1GHz,[31] though it can adjust its frequency to save battery life.[30][32] The clock speed of the unit used in the iPhone 4S is 800MHz. Like the A4, the A5 process size is 45nm.[33]
An updated 32 nm version of the A5 processor was used in the 3rd-generation Apple TV, the fifth-generation iPod Touch, the iPad Mini, and the new version of iPad 2 (version iPad2,4).[34] The chip in the Apple TV has one core locked.[35][36] Markings on the square package indicate that it is named APL2498, and in software, the chip is called S5L8942. The 32nm variant of the A5 provides around 15% better battery life during web browsing, 30% better when playing 3D games and about 20% better battery life during video playback.[37]
In March 2013, Apple released an updated version of the 3rd-generation Apple TV (Rev A, model A1469) containing a smaller, single-core version of the A5 processor. Unlike the other A5 variants, this version of the A5 is not a PoP, having no stacked RAM. The chip is very small, just 6.1×6.2mm, but as the decrease in size is not due to a decrease in feature size (it is still on a 32nm fabrication process), this indicates that this A5 revision is of a new design.[38] Markings tell that it is named APL7498, and in software, the chip is called S5L8947.[39][40]
The Apple A5X is an SoC announced on March 7, 2012, at the launch of the third-generation iPad. It is a high-performance variant of the Apple A5; Apple claims it has twice the graphics performance of the A5.[41] It was superseded in the fourth-generation iPad by the Apple A6X processor.
The A5X has a quad-core graphics unit (PowerVR SGX543MP4) instead of the previous dual-core as well as a quad-channel memory controller that provides a memory bandwidth of 12.8GB/s, roughly three times more than in the A5. The added graphics cores and extra memory channels add up to a very large die size of 165mm²,[42] for example twice the size of NvidiaTegra 3.[43] This is mainly due to the large PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. The clock frequency of the dual ARM Cortex-A9 cores have been shown to operate at the same 1GHz frequency as in A5.[44] The RAM in A5X is separate from the main CPU package.[45]
The Apple A6 is a PoP SoC introduced on September 12, 2012, at the launch of the iPhone 5, then a year later was inherited by its minor successor the iPhone 5C. Apple states that it is up to twice as fast and has up to twice the graphics power compared to its predecessor the Apple A5.[46] It is 22% smaller and draws less power than the 45nm A5.[47]
The A6 is said to use a 1.3GHz[48] custom[49] Apple-designed ARMv7 based dual-core CPU, called Swift,[50] rather than a licensed CPU from ARM like in previous designs, and an integrated 266MHz triple-core PowerVR SGX 543MP3[51]graphics processing unit (GPU). The Swift core in the A6 uses a new tweaked instruction set, ARMv7s, featuring some elements of the ARM Cortex-A15 such as support for the Advanced SIMD v2, and VFPv4.[49] The A6 is manufactured by Samsung on a high-κmetal gate (HKMG) 32nm process.[52]
Apple A6X is an SoC introduced at the launch of the fourth-generation iPad on October 23, 2012. It is a high-performance variant of the Apple A6. Apple claims the A6X has twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of its predecessor, the Apple A5X.[53]
Like the A6, this SoC continues to use the dual-core Swift CPU, but it has a new quad core GPU, quad channel memory and slightly higher 1.4GHz CPU clock rate.[54] It uses an integrated quad-core PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics processing unit (GPU) running at 300MHz and a quad-channel memory subsystem.[54][55] Compared to the A6 the A6X is 30% larger, but it continues to be manufactured by Samsung on a high-κmetal gate (HKMG) 32nm process.[55]
The Apple A7 is a 64-bit PoP SoC whose first appearance was in the iPhone 5S, which was introduced on September 10, 2013. The chip would also be used in the iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3. Apple states that it is up to twice as fast and has up to twice the graphics power compared to its predecessor the Apple A6.[56] The Apple A7 chip is the first 64-bit chip to be used in a smartphone and later a tablet computer.[57]
The A7 features an Apple-designed 1.3[58]–1.4[59]GHz 64-bit[60]ARMv8-A[61][62] dual-core CPU,[58] called Cyclone,[61] and an integrated PowerVR G6430 GPU in a four cluster configuration.[63] The ARMv8-A architecture doubles the number of registers of the A7 compared to the A6.[64] It now has 31 general-purpose registers that are each 64-bits wide and 32 floating-point/NEON registers that are each 128-bits wide.[60] The A7 is manufactured by Samsung on a high-κmetal gate (HKMG) 28 nm process[65] and the chip includes over 1billion transistors on a die 102mm2 in size.[58]
The Apple A8 is a 64-bit PoP SoC manufactured by TSMC. Its first appearance was in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were introduced on September 9, 2014.[66] A year later it would drive the iPad Mini 4. Apple states that it has 25% more CPU performance and 50% more graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power compared to its predecessor, the Apple A7.[67] On February 9, 2018, Apple released the HomePod, which is powered by an Apple A8 with 1GB of RAM.[68]
The A8 features an Apple-designed 1.4[69]GHz 64-bit[70]ARMv8-A[70] dual-core CPU, and an integrated custom PowerVR GX6450 GPU in a four cluster configuration.[69] The GPU features custom shader cores and compiler.[71] The A8 is manufactured on a 20nm process[72] by TSMC,[73] which replaced Samsung as the manufacturer of Apple's mobile device processors. It contains 2billion transistors. Despite that being double the number of transistors compared to the A7, its physical size has been reduced by 13% to 89mm2 (consistent with a shrink only, not known to be a new microarchitecture).[74]
The Apple A8X is a 64-bit SoC introduced at the launch of the iPad Air 2 on October 16, 2014.[75] It is a high performance variant of the Apple A8. Apple states that it has 40% more CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of its predecessor, the Apple A7.[75][76]
The Apple A9 is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which were introduced on September 9, 2015.[78] Apple states that it has 70% more CPU performance and 90% more graphics performance compared to its predecessor, the Apple A8.[78] It is dual sourced, a first for an Apple SoC; it is manufactured by Samsung on their 14nm FinFET LPE process and by TSMC on their 16nm FinFET process. It was subsequently included in the first-generation iPhone SE, and the iPad (5th generation). The Apple A9 was the last CPU that Apple manufactured through a contract with Samsung, as all A-series chips after are manufactured by TSMC.
The Apple A9X is a 64-bit SoC that was announced on September 9, 2015, and released on November 11, 2015, and first appeared in the iPad Pro.[79] It offers 80% more CPU performance and two times the GPU performance of its predecessor, the Apple A8X. It is manufactured by TSMC using a 16 nmFinFET process.[80]
The Apple A10 Fusion is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which were introduced on September 7, 2016.[81] The A10 is also featured in the sixth-generation iPad, seventh-generation iPad and seventh-generation iPod Touch.[82] It has a new ARM big.LITTLE quad core design with two high performance cores, and two smaller highly efficient cores. It is 40% faster than the A9, with 50% faster graphics. It is manufactured by TSMC on their 16nm FinFET process.
The Apple A10X Fusion is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the 10.5" iPad Pro and the second generation of the 12.9" iPad Pro, which were both announced on June 5, 2017.[83] It is a variant of the A10 and Apple claims that it has 30 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent faster GPU performance than its predecessor, the A9X.[83] On September 12, 2017, Apple announced that the Apple TV 4K would be powered by an A10X chip. It is made by TSMC on their 10nm FinFET process.[84]
The Apple A11 Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC[85] that first appeared in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, which were introduced on September 12, 2017.[85] It has two high-performance cores, which are 25% faster than the A10 Fusion, four high-efficiency cores, which are 70% faster than the energy-efficient cores in the A10, and for the first time an Apple-designed three-core GPU with 30% faster graphics performance than the A10.[85][86] It is also the first A-series chip to feature Apple's "Neural Engine," which enhances artificial intelligence and machine learning processes.[87]
The Apple A12 Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, which were introduced on September 12, 2018. It is also used in the third-generation iPad Air, fifth-generation iPad Mini, and the eighth-generation iPad. It has two high-performance cores, which are 15% faster than the A11 Bionic, and four high-efficiency cores, which have 50% lower power usage than the energy-efficient cores in the A11 Bionic.[88] The A12 is manufactured by TSMC[89] using a 7nm[90]FinFET process, the first to ship in a smartphone.[91][89] It is also used in the 6th generation Apple TV.
The Apple A12X Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the 11.0" iPad Pro and the third generation of the 12.9" iPad Pro, which were both announced on October 30, 2018.[92] It offers 35% faster single-core and 90% faster multi-core CPU performance than its predecessor, the A10X. It has four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. The A12X is manufactured by TSMC using a 7nmFinFET process.
Apple A12Z Bionic
The Apple A12Z Bionic is an updated version of the A12X Bionic, first appearing in the fourth generation iPad Pro, which was announced on March 18, 2020.[93] It adds an additional GPU core, compared to the A12X, for improved graphics performance.[94] The A12Z is also used in the Developer Transition Kit prototype computer that helps developers prepare their software for Macs based on Apple silicon.[95]
The entire A13 SoC features a total of 18 cores – a six-core CPU, four-core GPU, and an eight-core Neural Engine processor, which is dedicated to handling on-board machine learning processes; four of the six cores on the CPU are low-powered cores that are dedicated to handling less CPU-intensive operations, such as voice calls, browsing the Web, and sending messages, while two higher-performance cores are used only for more CPU-intensive processes, such as recording 4K video or playing a video game.[96]
The Apple A14 Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the fourth-generation iPad Air and iPhone 12, released on October 23, 2020. It is the first commercially available 5 nm chipset and it contains 11.8billion transistors and a 16-core AI processor.[97] It includes Samsung LPDDR4XDRAM, a 6-core CPU, and 4-Core GPU with real time machine learning capabilities. It was later used in the tenth-generation iPad, released on October 26, 2022.
The Apple A15 Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone 13, unveiled on September 14, 2021. The A15 is built on a 5-nanometer manufacturing process with 15billion transistors. It has 2 high-performance processing cores, 4 high-efficiency cores, a new 5-core graphics for iPhone 13 Pro series (4-core for iPhone 13 and 13 mini) processing unit, and a new 16-core Neural Engine capable of 15.8trillion operations per second.[98][99] It is also used in the third-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus and the sixth-generation iPad Mini.[100]
The Apple A16 Bionic is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone 14 Pro, unveiled on September 7, 2022. The A16 has 16 billion transistors and is built on TSMC's N4P fabrication process, being touted by Apple as the first 4nm processor in a smartphone.[101][102] However, N4 is an enhanced version of N5 technology, a de facto fourth-generation 5 nmmanufacturing process.[103][104][105] The chip has 2 high-performance processing cores, 4 high-efficiency cores and 5-core graphics for iPhone 14 Pro series. Memory is upgraded to LPDDR5 for 50% higher bandwidth and a 7% faster 16-core Neural Engine capable of 17trillion operations per second. The chip was later used in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.[106]
The Apple A17 Pro is a 64-bitARM-based SoC that first appeared in the iPhone 15 Pro, unveiled on September 12, 2023. It is Apple's first 3 nm SoC. The chip has 2 high-performance processing cores, 4 high-efficiency cores, a 6-core GPU for iPhone 15 Pro series, and a 16-core Neural Engine capable of 35trillion operations per second. The GPU was described as their biggest redesign in the history of Apple GPUs, adding hardware accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading support.[107]
The Apple "H" series is a family of SoCs with low-power audio processing and wireless connectivity for use in headphones.
Apple H1
The Apple H1 chip was used in the second and third generation AirPods and the first generation AirPods Pro. It was also used in the Powerbeats Pro, the Beats Solo Pro, Beats Fit Pro, the 2020 Powerbeats, and AirPods Max.[170] Specifically designed for headphones, it has Bluetooth 5.0, supports hands-free "Hey Siri" commands,[171] and offers 30 percent lower latency than the W1 chip used in earlier AirPods.[172]
Apple H2
The Apple H2 chip was used in the fourth generation AirPods and second generation AirPods Pro. It has Bluetooth 5.3, and implements 48kHz noise reduction in hardware. The 2022 version of the H2 operates only on the 2.4GHz frequency, while the 2023 version adds support for audio transmission using a proprietary protocol in two specific frequency ranges of the 5GHz band.[173]
The M1, Apple's first system on a chip designed for use in Macs, is manufactured using TSMC's 5nm process. Announced on November 10, 2020, it was first used in the MacBook Air, Mac mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro, and later used in the iMac, 5th-generation iPad Pro and 5th-generation iPad Air. It comes with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, for a total of 8 CPU cores. It comes with up to 8 GPU cores, with the entry level MacBook Air having only 7 GPU cores. The M1 has 16 billion transistors.[179]
Apple M1 Pro
The M1 Pro is a more powerful version of the M1, with six to eight performance cores, two efficiency cores, 14 to 16 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 32GB unified RAM with up to 200GB/s memory bandwidth, and more than double the transistors. It was announced on October 18, 2021, and is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple claimed the CPU performance is about 70% faster than the M1, and that its GPU performance is about double. Apple claims the M1 Pro can deliver up to 20 streams of 4K or 7 streams of 8K ProRes video playback (up from 6 offered by Afterburner card for 2019 Mac Pro).
Apple M1 Max
The M1 Max is a larger version of the M1 Pro chip, with eight performance cores, two efficiency cores, 24 to 32 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 64GB unified RAM with up to 400GB/s memory bandwidth, and more than double the number of transistors. It was announced on October 18, 2021, and is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the Mac Studio. Apple claims the M1 Max can deliver up to 30 streams of 4K (up from 23 offered by Afterburner card for 2019 Mac Pro) or 7 streams of 8K ProRes video playback.
Apple M1 Ultra
The M1 Ultra consists of two M1 Max dies connected together by a silicon interposer through Apple's UltraFusion interconnect.[180] It has 114 billion transistors, 16 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores, 48 to 64 GPU cores and 32 Neural Engine cores; it can be configured with up to 128GB unified RAM of 800GB/s memory bandwidth. It was announced on March 8, 2022, as an optional upgrade for the Mac Studio. Apple claims the M1 Ultra can deliver up to 18 streams of 8K ProRes video playback.[181]
Apple announced the M2 SoC on June 6, 2022 at WWDC, along with a redesigned MacBook Air and a revised 13-inch MacBook Pro and later the sixth-generation iPad Pro and the sixth-generation iPad Air. The M2 is made with TSMC's "enhanced 5-nanometer technology" N5P process and contains 20 billion transistors, a 25% increase from the previous generation M1. The M2 can be configured with up to 24 gigabytes of RAM and 2 terabytes of storage. It has 8 CPU cores (4 performance and 4 efficiency) and up to 10 GPU cores. The M2 also increases the memory bandwidth to 100GB/s. Apple claims CPU improvements up to 18% and GPU improvements up to 35% compared to the previous M1.[182]
Apple M2 Pro
The M2 Pro is a more powerful version of the M2, with six to eight performance cores, four efficiency cores, 16 to 19 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 32GB unified RAM with up to 200GB/s memory bandwidth, and double the transistors. It was announced on January 17, 2023 in a press release and it is used in the 14- and 16-inch 2023 MacBook Pro as well as the Mac Mini. Apple claims the CPU performance is 20 percent faster than the M1 Pro and the GPU is 30 percent faster than the M1 Pro.[183]
Apple M2 Max
The M2 Max is a larger version of the M2 Pro, with eight performance cores, four efficiency cores, 30 to 38 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 96GB unified RAM with up to 400GB/s memory bandwidth, and more than double the transistors. It was announced on January 17, 2023 in a press release and it is used in the 14- and 16-inch 2023 MacBook Pro, as well as the Mac Studio.[184] Apple claims the CPU performance is 20 percent faster than M1 Max and the GPU is 30 percent faster than the M1 Max.[183]
Apple M2 Ultra
The M2 Ultra consists of two M2 Max dies connected together by a silicon interposer through Apple's UltraFusion interconnect. It has 134 billion transistors, 16 performance cores, 8 efficiency cores, 60 to 76 GPU cores and 32 Neural Engine cores; it can be configured with up to 192GB unified RAM of 800GB/s memory bandwidth. It was announced on June 5, 2023, as an optional upgrade for the Mac Studio and the sole processor for the Mac Pro. Apple claims the M2 Ultra can deliver up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes video playback.[185]
Apple announced the M3 series of chips on October 30, 2023, along with the new MacBook Pro and iMac, and later used in the MacBook Air. The M3 is based on the 3 nm process and contains 25 billion transistors, a 25% increase from the previous generation M2. It has 8 CPU cores (4 performance and 4 efficiency) and up to 10 GPU cores. Apple claims CPU improvements up to 35% and GPU improvements up to 65% compared to the M1.[186]
Apple M3 Pro
The M3 Pro is a more powerful version of the M3, with six performance cores, six efficiency cores, 14 to 18 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 36GB unified RAM with 150GB/s memory bandwidth, and 48% more transistors. It is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple claims the CPU performance is 30 percent faster than the M1 Pro and the GPU is 40 percent faster than the M1 Pro.[186]
Apple M3 Max
The M3 Max is a larger version of the M3 Pro, with ten or twelve performance cores, four efficiency cores, 30 to 40 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, up to 128GB unified RAM with up to 400GB/s memory bandwidth, and more than double the transistors. It is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple claims the CPU performance is 80 percent faster than the M1 Max and the GPU is 50 percent faster than the M1 Max.[186]
Apple announced the M4 chip on May 7, 2024, along with the new seventh-generation iPad Pro models; it would later be used for the iMac, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro. The M4 is based on the N3E process rather than the N3B process used by the M3 and contains 28 billion transistors. It has three or four performance cores, six efficiency cores and up to ten GPU cores. Apple claims the M4 has up to 1.5x faster CPU performance compared to the M2.[187]
Apple M4 Pro
The M4 Pro is a more powerful version of the M4, with eight or ten performance cores, four efficiency cores, 16 to 20 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, and up to 64GB unified RAM with 273GB/s memory bandwidth. It is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro as well as the Mac Mini. Apple claims the CPU performance is 1.9x faster than the M1 Pro and the GPU is 2x faster than the M1 Pro.[188]
Apple M4 Max
The M4 Max is a larger version of the M4 Pro, with ten or twelve performance cores, four efficiency cores, 32 to 40 GPU cores, 16 Neural Engine cores, and up to 128GB unified RAM with up to 546GB/s memory bandwidth. It is used in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple claims the CPU performance is 2.2x faster than the M1 Max and the GPU is 1.9x faster than the M1 Max.[188]
The R series is a family of low-latency system on a chips (SoCs) for real-time processing of sensor inputs.
Apple R1
The Apple R1 was announced by Apple on June 5, 2023 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. It is used in the Apple Vision Pro headset. The Apple R1 is dedicated to the real time processing of sensor inputs and delivering extremely low-latency images to the displays.
The Apple "S" series is a family of systems in a package (SiP) used in the Apple Watch and HomePod. It uses a customized application processor that together with memory, storage and support processors for wireless connectivity, sensors, and I/O form a complete computer in a single package. They are designed by Apple and manufactured by contract manufacturers such as Samsung.
The Apple S1 is an integrated computer. It includes memory, storage and support circuits like wireless modems and I/O controllers in a sealed integrated package. It was announced on September 9, 2014, as part of the "Wish we could say more" event. It was used in the first-generation Apple Watch.[205]
Apple S1P
Used in Apple Watch Series 1. It has a dual-core processor identical to the S2, with the exception of the built-in GPS receiver. It contains the same dual-core CPU with the same new GPU capabilities as the S2, making it about 50% faster than the S1.[206][207]
Used in the Apple Watch Series 2. It has a dual-core processor and a built-in GPS receiver. The S2's two cores deliver 50% higher performance and the GPU delivers twice as much as the predecessor,[208] and is similar in performance to the Apple S1P.[209]
Apple S3
Used in the Apple Watch Series 3. It has a dual-core processor that is 70% faster than the Apple S2 and a built-in GPS receiver.[210] There is also an option for a cellular modem and an internal eSIM module.[210] It also includes the W2 chip.[210] The S3 also contains a barometricaltimeter, the W2 wireless connectivity processor, and in some models UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G) cellular modems served by a built-in eSIM.[210]
Apple S4
Used in the Apple Watch Series 4. It introduced 64-bit ARMv8cores to the Apple Watch through two Tempest cores,[211][212] which are also found in the A12 as energy-efficient cores. Despite its small size, Tempest uses a 3-wide decode out-of-ordersuperscalar design, which makes it much more powerful than preceding in-order cores.
The S4 contains a Neural Engine that is able to run Core ML.[213] Third-party apps can use it starting from watchOS 6. The SiP also includes new accelerometer and gyroscope functionality that has twice the dynamic range in measurable values of its predecessor, as well as being able to sample data at 8 times the speed.[214] It contains the W3 wireless chip, which supports Bluetooth 5. It also contains a new custom GPU, which can use the Metal API.[215]
Used in the Apple Watch Series 7 and second-generation HomePod. The S7 CPU has the same T8301 identifier and quoted performance as the S6. It is the second time utilizing the energy-efficient "little" Thunder cores of the A13 Bionic.[221]
Apple S8
Used in the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), Watch Series 8, and Watch Ultra.[222] The S8 CPU has the same T8301 identifier and quoted performance as the S6 and S7. It is the final CPU to utilize the energy-efficient "little" Thunder cores of the A13 Bionic.[223]
Apple S9
Used in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2. The S9 CPU has a new dual-core CPU with 60 percent more transistors than the S8, a new four-core Neural Engine and the new U2 ultra-wide band chip. The dual-cores in the S9 are based on the A16 Bionic's energy efficient "little" Sawtooth cores.[224]
Apple S10
Used in the Apple Watch Series 10. The S10 CPU is the second time utilizing the energy-efficient "little" Sawtooth cores of the A16 Bionic.
The T series chip operates as a secure enclave on Intel-based MacBook and iMac computers released from 2016 onwards. The chip processes and encrypts biometric information (Touch ID) and acts as a gatekeeper to the microphone and FaceTime HD camera, protecting them from hacking. The chip runs bridgeOS, a purported variant of watchOS.[240] The functions of the T series processor were built into the M series CPUs, thus ending the need for the T series.
The Apple T2 security chip is a SoC first released in the iMac Pro. It is a 64-bit ARMv8 chip (a variant of the A10 Fusion, or T8010).[242] It provides a secure enclave for encrypted keys, enables users to lock down the computer's boot process, handles system functions like the camera and audio control, and handles on-the-fly encryption and decryption for the solid-state drive.[243][244][245] T2 also delivers "enhanced imaging processing" for the iMac Pro's FaceTime HD camera.[246][247]
The Apple U1 is used in the iPhone 11 series through the iPhone 14 series (excluding the second and third generation iPhone SE); Apple Watch Series 6 through the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra (1st generation); HomePod (2nd generation) and HomePod Mini; AirTag trackers; and the charging case for AirPods Pro (2nd generation).[251]
The Apple W2, used in the Apple Watch Series 3, is integrated into the Apple S3 SiP. Apple claimed the chip makes Wi-Fi 85% faster and allows Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to use half the power of the W1 implementation.[210]
The Apple M-series coprocessors are motion coprocessors used by Apple Inc. in their mobile devices. First released in 2013, their function is to collect sensor data from integrated accelerometers, gyroscopes and compasses and offload the collecting and processing of sensor data from the main central processing unit (CPU).
Only the M7 and M8 coprocessors were housed on separate chips; the M9, M10, and M11 coprocessors were embedded in their corresponding A-series chips. Beginning with the A12 Bionic chip in 2018, the motion coprocessors were fully integrated into the SoC; this allowed Apple to reuse the "M"-series codename for their desktop SoCs.
Apple first used Samsung-developed SoCs in early versions of the iPhone and iPod Touch. They combine in one package a single ARM-based processing core (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and other electronics necessary for mobile computing.
The APL0098 (also 8900B[263] or S5L8900) is a package on package (PoP) system on a chip (SoC) that was introduced on June 29, 2007, at the launch of the original iPhone. It includes a 412MHz single-core ARM11 CPU and a PowerVR MBX Lite GPU. It was manufactured by Samsung on a 90 nmprocess.[11] The iPhone 3G and the first-generation iPod Touch also use it.[264]
The APL0278[265] (also S5L8720) is a PoP SoC introduced on September 9, 2008, at the launch of the second-generation iPod Touch. It includes a 533MHz single-core ARM11 CPU and a PowerVR MBX Lite GPU. It was manufactured by Samsung on a 65 nm process.[11][264]
The APL0298 (also S5L8920) is a PoP SoC introduced on June 8, 2009, at the launch of the iPhone 3GS. It includes a 600MHz single-core Cortex-A8 CPU and a PowerVR SGX535 GPU. It was manufactured by Samsung on a 65nm process.[108]
The Samsung S5L8747 is an ARM-based microcontroller used in Apple's Lightning Digital AV Adapter, a Lightning-to-HDMI adapter. This is a miniature computer with 256MB RAM, running an XNU kernel loaded from the connected iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, then taking a serial signal from the iOS device translating that into a proper HDMI signal.[266][267]
↑ 1 efficiency core disabled in Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen
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The Apple A4 is a 32-bit package on package (PoP) system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by Samsung. It was the first SoC Apple designed in-house. The first product to feature the A4 was the first-generation iPad, followed by the iPhone 4, fourth-generation iPod Touch, and second-generation Apple TV.
The Apple A5 is a 32-bit system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by Samsung. The first product Apple featured an A5 in was the iPad 2. Apple claimed during their media event on March 2, 2011, that the ARM Cortex-A9 central processing unit (CPU) in the A5 is up to two times faster than the CPU in the Apple A4, and the PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics processing unit (GPU) in the A5 is up to nine times faster than the GPU in the A4. Apple also claimed that the A5 uses the same amount of power as the A4.
The Apple A5X is a 32-bit system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by Samsung. It was introduced with and only used in the third-generation iPad, on March 7, 2012. The A5X is a high-performance variant of the Apple A5. Apple claimed the quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 graphics processing unit (GPU) in the A5X is two times faster than the GPU in the A5, as the A5X GPU contains two more cores than the dual-core version GPU in the A5.
The Apple A6 is a 32-bit package on package (PoP) system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It was introduced on September 12, 2012, at the launch of the iPhone 5. Apple states that it is up to twice as fast and has up to twice the graphics power compared with its predecessor, the Apple A5. Software updates for devices using this chip ceased in 2019, with the release of iOS 10.3.4 on the iPhone 5 as it was discontinued with the release of iOS 11 in 2017.
The Apple M-series coprocessors are motion coprocessors used by Apple Inc. in their mobile devices. First released in 2013, their function is to collect sensor data from integrated accelerometers, gyroscopes and compasses and offload the collecting and processing of sensor data from the main central processing unit (CPU).
The Apple A8 is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, It first appeared in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were introduced on September 9, 2014. Apple states that it has 25% more CPU performance and 50% more graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power of its predecessor, the Apple A7. The latest software updates for the 1.1GHz and 1.4GHz variants systems using this chip are iOS 12.5.7, released on January 23, 2023 as they were discontinued with the release of iOS 13 in 2019, and 1.5 GHz variant for the iPad Mini 4 is iPadOS 15.8.3, released on July 29, 2024 as it was discontinued with the release of iPadOS 16 in 2022, while updates for the 1.5 GHz variant continue for Apple TV HD. The A8 chip was discontinued on October 18, 2022, following the discontinuation of the Apple TV HD.
The Apple A9 is a 64-bit ARM-based system-on-chip (SoC)designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. Manufactured for Apple by both TSMC and Samsung, it first appeared in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus which were introduced on September 9, 2015. Apple states that it has 70% more CPU performance and 90% more graphics performance compared to its predecessor, the Apple A8. On September 12, 2018, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus along with the first-generation iPhone SE was discontinued, ending production of A9 chips. The latest software updates for the iPhone 6s & 6s Plus including the iPhone SE variants systems using this chip are iOS 15.8.3, released around August, 2024, as they were discontinued with the release of iOS 16 in 2022, and for the iPad using this chip was iPadOS 16.7.10, also released on September 3, 2024, as it was discontinued with the release of iPadOS 17 in 2023.
The Apple A9X is a 64-bit ARM architecture-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It first appeared in the iPad Pro, which was announced on September 9, 2015 and was released on November 11, 2015. The A9X has the M9 motion coprocessor embedded in it, something not seen in previous chip generations. It is a variant of the A9 and Apple claims that it has 80% more CPU performance and twice the GPU performance of its predecessor, the A8X.
The Apple A10 Fusion is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by TSMC. It first appeared in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus which were introduced on September 7, 2016, and is used in the sixth generation iPad, seventh generation iPad, and seventh generation iPod Touch. The A10 is the first Apple-designed quad-core SoC, with two high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores. Apple states that it has 40% greater CPU performance and 50% greater graphics performance compared to its predecessor, the Apple A9. The Apple T2 chip is based on the A10. On May 10, 2022, the iPod Touch 7th generation was discontinued, ending production of A10 Fusion chips. The latest software updates for the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus including the iPod Touch 7th generation variants systems using this chip are iOS 15.8.3, released on July 29, 2024, as they were discontinued with the release of iOS 16 in 2022, while updates for the iPad 7th generation variant systems using this chip are still supported.
The Apple A10X Fusion is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by TSMC. It first appeared in the 10.5" iPad Pro and the second-generation 12.9" iPad Pro which were both announced on June 5, 2017. The A10X is a variant of the A10 and Apple claims that it has 30 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent faster GPU performance than its predecessor, the A9X.
The Apple A11 Bionic is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by TSMC. It first appeared in the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and iPhone X which were introduced on September 12, 2017. Apple states that the two high-performance cores are 25% faster than the Apple A10's and the four high-efficiency cores are up to 70% faster than the two corresponding cores in the A10. The A11 Bionic chip was discontinued on April 15, 2020, following the discontinuation of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. The latest software update for the iPhone 8 & 8 Plus and iPhone X using this chip was iOS 16.7.10, released on September 3, 2024.
The Apple A12 Bionic is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, It first appeared in the iPhone XS and XS Max, iPhone XR, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad and Apple TV 4K. Apple states that the two high-performance cores are 15% faster and 40% more energy-efficient than the Apple A11's, and the four high-efficiency cores use 50% less power than the A11's. It is the first mass-market system on a chip to be built using the 7 nm process.
The Apple A12X Bionic is a 64-bit system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, It first appeared in the iPad Pro, announced on October 30, 2018. The A12X is an 8-core variant of the A12 and Apple states that it has 35 percent faster single-core CPU performance and 90 percent faster overall CPU performance than its predecessor, the Apple A10X. The Apple A12Z Bionic is an updated version of the A12X, adding an additional GPU core, and was unveiled on March 18, 2020, as part of the iPad Pro.
The Apple A13 Bionic is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC), designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It appears in the iPhone 11, 11 Pro/Pro Max, the iPad, the iPhone SE and the Studio Display. Apple states that the two high performance cores are 20% faster with 30% lower power consumption than the Apple A12's, and the four high efficiency cores are 20% faster with 30% lower power consumption than the A12's.
The Apple A14 Bionic is a 64-bit ARMv8.4-A system on a chip (SoC)designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It appears in the iPad Air and iPad, as well as iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple states that the central processing unit (CPU) performs up to 40% faster than the A12, while the graphics processing unit (GPU) is up to 30% faster than the A12. It also includes a 16-core neural engine and new machine learning matrix accelerators that perform twice and ten times as fast, respectively.
Apple M1 is a series of ARM-based system-on-a-chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., launched 2020 to 2022. It is part of the Apple silicon series, as a central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) for its Mac desktops and notebooks, and the iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets. The M1 chip initiated Apple's third change to the instruction set architecture used by Macintosh computers, switching from Intel to Apple silicon fourteen years after they were switched from PowerPC to Intel, and twenty-six years after the transition from the original Motorola 68000 series to PowerPC. At the time of its introduction in 2020, Apple said that the M1 had "the world's fastest CPU core in low power silicon" and the world's best CPU performance per watt. Its successor, Apple M2, was announced on June 6, 2022, at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
The Apple A15 Bionic is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series. It is used in the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, iPad Mini, iPhone SE, iPhone 14 and 14 Plus and Apple TV 4K.
Apple M2 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., launched 2022 to 2023. It is part of the Apple silicon series, as a central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) for its Mac desktops and notebooks, the iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and the Vision Pro mixed reality headset. It is the second generation of ARM architecture intended for Apple's Mac computers after switching from Intel Core to Apple silicon, succeeding the M1. Apple announced the M2 on June 6, 2022, at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), along with models of the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro using the M2. The M2 is made with TSMC's "Enhanced 5-nanometer technology" N5P process and contains 20 billion transistors, a 25% increase from the M1. Apple claims CPU improvements up to 18% and GPU improvements up to 35% compared to the M1.
The Apple A16 Bionic is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by TSMC. It is used in iPhones 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, and 15 and 15 Plus.
Apple M4 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), and a digital signal processor (DSP). The M4 chip was introduced in May 2024 for the iPad Pro, and is the fourth generation of the M series Apple silicon architecture, succeeding the Apple M3. It was followed by the professional-focused M4 Pro and M4 Max in October 2024.
↑ Wiens, Kyle (April 5, 2010). "Apple A4 Teardown". iFixit. Step 20. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020. It's clear from both hardware and software that this is a single core processor, so it must be the ARM Cortex A8, and NOT the rumored multicore A9.
↑ Shimpi, Anand Lal; Klug, Brian; Gowri, Vivek (October 16, 2012). "The iPhone 5 Review – Decoding Swift". AnandTech. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
1 2 Tanner, Jason; Morrison, Jim; James, Dick; Fontaine, Ray; Gamache, Phil (September 20, 2013). "Inside the iPhone 5s". Chipworks. Archived from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
↑ Wiens, Kyle (April 5, 2010). "Apple A4 Teardown". iFixit. Step 20. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2010. cIt's quite challenging to identify block-level logic inside a processor, so to identify the GPU we're falling back to software: early benchmarks are showing similar 3D performance to the iPhone, so we're guessing that the iPad uses the same PowerVR SGX 535 GPU.
↑ Anthony, Sebastian (September 10, 2014). "Apple's A8 SoC analyzed". ExtremeTech. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
↑ "AirPods (2nd generation)". Apple. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2021. The H1 chip also drives voice-enabled Siri access and delivers up to 30 percent lower gaming latency.
↑ Parrish, Kevin (July 24, 2018). "Apple's T2 chip may be causing issues in iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pros". DigitalTrends. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019. Of all the error messages uploaded to these threads, there is one detail they seem to share: Bridge OS. This is an embedded operating system used by Apple's stand-alone T2 security chip, which provides the iMac Pro with a secure boot, encrypted storage, live "Hey Siri" commands, and so on.
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