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A17 Pro vs. A16 Bionic
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Apple's annual September event brought the unveiling of the new A17 Pro chipset that will power the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models. This leaves the standard iPhone 15 lineup equipped with last year's A16 Bionic processor. For consumers trying to decide between the Pro and non-Pro iPhones this fall, the differences between these two chipsets will likely play a key role. Let's take a detailed look at how the A17 Pro and A16 Bionic compare and what each brings to the table.
A17 Pro vs. A16 Bionic: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Overview of the A16 Bionic Chip
Released in September 2022, the A16 Bionic utilizes Apple's first 4nm processor. It has a total of 16 billion transistors packed inside, allowing for a more dense and efficient design.
The 6-core CPU consists of two high-performance cores called Everest along with four efficiency cores named Sawtooth. It coupled this with a 5-core GPU, 16-core neural engine, and 6GB of LPDDR5 memory.
The A16 Bionic enabled new iPhone capabilities like an Always-On Display, while also boosting overall performance by approximately 10% over the previous A15 chip. It still ranks among the fastest mobile processors available today.
Introducing the Next-Gen A17 Pro Chip
Apple's 2023 flagship processor advances to an even more advanced 3nm TSMC manufacturing process. This allowed Apple to cram 19 billion transistors into the A17 Pro, 20% more than the A16 Bionic.
The 6-core CPU architecture is the same as the A16 Bionic, with two high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores. However, the A17 Pro has architectural improvements to boost the performance of the CPU cores.
The A17 Pro neural engine is a 16-core processor that can perform 35 trillion operations per second (TOPS). It is also twice as fast as the A16 Bionic's neural engine. This boosts machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities.
But the more substantial changes come in the new 6-core GPU. Apple claims this architecture overhaul delivers their "biggest leap ever" for iPhone graphics.
Manufacturing Process Comparison
The jump from 4nm to 3nm transistors is monumental. The A17 packs greater density into a die size that's 20% smaller than the A16. This also drives major gains in power efficiency.
In many ways, the manufacturing process uplift enables huge performance and capability improvements elsewhere in the A17 chip. The 3nm process gives Apple vastly more room to innovate.
How the CPUs Compare
The A17 Pro keeps the same 6-core CPU architecture as the A16 Bionic, with two high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores. However, architectural improvements to areas like branch prediction and larger execution engines boost the performance of the A17 Pro's CPU cores over the A16 Bionic.
Real-world usage will benefit from faster app launch times and snappier responsiveness. Overall, Apple claims the CPU performance of the A17 Pro is around 10% faster than the already speedy A16 Bionic.
Graphics Get a Major Upgrade
Arguably the most significant changes in the A17 Pro come in the graphics department. The upgraded 6-core GPU design brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to iPhones for the first time.
This enables much smoother visuals and higher frame rates in games that take advantage of ray tracing. Apple advertises up to a 20% graphics performance lift for the A17 Pro versus the A16 Bionic chip.
Neural Engine: Faster AI Capabilities
The A17 Pro doubles the performance of the neural engine, increasing machine learning capabilities by up to 40%. Any iPhone apps leveraging AI and on-device processing will see speed benefits.
This keeps Apple at the forefront of delivering advanced algorithm-driven experiences. The A17 Pro further solidifies the iPhone's standing as an AI powerhouse.
The Pro Deserves Its Name
The A17 Pro nomenclature signals Apple's goal of making this chip stand out as a cutting-edge flagship. With impressive gains across CPU, GPU, and neural engine performance, they succeeded in upholding the Pro name. For iPhone buyers focused on power and longevity, the A17 Pro clearly delivers. But the A16 Bionic still impresses a year later, so choose based on your budget and needs. Either way, Apple's silicon roadmap remains years ahead of the competition.
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