Ultimate Apple silicon showdown: Every Apple processor compared
- 02 December, 2021 22:45
At the heart of every Apple device is a processor. Apple has
been using its own processors in its iPhones and iPads for some
time, while the Mac lineup just started the second year of a
two-year transition. Apple has far more devices with its own
silicon than Intel's now, and before the end of 2022, likely every
product it makes will be powered by a home-grown chip.
What's remarkable about Apple silicon is its performance—major chip manufacturers can't ignore Apple's chips because they're being outpaced by Apple. That's great for Apple and its customers, but for users invested in Apple products, more important is understanding the performance differences between each chp. Knowing how each chip performs gives you a better idea of what products to buy and whether or not it's worth your money to step up to a higher model.
Let's take a look at the processors in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac lineup and see how each processor performs and what that means to you. For the sake of consistency, we've used Geekbench 5 numbers.
iPhone processors
Before we compare the performance of each iPhone processor, let's take a look at the specifications so we can understand the differences between them. For the first time
| Processor | Performance cores | Efficiency cores | Graphics cores | Neural Engine | RAM | Transistors | Thermal Design Power | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A15 Bionic | 2 at 3.22GHz | 4 at 1.82GHz | 5 | 16-core | 8GB | 15 billion | 6W | iPhone 13 Pro |
| A15 Bionic | 2 at 3.22GHz | 4 at 1.82GHz | 4 | 16-core | 8GB | 15 billion | 6W | iPhone 13 |
| A14 Bionic | 2 at 3.1 GHz | 4 at 1.8GHz | 4 | 16-core | 6GB | 11.8 billion | 6W | iPhone 12 |
| A13 Bionic | 2 at 2.65GHz | 4 at 1.8GHz | 4 | 8-core | 4GB | 8.5 billion | 6W | iPhone 11, iPhone SE |
Now let's look at how each processor performs. Not surprisingly, the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Pro is the fastest. The iPhone 13 also has the A15 Bionic processor, but for the first time, it has one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 13 Pro—that one extra GPU core allows the Pro phone to boast a 35 percent graphics performance increase over its non-Pro sibling.
Apple still sells the iPhone 12, which has an A14 Bionic. It's actually not much slower than the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic—the specs between the two processors are practically the same, with the A15 Bionic's performance cores having a slightly faster clock speed and more RAM. If price is the main priority over the camera, and other features, consider the iPhone 12 instead of the iPhone 13.
The speed difference is more obvious between the iPhone 11/SE's A13 Bionic and the A14 Bionic. This is the last hurrah for the A13 Bionic, since the iPhone 11 will be replaced by the 12 with Apple's next major iPhone rollout next fall, and reports have said that the third-generation iPhone SE could have an A15 processor.
iPad processors
The staggered release of Apple's iPad lineup creates an odd-looking performance order of CPU and its device.
| Processor | Performance cores | Efficiency cores | Graphics cores | Neural Engine | RAM | Transistors | Thermal Design Power | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 4 at 3.2GHz | 4 at 2.06GHz | 8 | 16-core | 8GB | 16 billion | 14W | iPad Pro 12.9 11″ |
| A15 Bionic | 2 at 2.93GHz | 4 at 1.82GHz | 5 | 16-core | 4GB | 15 billion | 6W | iPad mini |
| A14 Bionic | 2 at 3.1 GHz | 4 at 1.8GHz | 4 | 16-core | 6GB | 11.8 billion | 6W | iPad Air |
| A13 Bionic | 2 at 2.65GHz | 4 at 1.8GHz | 4 | 8-core | 4GB | 8.5 billion | 6W | iPad |
Even though the A15 Bionic is newer than the A14 Bionic, the performance gap between the two is slight, mostly because of the smaller and thinner form factor of the iPad mini. The A15 Bionic in this tablet has to be clocked down to maintain a proper operating temperature, so it's not as fast as the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Pro. Still, the iPad mini is the fastest non-Pro iPad—it's smaller yet more powerful.
It will be interesting to see what Apple does with the iPad Air. The current model was released in October 2020, so it could see an 18-month upgrade in the spring of 2022, or Apple may opt to update it on a two-year upgrade path. Either way, it's in a strange place now, with a screen that's bigger than the iPad mini but a processor that's slower. The M1-based iPad Pros were released in May 2021, and since it uses an M1, those models could also be on a longer upgrade cycle.
Mac processors
Because we're dealing with the first generation of Apple silicon Macs, it's a lot easier to understand the differences between the chips. Right now, all of the Mac processors are based on the M1; Apple then modifies it to create higher- and lower-end versions. It will get more complicated as Apple introduces a new generation of chips and keeps older ones for affordability.
| Processor | Performance cores | Efficiency cores | Graphics cores | Neural Engine | Base RAM | Transistors | Thermal Design Power | Device |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 Max | 8 at 3.2GHz | 2 at 2.06GHz | 32 | 16-core | 32GB | 16 billion | 14W | 16 MacBook Pro |
| M1 Pro | 8 at 3.2GHz | 2 at 2.06GHz | 16 | 16-core | 16GB | 16 billion | 14W | 14 16 MacBook Pro |
| M1 Pro | 6 at 3.2GHz | 2 at 2.06GHz | 14 | 16-core | 16GB | 16 billion | 14W | 14 MacBook Pro |
| M1 | 4 at 3.2GHz | 4 at 2.06GHz | 8 | 16-core | 8GB | 16 billion | 14W | 13 MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, 24″ iMac, Mac mini |
| M1 | 4 at 3.2GHz | 4 at 2.06GHz | 7 | 16-core | 8GB | 16 billion | 14W | MacBook Air, 24″ iMac |
As Jason Snell pointed out, the M1 Max separates itself from the M1 Pro with its graphics performance—the 32 core GPU gives it a big boost. The only device we haven't personally tested is the 6-core CPU, 14-core GPU of the M1 Pro in the $1,799 14-inch MacBook Pro, but online benchmarks show CPU performance around 20 percent slower than the 8-core CPU, 16-core GPU M1 Pro.
An interesting comparison can be found between the 8-core CPU M1 Pro and the M1. The 8-core M1 Pro offers about a 30 percent increase, and the $1999 14-inch MacBook Pro costs about 33 percent more than the M1-based $1,499 13-inch MacBook Pro. In terms of just pure performance, you're paying a little more than a dollar per percentage point.
The chip that started it all, the good ol' M1, may seem slow compared to the M1 Pro and Max—but that's not to undermine Apple's original Mac processor. Remember, the M1 blows past the Intel-based processors it replaced, resulting in a significant price/performance value.
All processors compared
Put all the performance numbers in one chart and what do you get? A somewhat predictable chart, with the M1 Pro/Max Macs topping the chart, followed by a mix of iPads and iPhone. Owners of the iPad Pro can say their tablet is about as fast as a MacBook Air, and that wouldn't be an exaggeration. And the difference between the $399 iPhone SE and the $1,099 iPhone 13 Pro Max isn't as huge as their prices would indicate. Other than that, the chips fall where they may.
