A18 Pro Disappoints: Only 10% Faster Than A17
Apple is currently developing the A18 Pro chip for this year’s iPhone 16 series models. Recent information has revealed that the new chip has already entered the testing phase, where its single-core performance in Geekbench 6 benchmark tests surpasses that of the M3 series, albeit its multi-core performance leaves something to be desired.
It has been disclosed that the Apple A18 Pro’s performance gains are modest, with its multi-core performance only showing a 10% improvement over the A17 Pro.
Apple seems disinclined to directly compete with Qualcomm’s fourth-generation Snapdragon 8 or MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 in its latest flagship mobile chip, opting instead to tailor adjustments to its specifications. Speculation suggests that performance enhancement may not be a priority for the A18 Pro, with Apple potentially deliberating a reduction in multi-core performance to enhance efficiency and extend battery life. Furthermore, Apple will likely retain a 2+4 core configuration for the A18 Pro, consisting of 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, which could, to some extent, impact its multi-core performance scores.
Leaked information indicates that the A18 Pro’s single-core performance remains commendable, with Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark scores around 3500, and multi-core scores around 8200. By comparison, the M3’s single-core benchmark score is 3076, making the A18 Pro approximately 14% faster. Rumors suggest that the fourth-generation Snapdragon 8 scores 2845 in single-core and 10628 in multi-core Geekbench 6 benchmark tests. Thus, the A18 Pro is about 23% higher in single-core performance but falls short by 29% in multi-core performance against the fourth-generation Snapdragon 8.
