Apple recently launched the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, and after almost two weeks since their release, we finally have our first closer look at the new A18 and A18 Pro chipsthanks to the photos provided by ChipWise. These shots allow us to see the differences between the two chips that power the different models.
On paper, the specifications of the chips A18 e A18 Pro they are very similar, as reported on Apple’s comparison page. The A18 chip features a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU, as well as a 16-core Neural Engine. The A18 Pro chip still has a 6-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, but a 6-core GPU.
Given the similarity between the two, many had speculated that Apple could use the same chip, but with a “limited” version for non-Pro models. This practice is common, especially on Macs, where some components are disabled in less expensive models for production and cost reasons.
The new images provided by ChipWise, however, seem to deny this hypothesis. Close-up shots of the die, or the core of the chip, indicate that the A18 and A18 Pro aren’t simply different versions of the same chipbut they could be designed separately.
A18 Pro:
A18:
We already knew that the A18 Pro offers some exclusive features, such as support for USB 3 and the technology behind the display ProMotion e always-on present on the Pro models. However, Apple was thought to produce a single chip to simplify production, leaving some features “locked in” in the non-Pro models, as is often the case with other products.
These new details suggest that Apple has taken a different approach, with the possible aim of using the A18 in other devices, such as the future iPad mini 7l’iPhone SE 4 and maybe even the new smart display with system homeOS.
Hardware
Source: www.iphoneitalia.com
