Benchmarks leaked over the weekend gave us some insight into the performance of the A14 Bionic chip in the iPad Air that's set to launch soon, and also revealed another tidbit -- Apple's newest tablet has 4GB RAM.
That's 1GB over the prior-generation iPad Air that had an A12 Bionic processor, but less RAM than is available in the iPad Pro models. Apple's 2020 iPad Pro models all have 6GB RAM.
With the jump in RAM and the impressive performance of the A14 chip, the new iPad Air is quite a bit speedier than the prior-generation model, plus it has the all-display design with Touch ID Power button, a first for Apple.
The A14 iPad Air Geekbench result that was leaked featured a single-core score of 1583 and a multi-core score of 4198, a solid improvement over the single-core score of 1112 and multi-core score of 2832 earned by the third-generation iPad Air with A12 Bionic.
Notably, the benchmark results suggest other devices equipped with the A14 chip, such as Apple's iPhone 12 lineup, will also see notable speed improvements. The A14 is a step up in terms of performance and efficiency because it is Apple's first chip built on a smaller 5-nanometer process. Reduced node sizes result in higher power chips that use less power, bringing gains in battery life and speed. The 5-nanometer A-series chips are also expected to be used in upcoming Macs with Apple Silicon, though the Macs may use an upgraded A14X variant that's even faster.
Apple is planning to release the new iPad Air with A14 chip at some point in October, though no launch date has been announced. It's reasonable to expect the new iPad Air to come after the debut of the new iPhone 12 models because the tablet does contain new technology (the A14 chip) that Apple may not want inspected thoroughly ahead of the debut of its flagship iPhone lineup, despite the benchmark leak.
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:15 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options.
If you don't already have these enabled, you might want to consider turning...
More images of a redesigned power cable allegedly for a future Apple "Vision Air" headset were today shared online by the prototype collector and leaker known as "Kosutami."
Yesterday, the leaker explained that the Apple "Vision Air" will feature a thinner design and switch the battery enclosure and several of its internal structures to titanium to reduce the device's overall weight. Most of ...
I don't want Apple to always try to have the latest hardware and best specs, but come on. 4GB is just embarrassing in 2020. It is frustrating if you use multiple apps.
Their cheapness is legendary, but they are priced and marketed as a premium brand.
The new air is very impressive, but the problem with it remains price/storage. Unless you’re ok with 64 GB, the Air gets very close in price to the Pro, which still has a number of advantages (including the RAM, as mentioned here).