iPad Mini's A17 Pro Chip Has One Downside Compared to iPhone 15 Pro
While the new iPad mini is equipped with the A17 Pro chip that debuted in iPhone 15 Pro models, the iPad version of the chip has one downside.
According to Apple's tech specs, the A17 Pro chip in the iPad mini 7 has a 5-core GPU, whereas the chip has a 6-core GPU in iPhone 15 Pro models. This means the iPad mini will have slightly worse graphics performance compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models, but most customers are unlikely to notice this difference when using the device.
It is likely that a small percentage of A17 Pro chips manufactured for iPhone 15 Pro models had a defective GPU core, and Apple likely disabled that core entirely and salvaged these chips by using them for the new iPad mini. This process is referred to as "binning," which maximizes supply chain yield and reduces waste.
Apple says the A17 Pro chip in the new iPad mini delivers up to 30% faster CPU performance and up to 25% faster GPU performance compared to the A15 Bionic chip in the previous model. Real-world benchmark results have yet to surface for the iPad version of the chip, but Apple's advertised performance claims are typically accurate.
Given the new iPad mini supports Apple Intelligence, it likely has 8GB of RAM, up from 4GB in the previous model. We will confirm this detail through Apple's developer tool Xcode and/or teardowns as soon as possible, so stay tuned for a follow-up story.
Popular Stories
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development.
Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag.
Timing
Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false.
The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick.
"We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote.
If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices.
With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
