Technological innovation is advancing by leaps and bounds. Evidence of this is the new iPhone 15, and an even greater testament is the chips inside those new phones. With the recent unveiling of the A17 Pro, Cupertino’s company takes a step forward, but how does it compare to its predecessor, the A16 Bionic? Let’s take a close look at the features and performance of both chips to see how much Apple has advanced in achieving the best possible chip.
Specifications of A17 Pro vs A16 Bionic
The A17 Pro, exclusively present in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, can boast of being the first chip in the industry manufactured using 3 nanometers technology. Although it shares the 6-core CPU configuration with the A16 Bionic, its performance is superior thanks to various improvements in design and microarchitecture. Apple claims that the A17 Pro provides “the fastest single-threaded performance in any smartphone.”
Other standout specifications include its 6-core GPU (compared to the A16’s 5-core), a Neural Engine that, while maintaining 16 cores, is now twice as fast, and an increased memory of 8GB (compared to the A16’s 6GB).
Improved CPU performance, memory, and GPU performance
Initial Geekbench results — pending the official arrival of the devices and further testing — show that the A17 Pro significantly outperforms the A16 Bionic. In single-core tests, the A17 Pro is approximately 16% faster, and in multi-core tests, it manages to be 13% superior.
During the presentation, Apple claimed that the A17 Pro is the “most efficient mobile CPU” with 3 times greater efficiency per watt compared to the competition. Additionally, the increase in RAM to 8GB should translate to a smoother experience when switching between applications. This should also reduce the CPU load when performing certain tasks.
The A17 Pro takes the lead with a significant improvement in graphics performance. Apple has dubbed it a “professional-grade” GPU — hence the Pro name — and its 6-core design promises graphics performance that is 20% faster than the A16. But the most impressive feature is the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which delivers smoother graphics at higher frame rates. This feature has allowed console-quality games like Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village to be available for the iPhone.
The A17 Pro also introduces USB 3 performance through the new USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. With transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps, it represents a substantial improvement over the A16 Bionic, which, among other things, allows for video recording to external storage. Additionally, the A17 Pro features an AV1 decoder that enhances the video streaming experience on the iPhone 15 Pro.
At first glance, the improvements of the A17 Pro over the A16 Bionic may not seem drastic. However, collectively, Apple has crafted the most powerful and efficient mobile chip in the world, with notable advancements in graphics performance and the neural engine. It’s a clear representation of Apple’s commitment to consistently raising the bar in technological innovation.
