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Tezcatlipoca · 13-09-2012, 23:50

Tech spec speculation...

Apple hasn't come out and said whether the Apple A6 SoC is dual-core or quad-core, only that it is "twice as fast as the A5", has "2x faster CPU, 2x faster GPU", etc.

The Apple A5 SoC (iPad 2, iPhone 4S) uses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. That's the same CPU as in the Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC and also as in Samsung's own Exynos SoC found in the Galaxy S II (but inferior to the quad-core Cortex-A9 found in the Tegra 3 SoC, in Samsung's Exynos SoC in the Galaxy S III, and in Sony's PlayStation Vita), but a superior GPU to the Tegra 2's (and Tegra 3's) GeForce ULP GPU.

The Apple A5X SoC (iPad 3) uses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. Same CPU again as in the Tegra 2 and in the Galaxy S II's Exynos, but an even better GPU than the already superior dual-core SGX543 of the A5. The quad-core SGX543 GPU is also found in the PlayStation Vita.

So, the A6...Given that it has to be a step up from the A5 and A5X, and has been stated to be "2x faster" etc., many are speculating that it has the same quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU as the A5X (so "2x the graphical power" of the A5) but with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU like the Tegra 3, Galaxy S III and PS Vita (so "2x the CPU power" of the A5). It would seem the next logical step.

However...AnandTech has claimed that it may actually have a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU rather than a dual- or quad-core Cortex-A9. The A15 is ARM's next generation CPU, 40% faster than the A9, and is headed for the Nvidia Tegra 4 SoC and also the next Samsung Exynos SoC.

Still, this is all speculation. We'll have to wait until someone does a teardown once it's released next week.

13-09-2012, 23:50	#2080
Tezcatlipoca Inactive Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cambridge Posts: 16,760	Re: The iPhone thread Tech spec speculation... Apple hasn't come out and said whether the Apple A6 SoC is dual-core or quad-core, only that it is "twice as fast as the A5", has "2x faster CPU, 2x faster GPU", etc. The Apple A5 SoC (iPad 2, iPhone 4S) uses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. That's the same CPU as in the Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC and also as in Samsung's own Exynos SoC found in the Galaxy S II (but inferior to the quad-core Cortex-A9 found in the Tegra 3 SoC, in Samsung's Exynos SoC in the Galaxy S III, and in Sony's PlayStation Vita), but a superior GPU to the Tegra 2's (and Tegra 3's) GeForce ULP GPU. The Apple A5X SoC (iPad 3) uses a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. Same CPU again as in the Tegra 2 and in the Galaxy S II's Exynos, but an even better GPU than the already superior dual-core SGX543 of the A5. The quad-core SGX543 GPU is also found in the PlayStation Vita. So, the A6...Given that it has to be a step up from the A5 and A5X, and has been stated to be "2x faster" etc., many are speculating that it has the same quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU as the A5X (so "2x the graphical power" of the A5) but with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU like the Tegra 3, Galaxy S III and PS Vita (so "2x the CPU power" of the A5). It would seem the next logical step. However...AnandTech has claimed that it may actually have a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU rather than a dual- or quad-core Cortex-A9. The A15 is ARM's next generation CPU, 40% faster than the A9, and is headed for the Nvidia Tegra 4 SoC and also the next Samsung Exynos SoC. Still, this is all speculation. We'll have to wait until someone does a teardown once it's released next week.