The iPhone 14 series is said to use the same 5nm-based chip, with the A16 Bionic reserved for Pro variants only. Here are all the details.
The iPhone 14 can finish without any noticeable performance improvement over the current generation iPhone 13! Based on the latest rumors from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it is said that Apple will not bring any major chip update with the iPhone 14 series. Previous rumors have long claimed that the A15 chip The iPhone 13’s Bionic will fulfill its duty on the iPhone 14, while a new Bionic A16 chip will appreciate the iPhone 14 Pro models. Now, there’s more clarity in this episode, and it might be true given Kuo’s stellar leak history.
The iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip is based on the 5 nm manufacturing process, which is already among the most efficient chip technologies, but technically inferior to the 4 nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip found on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. For this year, Apple is not updating the manufacturing process and will continue with a 5 nm chip for the iPhone 14. This will not lead to major performance updates, although those who want to upgrade to the iPhone 14 Pro can have good news (yet).
READ ALSO: Launch the iPhone 14 to see a new color! This is how it can be different from the iPhone 13
Is the iPhone 14 chip not an upgrade?
When it comes to the normal iPhone 14, it is said that the A15 chip could be used for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max, with no performance gain. Apple, however, will have an A16 Bionic chip based on the same 5 nm process with minor performance and efficiency improvements. The chip will not be much different from the A15 Bionic, but Apple will give it a new name for marketing purposes, says Kuo.
Is this a cost-cutting measure? According to Kuo, this does not seem to be the case. Kuo says the substantially more powerful and efficient 3 nm process will not be ready until 2023. Apple had a choice between a 5 nm and 4 nm platform for the iPhone 14 generation, but in reality , there are no large performance gains with the 4 nm process. .
Does this mean the iPhone 14 will be slow? If you have an iPhone 13, you may already have the answer. The 5 nm A15 Bionic chip is currently one of the most powerful and energy efficient chipsets in a smartphone. In real-world scenarios, 4 nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones have not been comparable to Apple’s processor, especially in terms of efficiency and battery life. The iPhone 13 series is still the champion of the battery, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max coming out of the park with a stellar battery life.