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A12Z Bionic chip brings a core previously disabled in the A12X Bionic

Earlier this week, we commented on the benchmarks of the new iPad Pro, which showed what was already expected: the newly launched Ma tablet does not have significant performance gains compared to its predecessor (2018 model).

In fact, not even Apple highlighted the differences between the chips A12Z Bionic and A12X Bionic (something she usually does in her releases). This proves that these processors are similar, but not exactly the same, the A12Z has an eight-core GPU, compared to seven cores on the A12X.

However, the staff of NotebookCheck.net states that the A12X chip also has eight cores, one of which would be disabled. In this case, Apple simply “activated” the eighth core of the A12X's GPU and changed the name of the processor, “re-reporting it” as A12Z.

TechInsights, a company focused on revealing the insides of the SoCs of devices and computers, also "confirmed" the discovery:

Yuzo Fukuzaki, one of the researchers at TechInsights, confirmed that the A12X physically has eight GPU cores. As for the A12Z, they plan to carry out an analysis of the chip plan to confirm any differences from the A12X.

One possibility, as suggested by the NotebookCheck.net, that Apple did not want to develop a new processor (presumably the A13X) for the update of the iPad Pro this month. As we reported, some rumors suggest that a new iPad Pro will be launched in the second half of this year and may well include Ma's new generation of processors.

The other side of the coin

Regardless, it is important to understand that the fact that a chip has a number of cores and not all of them are used is normal in the industry.

According Quinn Nelsonchannel Snazzy Labs (on YouTube), this may seem strange to those who don't know the process of making an integrated circuit, but Apple is "doing literally what every chip maker does":

When the production of a new chip is initiated, it is normal for many small errors to occur with a low overall performance in the next generation chips. Over time, manufacturers improve their processes and increase yields.

As Apple tends to put the same SoC on all its phones / tablets, instead of throwing away the (probably huge) majority that had defects, they made chips with 7-core GPU the “norm” and are now using chips with 8-core GPU for the new iPad Pro.

Still according to Nelson, "notable" that only Apple has done this, since this practice is "incredibly common" in the industry.

Apple never misrepresented the A12X. It was always sold as an 8-core chip with a 7-core GPU because it * was *. The A12Z is ​​being sold as an 8-core chip with an 8-core GPU because **.

If the performance gain of the new iPad Pro was not surprising, Nelson warns of what is to come: the performance of Ma's next chip (the “A14”) may be up to 80% higher, according to some rumors what “unprecedented”, according to him.

via 9to5Mac