IPads Pro's A10X Fusion Chip First to Use TSMC's 10-nanometer Process

The new iPads Pro, released at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2017, came with little news in appearance; but inside

The chip A10X Fusion, which powers the new tablets, was announced to have a 30% higher CPU performance compared to the A9X; already in graphic performance, the superiority of 40%. We hardly see information from Apple about the manufacturing process of this type of component, but the site TechInsights revealed that this chip was specifically created using a 10 nanometer FinFET process.

In comparison, previous generations of Apple chips, such as the A9 and A10, use the 16-nanometer process; A8, a 20 nanometer process; and A7, one of 28 nanometers. With each new generation, the process advances by leaps and bounds. For the end user, this reduction in the physical size of processors (more transistors in shrinking space) means even better performance with ever lower power consumption which has a direct impact on battery life.

The website AnandTech He recalled that normally the launch of new chips with a new manufacturing process comes first to the new iPhones. This time, however, Apple has decided to release the news in a series of "X" chips, which equip iPads another news that comes to our list. This would therefore be the first commercial chip of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) using the 10nm process.

A10X Fusion

Another aspect pointed out by TechInsights was the physical size of the chips. The A10X Fusion is 96.4mm, which is 22.88% smaller than the A10 Fusion (125mm) and 7.75% smaller than the A9 (104.5mm). For “X” series processors, the new chip is 34% smaller than A9X and 20% smaller than A6X.

The new chip has a design very similar to that of the A9X. CPU cores went from 2 to 3 and L2 cache to 8MB; Moreover, there do not seem to be many structural differences between the two generations. GPU cores also resemble those of the A9X and A10, which shows that the company has not completely gotten rid of Imagination Technologies.

It is already rumored that the "iPhone 8", which has everything to be revealed in about two months, will come with the next generation of chips, the A11, which will also be manufactured in a 10nm process and some bet that the Imagination, yes, no longer being in the play.

via 9to5Mac