Apple A5 vs Apple A6

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple A5 or Apple A5 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Apple A5 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2011 and belongs to the 5 generation of the Apple A series series.
The Apple A6 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2012 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Apple A series series.
Apple A5 Name Apple A6
Apple A5/A5X Group Apple A6/A6X
Apple A series Family Apple A series
5 Generation 6
Mobile Segment Mobile
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple A5 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Apple A5 is 1.0 GHz
The Apple A6 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Apple A6 is 1.3 GHz
No Hyperthreading No
2x Cortex-A9 Cores 2x Swift
2 CPU Cores 2
No Overclocking No
1.0 GHz Frequency 1.3 GHz
2 Threads 2
normal Core architecture normal
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple A5 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple A5 uses the PowerVR SGX543MP2 (2 Cores), which has 32 texture shaders
and 4 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple A6 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple A6 uses the PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3 Cores), which has 48 texture shaders
and 6 execution units.
-- Generation --
0.2 GHz GPU frequency 0.27 GHz
-- GPU (Turbo) --
32 nm Technology 32 nm
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
Q1/2012 Release date Q3/2012
-- Max. displays --
10 Direct X 10
PowerVR SGX543MP2 (2 Cores) GPU name PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3 Cores)
4 Execution units 6
32 Shaders 48
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI hardware --
-- AI specifications --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
No JPEG No
No VP8 No
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
No h264 No
No AVC No
No VC-1 No
No AV1 No
No VP9 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 1.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 6.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 1.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 8.5 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR2-800 Memory type LPDDR2-1066
No ECC No
6.4 GB/s Bandwidth 8.5 GB/s
1.0 GB Max. Memory 1.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI No
2 Memory channels 2
 
 

Thermal Management

TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Apple A5 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Apple A6 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
ISA extensions
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
iOS Operating systems iOS
Socket
32 nm Technology 32 nm
ARMv7-A32 (32 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv7-A32 (32 bit)
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
A5 Architecture A6
None Virtualization None
Q1/2011 Release date Q3/2012
-- Release price --
1.0 MB L2-Cache 1.0 MB
APL 0498 Part Number APL 0598