Apple A6 vs Apple A7

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple A6 or Apple A6 – 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 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.
The Apple A7 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2013 and belongs to the 7 generation of the Apple A series series.
Apple A6/A6X Group Apple A7
6 Generation 7
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple A6 Name Apple A7
Apple A series Family Apple A series
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

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
The Apple A7 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Apple A7 is 1.4 GHz
No Hyperthreading No
2x Swift Cores 2x Cyclone
No Overclocking No
2 Threads 2
2 CPU Cores 2
normal Core architecture normal
1.3 GHz Frequency 1.4 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

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.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple A7 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple A7 uses the PowerVR G6430, which has 128 texture shaders
and 16 execution units.
48 Shaders 128
Q3/2012 Release date Q3/2013
32 nm Technology 28 nm
10 Direct X 10
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Max. displays --
6 Execution units 16
0.27 GHz GPU frequency 0.45 GHz
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3 Cores) GPU name PowerVR G6430
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

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

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 VP8 No
No VC-1 No
No JPEG No
No AV1 No
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
No AVC No
No h264 No
No VP9 No
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) 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 8.5 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 1 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 12.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI No
LPDDR2-1066 Memory type LPDDR3-1333
No ECC No
1.0 GB Max. Memory 1.0 GB
2 Memory channels 1
8.5 GB/s Bandwidth 12.8 GB/s
 
 

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 A6 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 A7 is manufactured using a 28 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
Q3/2012 Release date Q3/2013
None Virtualization None
ISA extensions
32 nm Technology 28 nm
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
-- Release price --
A6 Architecture A7
0 bytes L3-Cache 4.0 MB
iOS Operating systems iOS
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
ARMv7-A32 (32 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
APL 0598 Part Number APL 5698
Socket
1.0 MB L2-Cache 1.0 MB