Apple M1 vs Apple A6X

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Apple M1 or Apple M1 – 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 M1 features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2020 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Apple M series series.
The Apple A6X 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 M1 Group Apple A6/A6X
1 Generation 6
Apple M1 Name Apple A6X
Mobile Segment Mobile
Apple M series Family Apple A series
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Apple M1 has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.2 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The Apple A6X has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Apple A6X is 1.4 GHz
2.06 GHz B-Core Frequency None
None None 2x Swift
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
4x Firestorm Cores A None
8 CPU Cores 2
No Overclocking No
None None 1.4 GHz
No Hyperthreading No
3.2 GHz A-Core Frequency None
4x Icestorm Cores B None
8 Threads 2
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Apple M1 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple M1 uses the Apple M1 (8 Core), which has 1024 texture shaders
and 128 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Apple A6X has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Apple A6X uses the PowerVR SGX554MP4 (4 Cores), which has 128 texture shaders
and 16 execution units.
-- GPU (Turbo) --
5 nm Technology 32 nm
-- Direct X 10
8.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
128 Execution units 16
Q4/2020 Release date Q3/2012
Apple M1 (8 Core) GPU name PowerVR SGX554MP4 (4 Cores)
1024 Shaders 128
1.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
1 Generation --
-- Max. displays --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS AI specifications --
Apple Neural Engine 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.
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
Decode / Encode VP9 No
Decode VP8 No
Decode VC-1 No
Decode / Encode JPEG No
Decode / Encode h264 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
Decode AVC No
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 68.2 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 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 17.1 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
LPDDR4X-4266 Memory type LPDDR2-1066
68.2 GB/s Bandwidth 17.1 GB/s
Yes AES-NI No
No ECC No
pci PCIe pci
16.0 GB Max. Memory 1.0 GB
2 Memory channels 4
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
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.
20 W TDP up None
10 W TDP down None
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) None
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Apple M1 is manufactured using a 5 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 A6X is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
Apple Virtualization Framework Virtualization None
5 nm Technology 32 nm
ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) ARMv7-A32 (32 bit)
Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation ISA extensions
APL 1102 Part Number APL 0598
Chiplet Chip design Chiplet
Q4/2020 Release date Q3/2012
-- Release price --
16.0 MB L2-Cache 1.0 MB
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
0 bytes L3-Cache 0 bytes
Socket
macOS Operating systems iOS
M1 Architecture A6