Apple A10 Fusion vs Apple A9X

The Apple A10 Fusion and Apple A9X are Apple processors for mobile devices.

Introduced in 2016, the Apple A10 Fusion targeted flagship smartphones and tablets. It is manufactured using the 10 nm process and is a quad-core chip with a big.LITTLE design. Its maximum memory bandwidth is 26 GB/s. Available from 2015, the Apple A9X was primarily used in high-performance tablets such as the iPad Pro.

Manufactured using the 16 nm process, it is a dual-core unit. It offers a significantly higher maximum memory bandwidth of 51 GB/s. In terms of performance, the Apple A10 Fusion shows over 10 percent better single-core performance; multi-core performance is comparable. For gaming, the Apple A10 Fusion generally offers improved graphics performance due to its newer architecture and 10 nm process.

However, the Apple A9X was known for its very powerful graphics unit for its time, supported by its higher memory bandwidth. In terms of energy efficiency, the Apple A10 Fusion (10 nm) surpasses the Apple A9X (16 nm). Both CPUs are integrated components, not available separately. In summary, the Apple A10 Fusion offers more modern architecture and higher efficiency, especially in the single-core area.

The Apple A9X impresses with its powerful graphics unit for its generation and its higher memory bandwidth. For general use, the Apple A10 Fusion is recommended; the Apple A9X remains relevant for graphics-intensive tasks in its target devices.