Apple A12X Bionic vs Apple A17 Pro

The Apple A12X Bionic was introduced in 2018 and was primarily designed for powerful tablets like the iPad Pro.

It is manufactured using the 7 nm process and is based on the A12 architecture. The chip features an octa-core CPU configuration with four performance cores and four efficiency cores to ensure a balance between computing power and energy consumption. It integrates an Apple A12X GPU and has an 8 MB L2 cache.

Compared to its successor, the Apple A12X Bionic shows lower single-core performance and significantly lower multi-core performance. Nevertheless, it still offers a solid foundation for many everyday applications and older professional tasks. For gaming, it offered very good performance at the time, but it is no longer on par with newer chips for modern, graphically demanding titles and ray tracing effects.

Its energy efficiency was groundbreaking for 7 nm manufacturing but is surpassed by the newer generation. The maximum memory bandwidth is 68 GB/s. It is currently found in older devices that offer a good price-performance ratio for users who do not need the very latest technology. The Apple A17 Pro was introduced in 2023 and is tailored to the requirements of Apple's flagship smartphones, with potential for future tablets.

Manufactured using the advanced 3 nm process, it is based on the Ibiza architecture. The CPU is configured as a hexa-core unit, consisting of two performance cores and four efficiency cores. It features an integrated Apple A17 Pro (6 GPU Cores) and offers a 20 MB L2 cache as well as a 24 MB L3 cache.

The Apple A17 Pro significantly surpasses the A12X Bionic in single-core performance and also delivers significantly higher computing power in multi-core applications. This leads to faster app launches and smoother workflows. With its advanced integrated Apple A17 Pro (6 GPU Cores), it offers superior performance for gaming, including support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which enables a more immersive gaming experience.

Thanks to the 3 nm manufacturing process, the Apple A17 Pro is extremely energy-efficient, allowing for longer battery life at high performance. The maximum memory bandwidth is 51 GB/s. It is built into premium devices that have a higher purchase price, but in return, it offers the highest mobile computing power and efficiency, which can be justified for demanding users.