Apple A7 vs Apple A6

The Apple A7, introduced in late 2013, was the first 64-bit mobile processor and set new standards for smartphones and tablets.

It is manufactured using the 28 nm process and features two Cyclone cores as well as 1 MB L2 and 4 MB L3 cache. The computing power of the Apple A7 is significantly higher thanks to its modern 64-bit architecture and efficient manufacturing; in single-core tasks, it considerably outperforms the Apple A6, which is reflected in Cinebench R23.

For gaming, its PowerVR G6430 graphics unit with a max. memory bandwidth of 13 GB/s is clearly superior. Energy efficiency is better due to the smaller manufacturing process, leading to lower power consumption. The Apple A6, released a year earlier in 2012, served as the standard for mobile Apple devices of its generation.

It is manufactured using the 32 nm process and has two 32-bit Swift cores with 1 MB L2 cache, but without L3 cache. Its performance was solid for its time, but in modern comparisons, it falls significantly behind the Apple A7. For games, the PowerVR SGX543MP3 (3 Cores) graphics unit with 9 GB/s memory bandwidth offers lower performance.

The larger manufacturing process leads to lower energy efficiency compared to the Apple A7. Both processors are available very cheaply today as integrated components on the used market.