Apple A12Z Bionic vs Apple A15 Bionic (5-GPU). Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Mobile Mobile
• Family
  Apple A series Apple A series
• Generation
  12 15
• CPU group
  Apple A12/A12X/A12Z Apple A15
• Predecessor
  Apple A10X Fusion Apple A14 Bionic

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  1.59 GHz 3.23 GHz
• Turbo (1 Core)
  2.49 GHz No turbo
• Hyperthreading
  No No
• Overclocking
  No No
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) hybrid (big.LITTLE)

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Apple A12Z Apple A15 (5 GPU Cores)
• GPU frequency
  1.59 GHz 0.60 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  2.49 GHz No turbo
• Execution units
  8 160
• Shader
  0 1280
• Max. GPU Memory
  6 GB 8 GB
• Max. displays
  2 3
• Generation
  9 12
• Technology
  7 nm 5 nm
• Release date
  Q1/2020 Q3/2021

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP8
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• AV1
  No No
• AVC
  Decode Decode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Apple A15 Bionic (5-GPU) and Apple A12Z Bionic. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR4X-4266 LPDDR4X-4266
• Max. Memory
  16 GB 8 GB
• ECC
  No No
• Memory channels
  2 1

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Apple A12Z Bionic and Apple A15 Bionic (5-GPU) to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  15 W 8.5 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Apple A12Z Bionic and Apple A15 Bionic (5-GPU), including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) ARMv8-A64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  None None
• L2-Cache
  8.00 MB 16.00 MB
• Architecture
  A12 A15
• Technology
  7 nm 5 nm
• Socket
  N/A N/A
• Release date
  Q1/2020 Q3/2021