Apple A12Z physically identical to A12X but with all eight GPU cores enabled

14 April 2020
The A12X shipped with one core disabled while the A12Z has all GPU cores enabled.

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Anonymous, 15 Apr 2020Having a portion of the die disabled is a long established ... moreDUH?!?
Why not sell the same device two years later?

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    • Anonymous
    • Nxp
    • 15 Apr 2020

    Having a portion of the die disabled is a long established industry practice to improve yields, particularly around new designs and especially on cutting edge process nodes. Remember how the PS3’s cell processor had only 7 of the 8 execution units available? Or how enthusiasts were using conductive pen to connect bridges atop AMD chip packages to unlock multipliers, and other methods could allow them to unlock potentially ’mostly working’ cores?: https://m.slashdot.org/story/134482

    They didn’t promise 8 cores on the A12X likely because yields were too low; a year later, the process reliability has increased enough that they can enable all 8 - A12Z. This is no different that Intel selling a better die as an i7-9850H and a lesser die off the same wafer as an i7-9750H. You get the performance promised, no one has been ripped off, that’s just how the chip business works. Much ado about absolutely nothing for click-bait.

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      • Boldy
      • rxi
      • 15 Apr 2020

      AnonD-763241, 15 Apr 2020Your info is wrong....laptops are based on x86 architecture... moreThat's not true at all. Intel and AMD designs are based on x86 ISA for their 32-bit designs, and x86_64 (also called x64 by some) for their 64-bit designs.

      Apple and android SoCs on the other hand are based on ARMv8 ISA. That should change soon, as ARMv9 is coming out mostly next year or the year after that.

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        • LilPhone
        • xZI
        • 15 Apr 2020

        AnonD-847158, 15 Apr 2020Dude, it's an ARM based processor. Are you really gonna com... moreDo you even understand my comment?

        I mentioned that their claim of their processor/performance beating 94% current laptops are overambitious and unrealistic.

        Read and understand before you comment.

          • N
          • Nerd
          • a3P
          • 15 Apr 2020

          Anonymous, 15 Apr 2020Apple scams users as always. Instead of A13X , they use ol... moreIt's not a scam. The price remains the same with even higher storage capacity and 6GB Ram on all models + ToF and Wide Angle camera.

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            • Mr.CPU
            • y{j
            • 15 Apr 2020

            AnonD-763241, 15 Apr 2020Your info is wrong....laptops are based on x86 architecture... moreyou should learn more before you post , it can lead to misunderstanding.
            modern desktop class CPU begins since 1994 , it's called IA64 instruction
            and AMD make it popular since Athlon 64 model , and carry x64 instruction

            there is no way to compare desktop class cpu and mobile arm cpu right now , since it's raw power and it's purpose is different.
            First 64 mobile SoC begin from Apple A7 , and then arm follow it.
            before Apple A7 , mobile SoC using 32 Bit instruction too.

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              • AnonD-763241
              • uu$
              • 15 Apr 2020

              AnonD-847158, 15 Apr 2020Dude, it's an ARM based processor. Are you really gonna com... moreYour info is wrong....laptops are based on x86 architecture....arm is based on x64 architecture

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                • Fayth
                • X%x
                • 15 Apr 2020

                so when I said Apple is using disabled processor
                it's not completely wrong

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                  • AnonD-847158
                  • t7k
                  • 15 Apr 2020

                  At the end of the day, when did iPad had a major lag problem? IOS need more support of professional applications that are only x64 based.

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                    • AnonD-847158
                    • t7k
                    • 15 Apr 2020

                    LilPhone, 15 Apr 2020They didn't scam as the price remains the same. Maybe excep... moreDude, it's an ARM based processor. Are you really gonna compare it to x64 based laptop?

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                      • Apple sell old tech
                      • 04N
                      • 15 Apr 2020

                      A13 is same as a13 made by tsmc apple just change name and sell like new product

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                        • LilPhone
                        • xZI
                        • 15 Apr 2020

                        Anonymous, 15 Apr 2020Apple scams users as always. Instead of A13X , they use ol... moreThey didn't scam as the price remains the same. Maybe except for their claim of the performance beating most modern laptops.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • 3Rs
                          • 15 Apr 2020

                          Apple scams users as always.
                          Instead of A13X , they use old processor and charge full price.