4 ms·

It wouldn't be the first time though that Apple used different process nodes in the same chip "generation". - A5(X) 32nm and 45nm - A9(X) 14nm and 16nm - A10(X

by eis 4y ago

It wouldn't be the first time though that Apple used different process nodes in the same chip "generation". - A5(X) 32nm and 45nm - A9(X) 14nm and 16nm - A10(X) 16nm and 10nm If apple wanted to use N3 for the A15 or the M2 then they'd have designs pretty much ready but due to TSMC delays didn't roll those into production. I'm pretty sure Apple does a few designs in parallel and react according to what the supply chain and market conditions allow.

sroussey 4y ago
Yes. In addition, the parent comment assertion is incorrect. The M1 and M1 Pro/Max did not use the same IP but just scaled. Indeed, the core designs were different. The M1 had A14 CPU cores, while the pro/max were based on the A15. A14 —> M1 A15 —> M1 Pro/Max/Ultra, M2 So it stands to reason A16 —> M2 Pro/Max/Ultra, M3 Though that does not take into account the process node.
- gjm11 4y ago
  Are you sure about that? Everything I can find says that the M1 Pro and M1 Max do use the same cores as the M1, which are not based on the ones in the A15.
  - sroussey 4y ago
    I’ll find a reference, but that’s why the efficiency cores on the pro/max are much faster.
    - gjm11 4y ago
      As an example of what I find when I look, here's Anandtech: https://www.anandtech.com/show/17024/apple-m1-max-performance-review https://www.anandtech.com/show/17024/apple-m1-max-performanc... 'We had indicated in our initial coverage that it appears that Apple’s new M1 Pro and Max chips is using a similar, if not the same generation CPU IP as on the M1, rather than updating things to the newer generation cores that are being used in the A15. We seemingly can confirm this, as we’re seeing no apparent changes in the cores compared to what we’ve discovered on the M1 chips.' And Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M1 'The M1 has four high-performance "Firestorm" and four energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores, first seen on the A14 Bionic. [...] The M1 Pro and M1 Max use the same ARM big.LITTLE design as the M1, with eight high-performance "Firestorm" (six in the lower-binned variants of the M1 Pro) and two energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores, providing a total of ten cores (eight in the lower-binned variants of the M1 Pro).' The efficiency cores on the Pro and Max aren't (so far as I can tell) faster than on the regular M1. But where the regular M1 has 4 performance + 4 efficiency cores, the Pro and Max have 6 or 8 performance + 2 efficiency. (Also, more L2 and L3 cache.)

by eis 4y ago

sroussey 4y ago

Yes. In addition, the parent comment assertion is incorrect. The M1 and M1 Pro/Max did not use the same IP but just scaled. Indeed, the core designs were different. The M1 had A14 CPU cores, while the pro/max were based on the A15. A14 —> M1 A15 —> M1 Pro/Max/Ultra, M2 So it stands to reason A16 —> M2 Pro/Max/Ultra, M3 Though that does not take into account the process node.

gjm11 4y ago
Are you sure about that? Everything I can find says that the M1 Pro and M1 Max do use the same cores as the M1, which are not based on the ones in the A15.
- sroussey 4y ago
  I’ll find a reference, but that’s why the efficiency cores on the pro/max are much faster.
  - gjm11 4y ago
    As an example of what I find when I look, here's Anandtech: https://www.anandtech.com/show/17024/apple-m1-max-performance-review https://www.anandtech.com/show/17024/apple-m1-max-performanc... 'We had indicated in our initial coverage that it appears that Apple’s new M1 Pro and Max chips is using a similar, if not the same generation CPU IP as on the M1, rather than updating things to the newer generation cores that are being used in the A15. We seemingly can confirm this, as we’re seeing no apparent changes in the cores compared to what we’ve discovered on the M1 chips.' And Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M1 'The M1 has four high-performance "Firestorm" and four energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores, first seen on the A14 Bionic. [...] The M1 Pro and M1 Max use the same ARM big.LITTLE design as the M1, with eight high-performance "Firestorm" (six in the lower-binned variants of the M1 Pro) and two energy-efficient "Icestorm" cores, providing a total of ten cores (eight in the lower-binned variants of the M1 Pro).' The efficiency cores on the Pro and Max aren't (so far as I can tell) faster than on the regular M1. But where the regular M1 has 4 performance + 4 efficiency cores, the Pro and Max have 6 or 8 performance + 2 efficiency. (Also, more L2 and L3 cache.)