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Apple A9

Apple A9

The Apple A9 is a high-end dual-core ARM SoC for smartphones. It was announced in Sept. 2015 in the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Technical details were not published, but the CPU part should be about 70% and the GPU 90% faster than the previous Apple A8. Therefore, the performance should be on par with high-end Android SoCs in 2015.

It is based on the third generation of Apples 64 Bit architectures (Cyclone 3?) and uses a "new transistor technology". It is manufactured at Samsung in 14nm (slightly smaller die) and TSMC at 16nm (both FINFET 3D transistors). A performance difference of both versions are not noticable.

Furthermore, the chip now integrates the M9 motion coprocessor and a 4K video de- and encoder (as the iPhones 6s supports 4K video recording). The integrated graphics card should be still based on PowerVR technology.

The power consumption could be lower than the A8 due to the new process technology and the fact that the iPhones now got a smaller battery (due to the haptic engine part).

SeriesApple
CodenameCyclone 3
Series: Cyclone 3
Apple A9X compare2260 MHz2 / 2
» Apple A91800 MHz2 / 2
Clock Rate1800 MHz
Number of Cores / Threads2 / 2
Manufacturing Technology14/16 nm
FeaturesARMv8 Instruction Set
GPUApple A9 / PowerVR GT7600
64 Bit64 Bit support
Announcement Date09/09/2015

Benchmarks

3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
min: 12854     avg: 13248     median: 13210.5 (15%)     max: 13717 Points
+ 4 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
3DMark - 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
1094 Points (14%)
+ 1 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
3DMark - 3DMark Sling Shot (ES 3.0) Unlimited Physics
1093 Points (19%)
+ 1 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 3 - Geekbench 3 64 Bit Multi-Core
min: 4386     avg: 4412     median: 4422 (7%)     max: 4429 points
+ 3 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 3 - Geekbench 3 64 Bit Single-Core
min: 2533     avg: 2537     median: 2538 (52%)     max: 2539 points
+ 3 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 4.0 - Geekbench 4 64 Bit Single-Core
min: 2503     avg: 2527     median: 2526.5 (39%)     max: 2550 points
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 4.0 - Geekbench 4 64 Bit Multi-Core
min: 4286     avg: 4359     median: 4359 (11%)     max: 4432 points
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 4.4 - Geekbench 4.1+ 64 Bit Single-Core
2556 points (38%)
+ 1 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Geekbench 4.4 - Geekbench 4.1+ 64 Bit Multi-Core
4459 points (8%)
+ 1 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Linpack Android / IOS - Linpack Multi Thread
min: 1225     avg: 1260     median: 1260 (43%)     max: 1295 MFLOPS
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Linpack Android / IOS - Linpack Single Thread
min: 669     avg: 677     median: 677 (66%)     max: 685 MFLOPS
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
min: 1457.7     avg: 1656     median: 1712 (3%)     max: 1743 ms
+ 4 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Sunspider - Sunspider 1.0 Total Score *
223 ms (2%)
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
min: 15967     avg: 16716     median: 16375 (28%)     max: 18148 Points
+ 4 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
AnTuTu v5 - AnTuTu v5 Total Score
min: 58869     avg: 58977     median: 58976.5 (59%)     max: 59084 Points
+ 2 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
AnTuTu v6 - AnTuTu v6 Total Score
min: 126969     avg: 129767     median: 128706 (44%)     max: 133626 Points
+ 3 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
PassMark PerformanceTest Mobile V1 - PerformanceTest Mobile CPU Tests
min: 46285     avg: 48479     median: 48849 (6%)     max: 49934 Points
+ 4 benchmarks and specifications   + Show comparison chart
- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

Add one or more devices and compare

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v1.15

Reviews for the Apple A9 processor

Apple iPad (2017) (Imagination A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 9.7")
» Apple iPad (2017) Tablet Review - Review
» Apple iPad (2017) - External Review

Apple iPhone 6S (Imagination A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 4.7")
» Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus First Impressions - Review
» Apple iPhone 6S Smartphone Review - Review
» Apple iPhone 6S - External Review

Apple iPhone 6S Plus (Imagination A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 5.5")
» Apple iPhone 6S Plus Smartphone Review - Review
» Apple iPhone 6S Plus - External Review

Apple iPhone SE (Imagination A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 4")
» Apple iPhone SE Smartphone Review - Review
» Apple iPhone SE - External Review

» Mobile CPU Comparison
Comparison of all mobile CPU series

» Mobile Processors - Benchmarklist
Benchmarklist of all known CPUs that are used in laptops (desktop and laptop CPUs)

Other CPUs of the series

» HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G
   8x - 2.86 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 990
   8x - 2.86 GHz
» MediaTek Dimensity 1000+
   8x 2 GHz - 2.6 GHz
» MediaTek Dimensity 820
   8x 2 GHz - 2.6 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 820
   8x 1.84 GHz - 2.36 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 810
   8x 1.88 GHz - 2.27 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 980
   8x - 2.6 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 970
   8x 2.4 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 960
   8x 2.4 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 960s
   8x 2.1 GHz
» Apple A9X
   2x 2.26 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 955
   8x 2.5 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 950
   8x 2.3 GHz
» MediaTek Helio X27 MT6797X
   10x 2.6 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 710
   8x 2.2 GHz
» Apple A9
   2x 1.8 GHz
» Samsung Exynos 850
   8x - 2 GHz
» Apple A8X
   3x 1.5 GHz
» Apple A8
   2x 1.4 GHz
» UNISOC SC9863A
   8x 1.6 GHz
» VIA Nano QuadCore L4700
   4x 1.2 GHz - 1.46 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 925
   8x 1.8 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 920
   8x 1.7 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 935
   8x 2.2 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 659
   8x 2.36 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 658
   8x 2.35 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 655
   8x 2.1 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 650
   8x 2 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 930
   8x 2 GHz
» Apple A7
   2x 1.3 GHz
» MediaTek MT8168
   4x 2 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 620
   8x 1.2 GHz
» Rockchip RK3288
   4x 1.8 GHz
» MediaTek MT8163 V/A 1.5 GHz
   4x 1.5 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 910T
   4x 1.8 GHz
» MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
   4x 1.3 GHz
» MediaTek MT8161
   4x 1.3 GHz
» Rockchip RK3188
   4x 1.8 GHz
» HiSilicon Kirin 910
   4x 1.6 GHz
» Intel Celeron 220
   1x 1.2 GHz
» AMD GX-210JA
   2x 1 GHz
» Marvell Armada PXA1908
   4x 1.2 GHz
» Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+
   4x - 1.7 GHz
» Apple A6x
   2x 1.4 GHz
» Apple A6
   2x 1 GHz
» Apple S5
   2x
» Marvell PXA1088
   4x 1.2 GHz
» Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100
   4x - 1.2 GHz
» Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100
   4x - 1.2 GHz
» Intel Celeron 2.8 GHz
   1x 2.8 GHz
» Texas Instruments OMAP 4470
   2x 1.5 GHz
» HiSilicon k3v2 Hi3620
   4x 1.2 GHz
» Rockchip RK3066 1.5 GHz
   2x 1.5 GHz
» Renesas MP5232
   2x 1.5 GHz
» Broadcom BCM21664T
   2x 1.2 GHz
» Marvell PXA986
   2x 1.2 GHz
» Amlogic AML8726-MX
   2x 1.5 GHz
» Texas Instruments OMAP 4460
   2x 1.2 GHz
» Rockchip RK3168
   2x 1.2 GHz
» Broadcom BCM28155
   2x 1.2 GHz
» Texas Instruments OMAP 4430
   2x 1 GHz
» Apple A5x
   2x 1 GHz
» Apple A5
   2x 1 GHz
» Samsung Exynos 9110
   2x 1.15 GHz
» ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500
   2x 1 GHz
» ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8420
   2x 1 GHz
» NXP i.MX 6SLL
   1x 1 GHz
» Rockchip RK2918 1.2 GHz
   1x 1.2 GHz
» AllWinner A10
   1x 1.2 GHz
» ARM Cortex A8 1.2 GHz
   1x 1.2 GHz
» Apple A4
   1x 1 GHz
» AllWinner A13
   1x 1 GHz
» WonderMedia PRIZM WM8950
   1x 1 GHz
» Texas Instruments OMAP 3630 1GHz
   1x 1 GHz
» Texas Instruments OMAP 3622
   1x 1 GHz
» Rockchip RK2918
   1x 1 GHz
» Telechips TCC8803 1GHz
   1x 1 GHz
» ZiiLABS ZMS-08
   1x 1 GHz
» ARM Cortex A8 1GHz
   1x 1 GHz
» Actions ACT-ATM7029
   4x 1 GHz
» Loongson 2F 900MHz
   1x 0.9 GHz
» CSR8670
   2x 0.08 GHz
» Huawei Kirin A1
   1x 0.2 GHz
» Cypress PSoC6 MCU
   2x 0.15 GHz
» DK3.5+ST
   2x
» unknown
   

Surrounding CPUs

+ Mediatek MT8183
   8x 2 GHz
+ Samsung Exynos 7420 Octa
   8x 2.1 GHz
+ Mediatek Helio X25 MTK6797T
   10x 2.5 GHz
+ Nvidia Tegra X1
   8x 2 GHz
» Apple A9
   2x 1.8 GHz
- Intel Atom x7-Z8700
   4x 1.6 GHz - 2.4 GHz
- Mediatek Helio P25
   8x 2.6 GHz
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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Benchmarks / Tech > Notebook Processors > Apple A9 Smartphone SoC
Klaus Hinum (Update: 2015-09-11)