A5X Processor

New Apple TV could hint at A5X iPad mini with Retina display

The unknown 'Apple TV 3,2' device caused a lot of commotion when it was first discovered in iOS 6.1 earlier this week. It has a faster processor than the current model, and a lot of folks figured it was the next-gen Apple TV.

Apple, however, crushed the hype when they announced yesterday that the 3,2 ATV was nothing more than a component change. But according to some recent chatter, there may be more to the device than meets the eye...

New Apple TV found to have A5X processor

There's been a lot of talk this week regarding the next-generation Apple TV. First, an unknown AppleTV 3,2 device popped up in Monday's iOS 6.1 release. And then yesterday, a slightly smaller ATV surfaced in some FCC documents.

So now that we know that Apple is readying a new set top box for release, the next question is: what improvements has it made? Well for starters, it looks like the device is going to get a performance bump with an A5X processor...

The inconvenient truth about Retina iPad gaming

Back in March, I analyzed whether the new iPad has enough oomph to drive graphics-intensive games natively at the new iPad's 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution. The crux of the article: framer rates in Retina-optimized games can drop to well below what the iPad 2 delivers.

With no change on the CPU side and only 2x speed gain on the GPU side, the new iPad clearly has issues offseting the Retina display's 4x pixel count increase.

Today, The Verge sheds more light on the matter by putting the device through its paces in real-world tests based on a handful of latest triple-A games. The findings may surprise even the most hard-core gamers among you...

Rumor: next iPhone to include 1GB of RAM, tweaked CPU

According to a new report by 9to5Mac, a new iPhone and a new iPod touch is in the works.

Should this even be labeled as a rumor considering the absolute inevitability of these hardware updates? I don't know, but the wait, speculation, and anticipation is always amusing.

According to their sources, a variant of the A5X chip will power the next generation iPhone, and it will include 1GB of RAM. To me, a varient suggests it's probably not an "A5X" per-se, but an entirely new processor dedicated to the device's smaller form factor, and less visually intensive needs.

Their source also indicates that the next generation iPhone has been seeded internally, yet it is being housed in ho-hum iPhone 4/4S casing to throw off any potential leaks.

Sounds about par for course. I guess the only thing left to make this 100% legit is for the new iPhone tester to head to his or her favorite bar, am I right?

Microscope analysis of A5X chip finds jumbo-sized GPU, 310% larger package

While guys over at iFixIt have done their trademark awesome job peeking under the new iPad's hood, one aspect of its bowels hasn't been scrutinized yet: the Apple-designed A5X chip labeled "S5L8945X" and fabbed on Samsung's 45-nanometer process. Enter silicon analysis firm Chipworks which just released a high-resolution photo depicting so-called "floorplans" of the A5X package.

Their analysis corroborates speculation on the A5X architecture and offers a fascinating insight into the innards of the A5X package. As you can see in the above shot, a large portion of the A5X's die is dedicated to the four graphic cores, found to be comparable to Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip in terms of speed.

Apple does not publicly specify the type of GPU/CPU used, but it's been widely rumored that the A5X packs in Imagination Technologies' PowerVR SGX543MP4 technology versus a dual core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU found inside the A5 chip from iPad 2 (both pieces of silicon run dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore CPU). Read on for the nitty-gritty details depicted in the polysilicon die photos...

The iPad’s A5X benchmarked against Nvidia’s Tegra 3

During the company's new iPad announcement last week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and VP Phil Schiller made plenty of claims about both the new tablet and its competition. One claim to stand out was one that struck right at the heart of Nvidia, and it raised a few eyebrows at the same time.

During the announcement it was suggested that Apple's new A5X chip was much, much faster than the latest and greatest competition, Nvidia's Tegra 3 chipset. With the Android powered Tegra 3 hardware believed to be the cutting edge of mobile technology, many called the claims ludicrous. Now, after initial testing, it seems that Apple may have actually be onto something after all.

A new video posted by an Australian tech blogger has compared the new iPad and the Tegra 3-equipped Asus Transformer Prime, with the results showing that Apple's device is indeed the top dog...

New iPad confirmed to sport 1GB of RAM and 1 GHz CPU

Tinhte, the Vietnamese tech blog who got its hands of the new iPad and released the first unboxing video earlier today, put Apple's new tablet to the test and posted the Geekbench benchmarks of the device.

The results confirm earlier reports that the new iPad would sport 1GB of RAM, double that of the iPad 2. The benchmark also reveals that the new iPad has the same 1GHz CPU which can be found in the A5 chip...

Apple A5X quad core graphics confirmed

The iPad A5X processor with quad core graphics was confirmed today at Apple's new iPad media event.

When comparing to competitors Phile Schiller said: "The Apple A5 was already twice as fast. This is a graphics powerhouse."

Seeing that the current A5 chip inside the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2 is no slouch, it's insane to think of how much horsepower is behind this chip. It should have no problem keeping the new Retina Display satisfied...

Rumor: more evidence that the iPad 3 will employ A5X processor

Most publications are agreeing on most of the specs for the upcoming iPad 3. The consensus seems to be that the iPad 3 will feature a Retina display, larger battery, upgraded cameras, iOS 5.1 w/ Siri support, and LTE. However, the main question lingering is if the iPad 3 will feature the rumored upgraded dual-core A5X processor or quad-core A6 processor.

AllThingsD has published a report on the latest out of analyst Steve Mullane. Mullane says he's been hearing from supply chains that the iPad 3 will feature the dual-core A5X processor...

Rumor: Apple working on both A5X and A6 processors

Adding to the array of iPad 3 rumors that have been floating our way, 9to5mac's Mark Gurman has published a report clearing the waters about recent talk over which processor Apple is going to use in the iPad 3.

There have been conflicting reports that the iPad 3 will feature a quad-core processor, while some say it will only be an upgraded dual-core. We've seen code references and pictures of both, but today, 9to5mac says that Apple has been working on both the A5X and A6 processors...

Rumor: iPad 2 and iPad 3 photographed side-by-side

Last week into this weekend has been iPad 3 rumor central. We first saw images of the purported tablet, hints of an A5X processor instead of an A6, and Samsung Retina displays in production. Tonight, comes another iPad 3 rumor.

Reputable for their rumors, MIC Gadget has posted a rumor roundup of all of the latest on the iPad 3. In the post, MIC Gadget has posted the iPad 2 and iPad 3 side-by-side, revealing how much more tapered the iPad 3 really is...

iPad 3 to have A5X processor?

The iPad 3's processor is assumed to be called the 'A6', following Apple's recent history. The iPhone 4 has the A4 processor and both the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S have the A5 processor. The iPad 3 featuring an A6 processor makes sense.

However, according to a leaked image on Chinese forum WeiPhone, the iPad 3 will have an A5X processor, rather than A6...