Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What Processor Do You Think Apple Will Use in the iPad Mini 2?

  • A6

    Votes: 32 50.0%
  • A7

    Votes: 5 7.8%
  • A5X

    Votes: 8 12.5%
  • A6X

    Votes: 14 21.9%
  • A7X

    Votes: 5 7.8%

  • Total voters
    64

GrayApple

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2010
48
0
Many in the Apple community have assumed that the new iPad Mini will have a retina display, but the retina display in the iPad, supposedly, requires the added graphical power of the A5X/A6X/A7X (which consume more power and produce more heat.) If it is true that the new iPad Mini will have a retina display, what processor do you think the iPad Mini will have? Put the reasons you think this in the comments below.
 
Last edited:

AQUADock

macrumors 65816
Mar 20, 2011
1,049
37
I think it will get the A6X if it gets a retina display and the 5th gen iPad will get the A7X.
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
19,457
21,847
Singapore
Recent rumours (taken with a heavy pinch of salt) allude to the A5x chip being in a retina ipad mini. Which I find odd, because it was heavily criticised as being inadequate in driving the ipad3's retina display.

The A6x chip is equivalent to the A5 chip in the non-retina ipad2, so this seems the most likely. It would also allow Apple to phase out their A5x production line (which isn't being used in any other product anyways) and focus entirely on A6x chip production.

This of course, assumes any retina ipad mini will use the same 2048x1536 resolution of the current ipad, rather than a 3rd resolution. Also, for all we know, advances in technology may also make the A5x feasible.

I also believe the mini's processor will also be deliberately kept a generation behind the ipad's processor, to as to better differentiate them, so an A7X chip seems unlikely.
 

GrayApple

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2010
48
0
I think A6X is only possible if the heat issues that troubled the iPad 3 have been fixed(I haven't been able to handle an iPad 4 myself or ask another person if it has the same heat issues.) I actually have serious doubts about a retina display in the next Mini because of this.
 

Luis2004

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2012
615
1
I think A6X is only possible if the heat issues that troubled the iPad 3 have been fixed(I haven't been able to handle an iPad 4 myself or ask another person if it has the same heat issues.) I actually have serious doubts about a retina display in the next Mini because of this.

No heat issues on the 4, at least on my end. If they don't release retina on the Mini 2, it will be a major fail.

It's already a half-fail releasing the mini 1 without it.
 

dylin

macrumors 6502a
Jun 10, 2010
663
52
California
I don't really see it being the A6x due to the fact that it is a larger chip. Having that there may greatly increase the thickness of it. The A6 or even the rumored A7 are most likely it.

A retina mini would be nice, but I think they may hold out for that later. Either way I wouldn't mind it being non retina for the next refresh just as long as the is a major improvement on speed and performance.
 

AppleDeviceUser

macrumors 6502
Jan 7, 2012
492
10
Canada
Retina = A6X (It currently has A5, that would be an upgrade to the processor, A6 vs A5, plus add the 'X' for Retina)
No Retina =A6 (It currently has A5, A6 is the next logical upgrade)

It may just get an A5X if it has Retina, but IMO that would be kinda lame. Apple don't do what you did with the iPad 2 to 3.
 
Last edited:

cwwilson

macrumors 68000
Jan 27, 2009
1,858
1,362
Oklahoma City, OK
I truly do believe it will get the A5X in an effort to keep it from surpassing the big iPad in performance. It will be cheaper to produce as it's over a year old and should be more than adaquite enough to power the small retina display. I wouldn't be surprised if the 5th gen iPad kept the A6X while only gaining camera and chassis improvements.

But with Apple who knows what they're thinking. :p
 

Medic311

macrumors 68000
Jul 30, 2011
1,659
58
i have a feeling Apple will find a way to squeeze out a higher resolution screen on the iPad Mini with just an A6. since the Mini has a smaller screen it won't need as much graphics performance potential as the full size iPad 3/4. i'm not sure what the cut off is regarding screen size to use the A6 vs A6X, but all i know is that if Apple was to throw in the A5X or A6X into the iPad Mini, unless battery technology has improved exponentially in the last year it's not physically possible to maintain the thickness and weight of the iPad Mini. the quad-core graphics of the (X) chips require a massive massive battery. i definitely don't see them using the A5X since it's actually a LESS efficient chip than the A6X. the iPad 4 with the A6X actually gets better battery life by ~ 1.5hrs than the iPad 3 solely due to the A6X efficiency

who knows, maybe Apple has a trick up their sleeve with new battery technology that they custom designed that will allow the Mini to maintain weight and thickness. whew...how cool would that be
 

sbddude

macrumors 6502a
Sep 27, 2010
894
4
Nor Cal, USA
i have a feeling Apple will find a way to squeeze out a higher resolution screen on the iPad Mini with just an A6. since the Mini has a smaller screen it won't need as much graphics performance potential as the full size iPad 3/4.

The screen size is not what matters. Its the number of pixels. A retina iPad mini would have the same resolution as the iPad 3/4. Same way the current mini is the same as the iPad 2.

Besides, why does the full size iPad have to be the sales leader? Does the 15-inch MBP have to outsell the 13? Apple can set the prices such that the profit is the same. The 1st gen mini can be the "discount" iPad.
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
If you think from a logical point of view, why would they have both the mini & the full size with an A6X. We do know the supposed 20nm A7/ A7X won't be ready till Q2 2014, which means they will have to modify the current A6X to extract more juice out of it. We do know understand that Apple would like to keep the ipad mini a generation behind the full-size one. Therefore the most likely candidate is a modified A5X, while the bigger gets a modified A6X. If the mini picks up retina, then its definitely going to use "X" variation of the SoC.
 

Medic311

macrumors 68000
Jul 30, 2011
1,659
58
The screen size is not what matters. Its the number of pixels. A retina iPad mini would have the same resolution as the iPad 3/4. Same way the current mini is the same as the iPad 2.

i'm aware - i mentioned that in reference to the iPhone and how i bet Apple will figure out a way to squeeze out a higher resolution screen in the Mini with just the A6. the Mini after all, would require fewer pixels to achieve Retina, so i wonder if the regular A6 could pull it off. this is obviously only an opinion.

i don't see them using the A5X as that chip hasn't been in full scale production since September. why would Apple bring that back?

A6X is possible, but any of the X chips will require a massive massive battery so unless Apple has invented new battery technology it would be a heavy thick Mini
 

DesertEagle

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2012
609
8
/home @ 127.0.0.1
What ever costs the least amount of money that will get the job done.

What job? Photo editing or gaming? If you're going to do exactly the same with the iPad mini 2 as with the iPad 5, and with the same performance, then you will obviously need the same processor too (given they both have retina display).

More important than price (IMO) is how it will affect battery life. If the iPad mini 2 won't even last me half a day, I might as well get a Nexus or Galaxy Tab instead. Or a regular iPad, for that matter.
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
19,457
21,847
Singapore
In my eyes, I think it will get the A6X and the 5th gen iPad will get the new A7X.

Does anyone think it will sound weird if they announce the more powerful processor in the ipad first, then reveal a weaker processor in the iphone later on in the year?

I notice all all these years,

2010: A4 for ipad and iphone4 (though under-clocked)
2011: A5 for ipad2 and iphone 4s
2012: A5X for ipad3, A6 for iphone5, followed by A6x for ipad4
2013: Likely to keep ipad and iphone events separate (and spaced far enough so they don't steal the thunder from each other).

One possibility is they bring the iphone forward to June (say A7chip), followed by ipad event towards the end of the year (Sep-Oct), revealing a A7X. I doubt the ipad mini will get retina (intentional on Apple's part so it won't overshadow the iPad), so I am guessing solely internal spec boosts like what the ipad2 was to the iPad.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.