iPhone X iPhone A11 GPU

[bukeyolacan]

I've tried to find more detailed information about new iPhone's A11 GPU but there is not much detail more than its 3-core custom GPU. Previous generation had PowerVR Series 7XT GT7600 Plus so anyone knows what GPU (or similar) we have now?

 

[Vermifuge]

All you can really do is follow the trail of acquisitions.

• Apple Acquired PA Semi in 2008
• Apple Acquired Intrinsity in 2010
• Apple poached at least a dozen AMD/ATI engineers in 2013

Apple established an office in Orlando that was said to be spearheading development of its own GPUs. We can only assume its based on tech from these companies. Imagination Technologies claimed it would be impossible for Apple to develop a GPU without infringing on its IP. They said a lawsuit was imminent at the time but it seems those legal threats were all bark and no bite.

 

[dmx]

Most likely a highly custom version of some PowerVR GPU. Best place to read about it: https://forum.beyond3d.com/threads/apple-a11-soc.60323/

 

[Vermifuge]

Most likely a highly custom version of some PowerVR GPU. Best place to read about it: https://forum.beyond3d.com/threads/apple-a11-soc.60323/

Considering Imagination Technologies threatened to sue Apple over IP, I doubt the GPU has anything to do with PowerVR

 

[Andres Cantu]

Considering Imagination Technologies threatened to sue Apple over IP, I doubt the GPU has anything to do with PowerVR

Makes you wonder if all their future iOS devices will have at least an A11 to avoid any issues.

 

[Vermifuge]

Makes you wonder if all their future iOS devices will have at least an A11 to avoid any issues.

explain please

 

[Andres Cantu]

explain please

I recall reading that Apple had a time period to stop selling iOS devices with PowerVR GPUs due to their agreement with Imagination Technologies.

Perhaps that’s why they are taking so long to update the iPhone SE and iPad mini, planning on using the A11 (even if throttled a bit like the A8 on the iPod Touch) to avoid selling cheapest and most expensive iPhones at the same time with the same SoCs like with the SE and 6s.

 

[Vermifuge]

I recall reading that Apple had a time period to stop selling iOS devices with PowerVR GPUs due to their agreement with Imagination Technologies.

Perhaps that’s why they are taking so long to update the iPhone SE and iPad mini, planning on using the A11 (even if throttled a bit like the A8 on the iPod Touch) to avoid selling cheapest and most expensive iPhones at the same time with the same SoCs like with the SE and 6s.

Ah yeah, I get you. Yes that makes a lot of sense. This means the next generation budget could be extremely powerful!

Sometimes Intel would sell budget CPUs with damaged wafers. Chips where all the cores didn't pass and were ether under clocked or sold with disable cores as a "budget" friendly CPU. Apple could do something similar.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Ah yeah, I get you. Yes that makes a lot of sense. This means the next generation budget could be extremely powerful!

Sometimes Intel would sell budget CPUs with damaged wafers. Chips where all the cores didn't pass and were ether under clocked or sold with disable cores as a "budget" friendly CPU. Apple could do something similar.

Not sure how yields work in the mobile space, but that's a great point.