Potential Benchmark for iPhone XR Successor Shows 4GB RAM, Moderate Performance Gains

[MacRumors]

A new Geekbench result posted this evening purportedly reveals performance data for the next-generation iPhone XR set to debut at next week's media event.

The result, spotted by forum member EugW, lists a model number of "iPhone12,1" running iOS 13.1 with a motherboard identifier of N104AP. Back in May, Bloomberg reported that the next-generation iPhone XR was internally codenamed N104, while 9to5Mac reported in July that the device would carry the model number iPhone12,1.

If legitimate, the result reveals a few details about the iPhone XR successor and its A13 chip. First, the result shows approximately 4 GB of RAM for the device, which would be an increase over the 3 GB found in the current iPhone XR and in line with predictions from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The iPhone XS and XS Max already include 4 GB of RAM, and there have not been any solid rumors suggesting their successors will see an increase.

Moving on to the A13 itself, the result indicates it continues to include six cores, presumably in an identical setup compared to the A12 with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores.

The A13's high-performance cores are shown running at 2.66 GHz in today's result, compared to 2.49 GHz in the A12, leading to an approximately 12-13 percent gain in single-core performance for the A13 with a score of 5415, compared to an average 4796 for the A12 in the iPhone XR.

Interestingly, the A13's multi-core score of 11294 is nearly identical to the A12's average score of 11192, although Geekbench's developer John Poole tells us there could be some throttling due to thermal limits as similar situations have been seen with the A12 in the iPhone XS and XR, so we may have to wait for more data to see where the A13 truly tops out.

Careful observers will note oddly low figures for the L1 and L2 caches on this A13, but Poole tells us Geekbench has difficulty telling whether the cache values it reads are for the high-performance or high-efficiency cores, particularly on unreleased hardware for which the software hasn't been optimized.

While we can't confirm whether the Geekbench result is legitimate, as results certainly can be faked, all of the data appears reasonable or explainable and Poole tells us "there's nothing obviously wrong with the result."

We'll know more with the unveiling of all three of the new iPhones at Apple's media event on September 10, although Apple is unlikely to share specifics on chip speeds and RAM amounts. It won't take long, however, for additional data to surface confirming specs for the new devices.

Article Link: Potential Benchmark for iPhone XR Successor Shows 4GB RAM, Moderate Performance Gains

 

[EugW]

Nice to see the comments from Poole indicating this could be legitimate.

Here's hoping for 6 GB 128 GB OLED iPhones!

 

[d5aqoëp]

Reaching the limits of speed on these tiny devices.

 

[44267547]

Even if the 2018 XR has a Ram bump from 3GB to 4GB for the 2019 11R, that alone is something worth noting for an upgrade.

 

[JosephAW]

I think Apple should skip the number 13. It was bad for macOS 13 with security bugs. iOS 13 sounds ominous. Maybe time for new naming scheme for macOS and iOS and ARM versions.

 

[roland.g]

I realize that the iPhone XR successor may be in some ways (camera, screen) a step down even from the original iPhone X (or at least a lateral move as the XR tech improves), but for me I think it may be a real consideration as a previous 6 Plus and 7 Plus owner for a slightly wider screen (I think in many ways that the XR size is the sweet spot in the lineup) as the X can feel a bit small. While I know the XS Max is about the same body size as the prior Plus models, I don’t really want to go putting something of that size back in my pocket all the time and with iPhones now full screen I can’t imagine the top of the XS Max is all that easy to use one handed.

 

[AppleHaterLover]

Reaching the limits of speed on these tiny devices.

I don’t think it’s a limit of speed, but rather of what we are requiring of these devices.

Between 2011-14 we were really pushing our iPhones with the many new features and apps pushing these limits (1080p then 4K video, 400+ ppi screens, and previous-gen console ports - think GTA 3/VC/SA/LCS, Bully, various NFS releases and even Bioshock).

Since 2015 I think Apple has added Portrait Mode to the iPhone and that’s it. The console port scene is dead. What other new app has really required additional horsepower from our iPhones? Pretty much all users are using some combination of push mail/social networking/music streaming/video streaming - which even an iPhone SE can do well.

 

[MRGRAY6997]

I think Apple should skip the number 13. It was bad for macOS 13 with security bugs. iOS 13 sounds ominous. Maybe time for new naming scheme for macOS and iOS and ARM versions.

I think they are skipping it, as you noticed iOS 13.1. im on the beta and they went to that after 8 betas so I think you are correct

 

[AppleHaterLover]

I realize that the iPhone XR successor may be in some ways (camera, screen) a step down even from the original iPhone X (or at least a lateral move as the XR tech improves), but for me I think it may be a real consideration as a previous 6 Plus and 7 Plus owner for a slightly wider screen (I think in many ways that the XR size is the sweet spot in the lineup) as the X can feel a bit small. While I know the XS Max is about the same body size as the prior Plus models, I don’t really want to go putting something of that size back in my pocket all the time and with iPhones now full screen I can’t imagine the top of the XS Max is all that easy to use one handed.

The X/XS aren’t small, but the screen feels cramped.

The XR displays the same amount of content as the XS Max and that coupled with the best in class battery life made it the best iPhone of 2018.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I have a friend who needs to upgrade her broken 6S and honestly with the upcoming price drop, I think the iPhone XR might still be the sweet spot for the casual iphone buyer. The 11 seems to be minimal updates.

 

[cmaier]

Reaching the limits of speed on these tiny devices.

No they aren’t

 

[5097842]

Kinda looks like they’re keeping the A12 for the XR successor, with a ram and clock speed bump. Which would be fine for its intended market. I’m encouraging my brother and sister-in-law to get this phone as an upgrade from their iPhone 7’s.

 

[roland.g]

The X/XS aren’t small, but the screen feels cramped.

The XR displays the same amount of content as the XS Max and that coupled with the best in class battery life made it the best iPhone of 2018.

Coming from the Plus phones before, the X/XS leaves me wishing for something slightly wider and a bit less tall. Like the aspect ratio was just a bit off. I want a bit more width on the keyboard.

The XR has the same content area as the Max (due to PPI??)??
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Kinda looks like they’re keeping the A12 for the XR successor, with a ram and clock speed bump. Which would be fine for its intended market. I’m encouraging my brother and sister-in-law to get this phone as an upgrade from their iPhone 7’s.

I think there would be near unanimous support for a phone 25-33% thicker than the units of the last few years if it meant a larger battery.

 

[realtuner]

Uh, oh.

This will surely cause anxiety among many. 5,415 single core? That’s an insane result for a phone SoC. What’s the 855+ at? 3,600 or so? There’s even an early rumored 865 score of around 4,150. That’s what the A11 scored.

 

[creediddy]

Makes me think that the iPhone XR successor will end up with the A13 and I can see Apple going with an enhanced version of the A13, such as the A13X to give it some processing power for the video and AR capabilities to the iPhone Pro models. I can see this happening as a result of the 6gb of RAM for the iPhone Pro models with Apple Pencil.

 

[EugW]

Kinda looks like they’re keeping the A12 for the XR successor, with a ram and clock speed bump. Which would be fine for its intended market. I’m encouraging my brother and sister-in-law to get this phone as an upgrade from their iPhone 7’s.

No. It's impossible for A12 to hit 5415 single core. This is 12% faster than the fastest A12 score ever recorded.

Makes me think that the iPhone XR successor will end up with the A13 and I can see Apple going with an enhanced version of the A13, such as the A13X to give it some processing power for the video and AR capabilities to the iPhone Pro models. I can see this happening as a result of the 6gb of RAM for the iPhone Pro models with Apple Pencil.

Very unlikely, IMO, for various reasons.

 

[creediddy]

Uh, oh.

This will surely cause anxiety among many. 5,415 single core? That’s an insane result for a phone SoC. What’s the 855+ at? 3,600 or so? There’s even an early rumored 865 score of around 4,150. That’s what the A11 scored.

Yep and the single core on the A12 is 4800.

 

[Seoras]

This focus on benchmark logic grunt is becoming a bit meaningless as the A series from Apple is approaching laptop parity in cpu power.
I suspect that Apple's silicon focus will be in more silicon AI which debuted in the A11 on the iPhoneX for FaceID.
Apple, you must remember, designs the hardware to fit its applications. Unlike its rival smart phone manufacturers who are using off the shelf CPU's and trying to fit the application to someone else's hardware.
That's the advantage Apple has and has been capitalising on for a long time.
Face ID 2 years on has no comparison from any other vendor.

 

[realtuner]

Kinda looks like they’re keeping the A12 for the XR successor, with a ram and clock speed bump. Which would be fine for its intended market. I’m encouraging my brother and sister-in-law to get this phone as an upgrade from their iPhone 7’s.

It’s something that Apple could, if they wanted, use a year-old SoC and still outperform everyone else.

However, I doubt it. When has Apple ever used an older SoC in a brand new iPhone? Or taken an older SoC and given it a clock speed bump?

Plus there’s a rumor of a new co-processor called “Matrix” for image processing. I’m quite sure all iPhones get an A13.

 

[cmaier]

No. It's impossible for A12 to hit 5415 single core. This is 12% faster than the fastest A12 score ever recorded.


Very unlikely, IMO, for various reasons.

Well, it is clocked 7% higher than the A12, no? Seems unlikely that a new micro architecture, clocked 7% faster, would achieve only 12% improvement? That’s a pretty tiny IPC upgrade - easily explainable by bigger cache, for example. Based on the numbers, doesn’t seem to have much in the way of improved microarchitecture. Makes me think its some sort of A12 derivative.
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It’s something that Apple could, if they wanted, use a year-old SoC and still outperform everyone else.

However, I doubt it. When has Apple ever used an older SoC in a brand new iPhone? Or taken an older SoC and given it a clock speed bump?

Plus there’s a rumor of a new co-processor called “Matrix” for image processing. I’m quite sure all iPhones get an A13.

They’ve used old CPUs in the down-market “new” phones before.

 

[digthewell]

Take a great performing phone and make it faster! Awesome.

 

[EugW]

Well, it is clocked 7% higher than the A12, no? Seems unlikely that a new micro architecture, clocked 7% faster, would achieve only 12% improvement? That’s a pretty tiny IPC upgrade - easily explainable by bigger cache, for example. Based on the numbers, doesn’t seem to have much in the way of improved microarchitecture. Makes me think its some sort of A12 derivative.

While it's undoubtedly very closely related to A12, it's still a new SoC. As you point out, it's got an increase in IPC. Not a big one, but an increase nonetheless.

Furthermore, my 12% faster mention was comparing this one isolated test to the fastest A12 single-core test in the Geekbench database. It's quite possible that the A13 will score significantly faster than 5415 in new tests.

Plus there’s a rumor of a new co-processor called “Matrix” for image processing. I’m quite sure all iPhones get an A13.

Yes, I believe they've put their efforts this time around into the co-processors and maybe GPU as well.

 

[harriska2]

I’m just moving along waiting for another SE sized phone with reasonable price. Or a stand alone watch.

 

[nikusak]

I don’t think it’s a limit of speed, but rather of what we are requiring of these devices.

“640 kilobytes should be enough for everyone”

That score, if real, is incredible.

 

[crjackson2134]

I'll be Keeping my XS Max for a while. I see nothing compelling me to dump it. Maybe in a few more generations.