---
title: "Apple A20 Pro breaks Geekbench 7 record: iPhone 18 Pro Max mobile chip beats desktop M5 Max in single-core test"
description: "Apple's flagship A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro Max set a new Geekbench 7 record, scoring 4,042 points in the single-core test and overtaking the desktop M5 Max. However, in multi-core and graphics workloads, the advantage remains with computer chips."
date: 2026-09-14T07:08:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/apple-a20-pro-geekbench-7-record
tags: [apple, a20-pro, geekbench-7, m5-max, iphone-18-pro-max, foldable-iphone]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Apple A20 Pro breaks Geekbench 7 record: iPhone 18 Pro Max mobile chip beats desktop M5 Max in single-core test

![Apple logo on a store sign: the company unveiled the A20 Pro chip for iPhone 18 Pro Max that broke the Geekbench 7 record](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/14/apple-a20-pro-geekbench-7-rekord/apple-a20-pro-geekbench-7-rekord-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The A20 Pro in the iPhone 18 Pro Max scored 4,042 points in the Geekbench 7 single-core test, becoming the most powerful CPU in the benchmark's history.
- The closest competitor — the M5 Max for the 16" MacBook Pro — posted 3,785 points in the same single-core scenario.
- In the multi-core test (11,691 points), the 18-core M5 Max won thanks to its larger core count and cooling.
- The A20 Pro chip will also be installed in the iPhone 18 Pro and the first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo.

A new entry has appeared in the Geekbench 7 benchmark database for a device with the identifier iPhone 19,3 and a V64AP motherboard, whose testing revealed the specifications of Apple's new flagship processor, the A20 Pro. Although the chip is mistakenly labeled as an Intel Pentium II/III in the listing description, the combination of hardware specifications and textual markings clearly indicates that the test was run on an iPhone 18 Pro Max equipped with the new A20 Pro chipset. According to data published in September 2026, this mobile processor became the most powerful central processing unit ever registered in Geekbench 7 in single-core mode.

### Single-core test record

The six-core A20 Pro scored 4,042 points in the single-core scenario of Geekbench 7, making it the absolute leader of the benchmark in this category. For comparison: the closest competitor — the flagship M5 Max chip installed in the 16-inch MacBook Pro — stopped at 3,785 points. A difference of more than 250 points confirms Apple's sustained trend, in which the company's mobile chipsets demonstrate higher single-core performance than its own computer processors. A similar picture was observed a year earlier as well: at its release, the A19 Pro also outperformed the base M4 and was nearly on par with the M4 Max in single-threaded power.

### Multi-core workloads and graphics: where the M5 Max is still ahead

In multi-core mode, where all computational blocks are engaged, the mobile A20 Pro chipset scored 11,691 points. Here, the 18-core M5 Max expectedly delivered a decisive victory, which is explained by its substantially larger number of computational cores and a more powerful cooling system. Experts emphasize that the advantage of mobile SoCs is characterized by short bursts of peak performance (burst performance): during prolonged, complex tasks, M-series Max chips significantly outpace mobile solutions thanks to active cooling and a higher power consumption limit. In graphics tests and professional scenarios, computer chipsets also maintain their dominance over mobile GPUs.

### Contradictory data

The only inconsistency in the primary data is related to the Geekbench 7 listing itself: in the device description, the processor is mistakenly listed as an Intel Pentium II/III, which formally contradicts the other characteristics of the record. On the one hand, the textual chip label in the database looks like an artifact or a metadata entry error. On the other hand, all other hardware specifications, the device identifier (iPhone 19,3) and the motherboard number (V64AP) clearly indicate that the test was run on an iPhone 18 Pro Max with the A20 Pro chip. Thus, the discrepancy concerns only the processor name in the listing, not the actual benchmark results, which remain unchanged.

### Which smartphones will get the A20 Pro

According to available data, the new A20 Pro chipset will be used not only in the classic flagship iPhone 18 Pro Max, but also in the standard iPhone 18 Pro, as well as in the company's first foldable smartphone — the iPhone Duo. This means that the record single-threaded performance will not be an exclusive feature of a single model, but a baseline level for an entire generation of Apple devices. Specialists note that the dominance of mobile chips in single-core tests has already become a familiar trend for the company, but they warn against premature conclusions about its overall superiority over desktop solutions in professional and sustained workloads.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Geekbench 7 record: Apple's new A20 Pro chip overtakes the powerful M5 Max](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rekord-geekbench-7-noviy-chip-a20-pro-vid-1789368872.html) - Подтверждает рекорд A20 Pro в одноядерном тесте и превосходство над M5 Max.
- [Apple A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro Max breaks the Geekbench 7 record](https://itc.ua/news/chyp-apple-a20-pro-v-iphone-18-pro-max-pobyl-rekord-geekbench-7/) - Согласуется с идентификацией устройства как iPhone 18 Pro Max и результатами бенчмарка.
- [Apple A20 Pro in the iPhone 18 Pro Max breaks the Geekbench 7 record](https://itc.ua/ua/novini/apple-a20-pro-pobyv-rekord-geekbench-7/) - Согласуется с идентификацией устройства как iPhone 18 Pro Max и результатами бенчмарка.
- [A20 Pro for upcoming iPhones updates the single-threaded performance record](https://www.pravda.ru/news/technolgies/2407225-apple-a20-pro-m5-max-comparison/) - Подтверждает обновление рекорда однопоточной мощности и сравнение с M5 Max.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What result did the A20 Pro achieve in the Geekbench 7 single-core test?
**A:** The six-core A20 Pro scored 4,042 points, making it the most powerful central processing unit in the history of Geekbench 7 in single-core mode.

### Q: Why did the M5 Max lose in the single-core test but win in the multi-core test?
**A:** In the single-core scenario, the A20 Pro posted 4,042 points versus 3,785 for the M5 Max. However, in the multi-core test, the 18-core M5 Max won thanks to its greater number of computational cores and a more powerful cooling system.

### Q: In which smartphones will the A20 Pro chip be used?
**A:** According to available data, the A20 Pro will be installed in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the iPhone 18 Pro, and the company's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo.

### Q: Does this mean the mobile chip is stronger than the desktop one in all tasks?
**A:** No. Experts warn that the advantage of mobile SoCs concerns short bursts of performance; in sustained workloads and graphics scenarios, M-series Max chips retain the edge.