A detailed image of the die of Apple's new A20 Pro processor has been published online for the first time. Analysts expect the chip to debut alongside the company's next flagship smartphones. The leak reveals key architectural changes to the chip and points to a significant boost in graphics performance. According to the markings on the die image, the A20 Pro will feature seven GPU cores, making it the most powerful integrated graphics unit in the history of Apple's mobile chips — for comparison, the previous-generation A19 Pro had six.
Seven GPU Cores: A Record for Apple's Mobile Chips
The move from six to seven GPU cores is the most notable shift in the lineup. Experts consider this step necessary for Apple to remain competitive amid the rapid growth in the performance of graphics solutions in Android smartphones. Increasing the number of GPU cores should deliver a boost in computational power for gaming, rendering, and on-device artificial intelligence tasks, which are increasingly being offloaded to mobile devices.
Central Processor and Cache Memory
The central part of the A20 Pro will retain a six-core structure. Two high-performance cores share 16 MB of L2 cache, in line with the previous generation. The four energy-efficient cores have received an enlarged 8 MB L2 cache — 2 MB more than in the A19 Pro chip. This configuration is aimed at balancing peak performance and energy efficiency in everyday scenarios.
Die Layout Redesign and Memory
The die layout confirms earlier rumors about a change in the chip's arrangement: the memory modules are now positioned next to the processor rather than on top of it. At the same time, Apple has not switched to LPDDR6, retaining the LPDDR5X standard, but has widened the memory bus to 96 bits. This decision allows bandwidth to be increased without changing the memory generation and, presumably, simplifies the die layout.
Neural Engine and Announcement Date
The published image lacks labels for the neural processor (NPU) and the image signal processor (ISP). Nevertheless, experts speculate about a possible doubling of the NPU's size, similar to the Apple M6 processor, which, in their view, explains the shift of the central processor on the die. The A20 Pro is expected to debut in the iPhone 18 Pro and the first foldable iPhone, with the announcement scheduled for September 9. Some sources also point to the A20 lineup moving to a more advanced 2 nm process and to the release of three A20 chipsets for the iPhone 18 generation in 2026.
