Leaked A20 Pro Schematic Hints at Significant GPU and Memory Upgrades for Upcoming iPhone
As anticipation builds for the launch of the next generation of Apple hardware, a fresh leak has provided a technical glimpse into the architecture of the upcoming A20 Pro chip. According to a schematic reconstruction based on solder joint mapping, Apple is preparing a series of performance-focused refinements that could deliver a notable boost to both processing and graphics capabilities.
Mapping the Silicon
The information, shared by a user on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, suggests that the chip’s layout was determined by overlaying solder ball positions with die-level imagery. This reverse-engineering process reveals a processor architecture housing a six-core CPU configuration—split between performance and efficiency cores—and a newly bolstered GPU.
The schematic indicates that the performance cores remain centered, while the GPU has been shifted to the top of the die. Perhaps most notably, the leak points to a seven-core GPU configuration, an upgrade from the six-core setup found in the A19 Pro. This represents a 16% increase in core count, which, when coupled with architectural optimizations, suggests a substantial leap in gaming and graphics rendering performance.
Wider Memory Bandwidth
Beyond the core count, the most significant potential change involves the memory interface. The A20 Pro is rumored to feature a 96-bit memory interface for LPDDR5x RAM, a substantial jump from the 64-bit interface utilized by its predecessor. This 50% increase in memory bus width is expected to alleviate data bottlenecks, allowing the chip to feed the expanded GPU more efficiently. Because graphics performance is often constrained by memory bandwidth, this hardware change could lead to gains that exceed what the additional GPU core provides on its own.
Cache Enhancements
The leak also details internal memory improvements. The A20 Pro is expected to increase the L2 cache for its efficiency cores to 8MB, up from 6MB in the A19 Pro. Meanwhile, the performance cores are slated to retain their current 16MB L2 cache. While the total system-level cache capacity remains unconfirmed, the leaker suggests it is unlikely to decrease, particularly given the increased overhead required by the chip’s upgraded Image Signal Processor (ISP) and Neural Engine.
Launch Expectations
The A20 Pro is widely expected to be the center-piece of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which are set to be unveiled next week. Industry observers are also watching to see if this silicon will serve as the engine for Apple’s rumored foray into the foldable smartphone market, where the chip’s thermal and power efficiency would be critical.
As with all pre-launch leaks, these technical specifications remain unconfirmed until Apple’s official presentation. However, if accurate, the A20 Pro positions Apple to maintain its aggressive trajectory in mobile performance, favoring wider memory buses and cache capacity to handle the increasingly demanding nature of generative AI and high-fidelity mobile gaming.
