Apple A11

The A11 features an Apple-designed 64-bit ARMv8-A six-core CPU, with two high-performance cores at 2.39 GHz, called Monsoon, and four energy-efficient cores, called Mistral.{{cite web|url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten|title=Apple 2017: The iPhone X (Ten) Announced|last=Cutress|first=Ian|date=September 12, 2017|website=AnandTech|access-date=September 12, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913135139/http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/10/ios11-gm-faceid-apple-pay-a11/|title=iOS 11 GM Leak Reveals Details on Face ID, Apple Pay, Wireless Charging, and A11 Chip in iPhone X|last=Clover|first=Julie|date=September 10, 2017|website=MacRumors|access-date=September 13, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913135455/https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/10/ios11-gm-faceid-apple-pay-a11/|url-status=live}} The Monsoon cores are a 7-wide decode out-of-order superscalar design, while the Mistral cores are a 3-wide decode out-of-order superscalar design. The Mistral cores are based on Apple's Swift cores from the Apple A6.{{Cite web|url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets|title=The iPhone XS & XS Max Review: Unveiling the Silicon Secrets|last=Frumusanu|first=Andrei|date=2018-10-05|website=AnandTech|access-date=2019-01-27|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126032017/https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets/|url-status=live}}{{Failed verification|date=February 2024|reason=The source doesn't establish or confirm any link between Mistral and Swift cores. A similarity is mentioned, but stating a direct link is conjecture.}} The A11 uses a new second-generation performance controller, which permits the A11 to use all six cores simultaneously,{{cite press release |url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/ |title=The future is here: iPhone X |publisher=Apple |date=September 12, 2017 |access-date=September 12, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924073859/https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/ |url-status=live }} unlike its predecessor the A10.

The A11 also integrates an Apple-designed three-core graphics processing unit (GPU) with 30% faster graphics performance than the A10. Embedded in the A11 is the M11 motion coprocessor.{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/ |title=iPhone 8 - Technical Specifications |publisher=Apple |date=September 12, 2017 |access-date=September 12, 2017 |archive-date=September 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916172916/https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/ |url-status=live }} The A11 includes a new image processor which supports computational photography functions such as lighting estimation, wide color capture, and advanced pixel processing.

The A11 is manufactured by TSMC using a 10 nm FinFET process and contains 4.3 billion transistors on a die 87.66 mm² in size, 30% smaller than the A10.{{cite web|url=https://www.techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown|title=Apple iPhone 8 Plus Teardown|last1=Yang|first1=Daniel|last2=Wegner|first2=Stacy|date=October 11, 2017|website=TechInsights|access-date=October 12, 2017|last3=Fontaine|first3=Ray|archive-date=May 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512184640/https://techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown|url-status=live}} It is manufactured in a package on package (PoP) together with 2 GB of LPDDR4X memory in the iPhone 8{{cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+8+Teardown/97481 |title=iPhone 8 Teardown |publisher=iFixit |date=September 21, 2017 |access-date=September 22, 2017 |archive-date=September 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922070041/https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone%208%20Teardown/97481 |url-status=live }} and 3 GB of LPDDR4X memory in the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/26/16368814/iphone-x-3gb-of-ram-2716mah-battery-specs-apple|title=iPhone X confirmed to have 3GB of RAM and 2,716mAh battery|first=Chaim|last=Gartenberg|work=The Verge|publisher=Vox Media|date=September 26, 2017|access-date=September 27, 2017|archive-date=September 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927024428/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/26/16368814/iphone-x-3gb-of-ram-2716mah-battery-specs-apple|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+X+Teardown/98975 |title=iPhone X Teardown |publisher=iFixit |date=November 3, 2017 |access-date=November 3, 2017 |archive-date=November 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103104857/https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+X+Teardown/98975 |url-status=live }}

The A11 has video codec encoding support for HEVC and H.264. It has decoding support for HEVC, H.264, MPEG‑4 Part 2, and Motion JPEG.{{Cite web|title=iPhone 8 - Technical Specifications|url=https://support.apple.com/kb/SP767?locale=en_US|access-date=2021-10-24|website=support.apple.com|archive-date=October 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024034544/https://support.apple.com/kb/SP767?locale=en_US|url-status=live}}

The A11 also includes dedicated neural network hardware that Apple calls a "Neural Engine". This neural network hardware can perform up to 600 billion operations per second and is used for Face ID, Animoji and other machine learning tasks. The neural engine allows Apple to implement neural network and machine learning in a more energy-efficient manner than using either the main CPU or the GPU.{{cite web|url=https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/255780-apple-neural-engine-a11-bionic-soc|title=What to Expect From Apple's Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic SoC|last=Hruska|first=Joel|date=14 September 2017|website=ExtremeTech|access-date=16 September 2017|archive-date=September 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917052306/https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/255780-apple-neural-engine-a11-bionic-soc|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Apple Is Working on a Dedicated Chip to Power AI on Devices|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices|website=Bloomberg.com|access-date=16 September 2017|date=26 May 2017|last=Gurman|first=Mark|archive-date=October 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024211312/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices|url-status=live}} However, third-party apps cannot use the Neural Engine, leading to similar neural network performance to older iPhones.

Bloomberg says that the neural engine is the fruit of Apple's efforts to improve its AI team, since the 2015 report by Bloomberg that Apple's secretive nature made it difficult to attract AI research scientists. Apple has since recruited people and multiple companies working on AI, and has published papers related to AI research. In October 2016, Apple hired Russ Salakhutdinov as its director of AI research.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.in/Apples-latest-hire-could-signal-a-big-shift-in-the-companys-approach-to-AI/articleshow/54904134.cms|title=Apple's latest hire could signal a big shift in the company's approach to AI|last=Leswing|first=Kif|date=2016-10-17|website=Business Insider|access-date=2017-10-12|archive-date=September 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917144801/https://www.businessinsider.in/Apples-latest-hire-could-signal-a-big-shift-in-the-companys-approach-to-AI/articleshow/54904134.cms|url-status=live}}

The Apple A11 Bionic chip is used in the following iPhone models and not on any generation of iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV.

• iPhone 8 & 8 Plus
• iPhone X

File:A11 APL1W72 iPhone8 mlb 820-00872-A.jpg

• Apple silicon, the range of ARM-based processors designed by Apple

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Category:Computer-related introductions in 2017

Category:Apple silicon