Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Apple A11
open-in-new
<h2 id="design">Design</h2> <p>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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The Monsoon cores are a 7-wide decode <a href="/facts/Out-of-order_execution/bM0dQM8m">out-of-order</a> <a href="/facts/Superscalar_processor/gPxRAb25">superscalar</a> design, while the Mistral cores are a 3-wide decode <a href="/facts/Out-of-order_execution/bM0dQM8m">out-of-order</a> <a href="/facts/Superscalar_processor/gPxRAb25">superscalar</a> design. The Mistral cores are based on Apple's Swift cores from the <a href="/facts/Apple_A6/vbIa3hBp">Apple A6</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> The A11 uses a new second-generation performance controller, which permits the A11 to use all six cores simultaneously,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> unlike its predecessor the <a href="/facts/Apple_A10/HVRIKloF">A10</a>. </p><p>The A11 also integrates an Apple-designed three-core <a href="/facts/Graphics_processing_unit/PTK1RQVp">graphics processing unit</a> (GPU) with 30% faster graphics performance than the A10.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> Embedded in the A11 is the M11 <a href="/facts/Apple_motion_coprocessors/GKLPF78J">motion coprocessor</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> The A11 includes a new <a href="/facts/Image_processor/PGWDAKNM">image processor</a> which supports <a href="/facts/Computational_photography/5JL3BRJd">computational photography</a> functions such as lighting estimation, wide color capture, and advanced pixel processing.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>The A11 is manufactured by <a href="/facts/TSMC/B4BdojRk">TSMC</a> using a <a href="/facts/10_nm_process/h5qaJnz9">10 nm</a> <a href="/facts/FinFET/xox63kP7">FinFET</a> process<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> and contains 4.3 billion transistors<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> on a die 87.66 mm2 in size, 30% smaller than the A10.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> It is manufactured in a <a href="/facts/Package_on_package/HGIeIDVl">package on package</a> (PoP) together with 2 <a href="/facts/Gigabyte/s2hb2SEg">GB</a> of <a href="/facts/Mobile_DDR/2XdLrg47">LPDDR4X</a> memory in the <a href="/facts/IPhone_8/c6LTFN1c">iPhone 8</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> and 3 GB of LPDDR4X memory in the <a href="/facts/IPhone_8_Plus/c6LTFN1c">iPhone 8 Plus</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> and <a href="/facts/IPhone_X/XtBft5I5">iPhone X</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p><p>The A11 has video codec encoding support for <a href="/facts/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding/6gp7DC1a">HEVC</a> and <a href="/facts/Advanced_Video_Coding/soCzKcmJ">H.264</a>. It has decoding support for HEVC, H.264, <a href="/facts/MPEG-4_Part_2/qrahXdyN">MPEG‑4 Part 2</a>, and <a href="/facts/Motion_JPEG/X68g4FvS">Motion JPEG</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> Die Block Comparison (mm2)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th>SoC</th><th>A11 (10 nm)</th></tr><tr><td>Total Die</td><td>87.66</td></tr><tr><td>Big Core</td><td>2.68</td></tr><tr><td>Small Core</td><td>0.53</td></tr><tr><td>CPU Complex (incl. cores)</td><td>14.48</td></tr><tr><td>GPU Core</td><td>4.43</td></tr><tr><td>GPU Total</td><td>15.28</td></tr><tr><td>NPU</td><td>1.83</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Neural Engine</h3> <p>The A11 also includes <a href="/facts/AI_accelerator_(computer_hardware)/k0QuXHIb">dedicated neural network hardware</a> that Apple calls a "Neural Engine". This <a href="/facts/Artificial_neural_network/6V1jMlkx">neural network</a> hardware can perform up to 600 billion operations per second and is used for <a href="/facts/Face_ID/puWpdMRS">Face ID</a>, <a href="/facts/Animoji/Qkp7gwBH">Animoji</a> and other <a href="/facts/Machine_learning/e0w0XJTu">machine learning</a> tasks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a> However, third-party apps cannot use the Neural Engine, leading to similar neural network performance to older iPhones.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a> </p><p><a href="/facts/Bloomberg_News/q4DStFUV">Bloomberg</a> 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.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a> Apple has since recruited people and multiple companies working on AI, and has published papers related to AI research.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a> In October 2016, Apple hired <a href="/facts/Russ_Salakhutdinov/4L4ja4us">Russ Salakhutdinov</a> as its director of AI research.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30"><sup>30</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="products-that-include-the-apple-a11-bionic">Products that include the Apple A11 Bionic</h2> <p>The Apple A11 Bionic chip is used in the following <a href="/facts/IPhone/h5WeKRl9">iPhone</a> models and not on any generation of <a href="/facts/IPad/Ql67x0Dw">iPad</a>, <a href="/facts/IPod_Touch/PRJabx51">iPod touch</a>, or <a href="/facts/Apple_TV/FHVJqBCw">Apple TV</a>. </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/IPhone_8/c6LTFN1c">iPhone 8 & 8 Plus</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/IPhone_X/XtBft5I5">iPhone X</a></li></ul> <h2 id="gallery">Gallery</h2> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Apple_silicon/A8RgouDB">Apple silicon</a>, the range of ARM-based processors designed by Apple</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Cutress, Ian (September 12, 2017). "Apple 2017: The iPhone X (Ten) Announced". AnandTech. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten" target="_blank">http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"iPhone 8: A11 Bionic". Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/#a11" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/#a11</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"About the security content of iOS 16.7.10 and iPadOS 16.7.10". Apple Support. March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024. <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT214082" target="_blank">https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT214082</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Cutress, Ian (September 12, 2017). "Apple 2017: The iPhone X (Ten) Announced". AnandTech. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten" target="_blank">http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Clover, Julie (September 10, 2017). "iOS 11 GM Leak Reveals Details on Face ID, Apple Pay, Wireless Charging, and A11 Chip in iPhone X". MacRumors. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017. <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/10/ios11-gm-faceid-apple-pay-a11/" target="_blank">https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/10/ios11-gm-faceid-apple-pay-a11/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Frumusanu, Andrei (October 5, 2018). "The iPhone XS & XS Max Review: Unveiling the Silicon Secrets". AnandTech. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2019. <a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets" target="_blank">https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"The future is here: iPhone X" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"iPhone 8 - Technical Specifications". Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus-a-new-generation-of-iphone/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Cutress, Ian (September 12, 2017). "Apple 2017: The iPhone X (Ten) Announced". AnandTech. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten" target="_blank">http://www.anandtech.com/show/11835/apple-2017-the-iphone-x-ten</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"iPhone 8: A11 Bionic". Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/#a11" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/#a11</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Yang, Daniel; Wegner, Stacy; Fontaine, Ray (October 11, 2017). "Apple iPhone 8 Plus Teardown". TechInsights. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown" target="_blank">https://www.techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"iPhone 8 Teardown". iFixit. September 21, 2017. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2017. <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+8+Teardown/97481" target="_blank">https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+8+Teardown/97481</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Yang, Daniel; Wegner, Stacy; Fontaine, Ray (October 11, 2017). "Apple iPhone 8 Plus Teardown". TechInsights. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown" target="_blank">https://www.techinsights.com/blog/apple-iphone-8-plus-teardown</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Gartenberg, Chaim (September 26, 2017). "iPhone X confirmed to have 3GB of RAM and 2,716mAh battery". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/26/16368814/iphone-x-3gb-of-ram-2716mah-battery-specs-apple" target="_blank">https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/26/16368814/iphone-x-3gb-of-ram-2716mah-battery-specs-apple</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"iPhone X Teardown". iFixit. November 3, 2017. Archived from the original on November 3, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017. <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+X+Teardown/98975" target="_blank">https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+X+Teardown/98975</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"iPhone 8 - Technical Specifications". support.apple.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021. <a href="https://support.apple.com/kb/SP767?locale=en_US" target="_blank">https://support.apple.com/kb/SP767?locale=en_US</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Frumusanu, Andrei (October 5, 2018). "The iPhone XS & XS Max Review: Unveiling the Silicon Secrets". AnandTech. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2019. <a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets" target="_blank">https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"The future is here: iPhone X" (Press release). Apple. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017. <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/" target="_blank">https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/09/the-future-is-here-iphone-x/</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>Hruska, Joel (September 14, 2017). "What to Expect From Apple's Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic SoC". ExtremeTech. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017. <a href="https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/255780-apple-neural-engine-a11-bionic-soc" target="_blank">https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/255780-apple-neural-engine-a11-bionic-soc</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Gurman, Mark (May 26, 2017). "Apple Is Working on a Dedicated Chip to Power AI on Devices". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>Frumusanu, Andrei (October 5, 2018). "The iPhone XS & XS Max Review: Unveiling the Silicon Secrets". AnandTech. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2019. <a href="https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets" target="_blank">https://www.anandtech.com/show/13392/the-iphone-xs-xs-max-review-unveiling-the-silicon-secrets</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>Gurman, Mark (May 26, 2017). "Apple Is Working on a Dedicated Chip to Power AI on Devices". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>Gurman, Mark (May 26, 2017). "Apple Is Working on a Dedicated Chip to Power AI on Devices". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/apple-said-to-plan-dedicated-chip-to-power-ai-on-devices</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:30"><p>Leswing, Kif (October 17, 2016). "Apple's latest hire could signal a big shift in the company's approach to AI". Business Insider. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2017. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Apples-latest-hire-could-signal-a-big-shift-in-the-companys-approach-to-AI/articleshow/54904134.cms" target="_blank">http://www.businessinsider.in/Apples-latest-hire-could-signal-a-big-shift-in-the-companys-approach-to-AI/articleshow/54904134.cms</a> <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>