Apple A9 14nm vs 16nm Performance test with iPhone 6s
Please Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Who says chips based on 14nm FinFET performs better than 16nm? LOL! Along with many users I used to think this as well. iPhone 6s change my thought now. We all know iPhone 6s and 6s plus has two kinds of chip inside, Samsung made A9 chip based on 14nm FinFET tech that is smaller compared to TSMC made A9 chip that is based on 16nm FinFET. If you still don’t know which one your iPhone has, read our article to find out : How to check if your iPhone has Samsung 0r TSMC made Apple A9 Chip.
Recent Performance test that has been checked via Antutu proves that TSMC made Apple A9 chip performs better than Samsung made chip. It is faster as well as better in Antutu benchmark score.
Also Check Battery Life Comparison between Samsung vs TSMC A9 Chip
Have a look side by side; TSMC made A9 at the left and Samsung made A9 at the right
Both are performing equally at the start, both at 8 percent
TSMC Complete 99 percent and Samsung still at 93 percent
Test completed, and TSMC made Apple A9 16nm leading in Antutu Benchmark score
Benchmark result on another test; TSMC still leading
Now Samsung Made A9 Chip is hotter than TSMC made; Samsung at 39.3 degree temperature and TSMC at 35 degree. Chip based on 14nm FinFET tend to get heat quicker than 16nm
Some more tests and benchmark result, TSMC still leads
Unfortunately, you can’t ask the shopkeeper/career to give you an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus that has TSMC made A9 chip inside. There is no detail on the iPhone’s box/packaging. The only way to find out is unpack your iPhone 6s and check that way we explained. There is not much difference in benchmark score, but Samsung made A9 chip runs at little high temperature.
Technically, chips based on 14nm FinFET should perform faster, but that’s a surprise. Along with 14nm thing there must be lots of factors that a technical person would know.
October 6, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
Interesting news It kind of makes me glad to know I have the TSMC chip in my iPhone 6plus S 128gig at first I was a tad disappointed but now I am feeling much better after hearing this news
October 6, 2015 @ 12:25 pm
Hahaha! U must have thought Samsung made 14nm is more powerful, and that’s what everybody was saying. In the end, you turned out lucky
October 6, 2015 @ 7:32 pm
Theoretically the performance should be very close together since they are designed to be compatible to the iPhone system design. However, this maybe pointing to the fact the there is a huge variation in the Samsung 14nm process as compared to TSMC 16nm. You might have gotten the bad chip of the bunch.
October 7, 2015 @ 12:36 am
Yes, you are right. The benchmark score is not that much noticeable, but Samsung chip tend to be warmer than TSMC. This is why some users facing the issue with camera as the flash goes off.
October 7, 2015 @ 1:06 pm
Well that’s a (minor) relief.
TSMC here.
October 7, 2015 @ 1:11 pm
How about Minor shock for those who have Samsung made A9 chip? LOL! Just kidding.
October 7, 2015 @ 4:09 pm
Haha, perhaps so. I just received my 6s+ and before finding this article had an “oh no” moment when running Wang’s tool (ha) showing my device to be TSMC. Needless, to say this article made my day, so thanks for that!
October 8, 2015 @ 7:58 am
By the way, TSMC made A9 chip is better in battery life as well. Check this out : http://www.techgrapple.com/samsung-vs-tsmc-made-apple-a9-chip-battery-life-comparison/