 Apple A5 (S5L8940 version) chip | |
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Launched | March 11, 2011 |
| Discontinued | October 4, 2016 |
| Designed by | Apple Inc. |
| Common manufacturer | |
| Product code | S5L8940X (A5) S5L8942X (A5R2) S5L8947X (A5R3) |
| Performance | |
| Max. CPU clock rate | 800 MHz to 1 GHz |
| Physical specifications | |
| Cores |
|
| GPU | PowerVR SGX543MP2 (dual-core)[1] |
| Cache | |
| L1 cache | 32 KB instruction + 32 KB data[2] |
| L2 cache | 1 MB[2] |
| Architecture and classification | |
| Application | Mobile |
| Technology node | 45 nm to 32 nm |
| Microarchitecture | ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Instruction set | ARM, Thumb-2 |
| Products, models, variants | |
| Variant | |
| History | |
| Predecessor | Apple A4 |
| Successor | Apple A6 |
The Apple A5 is a 32-bit system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, and manufactured by Samsung.[3][4] The first product Apple featured an A5 in was the iPad 2. Apple claimed during their media event on March 2, 2011, that the ARM Cortex-A9 central processing unit (CPU) in the A5 is up to two times faster than the CPU in the Apple A4, and the PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics processing unit (GPU) in the A5 is up to nine times faster than the GPU in the A4.[5] Apple also claimed that the A5 uses the same amount of power as the A4.
The last operating system update Apple provided for a mobile device containing an A5 (iPad 2 CDMA, iPhone 4S, and first-generation iPad Mini cellular models) was iOS 9.3.6, which was released on July 22, 2019, as they were discontinued with the release of iOS 10 in 2016. The latest operating system update Apple has provided for an Apple TV containing an A5 (third-generation Apple TV and third-generation Rev A Apple TV) was Apple TV Software 7.9, which was released on March 14, 2022.[6]
Design
The A5 chip features a dual-core 45 nm Cortex-A9 CPU (shrunk to 32 nm in later versions of the chip) including the Advanced SIMD (Neon) extension,[7] and a dual-core 32 nm PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU.
The A5 integrates an image signal processor unit (ISP) that can perform advanced image post-processing, such as face detection, white balance, and automatic image stabilization.[8] The A5 also directly integrates Audience earSmart technology for removing surrounding background noise and secondary voices during phone calls.[9]
The clock rate of the Cortex-A9 in the A5 used inside the iPad 2 and first-generation iPad Mini is 1 GHz. Unlike the A4, the A5 can run at slower clocks to conserve power.[10][7] The clock rate of the Cortex-A9 in the A5 used inside the iPhone 4S and fifth-generation iPod Touch is 800 MHz. The A5's clock speed inside third-generation Apple TV is unknown.
When the A5 was first released, the production cost of the chip was estimated to be 75% more than the A4, with the difference expected to diminish when production would later increase.[11] As of August 2012[update], the A5 was manufactured at Samsung's Austin, Texas factory.[12] Samsung invested $3.6 billion in the Austin facility to produce various chips, and nearly all of the facility's output was dedicated to producing Apple chips.[13] Samsung later invested a further $4.2 billion in the Austin facility in order to transition to a 28 nm fabrication process by the second half of 2013.[12]
Apple A5 versions
Three versions of the A5 chip exist: S5L8940 (containing a 45 nm CPU), S5L8942 (containing a 32 nm CPU), and S5L8947 (containing a single-core 32 nm CPU).[14] Apple also designed a separate high-performance variant of the A5 called the Apple A5X, which features a wider memory subsystem and two additional GPU cores. The A5X was used only in the third-generation iPad.
Apple A5 (S5L8940)
The S5L8940 version of the A5 was used in the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S.[15] The CPU was manufactured on a 45 nm fabrication process. The die of this version takes up 122.2 mm2 of area.[16] It uses the PoP method of installation to support RAM. The top package contains two 256 MB LPDDR2[17] chips, providing a total of 512 MB[16] of RAM.
Apple A5R2 (S5L8942)
The S5L8942 version of the A5 was used in the third-generation Apple TV (one CPU core is disabled),[18] the iPad 2 (iPad2,4 revision), the fifth-generation iPod Touch, and the first-generation iPad Mini. The CPU was manufactured on a 32 nm fabrication process. The die of this version takes up 69.6 mm2 of area[18]—nearly 41% smaller than the die of the S5L8940 version. Like the S5L8940 version, it uses the PoP method of installation to support RAM. The top package contains two 256 MB LPDDR2 chips, providing a total of 512 MB of RAM.[19]
Apple A5R3 (S5L8947)
The S5L8947 version of the A5 was used only in the third-generation Rev A Apple TV. Unlike the previous two A5 versions, this version contains only one CPU core.[20] Also unlike the previous two A5 versions, this version does not use the PoP method of installation to support RAM—RAM is found externally from the A5 chip.[21] The die of this version takes up 37.8mm2 of area,[21] using a new design made specifically for the third-generation Rev A Apple TV.[22][23]
Products featuring the Apple A5
- iPad 2
- iPhone 4S
- Apple TV (3rd generation)
- iPod Touch (5th generation)
- iPad Mini (1st generation)
- Apple TV (3rd generation Rev A)
Gallery
These images are illustrations and approximate to scale.
See also
- Apple A5X
- Apple silicon, the range of ARM-based SoCs designed by Apple
- PWRficient, a series of microprocessors designed by P.A. Semi. Apple acquired P.A. Semi to form an in-house custom chip design department.
References
- ^ "Apple iPad 2 GPU Performance Explored: PowerVR SGX543MP2 Benchmarked". AnandTech. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Gowri, Vivek; Lal Shimpi, Anand (March 28, 2012). "The Apple iPad Review (2012): The A5X SoC". Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Updated: Samsung fabs Apple A5 processor". EETimes.com. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ "Apple's A5 chip is built by Samsung". The Guardian. December 16, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2012. "The powerful A5 processor, which uses technology licensed from Britain's ARM Holdings, is designed by Apple in California, by a team formerly part of PA Semi – an American chip design company that Apple bought in April 2008."
- ^ "Apple iPad 2 feature page". Apple.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ "About Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation) software updates". Apple Support. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Apple iPad 2 Preview". AnandTech. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- ^ "Apple Announces iPhone 4S: A5, 8 MP Camera, 1080p Video Recording". October 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
- ^ "Why Apple's A5 is so big—and iPhone 4 won't get Siri". August 4, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
- ^ "Inside Apple's iPad 2 A5: fast LPDDR2 RAM, costs 66% more than Tegra 2". AppleInsider. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry (March 14, 2011). "It Costs $326.60 To Make An iPad 2 – Why That Matters". Business Insider. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ a b "Samsung upgrades Texas mobile device chip factory". BBC News Online. August 21, 2012. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
- ^ Gupta, Poornima (December 16, 2011). "Exclusive: Made in Texas: Apple's A5 iPhone chip". Reuters. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ Foresman, Chris (February 27, 2012), iOS 5.1 code hints at simultaneous A5X and A6 processor development, Ars Technica, archived from the original on May 2, 2012, retrieved March 26, 2012
- ^ "iPhone 4S CPU Clocked At 800MHz Is 73% Faster Than iPhone 4, Twice As Fast As Galaxy S II, And All Other Android Phones". Redmond Pie. October 11, 2011. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
- ^ a b c "A First Look at Apple's A5 Processor". Chipworks. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ "iPad 2 Tablet Teardown and Apple A5 IC Analysis". TechInsights. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Update – 32-nm Apple A5 in the Apple TV 3 – and an iPad 2!". Chipworks. April 11, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ "iPad Mini Wi-Fi Teardown". iFixit. November 1, 2012. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ Lal Shimpi, Anand (March 15, 2013). "Apple TV 2013 (A1469) Short Review: Analysis of a New A5". AnandTech. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Apple's TV surprise – a new A5 chip!". Chipworks. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- ^ "A5 Chip in Tweaked Apple TV Still Manufactured by Samsung at 32nm - MacRumors.com". Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "Tweaked Apple TV Contains Die-Shrunk A5 Chip, Not A5X - MacRumors.com". Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
External links
- "iPad 2: What's New With Apple's A5 Processor". PCWorld. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
