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Apple’s A18 Pro, found in the iPhone 16 Pro generation, is newer than the A17 Pro in iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple’s launch claims point to faster CPU and GPU performance, higher memory bandwidth, and faster hardware ray tracing. Public Geekbench submissions also show higher scores for iPhone 16 Pro, but they are device results—not controlled, chip-only tests—and should be read as snapshots rather than a promise of what every user will see.
Specifications: A18 Pro and A17 Pro
Apple introduced A18 Pro with the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024. A17 Pro debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro generation. The specifications Apple published are not fully parallel: its A18 Pro announcement gives a complete core count, while the cited A17 Pro announcement emphasizes its new GPU and generational features rather than listing an equivalent full breakdown.
| Specification | A18 Pro | A17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Host phone generation | iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| CPU | 6 cores: 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores | 6-core CPU; the cited Apple launch announcement does not provide a directly parallel performance/efficiency core breakdown |
| GPU | 6 cores | 6 cores |
| Neural Engine | 16 cores | Apple’s cited launch announcement does not provide a directly parallel core-count specification |
| Manufacturing technology | Second-generation 3-nanometer technology, according to Apple | Apple described A17 Pro as its first 3-nanometer chip |
| Notable graphics feature | Hardware-accelerated ray tracing; Apple says it is up to 2x faster than the previous generation | Hardware-accelerated ray tracing and a redesigned 6-core GPU |
| Other highlighted feature | Machine-learning accelerators in the CPU and a faster, more efficient Neural Engine, according to Apple | Dedicated AV1 decoder |
Apple says A18 Pro uses a new transistor architecture and offers 17% higher total system memory bandwidth than the previous generation. These are Apple’s launch descriptions, not measurements from a like-for-like independent test. Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro announcement details the A18 Pro claims. For A17 Pro’s design and launch comparisons, see Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro announcement.
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Apple’s September 2024 launch claim is that A18 Pro can run the same CPU workload 15% faster while using 20% less power than the previous generation. Apple also claims the GPU is up to 20% faster and hardware-accelerated ray tracing is up to 2x faster. Treat those figures as vendor claims about specified comparisons, not a guarantee that every app or game will speed up by those amounts.
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- Titanium frame combines strength and lightness, giving the iPhone 16 Pro a premium feel while reducing weight for prolonged daily use. The polished edges and textured back enhance grip and handling, making it easier to use during long calls, gaming sessions, or when capturing photos and videos on the move.
The A17 Pro announcement used different baselines: Apple said A17 Pro’s CPU was up to 10% faster, its Neural Engine up to 2x faster, and its GPU up to 20% faster than A16 Bionic. Apple also described A17 Pro ray tracing as 4x faster than software-based ray tracing. Those are A17 Pro-versus-A16 or hardware-versus-software launch comparisons; they are not direct A17 Pro-versus-A18 Pro measurements.
Geekbench CPU comparison: two separate snapshots
The Geekbench Browser pages below list submitted runs for iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro. The 6.7.0 comparison records different iOS versions for the phones, so the score gaps cannot be attributed solely to the chip. The 6.4.0 page is a separate snapshot on an older benchmark revision and different software versions; its results should not be blended with 6.7.0.
Rank #2
- Titanium frame combines strength and lightness, giving the iPhone 16 Pro a premium feel while reducing weight for prolonged daily use. The polished edges and textured back enhance grip and handling, making it easier to use during long calls, gaming sessions, or when capturing photos and videos on the move.
| Geekbench version | iPhone 16 Pro (A18 Pro) | iPhone 15 Pro (A17 Pro) | Recorded operating systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.7.0 CPU | 3,543 single-core; 8,958 multi-core | 2,984 single-core; 7,595 multi-core | iPhone 16 Pro: iOS 27.0; iPhone 15 Pro: iOS 26.6.1 |
| 6.4.0 CPU | 3,584 single-core; 9,190 multi-core | 2,990 single-core; 7,548 multi-core | iPhone 16 Pro: iOS 18.3.1; iPhone 15 Pro: iOS 18.3 |
Both listed comparisons favor iPhone 16 Pro in single-core and multi-core scores. They are public device submissions, not a controlled laboratory study or a population-wide average; the recorded OS versions differ in each comparison. See the Geekbench 6.7.0 comparison and the Geekbench 6.4.0 comparison.
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GPU compute snapshot
One Geekbench 6.7.0 compute comparison lists 31,722 for the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro GPU and 28,522 for the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro GPU. The recorded operating systems are iOS 26.4.2 and iOS 26.6.1, respectively. This is one submitted device pair, not proof of a universal uplift across games, graphics APIs, thermals, or sustained workloads. The Geekbench Browser device comparison provides the listed compute results.
Rank #3
- Titanium frame combines strength and lightness, giving the iPhone 16 Pro a premium feel while reducing weight for prolonged daily use. The polished edges and textured back enhance grip and handling, making it easier to use during long calls, gaming sessions, or when capturing photos and videos on the move.
What the scores mean for an upgrade
CPU-heavy tasks
The benchmark snapshots support the conclusion that the tested iPhone 16 Pro submissions scored higher in both CPU categories. The practical difference depends on the task: compute-intensive work may benefit more than everyday actions that already complete quickly. The submissions do not establish how much faster a specific app will feel.
Graphics and games
A18 Pro has Apple’s newer GPU and launch claims for improved graphics and ray tracing; the single compute submission pair also favors iPhone 16 Pro. Neither source establishes a consistent frame-rate gain in a named game or under prolonged play. Game settings, software, heat, and workload can affect results.
Rank #4
- Titanium frame combines strength and lightness, giving the iPhone 16 Pro a premium feel while reducing weight for prolonged daily use. The polished edges and textured back enhance grip and handling, making it easier to use during long calls, gaming sessions, or when capturing photos and videos on the move.
Efficiency and sustained performance
Apple’s claim of 20% lower power use applies to the same CPU workload in its launch comparison. The available benchmark snapshots do not measure battery life or sustained performance under identical conditions, so they cannot determine how much longer a phone lasts or how well either chip holds peak speed during extended work.
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Which phone generation makes sense?
If choosing between the generations, the A18 Pro’s newer CPU, GPU, memory-bandwidth, and ray-tracing claims are reasons to prefer iPhone 16 Pro when those capabilities matter. The evidence here does not show that every iPhone 15 Pro owner will notice a large day-to-day improvement, or that a chip upgrade alone justifies replacing a working phone. Consider the phone as a whole—its features and condition as well as its performance—rather than treating launch percentages or a single benchmark pair as a real-world guarantee.
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