The Apple A10X is Built on TSMC's 10 FF Process [Images]

The Apple A10X found in the new iPad Pro is built on TSMC's 10 FF process, confirms Tech Insights.

The A10X die size comes in at 96.4 mm2 as compared to the previous generation, A9X at 143.9 mm2, which was built on TSMC’s 16 FF-Turbo technology. This is an impressive full node scale, when accounting for the extra CPU cores built into the A10X and extra IP blocks of the A10 vs. A9 family. We estimate a 45% die level scale (0.55x the area of running on the previous technology), based on our detailed floorplan analyses of the Apple A-series.

The GPU of the A10X appears to the be same customized Imagination PowerVR cores seen found in the A10. Tech Insights notes that at an IP-block level the GPU takes 49% of the area (0.51x).


TSMC says its 10 FF technology will be short lived with 7 FF supplanting it in 2018. Apple is expected to use the 10 FF process for the chip in its upcoming iPhone 8 smartphone.

Take a look at a few die images below and hit the link for more details...

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