iPhone 18 Pro introduces Apple's first 2nm A20 Pro processor

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max debut the new A20 Pro, built on a 2nm manufacturing process. The processor uses a six-core CPU with two new performance cores and four efficiency cores, while the redesigned GPU contains seven cores. Apple claims graphics performance can be up to 40 percent faster than the previous generation and memory bandwidth rises by 50 percent. The chip also adds expanded neural processing hardware intended to accelerate large AI models locally on the device.

These improvements matter particularly for mobile games because sustained graphics performance and efficiency increasingly determine whether console-quality experiences can run without excessive heat or battery drain. Apple has paired the processor with an improved vapour-chamber cooling system in the Pro phones, giving the chip additional thermal headroom. The A20 Pro also powers iPhone Duo, making it the foundation of Apple's entire premium mobile hardware generation.

Independent testing will determine how closely Apple's performance claims translate into real-world workloads.