Apple’s A20 Pro brings 2nm technology and up to 40% faster graphics to iPhone 18 Pro
David Joseppi
Posted On 09/09/2026 
Apple has introduced A20 Pro with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, moving its flagship iPhone processor to a 2-nanometer manufacturing process for the first time.
The chip uses a new six-core CPU and seven-core GPU, with Apple claiming the graphics architecture can deliver performance up to 40 percent faster than A19 Pro. Memory bandwidth has increased by 50 percent compared with the previous generation.
AI processing is another major focus. A20 Pro includes a Dual 16-core Neural Engine with 32 cores in total, providing twice the AI processing capability of A19 Pro and accelerating on-device models as well as computational photography.
Apple has also changed how the chip is packaged. Borrowing an approach from its M-series silicon, the memory is positioned alongside the silicon die rather than remaining in the chip’s thermal path.
That allows A20 Pro to connect directly to a redesigned vapor chamber with three times the surface area of the cooling system in iPhone 17 Pro. Apple says the combination enables up to 40 percent better sustained performance compared with the previous generation.
The new processor is joined by two other Apple-designed connectivity chips. N1 handles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, while C2 is Apple’s second-generation cellular modem system.
C2 is said to deliver meaningfully faster upload speeds than C1X while using 15 percent less energy. It also adds mmWave support in the United States, extending Apple’s move away from third-party modem technology.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available to pre-order from September 12 ahead of their September 18 release.
