Apple’s A19 Pro Delivers MacBook Power – Is a Budget MacBook Next?

At the “Awe Dropping” iPhone 17 launch event, the chief of Apple silicon, Tim Millet, mentioned how the iPhone 17 Pro (with the A19 Pro chip) achieves MacBook’s level of compute, but what exactly did he mean by that? Was he simply informing us about how powerful the new ‘Pro’ chip is, or did he drop a hint about a future product that could utilize both a MacBook’s chassis and the A19 Pro chip?

I’ve slept over this thought for a day, but I couldn’t help thinking about it: a MacBook with an A-series chip; how cool would that be? I know it’s not an entirely new idea, as rumors about the company working on an affordable MacBook with the A18 Pro chip already surfaced on the internet last month. However, now that we have the performance figures of the A19 Pro chip, everything is adding up and making sense.

Let me break everything down for you, bit by bit, and then you decide how plausible an entry-level MacBook with Apple’s A19 Pro chip in real life is, and whether you’d pay for it or not.

Also Read: Apple N1 Chip & C1X Modem: Desperation Or A Step In The Right Direction?

Apple A19 Pro Tech Specifications

Apple’s latest A19 Pro chip is based on TSMC’s 3nm (N3P) process, which enables a higher density of transistors in a smaller footprint, thereby improving overall power efficiency. Given below is the configuration of the chipset, including the number of CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine cores.

• CPU: Six-core (with two performance cores and two efficiency cores)
• GPU: Six-core GPU (on the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max), paired with Neural Accelerators built into each GPU core. It also provides hardware-accelerated ray tracing and higher frame rates compared to the predecessor.  
• NPU: An updated 16-core Neural Engine.
• Additional features include a larger cache, second-generation dynamic caching, and improved front-end bandwidth.
• Memory: 12GB

The new chipset, along with the updated vapor chamber cooling mechanism, offers up to 40% better sustained performance compared to the A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro. Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max come with 12GB of RAM, which is 50% more than the baseline iPhone.

While those are the technical specifications, let’s move on to what the iPhone 17 Pro’s chipset can score on benchmark platforms, as that will give us a better idea of its true potential.

Also Read: No AI, No Problem? Why Apple Skipped Intelligence at the iPhone 17 Launch

A19 Pro’s GeekBench Scores Set A New Record

Most recently, the GeekBench scores of the iPhone 17 Pro surfaced on the internet, and they’ve set a new record.

• The handset has scored 3,996 points in the single-core and 10,465 points in the multi-core GeekBench 6 CPU test (via).
• This represents an 18-20% improvement in CPU performance compared to the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro (based on what we got in the GeekBench 6 benchmark scores on our review units).
• On the GPU or Metal benchmark, the iPhone 17 Pro scores around 40% better than the iPhone 16 Pro.

Also Read: Apple Adds DC Dimming Option in iPhone 17 Series

A19 Pro vs. M4: The Results Are Shocking

In isolation, these are phenomenal benchmark scores, giving us a good idea of the iPhone 17 Pro’s peak performance abilities. However, what’s more interesting is that the single-core performance scores of the A19 Pro chip are comparable to those of the M4 MacBook Air and M4 MacBook Pro (entry-level models), which score between 3,600 and 3,800 points on the single-core Geekbench 6 benchmark.

Yes, I’m oversimplifying the calculation here, but if you look at it with an open mind, there’s a possibility, rather an opportunity for Apple to power a new, entry-level MacBook, with the A19 Pro chip, and it won’t disappoint users.

Also Read: The iPhone 17 Pro’s 4X Telephoto Camera: Upgrade or Downgrade?

Could an A-Series Chip Ever Power a MacBook?

Since the M-series chips often have more computing cores than the A-series chips, you’ll see that there’s a massive gap in the multi-core performance. However, Apple could bridge that gap by either connecting two A19 Pro chips together or increasing the number of CPU cores, essentially preparing it for use on an entry-level MacBook.

Generally, MacBooks are better at sustained performance, but Apple is trying to improve upon that aspect by introducing a vapor chamber cooling mechanism on the iPhone 17 Pro, along with a new aluminum body that is much better at dissipating heat. However, where the M series processors still have an edge is in high-end GPU workloads, such as professional-grade video editing or graphic design.

Moreover, MacBooks are still better at handling power-hungry desktop applications, sustaining a GPU load, dissipating heat via larger heat sinks or cooling fans, and providing extended battery life under constant load. However, it’s great to see that Apple has achieved similar single-core performance on the A19 Pro chip, one that is much more portable and can be fit in the compact form factor of an iPhone.

Also Read: iPhone 17 Pro Max Price in India vs. Abroad: The Ultimate 2025 Savings Guide

Context & Conclusion

It’s essential to note that Apple has already blurred the lines between the A-series and M-series chips previously. The M1 chip, for instance, was based on the A14 Bionic chip, and I can see the same happening with the A19 Pro chip. Yes, the company could face some roadblocks, such as optimizing the macOS apps for the A-series chip, bridging the multi-core performance gap (even if not entirely, but to some extent), and fixing the thermal constraints.

However, if the company manages to overcome all those issues, it could very well introduce a MacBook SE or a MacBook Air mini powered by the A19 Pro chip, priced lower than the M-series models.

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