Apple has officially introduced the iPhone 16e, the most affordable model in the iPhone 16 series. To reach its competitive starting price, Apple made strategic adjustments, including using a binned version of the A18 chip.
iPhone 16e Comes with a Modified A18 Chip
According to Apple’s official specifications, the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e features a 6-core CPU (2 performance and 4 efficiency cores), a 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. While the CPU and Neural Engine remain unchanged from the standard A18 chip, the GPU has one fewer core, making it slightly less powerful than the version used in the regular iPhone 16.
Although the GPU core reduction may affect benchmark scores and certain high-performance gaming scenarios, the difference in real-world usage is expected to be minimal. Everyday tasks, including app performance and general usability, should remain smooth and efficient.
Chip Binning: A Common Practice
Chip binning is a widely used process in semiconductor manufacturing. Since not all chips meet the highest specifications due to production variability, manufacturers disable certain cores on lower-performing units and allocate them to more cost-effective products. This approach enables Apple to maximize efficiency while maintaining quality.
The iPhone 16e’s binned A18 chip has one fewer GPU core than the regular A18 found in the iPhone 16, and two fewer GPU cores compared to the A18 Pro used in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
Pokdepinion: This strategy mirrors Apple’s approach with the iPad mini (2024), which also features a binned A17 Pro chip with a reduced GPU core count.
