These are all the processors that Apple has included in its iPad lineup, starting with the A4 chip from the original iPad.
The evolution of Apple processors has been linked to the evolution of the iPad. The more power the chips of the Cupertino company acquired, the more options came to the iPad. Therefore, the iPad processor is and has been fundamental in the history of the Apple tablet.
The iPad chip is usually a more powerful variant of the iPhone processoralthough with the latest models Apple’s strategy has changed, opting for the same iPhone chip in some models and for the M series chips in the most powerful ones.
We review the processor that each iPad model has incorporated
The processor used by each iPad model
As a curiosity, all iPad models have had a chip developed by Apple, since the first incorporated the A4, the first processor designed by the company. In the following table you have compiled all iPad models and the processor they have equippedas well as the processor cores.
In parentheses you can see the arrangement of these nuclei, first showing the number of high-performance cores, then number of high-efficiency cores. Something common in the latest Apple chips.
| Model | Processor | cores |
|---|---|---|
| Original iPad | A4 | 1 core |
| iPad 2 | TO 5 | 2 cores |
| iPad 3 | A5X | 2 cores |
| iPad 4 | A6X | 2 cores |
| ipad mini | TO 5 | 2 cores |
| iPad Air | A7 | 2 cores |
| ipadmini2 | A7 | 2 cores |
| iPad Air 2 | A8X | 3 cores |
| ipadmini3 | A8 | 2 cores |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ | A9X | 2 cores |
| iPad Pro 9.7″ | A9X | 2 cores |
| iPad (5th gen) | A9 | 2 cores |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ (2nd gen) | A10X Fusion | 6 cores (3+3) |
| iPad Pro 10.5″ | A10X Fusion | 6 cores (3+3) |
| iPad (6th gen) | A10 Fusion | 4 cores (2+2) |
| iPad Pro 11 | A12X Bionic | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ (3rd gen.) | A12X Bionic | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad Air (3rd gen) | A12 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad mini (5th gen) | A12 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad (7th gen) | A10 Fusion | 4 cores (2+2) |
| iPad Pro 11″ (2nd gen.) | A12Z Bionic | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ (4th gen) | A12Z Bionic | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad (8th gen) | A12 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad Air (4th gen) | A14 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad (9th gen) | A13 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad mini (6th gen) | A15 Bionic | 6 cores (2+4) |
| iPad Air (5th gen) | M1 | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad Pro 11″ (3rd gen.) | M1 | 8 cores (4+4) |
| iPad Pro 12.9″ (5th gen) | M1 | 8 cores (4+4) |
You can see a constant evolution in each new chip that the iPad range has incorporated. For a long time, Apple opted to include chips labeled “X” that were more powerful than their equivalents in the iPhone. But in recent times, the company has opted for another strategy, incorporating Mac chips into its most powerful iPads.