Apple’s recently unveiled iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro present distinctly different exteriors, yet both are unified by the robust A19 Pro chip—an advancement over the preceding A18 series. While they share the nomenclature of the A19 Pro chip, a divergence exists in their graphical configurations.
The A19 Pro embedded in the iPhone 17 Pro boasts a 6-core GPU, whereas the iPhone Air is fitted with a 5-core GPU. This nuanced distinction prompts an inquiry into any substantial performance disparities between the two models.
The iPhone Air’s A19 Pro with 5-core GPU nearly aligns with the iPhone 17 Pro, though sustained GPU performance indicates variations
This year, the iPhone 17 Pro underwent a significant aesthetic overhaul. Alongside its top-tier chipset, it incorporates a vapor chamber cooling system designed to sustain performance during protracted tasks. Conversely, the iPhone Air features a sleek new design, measuring a mere 5.6mm—thinner even than the iPhone 6.
To assess performance metrics, we have acquired Geekbench scores for both devices. When evaluating raw CPU prowess, both iterations of the A19 Pro chip manifest nearly indistinguishable results in single-core assessments. The iPhone 17 Pro achieved approximately 3,895 points, with the iPhone Air just slightly trailing behind that figure.
This parity suggests that routine activities—such as launching applications, scrolling through social media, messaging, or web browsing—will exhibit smoothness, regardless of the chosen model. Apple’s CPU architecture continues to maintain its industry-leading status in single-threaded performance, a merit upheld by the iPhone Air as well.
However, multi-core outcomes present a contrasting narrative, moderately favoring the heftier iPhone 17 Pro. The A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro attained a multi-core score of 9,746, while the iPhone Air’s 5-core variant garnered a slightly lower score of 9,737. This delineates a performance deficit of roughly 8 to 10 percent compared to the iPhone 17 Pro.

The performance gap is modest, with implications manifesting during intense tasks such as video exports, multitasking, or resource-intensive AI functions. Nevertheless, the average user is unlikely to notice significant differences between the two devices.
The iPhone 17 Pro’s vapor chamber cooling system offers considerable advantages, particularly when the device operates under heavy load. Conversely, the iPhone Air may experience throttling due to the absence of a dedicated cooling solution inherent to its design.
In conclusion, the A19 Pro chip within the iPhone Air constitutes a formidable performer, delivering nearly equivalent CPU capabilities as those found in its Pro counterpart. For users engaged in gaming or those demanding raw computational power, the iPhone 17 Pro is the preferable choice.
What are your impressions regarding the performance disparities between these two devices and their respective chip architectures?
Source link: Wccftech.com.