A18 Pro Receives Significant Performance Boost in iOS 18 Beta 5; Now Nearly on Par with M2 in Multi-Core Scores

Apple has recently been found to have introduced a delay in the CPU boost frequency, which resulted in slightly lowered single-core and multi-core scores in exchange for improved battery life. However, based on the latest results from iOS 18.1 beta 5, it appears that Apple may have reversed this decision. The A18 Pro not only posts strong single-core results but also comes remarkably close to the M2’s performance in multi-core benchmarks.

M2 in 15-Inch MacBook Air Only Marginally Faster than A18 Pro

Tech reviewer Dame Tech discovered the change in performance, highlighting the improved scores in the latest beta. According to his tests, the A18 Pro SoC running on iOS 18.1 beta 5 achieved 3,601 points in single-core and 9,388 in multi-core performance on Geekbench 6.

We’ve previously reported that the A18 Pro trades blows with the M1 in multi-threaded tasks, but this latest update reveals that the M2, found in the larger 15-inch MacBook Air, is only around 4% faster than the A18 Pro. This is particularly impressive, given that the M2 is housed in a significantly larger chassis, whereas the A18 Pro is found in Apple’s top-tier iPhones.

A17 Pro Also Sees Performance Gains in iOS 18 Beta 5

Dame Tech’s post also reveals that iOS 18.1 beta 5 boosts the performance of last year’s A17 Pro, found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, although the improvements aren’t as significant as those seen in the A18 Pro. It’s still unclear whether Apple will retain these performance enhancements in the final release of iOS 18.1.

For now, owners of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max can enjoy a significant boost in performance. However, it’s important to note that despite these improvements, the A18 Pro still trails behind the fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 tested so far.