[Updated] The Apple A9 Silicon Lottery

[VagabondWraith]

How can one find out if they have a TSMC or a Samsung chip without tearing apart their phone?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lirum-device-info-lite-system/id591660734?mt=8

 

Or you can download a second option here, but its unverified and use at your own risk.

[Mew]

Luckily I got the TSMC version. Apple I believe went to Samsung because TSMC couldn't produce enough chips to meet demand.

I wonder though because I believe TSMC has much more experience in producing chips so they were able to produce better yields from their 16nm FF+ compared to Samsungs 14nm node. You might think a smaller node may yield slightly better performance, but I may be unjustified in that.

Besides, a vast majority of people don't frequent tech forums so it's probably a non issue.

I think too many people are freaking out. I've seen plenty of people report great performance with Samsung and others report subpar performance with TSMC.

 

Here's a bone to chew one- which one did Apple sample to all the reviewers? Was it random or all TSMC for the best results or Samsung for the baseline results? 

[Slinkey]

Is this something a software update can fix? If not, I will be mad if my new iPhone shows up with a Samsung chip.

[LAwLz]

Is this something a software update can fix? If not, I will be mad if my new iPhone shows up with a Samsung chip.

Yes, Apple will release an app that lets you magically change the physical CPU that is in your phone through software.

Apple has hired a group of very skilled warlocks which will allow them to do this with the help of dark magic. You will need a subscription to Apple Care for the app to work though.

(Sarcasm)

[Slinkey]

Har har.

Do we even know what causes this? Is it the software utilization of the hardware or is it the hardware itself? That is why I asked seriously if a software update could fix.

[patrickjp93]

Yes, Apple will release an app that lets you magically change the physical CPU that is in your phone through software.

Apple has hired a group of very skilled warlocks which will allow them to do this with the help of dark magic. You will need a subscription to Apple Care for the app to work though.

(Sarcasm)

Warlocks? No, just sorcerers. Come on Lawlz.

[PillowSmoke]

Luckily I got the TSMC version. Apple I believe went to Samsung because TSMC couldn't produce enough chips to meet demand.

I wonder though because I believe TSMC has much more experience in producing chips so they were able to produce better yields from their 16nm FF+ compared to Samsungs 14nm node. You might think a smaller node may yield slightly better performance, but I may be unjustified in that.

Besides, a vast majority of people don't frequent tech forums so it's probably a non issue.

I think too many people are freaking out. I've seen plenty of people report great performance with Samsung and others report subpar performance with TSMC.

 

I doubt that they have more experience than samsung, who have been in the industry for many more years compared to tsmc.

[eladdva]

Yeah but according to the manufacturing and density numbers tsmc are better then Samsung in these nodes (but not Intel)

[zMeul]

a lot of people claim this is "silicon lottery", but this is quite another thing: the two fabrication nodes are entirely different

Samsung's 14nm FinFET should, in theory, have lower power usage - it doesn't; because of this it also runs hotter

[patrick3027]

Performance is pretty much the same (yeah I know the multi-score score of the TSMC model is slightly better, but you can't see the difference IRL), only the battery life is significantly better on the TSMC model.

Non-tech people won't care or won't bother with this. Calling it chip'gate' is a bit over it IMHO.

a lot of people claim this is "silicon lottery", but this is quite another thing: the two fabrication nodes are entirely different

Samsung's 14nm FinFET should, in theory, have lower power usage - it doesn't; because of this it also runs hotter

It could be that because the chip is physically larger on the TSMC model, it cools better.

[79wjd]

Performance is pretty much the same (yeah I know the multi-score score of the TSMC model is slightly better, but you can't see the difference IRL), only the battery life is significantly better on the TSMC model.

Non-tech people won't care or won't bother with this. Calling it chip'gate' is a bit over it IMHO.

It could be that because the chip is physically larger on the TSMC model, it cools better.

The smaller node should still be more efficient (in theory) 

[zMeul]

It could be that because the chip is physically larger on the TSMC model, it cools better.

the difference is 8.5mm² - come on 

 

[captain cactus]

Apple released a statement:

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/10/08/apple-a9-chip-2-3-percent-difference/

 

With the Apple-designed A9 chip in your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, you are getting the most advanced smartphone chip in the world. Every chip we ship meets Apple's highest standards for providing incredible performance and deliver great battery life, regardless of iPhone 6s capacity, color, or model. 

Certain manufactured lab tests which run the processors with a continuous heavy workload until the battery depletes are not representative of real-world usage, since they spend an unrealistic amount of time at the highest CPU performance state. It's a misleading way to measure real-world battery life. Our testing and customer data show the actual battery life of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, even taking into account variable component differences, vary within just 2-3% of each other.

[Ex14]

Apple released a statement:

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/10/08/apple-a9-chip-2-3-percent-difference/

Lol tell that to the videos MKBHD and Austin did,

[Builder]

I doubt that they have more experience than samsung, who have been in the industry for many more years compared to tsmc.

 

No they haven't, TSMC has been in it since 1987 and they were the world's first dedicated semiconductor foundry ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSMC

[captain cactus]

You know, all this Samsung vs TSMC talk make me wonder what process Samsung will use for their own Exynos 8xxx chips. From the A9's "chipgate", the industry has learned that a smaller transistor (14nm vs 16nm) doesn't always yield better performance and lower power consumption. Of course, the 16vs14 nm transistor isn't the whole story, but it's interesting nevertheless.