A recent circulating post on the Chinese social network Weibo claimed to show Benchmark results for Apple’s unannounced A18 Pro chip, a processor believed to power the iPhone 16 series. The screenshots, attributed by a leak source to Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6 tests, were shared with coverage from GizmoChina. The initial Weibo entry seemed to present a picture of a high-performance chip, sparking discussion about how Apple’s next generation might compare to its current A17 Pro cousin.
From the leak’s initial presentation, it appeared the A18 Pro achieved Geekbench 6 scores of 3570 in single-core and 9310 in multi-core, figures that would indicate a sizable uplift over the A17 Pro—approximately 22 percent higher on single-core and around 28 percent higher on multi-core. In parallel, Geekbench 5 results were reported as 2571 for single-core and 7359 for multi-core, suggesting gains of roughly 20 percent and 38 percent, respectively, when set against the A17 Pro. These numbers circulated as a strong signal of meaningful performance gains in the anticipated iPhone 16 class of devices, prompting comparisons across cores and architectural efficiency.
Subsequently, the insider who posted the initial data removed that entry and issued a new one containing fresh Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6 screenshots for the A18 Pro. In this follow-up, the tester indicated that the earlier figures might have overstated performance, acknowledging variability across sample chips and measurement environments. The updated numbers showed Geekbench 5 results of 2517 for single-core and 7359 for multi-core, while Geekbench 6 figures were 2822 and 8571 respectively. The update raised questions about consistency across early prototypes versus production-ready silicon and the realities of pre-release benchmarking in the wild, where optimizations and thermals can swing results widely depending on the test setup.
Analysts and enthusiasts weighed in on the implications of such data. The informant suggested that these findings come from the first sample units of the A18 Pro, warning readers that they may diverge significantly from the final shipping chip. The general expectation is that Apple and other vendors sometimes allow early chips to run at peak performance during initial benchmarking, with later tuning aimed at balancing raw speed with energy efficiency and heat management. The A18 Pro is widely rumored to be built on TSMC’s 3-nanometer process, a fabrication technique that enables more transistors and, typically, improved performance-per-watt. Rumors also point to a design featuring two high-performance processor cores paired with six smaller, power-efficient cores, a layout intended to deliver strong burst capability while preserving battery life in real-world usage.
Beyond the hardware specifics, observers have noted that the cadence of leakage around chip announcements often includes a mix of hopeful projections and cautious caveats. Stakeholders understand that early test results can reflect best-case scenarios that do not fully represent the experience of a consumer device in everyday tasks. The discussion underscores the importance of considering multi-factor performance: single-core speed, multi-core throughput, sustained performance under load, thermal throttling behavior, and the efficiency of graphics and machine learning tasks that modern iPhones must handle as part of daily operation.
In related industry chatter, Apple has recently faced other operational updates reported by observers when devices are moved into various stages of the retail and supply chain process. One notable note concerns procedures around device handling in stores that has drawn attention for how stock is managed and displayed. These anecdotes contribute to the broader narrative of how Apple’s product lifecycle unfolds from engineering labs to store shelves, and how sometimes, the public perception of a product’s readiness is shaped by real-world testing conditions rather than controlled laboratory measurements. While these reports add texture to the conversation, they do not replace official disclosures, and readers are reminded to treat any early benchmark data as indicative rather than definitive. Regardless of the exact numbers, the pursuit of higher performance in a compact smartphone architecture continues to be a driving force for the industry, with the 3nm node and a dual-high-performance-plus-six-efficient-core strategy frequently cited as the likely path for the A18 Pro’s design philosophy. Attribution: GizmoChina and participating leak sources.