A12Z vs. A12X: What's Changed?

Apple in March 2020 introduced new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with A12Z processors, LiDAR scanners, dual-lens camera setups, upgraded storage tiers, and more RAM for lower storage models.

a12z bionic clean
In this guide, we'll cover the A12Z processor and how it compares to the A12X processor that Apple used in the 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

A12Z Instead of A13X?

Prior to now, most iPad updates, including ‌iPad Pro‌ refreshes, have come with new generations of chips. The original 12.9- and 9.7-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models had an A9X, the second-generation 10.5- and 12.9-inch models had an A10X Fusion chip, and the third-generation 11- and 12.9-inch models used the A12X Bionic.

This is the first time that an ‌iPad Pro‌ refresh has had a chip update is iterative rather than a new design, with the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ using an A12Z and not an A13X or A14 chip as might be expected.

What's Changed in the A12Z?

Apple in its marketing materials made no references to any CPU performance improvements compared to prior-generation models as it often does when introducing chip upgrades. Instead, Apple said that the ‌iPad Pro‌ is "faster and more powerful" than most Windows laptops, which is the same thing that it said about the 2018 models.

ipadprobox
Apple did, however, highlight the 8-core GPU, which is the only notable upgrade in the A12Z compared to the A12X, which has been advertised as having a 7-core GPU even though it may in fact be an 8-core GPU chip with one core disabled.

The new chip also features an enhanced thermal architecture presumably for handling the full 8-core GPU and tuned performance controllers.

Apple's own language suggests little change to processor performance, which has been reflected in benchmarking tests.

A12Z vs. A12X Performance

Early benchmarks of the new iPad Pro with A12Z chip demonstrate little improvement over the prior-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ with A12X chip.

In a Geekbench 5 test, the new 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ earned a single-core score of 1114 and a multi-core score of 4654, compared to the 1113 single-core and 4608 multi-core of the 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌. With variations in testing taken into account, the performance is about identical.

ipadpro2020geekbench
In Metal scores, though, which measures GPU performance, the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ saw some improvements over the 2018 model, which is no surprise given the extra GPU core. The 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ earned a 9894 Metal score, up from the 9020 score in the 11-inch ‌‌iPad Pro‌‌ from 2018.

Is the A12Z a Renamed A12X Chip?

Given the similarities in performance and the minor letter tweak in the A12Z vs. the A12X, it appears the new chip is a re-binned version of the A12X with an extra GPU core enabled.

Evidence from teardown site TechInsights indicates that the A12X chip physically has an 8-core GPU with one of the cores disabled, which means the A12Z is the same version of the chip with the disabled core enabled.

It's not unusual for chip manufacturers to render one core of a processor inoperable when it isn't meeting yield levels, and that appears to be what Apple has done now. The manufacturing of the A12X chip has improved enough that yields have gotten better and all 8 cores are functional.

Upgrading From 2018 iPad Pro to 2020 iPad Pro

The 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ is a marginal upgrade compared to the 2018 model, but it's still faster than some notebook Macs and many notebook PCs, as the 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ was blazing fast.

With no major changes to performance, the new LiDAR Scanner, upgraded RAM in lower-tier storage models (now 6GB across the board) and the new ultra wide-angle camera are the main new features in the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ model, which, for most 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ owners, are not going to be a significant enough changes to warrant an upgrade.

2020 ipad pro camera lidar
As of right now, there are few apps able to take advantage of the LiDAR Scanner so while it may become increasingly appealing in the future, at the current time, most 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ owners should hold onto their tablets and pass on shelling out the extra cash for an upgrade.

A14X Coming Later This Year?

There are rumors that Apple will introduce high-end ‌iPad Pro‌ models that feature 5G connectivity and mini-LED displays at the end of 2020, so it's possible we will see another ‌iPad Pro‌ refresh before the end of the year.

In these new models, Apple could introduce an A14X, based on current rumors.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about this guide, want to offer feedback, or know of something that we left out? Send us an email here.

Tag: A12Z

Popular Stories

10

Apple to Launch New Products Starting Next Week, Claims Dubious Leak [Updated]

Friday October 10, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Update: the Naver account appears to be referencing a speculative post on X by Vadim Yuryev, dated October 6. The original article follows. Apple will announce new products through a series of press releases beginning as soon as next week, according to a dubious claim posted on the Korean blog Naver. The Naver blog account yeux1122, which aggregates rather than originates Apple...
apple invite colorado%402x

Apple Hosts Unusual Colorado Event to Showcase Latest Hardware

Thursday October 9, 2025 1:17 pm PDT by
Apple has invited a group of social media influencers to Colorado this week for an unusual event involving group hiking, trail running, and other outdoor activities designed to showcase the company's recently launched iPhone 17 Pro Max, AirPods Pro 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. An invitation was shared on X (Twitter) by photographer Johnny Hawk, featuring a simple message: "Hi Johnny. We're so ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have These 6 New Features

Saturday October 11, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still nearly a year away, a handful of new features and changes have already been rumored for the devices. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Smaller Dynamic Island The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, but the devices will...
10

Apple Event This October? Here's the Latest on What to Expect

Thursday October 9, 2025 7:00 am PDT by
While it is unclear if Apple will host an October event this year, or stick to press releases, rumors suggest it will announce several new products this month. The graphic for Apple's "Unleashed" event in October 2021 Below, we have recapped everything to know about a potential Apple event this October. When The table below outlines when Apple teased its October launches over the past...
spring 2022 possible macs

When Will Apple's Macs Get M5 Chips? 2025-2026 Launch Timeline

Wednesday October 8, 2025 3:59 pm PDT by
We're just about due for the next-generation Apple silicon chip, which will kick off a new wave of Mac refreshes. The M5 chip is expected to make an appearance in some new products before the end of the year, but most Mac refreshes will happen in 2026. We've rounded up current rumors on when we might see updates for Apple's notebook and desktop machines. MacBook Pro The MacBook Pro could ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday October 7, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 models. The firmware has a build number of 8A358, up from 8A356. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the prior 8A356 update added iOS 26 features to the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with ANC. The software introduced better audio quality ...
vivo liquid glass

iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design Copied by Android Smartphone Maker

Thursday October 9, 2025 4:07 pm PDT by
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has taken some inspiration from Apple's Liquid Glass design language for its latest operating system update, OriginOS 6. Unveiled this week, OriginOS 6 has the same rounded buttons and translucent glass look as iOS 26. In a demo video, a Vivo smartphone features an interface that could be easily mistaken for iOS 26. There's a Liquid Glass clock, Control Center,...
iOS 26 Feature

Apple Preparing iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones

Saturday October 11, 2025 6:59 pm PDT by
Apple's software engineers are internally testing iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will likely be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released within the next few weeks. Last month, Apple released iOS...
CarPlay Ultra Aston Martin

These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday October 9, 2025 8:17 am PDT by
Earlier this year, Apple finally launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. However, now nearly five months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to just one luxury vehicle brand. CarPlay Ultra features deeper integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in apps for radio and climate controls, rear-view...