Apple iPad 11 tipped to use A17 Pro chip

Apple's next entry-level iPad will reportedly feature the A17 Pro chip, bringing faster performance, Apple Intelligence, and a memory boost. It is expected to launch in spring alongside refreshed iPad Air models.

In Short

• Entry-level iPad 11 tipped to feature the A17 Pro chip
• The upcoming model is expected to ship with 8GB RAM and support Apple Intelligence
• It is expected to launch during spring alongside the next-gen iPad Air and iPhone SE

Apple’s next-generation entry-level iPad will reportedly be powered by the powerful A17 Pro chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This comes as no surprise, as many had anticipated that the iPad 11 would feature Apple’s new AI features dubbed Apple Intelligence. However, there had been uncertainty about which chip Apple would choose for its most affordable tablet.

The A17 Pro chip is based on the first-generation N3B 3nm process, a technology that has had its share of challenges. Reports have long suggested that Apple struggled with this manufacturing process due to its high costs, lower production yields, and limited performance improvements compared to earlier generations. Given these issues, many believed Apple would phase out this process as quickly as possible. In fact, the company’s recent product launches seemed to align with this theory. For example, Apple introduced the M4 chip in the iPad Pro just six months after launching the M3 series in its Mac lineup. This move hinted at Apple’s desire to move beyond the first-generation 3nm chips.

Apple has a history of using older chips in its lower-end devices, as seen with the iPhone 14 series. The base model used the A15 Bionic chip from the previous iPhone 13 lineup, while the Pro models received the newer A16 Bionic. However, Apple broke this pattern with the iPhone 16 series, where all models featured the latest A18 chip. This left many assuming that the A17 chip’s lifecycle had effectively ended.

But then came the iPad Mini 7th generation. This tablet launched with Apple Intelligence support and surprised many by including the A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro instead of the newer A18 chip. The decision made sense given the iPad Mini’s lower production volume and target audience.

Now, Apple seems ready to double down on this strategy. According to Gurman, the upcoming entry-level iPads, known internally as J481 and J482, will also feature the A17 Pro chip. The current entry-level iPad models run on the A14 chip with 4GB of memory. The new models are expected to upgrade to 8GB of memory, which is necessary to support Apple’s AI features.

Apple is likely to use a binned version of the A17 Pro chip, similar to what was done with the iPad Mini, where a 5-core GPU variant was employed. This approach could help Apple manage costs while ensuring sufficient performance for the entry-level market. Apple is expected to unveil the new iPad 11 in the spring, alongside refreshed iPad Air models, a new iPhone SE, and updated Magic Keyboards.