Apple recently made a subtle change to the technical specifications of the M2 iPad Air, which launched just last month.
Initially, the iPad Air was advertised as featuring a 10-core GPU. However, the company has now updated the tech specs to indicate that it actually has a 9-core GPU.
The Unexpected Revision
Apple has not provided any explanation for this adjustment. Instead, the tech specs page for the M2 iPad Air was quietly updated to reflect the revised GPU core count, 9to5Mac first reported.
According to archived data, this change occurred within the past 10 days. Despite this update, the original press release for the M2 iPad Air still mentions a 10-core GPU, as does an outdated support page. Moreover, the Cupertino tech giant has yet to update the tech specs on its international websites.
Is Apple Having Miscommunication Regarding its Product?
This revision is unusual for several reasons. It suggests some internal miscommunication at Apple, leading to the initial incorrect information that the M2 iPad Air had a 10-core GPU. The inconsistency across various sections of Apple's website further adds to the confusion.
Significantly, this is the first instance of Apple selling an M2 chip with a 9-core GPU in any of its products.
For example, the M2 MacBook Air offers options with either 8-core or 10-core GPUs. This discrepancy implies that the M2 chip in the iPad Air is a binned version of the 10-core GPU, meaning it likely includes chips that didn't meet the criteria for the full 10-core GPU but still function perfectly with 9 cores enabled.
What is GPU Binning?
Binning is a common practice in semiconductor manufacturing. During production, some chips may not meet the full performance standards for every core, per MacRumors.
Instead of discarding these chips, manufacturers disable the underperforming cores and sell the chips with fewer active cores. This practice ensures that more of the manufactured chips can be used, reducing waste and cost.
For consumers, this change might raise concerns about the accuracy of product information. However, a 9-core GPU M2 chip still offers significant performance improvements over previous models. The impact on everyday use is likely minimal, though the transparency of such changes is crucial for consumer trust.
Aside from the new iPad Air, the up-to-date iPad Pro model can now be pre-ordered. According to a previous report by Tech Times, this was one of the highlights of the "Let Loose" event last time.
Since it boasts an M4 chip, it is expected to be twice more powerful than the M2 processor. Somehow, it will be ideal for gaming as it can handle ray tracing and mesh shading.
