Apple A15 Bionic in 2026: Why It’s Still Fast but Already Outdated

The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are equipped with the same processor-the Apple A15 Bionic. However, the iPhone 14 has one additional GPU core and 6 GB of RAM instead of 4 GB. As a result, it is about 17% faster in the 3DMark graphics test, even though the chip’s name has not changed. Five years after its release, the A15 can still handle most apps, but it falls behind newer generations in games and does not support Apple Intelligence.

Architecture: What Changed Compared with the A14

Apple introduced the A15 Bionic in September 2021. The processor is manufactured by TSMC using the improved 5-nm N5P process and contains approximately 15 billion transistors.

The six-core CPU consists of two performance cores called Avalanche and four efficiency cores called Blizzard. In the iPhone, the maximum clock speed reaches 3.23 GHz, while in the iPad mini 6 it is limited to approximately 2.93 GHz.

One of the main changes compared with the A14 was the increase in the performance cluster’s L2 cache from 8 MB to 12 MB. The system cache also doubled, reaching 32 MB. The larger cache allows the chip to access RAM less often, reducing latency and power consumption when processing data.

These changes helped the A15 maintain competitive CPU performance across several generations of iPhone. However, the graphics subsystem evolved more quickly, and that is where the chip’s age is most apparent.

One A15, but Two Graphics Configurations

Apple released the A15 Bionic with four and five GPU cores.

The five-core version has 25% more GPU cores. However, the real performance gain is smaller: in 3DMark, the difference between the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro is about 16%.

In 2022, Apple used the higher-end A15 configuration in the standard iPhone 14. As a result, its graphics performance is closer to that of the iPhone 13 Pro than to that of its immediate predecessor.

There is no such division for the CPU: all A15 versions use six cores with the same microarchitecture, although their clock speeds and operating conditions differ.

Geekbench 7: How Far Behind the A18 Is the A15?

Comparisons of specific devices show that CPU performance varies moderately among different A15-powered iPhones.

The iPhone 13 Pro is 8% ahead of the standard iPhone 13 in the single-core test and 10% ahead in the multi-core test. The additional GPU core has nothing to do with this: Geekbench CPU does not measure graphics performance. The difference is related to the processor’s operating conditions and the characteristics of the individual devices.

The comparison with the A18 in the iPhone 16 is much more revealing. It is 43% faster than the standard iPhone 13 in Single-Core and 53% faster in Multi-Core.

This gap is noticeable when processing large photos, exporting video, and performing other compute-intensive tasks. However, in messaging apps, browsers, and most everyday applications, the A15 is not yet slow enough to justify replacing a smartphone solely for the sake of a faster CPU.

Graphics Performance: 3DMark

In 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited, the differences between A15 versions are more noticeable. The test uses the same rendering conditions regardless of the device’s screen resolution.

Moving from four to five GPU cores gives the iPhone 14 an advantage of about 17% over the iPhone 13. However, the A18 with the same number of GPU cores is already 62% faster.

The difference is explained not by the number of cores, but by advances in graphics architecture, clock speeds, and the memory subsystem.

In games, the A15 can still provide acceptable performance, but the five-core version is preferable. Under sustained load, both variants may reduce their clock speeds because of heat, so the results of a short benchmark do not guarantee the same performance throughout an entire gaming session.

There is also a hardware limitation: the A15 does not support hardware-accelerated ray tracing. It first appeared in Apple’s mobile processors with the A17 Pro. As a result, newer generations have an advantage in games with such graphics effects that cannot be offset by lowering the resolution.

Neural Engine, Cameras, and Limitations in 2026

The A15 Bionic is equipped with a 16-core Neural Engine capable of up to 15.8 TOPS. Together with the image signal processor (ISP), it accelerates computational photography, object recognition, and other machine-learning tasks.

However, camera capabilities depend on more than just the SoC. For example, the iPhone 13 Pro supports ProRes recording, while the standard iPhone 13 with the same processor does not.

In 2026, the more significant limitation is related to Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 support iOS 27, but Apple’s proprietary AI features are unavailable on them. Even a 16-core Neural Engine is not enough to meet the requirements of the new platform.

The amount of RAM also matters. The iPhone 13 has 4 GB of RAM, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 have 6 GB. The additional memory allows apps to be unloaded from the background less often. For everyday multitasking, this may prove more useful than a small CPU performance increase.

Is It Worth Buying a Device with the A15 Bionic in 2026?

If an iPhone 13 or 14 is already in use and performs well enough, there is no need to replace it solely because of its processor. However, the A15 configuration is worth considering when buying a used device.

The iPhone 13 remains a sensible budget option. Its CPU is practically as fast as the higher-end A15 versions, but its four-core GPU and 4 GB of RAM limit its performance headroom.

The iPhone 13 Pro is more appealing thanks to its five-core GPU, 6 GB of RAM, and ProMotion display with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. If the condition is comparable and the price difference is small, it is preferable to the standard iPhone 13.

The iPhone 14 has the five-core A15 and 6 GB of RAM, but retains a 60 Hz display. Its performance is close to that of the iPhone 13 Pro, so paying a significant premium solely for the processor is not justified.

If your budget allows you to move to the iPhone 16 with its A18, the benefits will be much broader: a faster CPU, more powerful graphics, hardware ray tracing, and support for Apple Intelligence. For a purchase intended to last several years, it is the more rational choice.

Conclusion

The Apple A15 Bionic did not become a slow processor even five years after its release. Its CPU can still handle everyday workloads, while the five-core GPU version is noticeably faster than the base configuration.

However, the gap versus the A18 reaches 53% in multi-core CPU performance and 62% in graphics performance. Add the lack of Apple Intelligence and hardware ray tracing.

The A15 is still fast enough to keep using, but already too old to justify overpaying for a device built around it. In 2026, the main argument in favor of such a smartphone is its low price-not its performance headroom for the future.