Apple A17 Bionic Chip Review

We have reviewed an array of laptops lately, and the Dell XPS 15 is probably one of the best options for a budget laptop out there. It also uses Intel’s latest 11th Gen i5 CPU which offers enough power to support all of the apps you need on it (we didn’t test that). The only problem with this model is its low battery life, but considering the price and features we felt like it was a solid machine. This new release from Apple has changed things up quite a bit, bringing us a much improved version of the same design that launched in late 2021. With their new A15 Bionic chip however, they are pushing everything forward.

Design

The key difference between models that use an AMD processor versus those using Apple’s own silicon is the placement. With previous chips, you could either buy two separate PCs or simply use them as one device (we recommend doing this if at all possible), while Apple decided it would be better to make these into just one big machine that can run Windows 12 and macOS Monterey and a few additional programs. While this helped Apple with keeping cost down, it still made it seem more expensive than the other products of similar quality. This newest model seems like all three components could be used together, with no compromise to any part of performance. They are all placed properly, ensuring that none will get pushed to the back of the lineup with others getting bumped up. You can tell this isn’t going to happen with a smaller screen with less screen real estate and more ports (this includes Face ID), it looks really smooth and sleek without being too bulky. One thing I’d say though is that the matte finish on both screens might feel a little rough, since it feels almost like fingerprint smudges. However, I don’t think anyone is missing anything important, so it may not be too noticeable.

Display

With the arrival of this new technology, Apple has taken advantage of some clever display technologies to create a larger display without making any compromises. This has been done by adding some extra layers of material, including Gorilla Glass Victus, which gives the panel a very nice premium look, along with improving the response time of the speakers. These enhancements combined with Apple’s unique ‘smooth-touch’ feel with iOS 13 gave me plenty of confidence in my opinion that this new computer is meant to last a long time. As you can see above, this product looks far superior to the old MacBook Air I had previously owned. Not only does it look great, but it feels great. If you’re after something that doesn’t draw attention to itself, then this is your first choice — even when compared to Google’s Pixelbook Pro 11 we were able to find features that kept our eyes glued to the screen even without looking. Overall, this is certainly a good upgrade for many, even with older specs. Many people would not be too happy with this computer, but given how this machine runs Windows, most people should be okay with it. There’s just little to go wrong.

Performance

When talking about this new system, it is obvious that there is a lot to talk about. Apple is finally taking full control over certain aspects of the software and hardware. In order to do this, they created a dual core A16 architecture, so each new generation of processor is able to work alongside each other. They are also utilizing modern graphics cores integrated onto the chip to provide faster and more impressive processing power. The sheer amount of RAM is another interesting aspect of this new system. Even if you had a huge configuration of 64GB, this machine won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed anytime soon. But perhaps the biggest thing that stands out here is the speed at which the A17 Bionic chip works. From day one, the new tech has been able to perform exactly what it said and I haven’t noticed any drastic lag issues. Even with 32GB of memory for instance, the system only lags slightly behind my MacBook Pro, giving me the opportunity to play games or stream from Netflix on it (although I did notice that when streaming Netflix on this device the latency level is significantly lower than on an iPad Pro). To put that into comparison to the MacBook Pros, the iPad Pro is noticeably slower for tasks requiring heavy graphics workloads like rendering or editing video content. That is not likely to bother users who aren’t aiming to game or edit videos unless it comes down to gaming or editing images.

Battery Life and Charging

Apple seems to be attempting to keep this system as light as possible. For starters, there are six USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port (which is currently only available when docked), and two USB On-The-Go port. Additionally, Apple has included MagSafe wireless charging, meaning users can attach it as easily as a traditional charger. Unfortunately, Apple’s Smart Connector (which essentially brings two cables together) does not support Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5. Still, I am sure you already know these standards well, which means you can charge multiple devices off a single cable. Considering all of this, the iPhone SE 2 is probably around $200 if you want something comparable, and with all of that money saved, maybe you’re looking for a brand new machine to complement your current setup. What’s clear though is that Apple’s new lineup of computers is delivering on every front. Whether you’re upgrading from an aging desktop or switching over completely, the changes made have been worth it. Regardless of whether you opt for the regular model or the revamped ultra, there’s little to worry about. Perhaps the main downside to having two systems is the fact that you’ll be restricted to using a keyboard and a mouse. If your current one is outdated before the switchover, the transition may be tough, especially due to compatibility. However, there is hope, and it is definitely evident. You’ve seen better keyboards on iPhones! At least this is true for the base 128gb model in India. When it comes to connectivity though, this could end up being another step lower for some. Although the improvements haven’t stopped making sense, the majority are starting to become apparent.

Video Editing Features

The main selling point with the A17 Bionic chip aside from the increased efficiency is the inclusion of Cinematic Video Encoding. Currently supported by most platforms, this feature allows users to pick different frames of action and allow them to cut off parts of it. Instead of creating audio/video files that contain a mix of pictures and sound, this method separates the visual components, leaving music or text to take precedence. By contrast, the standard mode of encoding puts the visual elements right in the middle; resulting in a very choppy experience. Aside from allowing individuals to select their preferred footage, there are some useful tools that come along with the upgrade. Depending on the number of people editing a project, there may be a couple of settings available to change. An example is allowing you to adjust the frame rate for videos and audios, so you could slow things down or speed things up. This alone makes for a massive improvement to video creation and editing, especially for professionals. Once you learn how to manipulate it properly, you’ll notice a plethora of fun video features roll out. Personally, I like that it includes tools that help you trim away distracting background noise, making it easier to focus on your footage while recording. This feature is particularly useful if you plan on shooting professionally. It's also great that there are tools for color grading and adjusting brightness levels. Allowing a small fraction of total control over colors in the editor is great if you plan on working in Adobe Photoshop.

For photo editing, the app library and customization options are abundant. It’s amazing how easy this tool is to interact with even for non-editors. Some of the adjustments you may want to tweak include exposure control. Other settings you may find beneficial are white balance, image brightness adjustment, contrast, and saturation control. Simply visiting the dedicated section for Photo, there are several other tools in this collection. Some of them are even useful in video editing, while other ones are geared toward creating art and portraits. In addition, there are some filters for natural skin tones. Lastly, Apple has added a variety of effects to this tool as well. Alongside enhancing video performance with Cinematic Video Encoding, there are tools to enhance photos. Amongst that is cropping, reducing or enlarging selected areas, painting edits, applying masks, and retouching. Speaking of templates in general, there are dozens of custom themes available for the platform. Of course, some of the best presets will require paying for them with Apple’s new subscription service called Create in. So make sure to read up on how to connect your camera to the App Store. Most users report having a difficult time connecting their devices and finding these tools, as many of them require manually setting them up. Luckily, it’s fairly simple to set up and start using Apple’s Find My Mobile iOS app.

Battery Life

With a 14 hour rating, this is incredibly impressive. Given the size of this machine’s display, this is more than sufficient time span to accomplish virtually any task you’d want to complete — be it watching a movie, web browsing on social media sites, or playing online games. And since Apple continues to build towards the future and continue to improve, the lifespan of the batteries in this device remains unrivaled. Battery-wise, this is one of the fastest laptops that I have personally tested. This is largely thanks to the combination of Apple’s A16 core processors with 6GB of unified memory, 8 hours of fast charging, and 30W fast charging to