Over the past few weeks, you've probably heard the term "binned" or "classified" when discussing the processors inside the iPhone 17e or the upcoming MacBook Neo. But what does this seemingly strange technical term actually mean? Simply put, "binning" is the process of taking a whole batch of something and separating it based on specific characteristics so that it can be sold or used differently. Imagine you're a farmer harvesting apples; the perfect apples go into the "excellent" basket to be sold at the highest price, while the apples with some visual imperfections go into another basket to be sold at a lower price to juice factories, for example. Apple is doing exactly the same thing, but with billions of transistors instead of fruit!
How does the "chip sorting" process work technically?
Processors are classified in two ways: clock speed or design flaws. Chips are tested at various frequencies and voltages, and those that pass the test at higher speeds are separated from those that operate at lower speeds. Apple does not usually disclose the clock speeds of its chips, but the final speed depends heavily on the device's ability to dissipate heat.
The most common method of classification is to "disable" parts of the chip to salvage products that would otherwise fail to manufacture. Modern processors contain tens of billions of transistors, and the precision required to manufacture them is so incredible that even a speck of dust can ruin a tiny component. Instead of throwing the entire chip away, Apple "shuts down" the faulty core, either through software or physical hardware, transforming a chip that was supposed to have six graphics cores into a perfectly functional five-core chip.
Apple's long history with chips
Apple has been using this strategy for about a decade. Remember the third-generation iPad Pro in 2018? It used the A12X chip with seven graphics cores, while the original design had eight. Back then, manufacturing defects were rampant, so Apple decided to disable one core in each chip to cut costs. By 2020, when manufacturing quality improved, Apple released the A12Z chip—the same chip, but with the eighth core enabled!
Today, we see this clearly in the iPhone 17e, which uses a "resource-selected" version of the A19 chip with only four graphics cores instead of five. The base model MacBook Air M5 also comes with two disabled graphics cores (eight instead of ten). This clever move allows Apple to improve the "yield" of its silicon chips, meaning fewer wasted chips and lower production costs, which is ultimately reflected in the price of the device you buy.
Does this rating affect your device's performance?
However, performance isn't solely determined by the chip; cooling, RAM speed, and how the system manages power all play a significant role. Chip categorization isn't a trick to make you pay more for less; it's a standard industry practice that gives Apple a huge advantage in controlling costs and offering a variety of options to suit different budgets. So, the next time you're buying a "cheaper" device, remember that you might actually have a "Pro" chip, just with a slightly lower number of cores!
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