The new A5 system-on-a-chip in the iPad 2 has been said to have a "dual-core" processor with "up to 2x" the power of its predecessor, the A4. However, if you review the actual words Steve Jobs used when announcing the new iPad, you'll note that he says "two processors inside" right after he reads "dual-core processors" off the slide. It's a meaningful distinction, because if "dual-core" meant a Cortex-A9 CPU, that would give the iPad 2 much more than "up to twice as fast on CPU performance." Given the low power draw of the new SoC, it's reasonable to speculate that what they've done is cram two low-power Cortex-A8s in there, rather than a single Cortex-A9.
The graphics chip inside the A5 is widely... [Read More]