A10 fusion processor with 64-bit architecture. Packaging and equipment
At the presentation of the iPhone 7 we were already told that new processor A10 Fusion, composed of four cores of different power, is able to adaptively adapt to the user's needs and significantly exceeds the performance of its predecessor. As it turned out, the results of the smartphone in synthetic tests were comparable to those of laptops MacBook Air 2015 and MacBook Pro 2013.
According to Apple itself, the performance increase of the new “system-on-chip” is significant - the smartphone is up 40% faster than iPhone 6s and twice the performance of the iPhone 6. Two of its cores operate at a clock frequency of 2.34GHz, two more are used as energy-efficient reserve and operate operating frequency at 1.05GHz. According to the observations of the editor of the Ars Technika portal, when switching a smartphone into energy saving mode, it completely relies on their power. This rotation allows you to extend the operating time of the smartphone - but even in regular use, the A10 Fusion consumes 2/3 of the amount of energy that the A9 required.
In fact, it is too early to talk about switching to a quad-core architecture - the system continues to “see” only two logical cores for calculations. iOS independently decides when to switch between the main and additional cores, not allowing them to be used at the same time. We were able to check the indicators using the Xcode Activity Monitor utility - the maximum processor load did not exceed 200% even when using the most “heavy” programs. How is it possible to overcome the 100% barrier? The fact is that when monitoring the system, the load on each separate kernel, for dual-core solutions the limit is fixed at 200%. Since the release of the A5, dual-core chips have been installed inside iOS devices, with the only exception being iPad Air 2, which houses the triple-core A8X.
On this moment A10 Fusion is the most overclocked chip in the history of iOS devices. As mentioned earlier, the two main cores operate at a clock speed of 2.34GHz. This indicator determines the number of calculations per unit of time. The A9 used a frequency of 1.85GHz, and the A9X tablet, installed in the Pro series tablets, was overclocked to 2.25GH. But if we compare iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s, these sets of numbers express stable correlations - an increase in clock frequency by 27% provoked an increase in performance by 30-40%.
Synthetic tests do not always reflect the real state of affairs, but are traditionally considered in a good way compare the technical capabilities of devices. The iPhone 7 does not leave behind - thanks to a consistent policy of using a small number of high-power cores, the smartphone confidently competes in multi-core mode and is fantastically superior to competitors in the “single-core” comparison.
Multi-core configuration 
Single core mode
The Geekbench 3 test results leave the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus clearly showing the evolution of proprietary processors. But even more interesting is the comparison with top Android devices - the flagships from HTC, Nexus and Samsung are left far behind.
Single core mode 
Multi-core configuration
The new processors also cope well with tasks that require fast execution of JS code, as evidenced by the results of the specialized Octane V2 test. This indicates the absence of unpleasant twitches and short-term freezes when loading massive JS applications.
In addition, the publication Daring Fireball drew attention to the fact that the iPhone 7 leaves everything far behind in synthetic tests MacBook models Air and is very close to the results of the MacBook Pro Retina 2013. In the future, this may mean that the company is ready to use mobile processors in their laptops - however, they are built on different architectures.
Many of our readers are concerned about the question - which processor is better and more powerful: Apple A10 Fusion or Qualcomm Snapdragon 821. We made a comparison key parameters, such as cores, clock speed, graphics, built-in LTE modems and chip performance. Below are all the details about which one is cooler.
Comparison of characteristics
| Snapdragon 821 | A10 Fusion | |
|---|---|---|
| Tech process | 14 nm | 16 nm |
| Cores | 64-bit, 4 cores 2x Kryo 2.4 GHz + 2x Kryo 2.0 GHz | 64-bit, 4 cores, 2x Hurricane 2.34 GHz + 2x Zephyr |
| Computations | per core | per cluster |
| Graphic arts | Adreno 530 GPU 650 MHz | 6-core graphics |
| RAM type | LPDDR4, 1866 MHz | LPDDR4 |
| 4G LTE | X12 LTE Cat 12/13 | no data |
| Charger | Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 | no data |
| Graphics support | OpenGL ES 3.2, Open CL 2.0, Vulkan 1.0 DX11.2 |
OpenGL ES 3.0, Metal |
| Video | recording 4K Ultra HD video at a frame rate per second of 30 fps. Playing 4K/30fps video | |
| Codecs | H.264(AVC)+ H.265 (HEVC) |
H.264 (AVC) + H.265 (for Facetime?) |
| WiFi | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
Architecture
As can be seen from the table, both chipsets have a 64-bit architecture and 4 computing cores. This design was created by ARM, it is called big.LITTLE Heterogeneous Multi-Processing (HMP) and means that not all cores in the cluster are equal. The Snapdragon 821 has two cores clocked at 2.4 GHz per core and two at 2.0 GHz. The Apple chip uses the same design; the maximum processor clock speed reaches 2.34 GHz per core.
This is done so that the processor can provide maximum performance in heavy applications, and in weak processes preserve battery charge as much as possible. The Apple A10 Fusion is the first 4-core processor from the Cupertino company, which is built on the big.LITTLE architecture.
Graphics and LTE modem
As for graphics, both chipsets use their own graphics system. Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 has an Adreno 530 GPU with clock frequency 650 MHz. Apple previously used PoweVR GPU graphics from Imagination Technologies. But with the 10 Fusion processor, it switched to a proprietary 6-core graphics chip. Apple graphics still don't have an official name.
The Snapdragon 821 supports OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.0, while the A10 Fusion supports OpenGL ES 3.0 and the Metal API (its own Apple development). Another difference between the chipsets is the support for Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging in the SD 821 and its absence in Apple. Also, the Snapdragon 821 SoC has an on-chip X12 LTE modem, while the Apple A10 does not have a built-in LTE modem and uses third party solution on a separate chip.
Performance
The Snapdragon 821 processor can be considered more productive, since for a relatively identical architecture and frequency, it is built on a smaller technological process (14 nm versus 16 nm). This will also have the positive effect of lower energy consumption. But in popular benchmarks like AnTuTu, Geekbench and Basemark OS III, the Apple A10 Fusion scores higher than the Qualcomm SoC.
It is worth noting that performance will still vary from device to device, because manufacturers use different degrees of hardware and software optimization, as well as different processor “body kits”: RAM and flash memory, etc.
Detailed results in AnTuTu benchmark
| AnTuTu Test | A10 Fusion | Snapdragon 821 |
|---|---|---|
| 3D | 44996 (28917, 16079) | 56890 (36443, 20447) |
| UX | 52071 (8168, 11180, 21587, 4528, 6617) | 45278 (8209, 4833, 9027, 19639, 3570) |
| CPU | 41655 (14512, 14632, 12511) | 32403 (12204, 8129, 12070) |
| RAM | 11568 | 6521 |
In AnTuTu, the difference between the performance of the chips is only 6%, but in the Geekbech single-core test the difference was 126% in favor of Apple. In AnTuTu, the Snapdragon 821 chip performed better only in the 3D test and scored 56,890 points, where the A10 Fusion received only 44,996 points.
Power consumption
Comparison was carried out on Apple smartphones iPhone 7 and Google Pixel. As you can see from the slide, the iPhone 7 performed better in 3D games and its battery retained more charge than the Google Pixel battery. At the same time, while watching videos on smartphones, Google's Pixel with Snapdragon 821 produced slightly better results than Apple's. From this we can conclude that although the SD 821 processor copes well with heavy games in terms of performance, it is still not the best solution for games in terms of battery life.
Apple does not disclose all the features of its gadgets, so independent researchers have to take matters into their own hands. In addition to iFixit specialists assessing the repairability of equipment, inside iPhone smartphones 7 experts from Chipworks stopped by to examine the new A10 Fusion hardware platform. A little later, this crystal will find use in updated iPad tablets.
The quad-core A10 Fusion processor was manufactured at the enterprises of the Taiwanese company TSMC at 16 nm technological process, while the previous A9 chip was produced using a 14- and 16-nm process technology, depending on the manufacturer – Samsung and TSMC, respectively. The previous A8 processor was created in compliance with 20 nm technology standards, and the A7 was created using a 28 nm process technology.
The A10 Fusion chip with an area of 125 mm² contains 3.3 billion transistors. Layout density has remained virtually unchanged over three generations of Apple SoCs. Although the A9 and A10 use FinFET technology, only the A10 managed to catch up with the A8 with “flat” transistors, experts say. At the same time, the transition to FinFET has improved performance and reduced power consumption.
On top of the A10 chip is a 2GB LPDDR4 Samsung K3RG1G10CM memory chip.
Tests have shown that the single-core performance of the A10 Fusion reaches the level Intel processors Core for laptops. According to Geekbench data, this iPhone indicator 7 not only outperforms its Android competitors, but is also faster than any MacBook Air notebook released, many Mac computers, and even workstation Mac Pro 2013.
Of course, it’s strange to compare smartphones with desktop systems, but the fact itself says a lot about the direction of the industry in recent years and the explosive development mobile market. For many years, Intel dominated the consumer processor sector, but today its position here cannot be called stable.
By the way, Chipworks specialists confirmed that some of the chips for the iPhone 7 are supplied by Intel. It's about about two radio frequency transceivers, a power controller for the radio frequency unit and a modem.
The update to the iPhone line this year turned out to be strange. We told you in detail about the iPhone 7 Plus, where we described the situation with the disappearing headset jack, the appearance of a second rear camera, and the new color of the case... In general, the situation with the younger model is similar, but it would be wrong to ignore it completely. Usually we test both new models almost simultaneously, but this time it turned out that it was the iPhone 7 that was in short supply. And just recently we managed to get a copy for quite a long time, allowing us to carefully study all aspects of this gadget.
Let's take a look at the characteristics of the device.
Technical specifications of Apple iPhone 7
- SoC Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
- Apple A10 Fusion GPU
- Coprocessor Apple movements M10 including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
- RAM 2 GB
- Flash memory 32/128/256 GB
- No memory card support
- operating system iOS 10
- Sensory IPS display, 4.7″, 1334×750 (326 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch, support for 3D Touch technologies and Taptic Engine response
- Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear (12 MP, video shooting 4K 30 fps and 60 fps)
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
- Cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, LTE Advanced support
- Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP LE
- Fingerprint scanner finger touch Third version ID
- NFC (only for Apple Pay)
- Universal Lightning Connector
- Li-polymer battery 1960 mAh, non-removable
- GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
- Dimensions 138×67×7.1 mm
- Weight 138 g (our measurement)
For clarity, let’s compare the characteristics of the new product with the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 6s.
| Apple iPhone 6s | |||
| Screen | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi | 5.5″, IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi | 4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture) | Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture) | |
| GPU | Apple A10 Fusion | Apple A10 Fusion | Apple A9 |
| Flash memory | 32/128/256 GB | 32/128/256 GB | 16/64/128 GB |
| Connectors | universal lightning connector | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack | |
| Memory card support | No | No | No |
| RAM | 2 GB | 3 GB | 2 GB |
| Cameras | main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video) | main (12 MP; 4K video) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video) | main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (5 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video) |
| User identification sensors | Fingerprint's scanner | Fingerprint's scanner | Fingerprint's scanner |
| Housing protection | IP67 (water and dust protection) | IP67 (water and dust protection) | No |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 1960 | 2900 | 1715 |
| operating system | Apple iOS 10 | Apple iOS 10 | Apple iOS 9 (upgrade to iOS 10 available) |
| Dimensions (mm)* | 138×67×7.1 | 158×78×7.3 | 138×67×7.1 |
| Weight (g)** | 138 | 189 | 143 |
| Average price (for version with minimum flash memory) | T-14206636 | T-14206637 | T-12858631 |
| iPhone 7 (32GB) Retail Deals | L-14206636-10 | ||
| iPhone 7 (128GB) Retail Deals | L-14206682-10 | ||
| iPhone 7 (256GB) Retail Deals | L-14206684-10 | ||
*according to manufacturer information
** our measurement
As we see, the differences iPhone specifications 7 from the iPhone 7 Plus are minimal. In addition to the obvious (dimensions and display size/resolution), this is a smaller amount of RAM (2 GB instead of three for the iPhone 7 Plus), as well as a smaller battery capacity and the absence of a second lens for the camera. At the same time, compared to its immediate predecessor - the iPhone 6s - the new product has slightly less weight (with the same dimensions) and a larger battery capacity.
Let's get acquainted with the smartphone in person and understand how these features affect the user qualities of the model.
Packaging and equipment
The box and equipment of the iPhone 7 are similar to the older model.
Let us remind you that the main thing here is new headphones (with a Lightning connector instead of a 3.5 mm Mini-jack) and an adapter from Lightning to a mini-jack. Thanks to this adapter, you can use your iPhone with traditional headphones or speakers.
Otherwise, everything is the same as before: leaflets, Charger(5 V 1 A), Lightning cable, stickers and a key for removing the SIM card cradle.
Design
Externally new iPhone, like its older brother, is very similar to its predecessor. Dimensions and basic design elements remain unchanged. We tested the golden version, and in this iPhone version 7 is even more difficult to distinguish from the iPhone 6/6s than in the case of the new “black” and “black onyx” colors.
By the way, the “black onyx” option, which was especially scarce in the first days of sales, can now be purchased without problems, but it has its drawbacks, which we wrote about in the article about the iPhone 7 Plus, so this is not an amateur solution. Not everyone likes golden color either, but it is more practical and familiar.
In general, the design of the iPhone 7 is identical to the iPhone 7 Plus. Location of connectors, case shape, moisture resistance, new button Home (sensory, not physical) - everything is the same. Therefore, here we will focus on iPhone comparison 7 with iPhone 6, in order to notice some non-obvious changes.
Firstly, the plastic inserts are now placed differently. They pass only along the edges, without climbing onto the back surface. However, we note that in the case of the golden version they are still too conspicuous. And in this regard, the silver and black versions seem more successful to us.
Secondly, the rear camera is now larger and more convex. But, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, there is only one. And finally, the third difference is the second row of holes on the bottom edge. However, don't think there's another speaker! Most likely there is a microphone there.
Overall, in terms of appearance, iPhone differences 7 from iPhone 6s are minimal. However, despite this, Apple has not ensured the compatibility of protective accessories. Cases for iPhone 6s will not fit iPhone 7 due to the changed camera eye. This is, of course, a very strange and offensive decision. But new color options are available for iPhone 7 leather cases: almond, “stormy sky” and “blue sea”. We were able to evaluate the last of them live.
It combines rather strangely with the golden color, but you can’t deny this shade a certain charm. It doesn’t seem to be blue, but at the same time it’s not blue either, but something in between. However, here we note the traditional problem of Apple leather cases: quite quickly they become covered with scratches and lose presentable appearance. Therefore, if you perceive the case as an element of style, and not just as protection for your smartphone, you should handle it with care.
Summarizing our impressions of the design, we can simply repeat what was said earlier about the iPhone 7 Plus and wish that in the next iPhone versions functional features current generation have been preserved (moisture protection, first of all), and appearance still updated more significantly.
Screen
Options iPhone screen 7 are no different from those of the iPhone 6s: 4.7-inch diagonal, IPS matrix with a resolution of 1134×750. By modern standards - average parameters.
The editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections will tell you about the quality of the display. Alexey Kudryavtsev.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Apple iPhone 7, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Apple iPhone 7 is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 110 versus 118 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Apple iPhone 7 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to smaller number boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, much like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.
When manually controlling brightness and when displaying a white field in full screen maximum value brightness was about 560 cd/m², the minimum was 4.8 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located above the front speaker slot). In automatic mode, as external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider - with it the user sets the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If you don’t change anything, then in complete darkness the brightness drops to 2.6 cd/m² (very dark), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux) the screen brightness is set to 120 cd/m² (acceptable), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight- 20,000 lux or a little more) rises to 650 cd/m² (even higher than with manual adjustment). We were not entirely satisfied with the result, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider to the right, and for the three conditions indicated above we got 16, 100-170 and 650 cd/m² (ideal). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately, and it is possible to adjust the nature of the brightness change to suit the user's requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.
IN this smartphone An IPS type matrix is used. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
Traditionally, for the iPhone, a lot of dust particles are found in the layer of filler adhesive between the outer glass and the matrix; we won’t even demonstrate this.
The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone 7 and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (over a white field in the entire screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:
We note good uniformity of brightness and color tone white field.
And a test picture:
Color balance varies slightly, color saturation is normal. Recall that photography can not serve as a reliable source of information about color rendering quality and are provided for illustrative purposes only. IN in this case, apparently due to the characteristics of the screen’s emission spectrum, the color balance and brightness of colors in photographs Apple screen iPhone 7 is somewhat different from what is visible to the eye and determined by a spectrophotometer.
Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level.
And a white field:
The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone 7 the drop in brightness is less. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened to a medium degree and acquires a purple tint. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good, although not ideal:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1375:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 23 ms (12 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 30 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The power function fitting exponent is 1.76, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, so the image is slightly brightened. In this case, the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power-law dependence:
Color gamut is sRGB:
Let's look at the spectra:
Such spectra are found in top mobile devices Sony and other manufacturers. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. For a consumer device, a wide color gamut is not an advantage, but significant drawback, since as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. But unlike many famous and not so famous companies, Apple knows what the color gamut should be, and therefore carefully adjusts it to the sRGB boundaries. As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation.
This applies to those images that have an sRGB profile or no profile at all. However, native to modern Apple devices (at least iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Pro 9.7 and MacBook Pro) is the color space Display P3 with slightly richer greens and reds. Space Display P3 based on SMPTE DCI-P3, but has a D65 white point and a gamma curve of approximately 2.2. In addition, the manufacturer states that starting from iOS 9.3 on system level color management is supported, this makes it easier for iOS applications to correctly display images with the specified color profile. Indeed, by supplementing the test images (JPG and PNG files) with the Display P3 profile, we obtained a color gamut wider than sRGB (output in Safari):
Note that the coordinates of the primary colors coincide almost exactly with those specified for the DCI-P3 standard. This coverage is different from Adobe RGB, red in Display P3 slightly more saturated, and green can be considered less saturated:
We look at the spectra in the case of test images with a profile Display P3:
It can be seen that in this case no cross-mixing of components occurs, that is, this color space is native to the Apple iPhone 7 screen. The most important question is whether the support provides Display P3 at least some significant advantage, and doubts are associated primarily with the fact that there is practically no content with a coverage wider than sRGB, and when it appears, it is not a fact that it will be in the variant Display P3, and all current devices will be hopelessly outdated by that time. However, you have to start somewhere, and the wide screen coverage, as well as the color management built into the OS, contribute to this. In the meantime, the content can be created by the user himself, since in photographs with iPhone cameras 7/7 Plus profile is registered Display P3(however, we do not know about the real color gamut of these cameras).
The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. The nature of the change in values from hue to hue indirectly shows that software color correction is used. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
Like the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and iPhone SE, this Apple device there is a function Night Shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (the user specifies how much warmer). A description of why such a correction may be useful is given in the specified article about the iPad Pro 9.7. In any case, when having fun with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the setting Night Shift.
Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, good black stability to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane, high contrast, as well as support for the sRGB color gamut (with the participation of the OS) and good color balance. There are no significant shortcomings. At the moment, this is perhaps one of the best displays among all smartphones.
Performance
The iPhone 7, like the iPhone 7 Plus, runs on the new Apple A10 Fusion SoC (we talked about it in detail in iPhone review 7 Plus, so we won't repeat ourselves). However, the RAM capacity of the younger model is less. Let's see how this affects performance!
Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark and Kraken Benchmark. We will also add to our standard set a new browser benchmark, recommended by the creators of SunSpider as a replacement for it. The Safari browser was used.
As we can see, the iPhone 7 not only kept up with the iPhone 7 Plus, but even slightly surpassed it. However, the difference is so small that it can be attributed to measurement error.
Now let's see how the iPhone 7 Plus performs in the comprehensive AnTuTu benchmark (we've recently been using it on iOS) and Geekbench 4, which measures CPU performance.
And here's the first surprise: the iPhone 7 lost heavily to the older iPhone 7 Plus in AnTuTu. Moreover, what’s interesting is that it’s not just about RAM, although it’s about memory scores too. But in the Geekbench 4 processor benchmark, the results were already almost identical.
The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark and GFXBench Metal.
Let us remind you that off-screen tests mean displaying a 1080p image on the screen, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests mean displaying a picture in the resolution that matches the device screen resolution. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the comfort of the game on a specific device.
(Apple A10) |
(Apple A10) |
|
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.3.1 (1440р) | 22.7 fps | 18.3 fps |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 | 59.4 fps | 26.1 fps |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (Off Screen) | 38.8 fps | 26.1 fps |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan | 59.8 fps | 41.1 fps |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan (1080p Offscreen) | 58.3 fps | 41.0 fps |
And here's the mystery: iPhone 7 beats iPhone 7 Plus not only in real-resolution tests, which is quite logical, but also in off-screen tests! At the same time, the same version of the program and identical versions of the OS were installed on both smartphones. Miracles, and that’s all!
Here the results are more plausible, although somewhat contradictory, but the difference is not so great, so it is quite possible to say that the rivals are equal.
As a result, we can admit that the iPhone 7, even despite the smaller amount of RAM, is practically not inferior to the iPhone 7 Plus in performance. In most benchmarks, including those using real 3D scenes, it performed similarly to the older model. Of course, we can assume that one day the user will feel a lack of RAM. But this will not happen soon, but for now you don’t have to worry too much about the numbers in technical specifications and choose between iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus without regard to performance parameters.
Cameras
iPhone 7 does not main feature iPhone 7 Plus - second rear camera. However, unlike the iPhone 6s, there is optical stabilization when shooting video (in the previous generation only the iPhone 6s Plus had it), and other camera parameters (front and rear) are identical to the iPhone 7 Plus.
Now let's evaluate the photo capabilities. Below are examples of pictures taken with the rear camera with comments from our expert. Anton Solovyov.
It looks like the camera didn't get any better with the firmware update. She still often makes mistakes with focus, and the pictures are full of artifacts, albeit small ones. However, the camera can also take good pictures, but to obtain good pictures you'll have to try. Based on the results of bench shooting, the camera did not improve the results too much, but now the curve on the graph is quite consistent with reality. Previously, despite the low actual resolution, the images were clean and neat. Now they are lost among the pictures of top smartphones, and are noticeably inferior to some. As it turns out, the camera is inferior even to the older model. Well, perhaps all is not lost yet. And in any case, the camera will cope with many scenes even in its current form.
Autonomous operation and heating
As with the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has kept the iPhone 7's battery life similar to the previous generation. In real everyday use, this is about a day, with active use- even less.
In 3D games, the smartphone is completely discharged in seven and a half hours, which is very good and indicates the high energy efficiency of the SoC, but in reading modes and playing videos from YouTube, the result is not much better, that is, the battery is consumed not so much due to the load on the SoC, but due to the screen. And here everything depends on the small battery capacity.
Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after two consecutive runs (about 10 minutes of work) of the Basemark Metal test:
It can be seen that the heating is highly localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat camera, the maximum heating was 44 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is 3 degrees more than in the case of the iPhone 7 Plus.
conclusions
Let's not be afraid to play the role of Captain Obvious and just admit: iPhone 7 is one of the best compact smartphones On the market. Highest performance (despite only 2 GB of RAM), an excellent screen (albeit not impressive with the specifications), water resistance, a camera with optical stabilization (albeit with imperfect firmware, which is evident when taking photos) - these are the main advantages of iPhone 7.
On the other hand, there is nothing revolutionary in this model, and due to the lack of a second rear camera, it turned out to be even more boring than its “big brother”. Therefore, upgrading to it from an iPhone 6s or even an iPhone 6 definitely does not make sense (if you are generally satisfied with how your current smartphone works). Well, maybe because of the moisture resistance. However, we hope that future iPhone models will retain water resistance, and in addition to it they will receive many other interesting innovations.
Fair, not overpriced and not underestimated. There should be prices on the Service website. Necessarily! without asterisks, clear and detailed, where technically possible - as accurate and concise as possible.
If spare parts are available, up to 85% of complex repairs can be completed in 1-2 days. Modular repairs require much less time. The website shows the approximate duration of any repair.
Warranty and responsibility
A guarantee must be given for any repairs. Everything is described on the website and in the documents. The guarantee is self-confidence and respect for you. A 3-6 month warranty is good and sufficient. It is needed to check quality and hidden defects that cannot be detected immediately. You see honest and realistic terms (not 3 years), you can be sure that they will help you.
Half the success in Apple repair is the quality and reliability of spare parts, so a good service works directly with suppliers, there are always several reliable channels and your own warehouse with proven spare parts for current models, so you don’t have to waste extra time.
Free diagnostics
This is very important and has already become a rule good manners For service center. Diagnostics is the most difficult and important part of the repair, but you don't have to pay a penny for it, even if you don't repair the device based on its results.
Service repairs and delivery
A good service values your time, so it offers free delivery. And for the same reason, repairs are carried out only in the workshop of a service center: they can be done correctly and according to technology only in a prepared place.
Convenient schedule
If the Service works for you, and not for itself, then it is always open! absolutely. The schedule should be convenient to fit in before and after work. Good service works on weekends and holidays. We are waiting for you and working on your devices every day: 9:00 - 21:00
The reputation of professionals consists of several points
Company age and experience
Reliable and experienced service has been known for a long time.
If a company has been on the market for many years and has managed to establish itself as an expert, people turn to it, write about it, and recommend it. We know what we are talking about, since 98% of incoming devices in the service center are restored.
Other service centers trust us and refer complex cases to us.
How many masters in areas
If there are always several engineers waiting for you for each type of equipment, you can be sure:
1. there will be no queue (or it will be minimal) - your device will be taken care of right away.
2. you give to Macbook repair an expert in the field of Mac repairs. He knows all the secrets of these devices
Technical literacy
If you ask a question, a specialist should answer it as accurately as possible.
So that you can imagine what exactly you need.
They will try to solve the problem. In most cases, from the description you can understand what happened and how to fix the problem.