Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup brings significant CPU and GPU performance improvements compared to last year’s iPhone 16 models. New Geekbench 6 results highlight how the A19 and A19 Pro chips push Apple’s devices further ahead in raw benchmarks.
CPU Performance
The iPhone 17 Pro Max leads the chart with a single-core score of 3822 and a multi-core score of 9713. That puts it comfortably ahead of the iPhone 16 Pro, which scored 3533 and 8623 in the same tests. Even the standard iPhone 17, powered by the base A19 chip with 8 GB RAM, delivers a 3643 single-core and 9320 multi-core result. Surprisingly, this places it ahead of the iPhone 17 Air, despite the Air using the A19 Pro.
These results suggest that Apple tuned the A19 Pro differently for the slimmer iPhone 17 Air, likely prioritizing efficiency and thermal management over peak performance.
GPU Results: Pro Models Stand Apart
On the graphics side, the iPhone 17 Pro Max posts an impressive 45,585 in Geekbench’s GPU compute test, a sharp jump from the iPhone 16 Pro’s 32,653. The standard iPhone 17 also shows a notable leap with a score of 37,584, putting it ahead of last year’s Pro model.
The iPhone 17 Air, again using a modified A19 Pro chip, lands at 37,844, slightly above the base iPhone 17 but well behind the Pro Max.
For Users
The benchmarks confirm that Apple’s A19 generation delivers strong gains, especially in graphics-heavy workloads. A 40 percent GPU boost on the Pro models over last year’s devices could make the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max more viable for gaming and intensive compute tasks. At the same time, the standard iPhone 17 now performs at a level that rivals or surpasses older Pro-tier devices, making it a compelling option for most users.
Still, synthetic scores only tell part of the story. Real-world performance depends on how well these chips sustain speeds under heat and how software takes advantage of the extra power.
