Apple says the M2 iPad Air’s performance claims are accurate despite the GPU mix-up

Over the weekend, we reported that Apple updated its website to say the new M2 chip for the iPad Air features a 9-core GPU, despite it being originally advertised as a 10-core GPU. An Apple spokesperson has now confirmed this change to 9to5Macwhile also saying that all performance claims remain accurate and are based on a 9-core GPU.

Here’s the full statement from an Apple spokesperson:

We are updating Apple.com To correct the base count of the M2 iPad Air. All performance claims for the M2 iPad Air are accurate and are based on a 9-core GPU.

The second part of that sentence is the key. Apple says all the performance claims it made about the M2 chip in the iPad Air are accurate, despite the 9-core versus 10-core GPU mix. For example, Apple’s claim that the M2 iPad Air is approximately 50% faster than the M1 still stands:

When combined with faster memory bandwidth, the new iPad Air is approximately 50 percent faster than the previous iPad Air with M1 memory, enabling a broader range of productivity and creative tasks. Compared to iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip, the new iPad Air delivers up to 3 times faster performance.

This is the first time Apple has sold an M2-powered device with a 9-core GPU. Typically, Apple offers 8- and 10-core GPU configurations, with options increasing from there depending on your PC.

Take 9to5Mac

It’s important to clarify that Apple’s claims about the M2 iPad Air’s performance still ring true. However, I would like more details about what exactly happened here. At this point, it appears that wires have been crossed somewhere within Apple, but we don’t know where.

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