Apple's iPhone 18 brings a quantum leap in performance

A new report from Korea says the standard iPhone 18, which will be released in 2026, will be upgraded to 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB on the iPhone 17, promising breakthrough performance.

According to a new report, Apple is preparing a significant upgrade for the standard iPhone 18 series, bringing the device closer to the high-end models. Increasing the RAM capacity to 12GB is considered a strategic move, bringing the basic version on par with the current iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air.

Previously, the standard iPhone 17 series was considered to be lagging behind when it only had 8GB of RAM, significantly lower than the Android flagships of the same period. While the two Pro versions were praised for their smooth multitasking capabilities, the standard version could not handle heavy tasks well, leaving many users unsatisfied.

This difference once made the basic iPhone 17 less attractive in the eyes of technology users, especially those who often play games or multitask. Therefore, upgrading RAM on iPhone 18 is expected to overcome this weakness, bringing a more comprehensive experience.

A source from The Bell (Korea) revealed that Apple has asked Samsung Electronics to increase the production of LPDDR5X chips, a type of high-speed memory expected to be equipped for the iPhone 18. This move shows that Apple is making efforts to optimize hardware performance, preparing for the next generation of iPhone to be more powerful than ever.

Apple appears to be preparing a significant upgrade for the standard iPhone 18 lineup.

Interestingly, Samsung currently only offers LPDDR5X chips in two capacity options: 12GB and 16GB, which leaves Apple with very few options if it wants to use this type of high-speed memory for its new iPhone line.

So, bumping up the RAM to 12GB on the standard iPhone 18 may not just be a strategic performance decision, but also a technical and supply chain decision, forcing Apple to adjust to the chip capacity levels that Samsung is producing.

Some experts say this move shows the flexibility in how Apple manages its component supply. Instead of customizing each configuration individually, the company seems to be looking to synchronize components to reduce production costs.

With a philosophy of always focusing on optimizing performance and controlling costs, Apple may have chosen to use the same RAM capacity for the entire product line. This method not only helps the company save money but also effectively takes advantage of Samsung Electronics' production scale.

Notably, in addition to increasing capacity, the memory structure of the iPhone 18 will also be significantly improved.

According to sources from The Bell, Apple is said to be expanding its network of partners by negotiating with SK Hynix and Micron – two “giants” in the memory chip field – to supplement the supply from Samsung. This move not only helps Apple avoid depending on a single manufacturer but also ensures stability when the demand for components increases.

This diverse collaboration is said to serve two important goals: ensuring a stable supply chain and expanding the ability to customize configurations between iPhone models. This way, Apple can be more flexible in allocating hardware to each product segment, instead of maintaining the rigid way as before.

Analysts predict that Apple may order lower capacity RAM chips from SK Hynix or Micron, still in the LPDDR5X standard but limited to less than 12GB – matching the standard iPhone 18 series. In contrast, Samsung is likely to continue to supply 12GB and 16GB RAM chips for the Pro and Air versions, helping to maintain a clear difference in performance.

Notably, in addition to increasing capacity, the memory structure of the iPhone 18 will also be significantly improved. According to leaks that appeared since April, the new product line will switch to using 6-channel LPDDR5X RAM, instead of 4 channels as before - promising to bring faster data retrieval speed and superior overall performance.

The switch to a 6-channel RAM architecture brings clear benefits to the performance of the iPhone 18. The memory bandwidth is significantly expanded, helping the device handle multitasking more smoothly and improve graphics capabilities in heavy applications. This will be an important foundation for Apple to exploit the maximum power from the new generation chip.

The move to a six-channel RAM architecture brings clear benefits to the iPhone 18's performance.

According to sources, the iPhone 18 is expected to be equipped with the A20 or A20 Pro chip, depending on the version, manufactured on TSMC's advanced 2nm process. The combination of a powerful processor and high-speed RAM promises to make the iPhone 18 one of the fastest smartphones in the world when it launches in 2026.

However, analysts believe that increasing RAM to 12GB may not have been part of Apple's original plan. This change partly comes from adjustments in the component supply chain, when manufacturing partners only maintain higher capacity options. However, this is a "positive incident" for users.

With 12GB of RAM, the iPhone 18 will be able to handle complex applications better, ensuring stable performance during long-term use. In particular, this configuration also optimally supports AI features in iOS 20 - which require large memory to operate smoothly and respond quickly.

In the context that Android flagship models such as Galaxy, Pixel or Xiaomi are popular with 12GB–16GB RAM, Apple's upgrade of memory for the entire iPhone 18 line is considered an inevitable step. As expected, all three versions including iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2nd generation and iPhone 18 Pro will have at least 12GB RAM, helping to standardize performance and bring a consistent experience to users.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/iphone-18-cua-apple-mang-den-buoc-nhay-vot-ve-hieu-nang-332475.html