Apple has officially rolled out iOS 18, and as with every new major release, it comes packed with a bunch of changes. However, one particular change in this update might surprise you: the move to extend battery life by introducing a delay in the CPU’s boost frequency. While this tweak enhances battery performance, it has an unintended side effect—lower scores on Geekbench 6 compared to iOS 17.
Although these reduced Geekbench 6 scores might suggest a dip in the iPhone’s performance, this is not something you’ll likely notice in everyday use. Prominent tech reviewer Geekerwan sheds light on this issue, revealing that the new delay affects how quickly the performance cores of the A17 Pro and A16 Bionic chips—found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, respectively—hit their maximum operating speeds. This intentional lag is designed to help conserve battery life.
When running iOS 17, the iPhone 15 Pro Max boasted impressive single-core and multi-core scores of 2,999 and 7,779, respectively. Under iOS 18, these figures drop slightly to 2,885 and 7,476. Despite what the benchmarks suggest, this delay will hardly be noticeable in daily tasks, and the improved battery life is a welcome trade-off for most users.
While some iPhone enthusiasts might miss boasting about their high Geekbench 6 scores, the real-world benefits of a longer-lasting battery far outweigh the minor dip in benchmark numbers. So, although the bragging rights might take a small hit, your device’s longevity and everyday usability win big with iOS 18.
