iPhone 17e Benchmark Leak Raises Concerns: Key Red Flags to Watch Out For

As excitement builds for the iPhone 17e’s upcoming announcement on February 19, Apple enthusiasts anticipate the debut of the company’s first smartphone of the year. This date mirrors the unveiling of the iPhone 16e from the past year. In the lead-up to the launch, numerous leaks have surfaced, notably in the form of benchmark scores reported by Geekbench 6. However, there are compelling indications that these scores may have been fabricated. Below, we provide a concise overview of the most critical findings related to these benchmark leaks.

Concerns Surrounding the iPhone 17e’s Benchmark Scores

One of the most glaring issues with the suspected benchmark data is that the supposed iPhone 17e is identified as iPhone99, 11, a stark contrast to the iPhone17, 5 identifier assigned to the iPhone 16e. This discrepancy raises questions, as the iPhone 17e should logically have the identifier iPhone18, 5. While earlier reports suggested this budget model would be equipped with a modified A19 chip, any downgrade would typically stand at having one less GPU core, akin to the binned A18 present in the iPhone 16e. Below are additional concerns that further cast doubt on the legitimacy of these benchmark figures:

The Geekbench 6 identifier shows iPhone99, 11 instead of the expected iPhone18, 5.
Details reveal a supposed 8-core CPU configuration; however, Apple’s A-series chipsets have consistently featured a 6-core structure.
If the iPhone 17e uses a binned A19 Pro, the clock speed should be no less than 4.26GHz, well above the indicated 3.76GHz.
The benchmark claims the device has 10GB of RAM, which exceeds the anticipated 8GB.
The motherboard designation is labeled as VPHONE600AP, diverging from the known V59AP for the iPhone 16e and V57AP for the iPhone 17.

Comparison of the base iPhone 17 against the fake iPhone 17e benchmark scores — Comparison of the base iPhone 17 against the alleged iPhone 17e’s benchmark results.

Metal benchmark comparison between base iPhone 17 and fake iPhone 17e — Metal benchmark comparison between the base iPhone 17 and the rumored iPhone 17e.

Apple has a strong track record of maintaining confidentiality about benchmark results until after a product’s official launch. Past leaks typically arose from errors within the company, as witnessed when a Russian YouTuber obtained details on the unreleased M5 iPad Pro. For now, it is prudent for consumers to hold off on conclusions until the iPhone 17e is officially revealed, at which point authentic Geekbench 6 results will be disclosed.

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