Games for testing a smartphone. All about mobile processors for smartphones, rating of the best

Updated: 08/19/2018 17:25:57

Expert: Viktor Derzhavin

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At the heart of any computer technology is the processor. This also applies to smartphones - the power of the mobile chipset determines how quickly they will cope with certain tasks. When reading the characteristics of a device, you should look at the processor, if not first, then certainly not least. But which chipsets perform well? For many buyers, their names will mean nothing. Perhaps it's time to correct this situation. This article will introduce you to the ten best processors installed in modern smartphones. In this case, we will talk not only about top-end chips, but also about mid-budget, and even the most inexpensive solutions.

Main characteristics

1. First, you should understand that any microprocessor (CPU) consists of certain components. In particular, it contains many transistors. And the smaller these components are, the less energy the entire chipset as a whole will consume. Therefore, professionals who regularly review mobile equipment first of all look at the technical process by which the processor is manufactured. It is measured in nanometers. If we compare chipsets manufactured using the 12 and 30 nm process technology, then with the same clock speed and number of cores they will have completely different power consumption. That is, a smartphone with a second processor will require connecting a charger much more often (with absolutely the same other specifications and a completely identical operating system). The reduction in power consumption occurs due to the fact that smaller transistors produce less heat.
2. Another important characteristic is Number of Cores. But don’t think that the eight-core chipset will necessarily be more powerful than its quad-core counterpart. Even our rating will confirm that this is not always the case. Qualcomm has flagship solutions in the past, consisting of four cores, characterized by an increased clock frequency (the third important characteristic). At that moment, competitors were offering eight-core chipsets, the clock speed of which was noticeably lower. However, in some usage scenarios, it is the eight-core solution that shows itself better - when running some simple application, only one core will work, which in a quad-core product will be larger and less energy efficient. However, in real life the difference is barely noticeable, and smartphones are increasingly working under load, processing a large amount of information even just in the background.
3. Be that as it may, the number of cores and their clock speed directly affect how quickly the operating system and all applications will work. Budget smartphones are equipped with a quad-core chipset, the frequency of which does not exceed 1.4 GHz. Expensive devices work faster, since they contain a processor with eight cores, half of which have a frequency of 2.2 GHz. Well, top mobile chipsets can be even more powerful.

Rating of the best processors for smartphones

The best processors for budget smartphones (up to 10,000 rubles)

1. Process technology: 28 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 1400 MHz

An ideal solution for a relatively inexpensive smartphone or tablet. But for some time it still cost the manufacturer a decent amount, and therefore the chip was found only in devices costing 12-15 thousand rubles. But Qualcomm recently changed its pricing policy, and therefore the processor began to be found in cheaper devices. That is, it has become a competitor to very inexpensive chipsets from MediaTek.

The product consists of eight Cortex-A53 cores. The clock frequency of each of them can reach 1.4 GHz. The games use the Adreno 505 graphics accelerator. This is not to say that it works perfectly, but the graphics level does not have to be reduced too much. The chipset processes not only graphics, but also sound - the addition in the form of Hexagon DSP is responsible for this. It is assumed that this not only improves sound quality, but also reduces power consumption, because the computing cores rest when playing music.

In the AnTuTu benchmark, such a processor scores about 45 thousand points. As befits a modern mobile chipset, it supports high-speed data transfer via LTE. However, all the products reviewed in this rating can boast of this. As for cameras, the chip supports a dual module with a resolution of up to 21 megapixels. Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology is also available to the smartphone manufacturer.

The Snapdragon 430 was announced in September 2015. Xiaomi Redmi 3S, Lenovo Vibe K6 and Wileyfox Swift 2 were released quite quickly - all these smartphones were built on the basis of the above-mentioned processor. Now the number of devices with a mid-budget chip from Qualcomm is extremely difficult to calculate - it is so large.

1. Process technology: 28 nm
2. Number of cores: 4
3. Clock frequency: 1500 MHz

Must be one of the most popular mobile processors. The MediaTek company supplies it literally for pennies (figuratively speaking, in fact, each copy costs the smartphone manufacturer a few dollars). Like the previous chipset reviewed, MTK6737T is created using a 28-nanometer process technology. This means that you need to forget about serious energy efficiency. There is also no separate audio chip, so one of the computing cores will be responsible for audio processing. But support for LTE networks has not gone away. However, manufacturers of the cheapest smartphones deliberately block the possibility of high-speed data transfer.

This processor consists of four Cortex A53 cores operating at a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz. The Mali-T720 is used as the graphics processor accelerator for the smartphone. In the AnTuTu benchmark, the chipset receives no more than 37 thousand “parrots”. This is a fairly low result. But experts note that most often this power reserve is quite enough to ensure stable operation. Cheap smartphones, the cost of which varies from 6 to 9 thousand rubles, are simply not intended for games. Note that the chip is also limited in terms of Wi-Fi - it does not support the 802.11ac standard. As for the camera, the maximum processor is capable of processing a 13-megapixel image. In theory, the manufacturer has the opportunity to introduce video recording with a resolution of 1080p, but only at a frequency of 30 frames/s.

In short, this is a good processor for perhaps the cheapest smartphones. It has no competitors in its price segment.

1. Process technology: 28 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 1500 MHz

When developing this chipset, MediaTek was guided by the processor discussed a little higher in this rating. You can see the obvious similarities yourself. Here, too, cores manufactured according to the ARM Cortex A53 architecture are used, but their number is exactly doubled. Moreover, even their clock frequency is identical - it does not exceed 1.5 GHz. Oddly enough, in AnTuTu the chip scores a little over 40 thousand points. Apparently, the increase in the number of cores only affected energy efficiency, while the processor power remained approximately the same.

In games, the Mali-T760 MP2 graphics accelerator, clocked at 695 MHz, will be activated. It’s better not to count on perfect results; you’ll still have to lower the graphics settings in the most difficult games. Of course, there is also support for LTE - almost all smartphones based on this processor can access the Internet at high speed.

It cannot be said that this smartphone chipset has become incredibly popular. Acer Liquid Jade S, Lenovo A7000 and some other smartphones were released on its basis. However, MediaTek is a company that is constantly expanding its range of processors. A replacement for this chipset was quickly found. However, at one time it was the optimal combination of price and characteristics.

The best processors for smartphones in the mid-price segment (up to 20,000 rubles)

1. Process technology: 28 nm
2. Number of cores: 6
3. Clock frequency: 2x1800 MHz and 4x1200 MHz

A real hit. When designing this processor, Qualcomm seems to have squeezed everything out of the 28nm process technology. At the same time, the emphasis was not on computing power, but on energy efficiency, which is immediately noticeable in the design of the chipset. The company deliberately did not increase the number of cores to eight. Instead, it uses six cores of different calibers. Powerful ARM Cortex-A72 cores with a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz are activated when solving complex tasks - they are the least energy efficient. Well, most of the time ARM Cortex-A53 cores will be used, the clock speed of which does not exceed 1.2 GHz. Their power reserve is quite enough for stable operation of the operating system, especially if it is a fresh and optimized version of Android. In games, the Adreno 510 graphics accelerator starts working. All this allows the processor to score approximately 70 thousand points in AnTuTu. An excellent result, especially considering that smartphones based on it rarely cost any money.

Unlike budget solutions, this smartphone chipset boasts support for the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard. It is also capable of detecting a signal from an NFC chip, if one is built into a mobile device. The chip has no problems with LTE networks either - the maximum processor throughput is 300 Mbit/s. High performance opens up new opportunities for smartphone manufacturers in terms of photo and video shooting. In particular, the product supports cameras with 21 megapixel resolution. As for video shooting, it can take place with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels. Of course, this is far from the ceiling for modern mobile processors - our rating will prove this. However, this allows you to create devices based on this chipset that are conventionally classified as “camera phones”.

Of course, a mid-budget chip could not do without limitations. The only drawback here is related to the fact that the processor was not developed yesterday. The fast charging technology used here is Quick Charge 2.0, while later chips support the third version, which is slightly faster.

1. Process technology: 16 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 4x2600 MHz and 4x1600 MHz

Another eight-core, but much more powerful processor in our selection. All its cores are divided into two clusters. The first includes cores with a clock frequency of 2.6 GHz. They work when launching games or, for example, during video editing. The second cluster consists of four cores with a clock speed of 1.6 GHz. This is quite enough for stable operation of the operating system and most applications.

What immediately attracts attention is the fact that the chipset is manufactured using a 16-nanometer process technology. This means that Helio P25 consumes less power than its budget counterparts. This will be felt especially strongly if the smartphone is used only for solving basic tasks. It should be noted that there is a Mali-T880 MP2 graphics accelerator here. Its capabilities are quite sufficient for most modern games - you will rarely have to reduce the graphics level.

As you might guess, the product supports data transmission over LTE networks. Moreover, the chip understands the LTE-A Cat standard. 6. This means that if the operator does not limit the speed, it will be very high - in this regard, the processor, again, outperforms inexpensive competitors.

Otherwise, the chip does not cause any complaints. By default, it supports the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard. Also, the smartphone manufacturer has almost no restrictions on the installed camera. The maximum processor can process a 24-megapixel image. The chip can also support 4K video without any problems.

Against this background, it is surprising that the processor scores about 62 thousand points in AnTuTu. As for smartphones based on this chip, the most famous of them are Meizu Pro 7, Doogee Mix 2 and Ulefone F1. Most often, it is Chinese manufacturers who choose MediaTek Helio P25.

1. Process technology: 14 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 2x2200 MHz and 6x1600 MHz

Excellent processors are also created by Samsung. These are exactly what South Korean devices that are sold in most countries, with the exception of the United States, receive (for certain reasons, devices based on Qualcomm chipsets have to be supplied there). If we talk specifically about the Exynos 7885, it consists of eight cores. The most powerful of them is the Cortex-A73 duo - these cores are capable of operating at a clock frequency of 2.2 GHz. In normal times, six less powerful Cortex-A53 cores will operate - their frequency does not exceed 1.6 GHz.

The processor for the smartphone has an integrated Mali-G71 MP2 accelerator. Its capabilities are sufficient to process graphics on screens with a resolution of no more than 1920x1200 or 2220x1080 pixels. With such a GPU, the chipset scores approximately 83 thousand points in the AnTuTu benchmark. This is a good result, which suggests that you can play on a smartphone - you will have to reduce the graphics level in rare cases.

The chip has a built-in modem that supports the LTE-A Cat standard. 12. That is, in theory, the processor provides a throughput of 600 Mbit/s. Data transfer can also be carried out over a Wi-Fi 802.11ac network. The chipset was introduced at the beginning of 2018, and therefore it managed to receive support for Bluetooth 5.0 technology. If we talk about the camera, then in this regard the South Koreans have created, if not a masterpiece, then a very successful solution. The Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) was the first to receive the processor - it has a 16-megapixel camera capable of shooting Full HD video at 30 frames/s. But the official website indicates that such a chip is also capable of 4K video shooting at the same frame rate (the capabilities of the above-mentioned smartphone are artificially low, since it belongs to the mid-budget segment). The chip supports a maximum of a single camera with a sensor resolution of 21.7 megapixels or a dual module with 16 megapixel matrices.

The best processors for premium smartphones

1. Process technology: 14/16 nm
2. Number of cores: 2
3. Clock frequency: 2260 MHz

The Apple A9X is a case where the number of cores doesn't matter. This chipset consists of only two cores, the clock frequency of which does not exceed 2.26 GHz. However, with a 14-nanometer process technology and a well-optimized operating system, this design is quite enough. We must remember that iOS does not support multi-window operation, so it does not require particularly high power.

When developing this processor, the Apple company worked not on cores, but on memory bandwidth - it was doubled compared to its predecessor. This means that applications open noticeably faster, and starting games now takes less time.

The processor includes a PowerVR seventh series graphics accelerator, created from 12 clusters. Its power is evidenced by the fact that the iPad Pro tablet computer with a 12.9-inch display is based on this chip. Experts note that in terms of performance, the chipset is very close to processors from the Intel Core M series, which, by the way, are equipped with laptops.

It should be noted that the Apple A9X is produced by two companies at once. And while Samsung manages to produce a chipset using a 14-nanometer process technology, TSMC’s capabilities are only sufficient for 16 nm. However, the difference between the two versions of the processor is almost not felt - devices based on them may differ only in battery life, calculated only in minutes.

If you are interested in the result in AnTuTu, then it reaches an impressive 176 thousand “parrots”. Everything is fine with the chip and with its wireless capabilities. As for the camera, the product maximum is not disclosed. Of course, the tablet does not have the best camera built into it, because it will rarely be used, and therefore there is no need to judge the chipset by this device.

1. Process technology: 28 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 4x2100 MHz and 4x1400 MHz

The Chinese company Xiaomi also ordered the production of its processor some time ago. The new product is called Pinecone S1. It’s easy to guess that the first-born couldn’t turn out perfect. The 28 nm process technology immediately attracts attention - only budget processors are now created using it. However, the Chinese tried to squeeze everything out of it, even if this affects the level of energy consumption. They equipped their creation with eight Cortex-A53 cores. Half of them operate at a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz - it is assumed that these cores will be launched during games or when solving any other complex tasks. The second half of the cores operates at a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz. These kernels work during normal use of the operating system, when only instant messengers and other similar programs are running in the background.

The Mali-T860 MP4 is used as a graphics accelerator. The chip supports LPDDR3 RAM, the clock frequency of which should not exceed 933 MHz. All this allows the chipset to get about 65 thousand points in AnTuTu Benchmark. The result is not impressive, but for a debutant it is quite good.

So far, this smartphone processor can only be found in the Xiaomi Mi5C, which is not receiving the best reviews on the Internet. The device is priced at 12-13 thousand rubles, which formally makes it a representative of the mid-budget segment. But there is no doubt that Xiaomi will try to design a more powerful continuation based on the Pinecone S1, which will be produced using a completely different technical process. Perhaps this is the only reason why the chip was included in our rating. Consider this our advance to him.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998

1. Process technology: 10 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 4x2450 MHz and 4x1900 MHz

One of the thinnest processors currently available. Its production uses, scary to say, a 10-nanometer technical process. Just five or six years ago this seemed impossible! This is also the case when even the least powerful quartet of cores beats some budget chipset. These cores operate at clock speeds up to 1.9 GHz! Well, the four remaining cores turned out to be even more productive. Together with the Adreno 540 video accelerator operating at a clock frequency of 710 MHz, this allows you to enjoy any games without reducing graphics settings! Surprisingly, there is even support for DirectX 12. The chipset also boasts support for LPDDR4X RAM, information from which is transmitted via two 32-bit channels. The memory frequency can reach an impressive 1866 MHz.

Such a processor for a smartphone easily scores more than 181 thousand points in the AnTuTu benchmark. But high power is not the only advantage of the top chipset. It has support for a completely new 6DoF technology - it serves for better performance of VR projects. Also, the graphics component of the chip has built-in support for 4K video recording at 60 frames/s - as long as the manufacturer equips its smartphone with the appropriate camera. But that's not all! The processor supports displaying images with the HDR 10 effect! That is, the image may be no worse than on some expensive TV. Of course, here, too, everything depends on the device manufacturer - to display such an image you need not only appropriate content, but also a fairly expensive LCD display. Finally, one cannot fail to note the implemented support for Qualcomm aptX and aptX HD technologies. They help deliver near-CD quality sound to Bluetooth headphones. Of course, the headset itself must also support one of these technologies on its side. The chip is also equipped with an ultra-high-speed LTE modem - it even allows you to use gigabit networks, which is implemented using 4x4 MIMO technology.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 is available in many flagships, the cost of which exceeds 30 thousand rubles. In particular, this chipset can be found in the version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 supplied to North America. Flagships such as Xiaomi Mi 6, OnePlus 5 and Google Pixel 2 also have top-end processors. These smartphones need unimaginable power, and they get it. Perhaps it is the Snapdragon 835 that shows that the development of mobile processors will soon come to a standstill. Yes, they will gradually become even more energy efficient. They may be more powerful, but what will this give the user? The capabilities of the above-mentioned chipset are enough. And while a computer can be used to edit and encode the resulting video, smartphones are used extremely rarely for such tasks. Therefore, for now, more powerful chips are simply not needed.

Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 8895M

1. Process technology: 10 nm
2. Number of cores: 8
3. Clock frequency: 4x1700 MHz and 4x2300 MHz

The South Korean company Samsung also managed to create a chipset using a 10-nanometer process technology. Its Exynos 9 consists of eight cores. They are usually divided into two clusters. The least productive cores operate at a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz. More powerful cores operate at a clock frequency of 2.3 GHz. Such indicators are quite enough for any applications and games designed for the Android operating system. Graphics processing is handled by the Mali-G71 MP20 video accelerator. Its capabilities are also sufficient for video editing and when running modern games. It can also recognize visual information received from the camera. For example, in this way the processor can learn to recognize people, vehicles and other objects.

This smartphone chipset is capable of displaying images on the screen with a resolution of up to 3840x2400 or 4096x2160 pixels. The product also supports LPDDR4X RAM, which has a high operating frequency. Nothing bad can be said about the processor throughput. If we talk about the LTE module, then, as you might guess, it is gigabit.

With such a chipset, smartphone creators have completely free hands. Although there is no doubt that the processor is unlikely to ever appear outside of South Korean devices. Its creators claim that the chip supports a 28-megapixel single or 16-megapixel dual camera. They also boast support for 4K video recording at 120fps. However, it is clarified that it is unlikely that a smartphone will be able to record video with such parameters for any long time - this quickly leads to overheating. Therefore, high-speed shooting is carried out only for a few seconds, while the beginning of the action scene is recognized automatically by the chipset.

Perhaps it is this processor that allows us to understand why South Korean flagships are so expensive. No other mobile chipset has such power yet. And no other has such a mass of possibilities (in this rating we didn’t even cover half of them).

Conclusion

This is a list of the best mobile processors available to manufacturers of portable devices at the time of writing. Note that such chipsets are built into not only smartphones, but also tablets. They are distinguished from their counterparts in desktop PCs and laptops by their ARM architecture, designed to process commands from the Android, iOS, Windows Phone and the like operating systems.

A series of articles about choosing a good smartphone, taking into account its characteristics. An ARM mobile processor for smartphones - more precisely, a single-chip SoC (system on a chip) system - all the components of a full-fledged mobile computer on one chip (chipset).

The SoC chip of a smartphone or tablet includes: CPU processor cores, memory controller, input/output ports, GPU graphics accelerator, audio-video decoding module, image processor, Wi-Fi wireless communication modules, GPS, modem... Processors for mobile devices - this is somewhat more than a CPU unit - it is a real computer squeezed into a small chipset.

The rating of mobile processors, device performance, and place in the rating are influenced by a number of interrelated factors. In order to form a correct understanding, the comparison of the performance of mobile processors should be linked to the following information and characteristics.

The developer of the microprocessor architecture is ARM Limited, the main licensees and manufacturers are Qualcomm (), MediaTek (), Samsung (), HiSilicon (). When producing a SoC crystal, the core architecture of ARM Cortex-A (CPU), ARM Mali (GPU) is taken as the basis. The number, class, generation of cores, quantitative and qualitative content of auxiliary modules are determined by the manufacturer. For example, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor is based on four high-performance Cortex-A75 cores and 4 energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores; instead of ARM Mali, a 630 graphics accelerator is integrated, as well as Spectra ISP, Aqstic Audio, and Mobile Security modules of our own design. Samsung Exynos 9810 has the same set - Cortex-A75 + Cortex-A55, but with the G72 MP18 video accelerator and a list of additional features. modules of our own and third-party developments.

“Earlier” or cheaper mobile processors for smartphones may contain cores of outdated Cortex-A72, Cortex-A73 architecture, may not have high-performance ones at all and are packaged only with low-performance Cortex-A53, in conjunction with slower memory and a video card. The characteristics of the integrated modules have an impact on the power consumption, heat dissipation and performance rating of the smartphone.

The set of basic, declared characteristics of a mobile processor always depends on heating and is subject to adjustment during the production of a specific smartphone model. Dimensions of the gadget, screen resolution, OS version, pre-installed software, heat-dissipating properties of the case, mediocre or well-designed protection mechanisms. It is difficult to implement a typical PC cooling system with a fan in a smartphone; the total heat dissipation of the crystal modules leads to throttling - skipping clock cycles, reducing the voltage and frequency of the module (computing cores), in order to protect against thermal damage (overheating).

All smartphones and tablets are susceptible to throttling, to varying degrees, but all of them. The manufacturer's contribution to solving this problem reflects the performance rating of the smartphone's mobile processor as a whole. Mobile devices with identical processors are equal only on paper; test results often confirm the opposite. Run the AnTuTu Benchmark stress test on your smartphone; the diagram with frequency indicators for each CPU core is very indicative. At the same time, you can join in a useful activity, take part in the rating, and supplement the comparison of mobile processors with test results for your device. Perhaps it is your example that will help a good person, suggest a direction, or warn against a rash purchase. How to take a screenshot and add test results - a short guide in the first comment.

The purpose of this comparison of smartphones is not to achieve absolute ranking accuracy, to identify a leader in individual disciplines, to search for the best manufacturer, or to call for the purchase of a specific model. The market is changing - carefully study the characteristics of gadgets; performance assessment is only a tool to help you draw conclusions. The table of mobile processors demonstrates the level of progress today and the minimum below which is better than nothing.

Best flagship processors

• 4 - Samsung Exynos 9810, 9820
• 3 - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
• 2 - HiSilicon Kirin 980
• 1 - Apple Bionic A11, A12

• 4 - Helio P60, P70
• 3 - HiSilicon Kirin 710
• 2 - Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, 632
• 1 - Samsung Exynos 7885

• 4 - Helio P23, P25
• 3 - HiSilicon Kirin 659
• 2 - Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, 450
• 1 - Samsung Exynos 7870

Mobile phones are becoming smarter every year, and the day is not far when smartphone performance will reach its peak. Well, while the perfect chip has not been presented to the public, many gadget owners are interested in which processor is better for a smartphone? Experienced device enthusiasts are well versed in the technical characteristics of chips.

However, today there are so many options that it’s hard for even an expert not to get confused. If you still have difficulties choosing a processor for your phone, this rating will help. The most powerful parts with excellent energy optimization and performance are collected here.

Processor performance comparison

Best flagship processors

The performance rating of smartphone processors is especially interesting, because it includes the most famous chips in the electronics world. A flagship phone is not only a fashion model, but also a full-fledged replacement for a work laptop, camera or creative device. Therefore, the requirements for the filling are increased: the number of cores, their operating frequency and architecture play an important role.

4 Samsung Exynos 9810, 9820

The latest Samsung products are equipped with the Exynos 9810 SoC. And after the first use of these smartphones, their ultra energy efficiency is obvious. Apparently, it’s all about the 10nm process technology and modest (compared to other models in the rating) performance. However, the Mali-G72 MP18 makes it easy to run any program or game, and 8 cores at 1.8 or 2.5 GHz get the job done. In the AnTuTu test, the TOP hero scores almost 250 thousand points.

The next processor presented - Exynos 9820 - took into account all the imperfections of its predecessor.

The most significant improvement is the use of neural networks. The processor is based on a new core system: two M4 cores, two Cortex A75 cores and four Cortex A55 cores. As a result, test results were increased by several tens of thousands of points. A more recent graphics accelerator was used. Mali-G76 MP12 provides smartphones with:

1. Almost 40% increase in power;
2. Reduce energy consumption by more than 30%.

3 Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

The eight-core processor is manufactured in collaboration with Samsung. The Kryo 385 cores operate at 2.8 GHz and offer 2 MB of L3 cache. The architecture in its work does not actually access RAM - due to this, a significant increase in performance is noticeable.

Adreno is traditionally responsible for graphics.

The new chipset offers serious advantages when working with Extended Reality. The Snapdragon 845 includes a separate Hexagon 685 module designed for artificial intelligence, which means it promises a significant increase in performance.

2 HiSilicon Kirin 980

Chinese engineers often delight fans with bold innovations and unconventional solutions. So in 2017, Huawei developers proposed a new chipset based on the 7nm process technology. The Kirin 980 has Cortex-A76 cores and an increased number of transistors (almost 1.6 times). This means that the total capacity has increased by almost 20%. And this allowed the device to take second place in the ranking of mobile processors for smartphones 2019.

The new Kirin uses the Mali-G76 GPU, which runs 3D applications and games at frame rates of up to 60 fps. Despite the increased efficiency, energy savings increased by almost 50%.

1 Apple Bionic A11, A12

The new generation of Apple Bionic A11 boasts double the number of cores. There are four of them, but such a small number should not be scary: the chipset can easily handle running applications. Much more interesting is the specialization of the processor for graphics tasks. It is the A11 that offers greater opportunities for photo and video creativity: a smartphone based on this architecture can shoot in 4K resolution and always guarantees excellent noise reduction and color rendition.

The A12 processor is in no way inferior to its predecessor. The number of cores has increased - the new product boasts 6 cores at once. The chipset is paired with artificial intelligence: the latter is responsible for graphics processing.

Thanks to these improvements, overall productivity has been increased by more than a third, and energy consumption has been reduced by a quarter.

The best mid-range processors

Mid-price smartphones may not boast incredible performance. But they are the ones who are faithful assistants in solving most everyday problems.

Contrary to popular belief, when choosing a phone you need to pay attention to more than just screen size, megapixels and battery capacity.

The chipset plays a special role: it is what allows you to enjoy high-quality music sound, take good shots or play light games. So which processor is better for Android smartphones?

4 Helio P60, P70

Mediatek engineers managed to create an inexpensive processor that is only slightly behind the flagships. The Helio P60 has eight cores, divided into two clusters - Cortex-A73 and A53. All cores operate at the same frequency of 2.0 GHz. It would seem that what is stopping the chipset from becoming a leader? But a rather powerful heart is combined with a weak triple-core Mali-G72 video accelerator.

However, there is an advantage: the processor has a power distribution system that saves energy.

In the P70 version, with the same number and power of cores, the frequency of the graphics accelerator was increased (900 MHz versus 800 MHz for the P60). A number of multimedia functions have also been added: faster recognition of photographic scenes, improved image quality.

In addition, the new processor received a 4G LTE modem with a throughput of 300 Mbit/s and support for two SIM cards.

3 HiSilicon Kirin 710

The processor is made using a 16nm process technology. Its work is based on eight cores, which are divided into two clusters: operating frequencies are 2.36 and 1.7 GHz in the upper and lower clusters.

The results of benchmarks and AnTuTu are pleasantly surprising - judging by them, the processor is far from average price.

However, you should not trust them too much: in reality, the user is faced with other processes.

Mali-T830 MP2 graphics are capable of ensuring correct loading of games and graphic applications, and there is also a GPU Turbo mode. By the way, it is the new chipset that allows the smartphone to recognize the owner by face - the brand’s previous processors were not capable of this.

2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, 632

In the TOP of processors for smartphones, you cannot do without the brainchild of the Qualcomm team. The Snapdragon 636 processor has become an ideal solution for mid-range phones. The processor uses eight powerful Kryo 260 cores - all of them operate at a frequency of 1.8 GHz.

Despite not the highest frequency, Kryo cores provide 40% more power than regular Cortex-A53.

The cores are paired with the Adreno 509 graphics accelerator, the latest from the brand.

The same processor, but a more recent version 632, is installed in many top Android smartphones. The number of cores remains the same, but their specialization has been changed: now half are responsible for performance, and half for energy efficiency. Therefore, the power here is noticeably higher.

Devices with such a processor can easily handle dozens of applications at once, heavy games and software. The new chip is capable of providing support for artificial intelligence, 4K video recording and high-speed LTE connection. Unlike its younger brother, the Snapdragon 632 is comparable to modern dual cameras.

1 Samsung Exynos 7885

The Samsung Exynos 7885 processor is capable of providing your smartphone with solutions to all everyday tasks. The chipset supports LTE and work with two SIM cards, allowing you to quickly transfer or download data from the Internet. Eight cores, whose frequency is 1.8 or 2.2 GHz depending on the cluster, are directly responsible for performance.

To be completely ideal, the latest generation graphics are not enough: the company’s engineers equipped the gadget with a Mali-G71 video accelerator in its minimal configuration. The graphics chipset has only two cores (for comparison, the older brother Exynos 8885 is equipped with the same GPU, but with 20 cores).

The best processors for inexpensive phones

When purchasing a budget smartphone, you should not count on weak processors that are incapable of anything. Often in public sector phones you can find those chipsets that were considered flagships in the recent past.

Indeed, many companies release new chipsets when the previous ones have not yet become obsolete. They are also capable of:

• Launch a modern game;
• Support the operation of several applications at once;
• Serve as a reliable support for photo and video cameras.

4 Helio P23, P25

Despite the fact that the Helio P23 processor is intended for mid-range devices, its technical characteristics are quite decent. The chipset runs on a 14nm process technology. Performance is provided by 8 Cortex-A53 cores. To prevent powerful cores from consuming too much power, the processor is divided into two clusters. Operating frequencies are 2.3 and 1.65 GHz.

The chipset is aimed at camera phones: the processor supports ultra-high-resolution cameras. In addition, a smartphone with Helio P25 on board can crop video even in 4K resolution at 30 fps.

The older brother Helio P25 is distinguished by an increased core frequency - the nominal clock frequency can reach 2.5 GHz. This processor supports LPDDR4X RAM, the volume of which can reach 6 GB.

The graphics processor is ARM Mali T880 MP2, its frequency is not the highest, however, 900 MHz is enough to load light games. The chipset can easily handle photos and videos: its technical capabilities are enough to support a 21 MP camera or a camera with two 13 MP sensors.

3 HiSilicon Kirin 659

The processor operates on the basis of eight reference Cortex-A53 cores. They are not extremely powerful, but they provide good energy savings. The cores are distributed in two clusters, so the operating frequencies are 1.7 and 2.36 GHz.

The processor is paired with a medium-capable Mali-T830 MP2 video accelerator with a core frequency of 900 MHz. Despite the fact that the GPU is not the newest and most powerful, it is perfectly optimized for many modern games - the processor is fast and efficient.

2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, 450

The rating opens with a chipset with eight Cortex-A53 cores that operate at 1.4 GHz. Despite the low frequency, the cores are well energy optimized - a smartphone based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 consumes little charge and demonstrates excellent battery life.

The microarchitecture has a slightly outdated 24 nm process technology, but this is quite enough for everyday tasks.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor is relatively new - the device was released in the second half of 2017. All the same eight A53 cores operate at the same frequency. The technical process here is more attractive: the 14-nm chipset practically does not heat up and works correctly under any load.

Conclusion

The performance table for all processors for smartphones contains a countless number of options and is constantly updated: developers regularly delight fans with new models. From the TOP it is clear that a powerful and productive chipset is available to everyone - from the most budget to the top-end flagship, you just need to decide on your goals and budget.

The best processors for smartphones

Before choosing a phone, you need to focus on its characteristics, and therefore the best processors for smartphones in 2018 have been compiled into a rating that will definitely help you avoid making mistakes.

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This processor was created before the release of the smartphone Xiaomi Mi 5C precisely by the developers, and was first released with this model.

The company presented a completely new development, and, in principle, looking at the operation of the phone itself, we can say that the processor is even more than good - the device turned out to be fast, thinks instantly, loads everything that can be loaded and justifies the cost of both the smartphone and its processor.

The latter was released, by the way, in two versions, junior and senior, which have the names V670 And V970.

The differences between them are significant. So, the “older” version uses eight cores, the frequency is noticeably higher, and the graphics will be cooler.

Looking at the characteristics of this part, both generations, it can easily be called one of the market leaders in 2018, and “ Xiaomi" They clearly did not disappoint with such a development.

True, its cost is rather high, but the quality justifies the price.

Technical process:

• 28-nanometer (“junior”);
• 10-nanometer (“senior”).

Graphic arts:

• Mali-T860 MP 4, frequency – 800 MHz;
• Mali G71 MP12, frequency – 900 MHz.

Clusters:

• 2; uses 4 cores (Cortex-A53);
• 2; uses 8 cores (four Cortex-A53 and four Cortex-A73).

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This chipset has burst into the latest phones so quickly that Qualcomm They didn’t even really have time to announce it.

In principle, this can be understood - the company’s new development has become a worthy breakthrough in terms of processors for smartphones.

Now it can be found on models such as, that is, on all smartphones that go far beyond “budget” ones and boast amazing characteristics.

The company has significantly changed the cores in this processor Kryo, put the chipset on a 10-nanometer process technology and included 8 cores, which allowed it to reach the highest level among processors this year.

But there are very few devices that have installed such a processor, and this is explained by the cost of the chipset itself - naturally, improvements are more expensive than, for example, the previous version of the same processor.

But its power is almost unique today.

Technical process:

• 10nm;

Graphic arts:

• Adreno 540;

Clusters:

• 2, uses 8 cores.

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One more developer besides Xiaomi, boasts its own processor.

Before releasing a “light” version of your phone, that is, Huawei P10 Lite, the company announced the creation of a processor Kirin 658, and it was installed on the new model.

The fact that the chipset became a small revolution in the world of smartphones Huawei, you can already notice by the cost of the phone P10, which increased in price compared to the previous ones by almost a hundred euros.

And all because this time the processor used eight cores, good graphics and a good technical process, which significantly improved the performance of the smartphone.

True, experienced users will easily notice that the new processor is different from the previous version Kirin number 650 is clock speed only.

But performance still remains at an average level, as is usually the case with budget smartphones.

The chipset itself, of course, is quite good, and for devices of this level it is one of the best representatives, and especially for smartphones whose price is less than 30,000 rubles.

Technical process:

• 16nm;

Graphic arts:

• Mali-T830 MP2;

Clusters:

MediaTek MT6757T Helio P25

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MediaTek MT6757T Helio P25

MediaTek, a Taiwanese developer known for its quite suitable chipset Helio 10, not so long ago announced the release of his next creation - Helio P25.

There are two versions, like , one of which is “stripped down”, that is, it does not have such a set of characteristics, but the second is already overclocked from the factory and is more advanced.

It was the second one, by the way, that the company’s partners received, and the processor is already installed on such smartphones as, , Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 and others.

What's special about it? Looking at the models presented in the list, we can say that there is nothing that could put the chipset in our rating.

But at the same time, it distinguished itself from most “middle class” and budget processors, incorporating good frequency, nuclear power and graphics, and versions Helio P25 better than others, it managed to combine good characteristics with a reasonable price.

True, the release itself P25 limited, most smartphones will receive P20, which, however, does not greatly affect the quality of the device.

Technical process:

• 16nm;

Graphic arts:

• Mali-T880 MP2;

Clusters:

• 2, uses 8 Cortex-A53 cores.

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Samsung also pleased us with a decent processor. Despite the fact that the processor is from Qualcomm already installed on , the developers chose to squeeze their chipset into some versions of this model. And they didn’t miss a beat with their choice.

First of all, it should be noted that the company used four cores of its own production, which, as it turned out, gave the processor much more power than the same “plus” version of the Galaxy.

When testing exactly Exynos 9 Octa 8895M showed the most impressive results among chipsets, beating both "Xiaomi", and the same Qualcomm, and many other new products for 2018.

You can see the difference in the comparison of smartphone processors in the table, where the development shows really excellent performance.

The cost of such a chipset is justified by its performance and quality, and you can only see one in the line Galaxy, which is improving along with processors Samsung, and this is an important advantage among other developers - the chipset can be called unique.

Technical process:

• 10nm;

Graphic arts:

• Mail-G71 MP20;

Clusters:

• 2, uses 8 cores (four from the second generation Samsung and four Cortex-A53).

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Keeps up with Samsung and company Huawei, which for the second time this year pleases with a new processor. What is the difference between Kirin 960 And Kirin 658? First of all, in the speed of work.

Using better graphics and a variety of cores, of which there are eight, by the way, this chipset was installed not on budget models that do not need high performance, but on quite good models from developers.

Both the operating speed and the performance, everything works as it should with this processor, but it also costs more, which, however, is not always justified by the quality.

But Huawei They definitely didn’t try in vain, and as a result, smartphones with this chipset successfully flooded the market.

And although when choosing a decent phone it is better to rely on higher quality and proven options like the same Samsung or Qualcomm, the Chinese still do not “graze the rear”, and therefore their processor takes a place in the ranking.

Technical process:

• 16nm;

Graphic arts:

• Mali G71 MP8;

Clusters:

• 2, uses 8 cores (four Cortex-A53 and four Cortex-A73).

Read also: TOP 9 Smartphones with a good camera and battery: choosing the best option in 2018 + Reviews

And again the chipset is from the guys from Thailand. The thing is quite suitable, but there is one “but” - either for the sake of economy, or for the sake of the “budget”, the developers - while everyone else is switching to a smaller nanometer - are still using the 20-nanometer technical process, and this, of course, is not good .

Hence the performance is low and the speed is very low, so it is not surprising that they agreed (for experimental purposes, probably) to put such a processor in only one single smartphone Umi Z, which, however, is ultra-budget.

Its previous development MediaTek pleased those who need good overclocking, high-quality graphics, the latest games and programs that require a completely different, truly high-quality smartphone content.

But this version is perfect for those who are not chasing new games or software, but still need a good smartphone that can, for example, run the most basic applications, like Viber

Despite the fact that Asia occupies the first positions, it was simply impossible not to include in the ranking the latest development from Apple, which became a unique achievement for Apple in the creation of chipsets.

Unlike previous versions, this time the company managed to increase speed, improve performance and upgrade a number of characteristics, which ultimately managed to make it one of the leaders among new products this year.

So, for example, the processor has increased memory, uses 12 clusters and an accelerator, and if we compare A9X with the previous one A8X, we can say that the developers can be proud of the work they have done.

So it is not surprising that Apple, as usual, does not share its new product with anyone, and such a chipset can only be found on devices Apple, such as iPad And iPad Pro.

And this, by the way, is more of an advantage than a disadvantage, because the device is wonderful in all respects, and the processor remains original and unique, and its characteristics are practically not inferior to Intel processors.

Technical process:

• 16nm;

Graphic arts:

• Imagination PowerVR GT7600;

Clusters:

• 12, uses 2 cores.

What is a processor?

Without going into details, this is the central element of the system, which is responsible for all information transformations and controls the computing process.

The mobile version of the chip (ARM) is not much different from its stationary counterpart. The only differences are in size, power and clock speed.

The latter have lower figures.

All of them have achieved success in this industry, but the main struggle is between the Chinese company MediaTek and the American Qualcomm.

Qualcomm

The silicon giant was founded back in 1985. The company produced phones, GPS modules and wireless devices.

We will consider it as the largest manufacturer of mobile chips.

In 2005, they licensed ARM technologies, purchasing the rights to create the Cortex A8 core. Based on it, our own chip was developed.

The top line of chips is called Snapdragon.

These processors are installed in such flagship devices as Sony Xperia Z line, HTC One, LG G2 and G3 and some models Samsung.

But the latest top-end chip Snapdragon 810 has caused a lot of discussion. Some said that it overheats a lot, causing performance to suffer.

But this fact remained undocumented.

8 cores, Cat 6 LTE chip, giving speeds up to 300 Mbps, support for 4K video, as well as sensors up to 55 MP. The figures are impressive.

MediaTek

They take advantage not only of quality, but also of mass production, supplying products to all smartphones costing up to $200.

The most famous “stone”, namely MT6592, installed on budget phones like Lenovo, in particular S860 and not only.

They were the first to develop a 10-core processor called Xelio X20. At the moment, this is the most powerful single-chip system in the world.

Recruits more than 70,000 “parrots” in AnTuTu. Not yet serially produced.

Specifications include 3 blocks of cores: 2x2.5 GHz, 4x2 GHz and 4x1.4 GHz. Mali 800 graphics and support for 2 13 MP sensors. Supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac and LTE Cat 6.

Apple

Cupertino residents have always been famous for their closeness. Their unofficial motto can be interpreted as follows: “You don’t need to know what’s inside. Just take it and use it."

And this applies to all the company’s products.

As for the mobile division, the situation here is no less confusing.

It is only known that the company itself develops processors for smartphones and tablets, assigning them an A index and a serial number.

In particular, A8 and A8X are considered the most powerful mobile stones. They are equipped with iPhone 6/6 Plus and iPad Air respectively.

Despite 2 cores at 1.4 GHz and an M8 coprocessor, the performance is impressive.

Intel

Despite the fact that this giant leads the ranking of mobile processors for laptops, in the field of mobile development it actually sits on the bench.

Although the fact that smartphones equipped with Intel Atom chips are in high demand, we can say that the company is making progress.

Now the strongest chip that is used in series is Z3580. 4 cores at a frequency of 2.33 will give a head start even to such “players” as Snapdragon 801 and Apple A7.

Specifications: 4x2.33 GHz, DDR-1600 support and proprietary graphics from Intel.

Nvidia

The situation with a company that is famous for gaming and overclocker video cards similar to Nvidia.

In their main field, they achieved outstanding results, but things didn’t work out with the mobile segment.

In particular, Tegra chips have good potential, but leading manufacturers are in no hurry to purchase processors in batches.

Yes, Nvidia hardware will be appreciated by gamers.

But the majority of smartphone users are businessmen, young people over the age of 20, and girls who are unlikely to want to “play Doom on ultra.”

The flagship SoC is named Tegra X1. At the moment she is the most advanced among her classmates. But it is prohibitively expensive.

It is worth saying that the X1 has 8 cores (4 Cortex A57 and 4 Cortex A53). Supports 4K/60Hz and 2K/120Hz.

In particular, Nvidia X1 was created for games, and here it has no equal. The Snapdragon 810 will be in demand by everyone who wants to take great pictures on their device.

Well, the Atom Z3580 boasts record-breaking efficiency.

The solution from MediaTek has not yet entered production, so it is difficult to outline all its advantages.

But Apple chips, despite their architecture and apparent slowness, cope with their tasks perfectly thanks to OS optimization.

Important! Such solutions are supplied only with flagship devices and it will take 3-4 years for them to appear in the budget segment.

You cannot judge performance on different platforms of the same Android. Versions 4.4 and 5.0, with the same hardware, produce completely opposite results in synthetic tests.

On the other hand, the user is unlikely to notice any difference, but you can't argue with the numbers.

The chips are not exported, so it makes no sense to judge their characteristics.

The situation here is the same as with Apple.

Even though they are not inferior in parameters, when choosing a chip, you immediately limit yourself in choosing a smartphone carrier, reducing the choice to 1 company.

Such a little-known manufacturer as Allwinner produces exclusively budget products.

Even its most powerful product is not able to compete with the low-power products of the five described above.

Top 10 Rating of mobile processors

Detailed analysis

In this review, we talk about the pros and cons of different mobile processors. In fact, here is the answer to the question of which processor is better, and why you should choose a mobile device based on it. Analysis of the characteristics showed that it is impossible to give a definite answer and different models are suitable for different users.

Price

Durability

Difficulty of operation