If you look at it, the basis of every modern computer technology is the processor. This is worth noting in the case of smartphones, because their chipset power ratings will determine how quickly they are able to cope with a number of tasks. When studying the technical characteristics of the device, one of the first things to pay attention to is the processor. This is indeed a very important indicator that should be given enough time.
Of course, in order to correctly understand this characteristic, you need to understand the names, which is beyond the power of many readers. Our article will correct this situation in your favor. As part of the information presented, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the TOP, which includes the best processors for smartphones in 2022. We hope that this article will help clarify the data regarding the choice of a good filling for the device.
Main characteristics
So, first of all, let’s denote that all modern microprocessors include a number of specific components. The CPU contains many transistors. The smaller these components are, the lower the energy consumption of the chipset. Specialists who work on creating reviews of mobile technology initially pay attention to the technical process. Such measurements are carried out in nanometers.
If we compare chipsets that are manufactured in accordance with the 12 and 30 NM process technology, then with a clock frequency with the same characteristics and number of cores, the indicators will have different amounts of energy consumption. Those. a smartphone with a second processor will need to be charged more often, even if the same OS is installed, and the rest of the specifications are the same.
The reduction in energy consumption will be due to the fact that miniature transistors are capable of producing reduced indicators of such a resource as heat.
It is worth paying attention to the number of cores in the processor. Don't think that an 8-core device will be more powerful than a 4-core one. This is wrong. Even a list of the best smartphones with a powerful processor can confirm the above words. For example, Qualcomm has a number of flagship solutions in the past, which are based on 4 cores, they have an increased clock speed, which is the third most important criterion. Against this background, many other companies released 8-core devices, but their clock speed was noticeably reduced.
Of course, cases cannot be ruled out when 8-core chipsets demonstrate much better performance. For example, this may be the case when running a simple application, when one core is turned on. But if a 4-core product is larger and more energy efficient, you should understand that the application will turn on much faster.
In fact, it is worth considering this specificity from the point of view of the fact that in real life the difference between 8 and 4-core chipsets is not noticeable to the naked eye. There will be a worthy example of such a situation in our TOP. Smartphones are increasingly working under heavy load, taking on the task of processing a really large amount of data, even if it is in the background. Whatever one may say, the clock frequency and number of cores can affect the overall operation of applications and the OS.
Having sorted out this information, let's move on to the question of which processor is better for a smartphone this year. TOP will help with this.
Number of Cores
This is one of the hot favorite topics of every user. The debate over the number of cores continues into 2022. The most important thing is not to buy representatives with one core, because this is unprofitable for this period. Yes, and there are models with this amount more often in the budget segment, but even there their price reaches 10,000 rubles (a striking example is the Nokia C6-01, which is still found in some stores), and throwing away so much money is not the best solution.
The best budget smartphones are equipped with multiple cores and have good performance, as the tasks are carried out correctly. The best option is to buy one with 2-4 cores. Here the rule: “the more, the better” is not always the right decision. Because for games and undemanding applications to work properly, 2 cores are enough, especially since not all of them are designed to work with 4 or 5, much less 10. This is due to the fact that mobile devices do not use all cores at the same time. Therefore, purchasing a 10-core product is not always able to provide higher performance than 4-core models (if we are talking only about them).
A striking example of such work is the Samsung Galaxy S II GT-I9100. This smartphone has won the love and trust of most users. Its performance was higher than that of the iPhone 5s, which was also quite good. All this became possible thanks to high-quality optimization of the hardware. Of course, the unstable Android 4.1 OS made itself felt, but it was not critical. Moreover, this model came out two years earlier than the iPhone.
Best smartphone processors 2021
Samsung Exynos 9810, 9820
In recent years, Samsung has increasingly begun to resort to installing the Exynos 9810 SoC. This is due to the fact that smartphones demonstrate high energy efficiency.
Most likely, this is due to the fact that there is a 10nm process technology and modest performance. With such indicators, the Mali-G72 MP18 will easily launch programs, and 8 cores will successfully perform work at 1.8 or 2.5 GHz frequencies. If we turn to the popular AnTuTu test, the processor is rated at 250,000 points. Another Exynos 9820 processor has become a more advanced version of the above model. The main improvement is that neural networks are used. The functioning of the processor is based on a new core platform - M4, Cortex A75 and A55.
Turning to the test results, it is worth noting that the indicators were increased by a couple of tens of thousands.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
The processor is in demand by manufacturers of modern smartphones.
It has 8 cores. Produced with the participation of Samsung, which has proven itself on the positive side in the market. It is worth noting that the Kryo 385 cores are installed in it, and their clock frequency is 2.8 GHz. This allows you to occupy 2 MB of Level 3 cache. In its work, the architecture is not addressed to the OP. The resulting performance gain is truly solid. By tradition, Adreno took responsibility for the graphics.
In fact, the updated chipset structure has many advantages. In particular, this applies to functioning with Extended Reality. It includes a separate Hexagon 685 module, which is designed for artificial intelligence. All this gives reason to understand that the productivity increase will be really high.
Mediatek Helio P23
Processor ARM Cortex A53, 4 by 8 and 4 cores at a frequency of 1.7 GHz. It is important to note the 16 nm length of the transistor. The device architecture is capable of providing optimal performance. Energy efficiency is not far behind. As a result of testing, we can notice that smartphones with 2 SIM cards with such a processor work at the highest level. The dual LTE module allows simultaneous operation of several slots that have the appropriate connection.
HiSilicon Kirin 980
According to many users, this is the best processor for a smartphone.
Experienced engineers from China worked on it. It is worth recognizing that the manufacturer regularly produces high-quality components with bold solutions and excellent innovations. In 2017, Huawei released a new chipset based on the 7nm process technology. The Kirin 980 arsenal is represented by Cortex-A76 cores, and the number of transistors has also been increased by 1.6 times. As a result, it was possible to increase power levels by 20 percent. All this allows the chipset to take pride of place in the list.
The updated version uses the Mali-G76 GPU, which makes it possible to run games and 3D applications at a frequency of up to 60 fps. Although efficiency has increased significantly, energy saving indicators have also increased by 50 percent.
Apple Bionic A11, A12
This is a new generation that pleases with double the number of cores.
There are 4 of them, but this is enough for the processor to launch applications quickly without slowdown. It specializes more in graphic tasks, providing the user with more opportunities for video and photography. The device is capable of shooting at 4K resolution, guaranteeing color reproduction and excellent noise reduction.
In fact, the A12 model is no worse than its predecessor. It has 6 cores, and it has the ability to work with artificial intelligence, which is responsible for the graphics processing process. In accordance with this improvement, overall performance was increased by 1/3, but energy consumption dropped by ¼.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
When thinking about which processor is better for an Android smartphone, pay attention to this offer, which has become very popular in the domestic market.
The manufacturing company has released a processor with 8 cores, the clock frequency of which is 2.0 GHz. Uses A53 at 14 nm process technology. In fact, the chipset is capable of handling really heavy versions of video games, due to the Adreno 506 graphics adapter. The chipset is 64-bit. He is able to expend energy in an optimal way. During the processing process it is not prone to heating. Although it is not as powerful as its 2022 counterparts, it is still productive and not expensive. This is the best processor for an Android smartphone, according to many experts. More than 20 modern items operate on this platform. It is worth recognizing that these are quite good devices that allow you to shoot and broadcast video in 4K resolution. The processor also works well on phones with a second camera, even if this was not noted by the chipset manufacturer.
Helio P60, P70
Mediatek has made great efforts to create a new processor, which in its characteristics is a fraction worse than the flagship models, but at the same time has a very reasonable price.
Indeed, the declared chipset contains 8 cores, which are divided into 2 clusters. We are talking about A53 and A73 Cortex. Operation is carried out at a frequency of 2 GHz. It seems that this device has every chance to take a leadership position among its competitors, but it turns out that not everything is so smooth. The situation is due to the fact that the powerful chipset works in combination with the Mali-G72. This is a video accelerator with a 3-core structure. But there is also a plus: the device has a power distribution system that allows you to save energy. The graphics accelerator frequency is 800 MHz. Speaking about the P70 version, with a similar power of cores and their corresponding number, it must be noted that the operating frequency of the graphics accelerator is 900 MHz. Moreover, there are many more multimedia options. Photography scenes are recognized much faster, and image quality is also at a high level. Moreover, the new processor has a 4G LTE modem, which has a throughput capacity of up to 300 Mbit/s. It is in his power to maintain the full functioning of 2 SIM cards.
MediaTek MT652M
The MediaTek company produces decent chipset offers in the field of their use on a smartphone.
This variant has 8 cores with a clock frequency of 1500 MHz and a 28 nm process technology. The development of cores corresponds to ARM Cortex A53, but their number has become several times larger. Moreover, the chip scores 40,000 points in AnTuTu testing. The increase in the number of cores affected the energy efficiency and power characteristics of the processor. The graphics accelerator is activated, we are talking about Mali-T760 MP2, its frequency is 695 MHz. This result is not ideal, but quite sufficient. But if we are talking about heavy games, then lowering the graphics settings will still be appropriate.
LTE support is also available. All processor-based smartphones have the ability to access the Internet at a respectable speed. There are a number of popular smartphones from Lenovo and Acer based on this processor.
In fact, the MediaTek company regularly expands its range of chipsets, and therefore this option was quickly replaced, in fact, like many others from the manufacturer’s line.
HiSilicon Kirin 710
The processor is based on 8 cores and is manufactured using a 16nm process technology.
All cores are divided into operating frequencies of 1.7 and 2.36 GHz. These are the lower and upper clusters. The results of AnTuTu surprised me in a pleasant way. This is a decent processor with a far from average price policy. But even here you need to be careful so as not to end up facing a situation where in practice everything turns out to be far from so rosy. The graphic component is represented by Mali-T830 MP2. It allows you to ensure that games and graphical applications load correctly. Along with this, there is a GPU Turbo mode. Due to this, the new chipset allows the smartphone to recognize the owner in accordance with his appearance. It is worth noting that no previous development had such an opportunity in practice.
Huawei Kirin 970
Huawei continues to delight all fans of high-quality processors. This time, the Chinese presented a single-chip platform, the main feature of which is associated with a neuromorphic processor, which has an open ecosystem. This is a chipset with maximum performance, it is distinguished by working in different interfaces and platforms using artificial intelligence.
Kirin 970 is based on 10nm and die. As a result, it was possible to recreate a chipset with a neural unit that has an NPU inclusion architecture. All this made it possible to increase productivity, reducing power consumption by 10 times in contrast to conventional chips.
The device is no larger than a fingernail. Moreover, it has 8 cores, 4 Cortex-A73 and A53 each. The clusters differ in frequencies of 2.4 and 1.8 GHz. The interface supports 4K video resolution. Plus, it can detect faces, capture movements, and autofocus works. And the shooting of moving objects is clear, even if there is insufficient lighting.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, 632
The Qualcomm team continues to release Snapdragon.
This time the focus is on 636. This is a chipset that is ideal for mid-range smartphones. It runs on 8 cores. Each of them is Kryo 260, and the frequency is 1.8 GHz. Although these are not the highest figures, the cores are capable of providing 40% more power than the usual A53 Cortex. Along with the Adreno 509 graphics accelerator, the cores perform at their best. The brand also introduced version 632, which is often used in Android smartphones included in the popular TOP. The number of cores is the same, but the specialization has changed. Half of them are responsible for energy efficiency, while the other half are responsible for performance characteristics. All this contributes to a significant increase in power.
Smartphones with the 632 Snapdragon chipset can handle 10 applications simultaneously. This can be heavy software or online games. Due to the new development of the chip, there is support for 4K video, artificial intelligence, as well as high-speed LTE connection. The Snapdragon 632 works well with the dual cameras that have become part of many modern devices.
Samsung Exynos 7885
This chipset is capable of providing the smartphone with truly stable operation while performing a number of tasks.
It runs on 8 cores at 2.2 and 1.8 GHz. The indicators depend on the cluster. The processor is capable of providing the device with normal operation with 2 SIM cards and LTE technology. This makes it possible to quickly communicate on the Internet or transfer data. In fact, the option is really appropriate, but in order to call it ideal, it does not have the latest generation graphics. Samsung has given the gadget the ability to work with Mali-G71, but the video accelerator has a minimal configuration.
Apple A9X
The Apple A9X processor runs on only 2 cores.
This is a clear example that their number does not play a big role. The chipset consists of 2 cores, the clock frequency of which does not exceed 2.26 GHz. The technical process is 14-16 nm. It is important to note that the OS does not support multi-window mode, and therefore the device does not need high power. The company focused its work not on the cores, but on the bandwidth of the memory. If we compare it with its predecessor, the indicators have been increased by 2 times. As a result, applications open much faster, and the launch of gaming software has been significantly reduced.
The chipset includes a PowerVR 7 series graphics accelerator. It consists of 12 clusters. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is usually classified as a tablet-type computer, functions perfectly on it
From the words of experts, you can see that the chipset comes close to Intel Core M, which are in demand in many modern laptops. As for the AnTuTu test performance, the processor was able to get 176,000 points. Many will agree that these are impressive results.
The chipset is ideal in terms of performance, but the camera can be frustrating. This is not the best option, but considering that you don’t need to use the camera very often, the processor is worthy of consideration.
MediaTek
When reading the specifications, you understand that the company is a real godsend for smartphone manufacturers: of course, it produces cheap SoCs with a bunch of cores. You take one and make a phone that costs less than 100-200 dollars with the words: “8 cores, 64-bit, etc.!” In fact, MediaTek makes good SoCs, but they mix them with mediocre hardware, so buyers are wary of such phones. And yet, among its wide range, MediaTek has truly mainstream ARM processors. Two lines can be called good solutions - Helio P and X. The first belongs to the middle segment, and the second for advanced smartphones.
The Helio P30, P25 and P20 series are 8-core chips with a 4+4 configuration, consisting of A53 cores.
One of the advantages of Helio is modern LPDDR4x memory, which certainly affects graphics tests. In processor tests, the difference between the three versions of the SoC is not great. MediaTek's emphasis was on developing the supporting features of the SoC, such as support for high-resolution screens, dual cameras and the like. The older microcircuits X27 and X30 are unique in their structure. They contain not two, but three clusters of ARM cores. Well, the solution is extraordinary and interesting. In practice, it is even more difficult to evaluate the performance of such a scheme, because they operate separately depending on the load.
Summing up
With this, the TOP of the best processors for smartphones that are on the market in 2022 has come to an end. We hope we were able to clarify the situation. Note that such chipsets are not built exclusively into smartphones; they can often be found in the specifications of tablets. Their distinctive features from processors for PCs and laptops are the ARM architecture, which is configured to process commands from the Windows Phone, Android, and iOS operating systems.
There are quite a lot of chipset options available. Moreover, the line is regularly updated. Manufacturers delight with new models. After analyzing the rating, it becomes clear that everyone will be able to buy themselves a decent smartphone, both flagship and budget models, in which the processor will provide excellent performance characteristics.
ARM and major family versions
The ARMv7 and ARMv8 families are considered to be the classic representation of nuclear architectures used in modern smartphone chips.
They formed the basis of many branches, both authored by ARM Holdings itself and other companies: Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, Nvidia, etc. The most popular branch now is ARMv8-A, which at one time opened a new era of massive 64-bit computing for mobile devices. All current ARM Holdings computing cores for smartphones are combined into the Cortex-A family. Other developers buy licenses for them from ARM and release their chips with minimal changes. But they can also rework the architecture itself or create everything almost from scratch, retaining only support for the corresponding set of instructions. This is what Apple, Samsung and some other companies do, for example. For Samsung, these are the Exynos M1, M2 and M3 cores. Apple has Monsoon, Mistral, Hurricane, etc. Nvidia has Denver2. Qualcomm has Kryo and others.
Now let's look at the most popular SoCs of the main players in this market.
Editor's Choice
iPhone 13
iPhone 13. Photo: market.yandex.ru
The iPhone 13 has the most powerful processor from Apple, designed specifically for smartphones. Apple A15 Bionic surpasses all its competitors in power and energy efficiency; it ensures smooth operation of the interface, processing of photos and videos that the user receives from the device’s cameras.
In addition, this is a compact smartphone with a 6.1-inch display diagonal, the back panel is made of tempered glass, and the frame framing the device is made of aluminum, this gives a sense of solidity to the entire structure. Thanks to a modern processor and fast RAM, this phone will delight its owner for many years.
iPhone 13
A technical breakthrough or a redesign of the previous model?
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.1″ (2532×1170), Full HD, OLED |
| CPU | Apple A15 Bionic |
| Built-in memory | 128/256/512 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Main cameras | wide-angle 12 MP F/1.60, ultra-wide-angle 12 MP F/2.40 |
| Front-camera | 12 MP |
Advantages and disadvantages
Bright screen, good cameras, face unlock sensor, capacious battery, moisture protection
No charging block included
show more
Comparison table of performance SoCs
To make it easier for you to understand all this diversity, we have collected all the main characteristics in a table, adding there the average Geekbench4 test results from the open database of the developer company and the official rating. And also the results of GFXBench: Manhattan.
(Click to enlarge)
When looking at the table, it is important to remember that many smartphone applications are still poorly designed for multi-threading, so the performance per core displayed in the Geekbench 4 Single test is also a very important indicator.
Which is the most powerful and fastest smartphone to choose?
We reviewed the best models of powerful smartphones for 2022 in different price categories. The performance of budget phones is roughly comparable, as they are based on the same or similar specifications. Among the top phones, the clear leader is the iPhone, built on the modern A12 Bionic, but Android competitors with Snapdragon are not too far behind the leader. The same chip is offered in two devices from the mid-price segment produced by Xiaomi. However, the solution from Huawei is not too far behind its competitor and deserves you to spend 18-20 thousand rubles on it.
conclusions
The main conclusion that can be drawn by considering this entire “zoo” is that despite the level of customization of kernels, it is their family that determines the final performance.
If you want to get a high-performance solution, then choose a smartphone with a SoC containing Cortex-A72, A73 or A75 cores. But if tenths of a second in a smartphone’s response are not important to you, but you want to save money, then Cortex-A53 will suit you just fine. Also, do not forget that slow RAM or its volume less than 2 GB can “strangle” any high-performance processor.
