Among smartphones worth more than 12,000 rubles, chipsets lit up: Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, 652, 653, 820, 821, 835 and MediaTek Helio P15 , P20 , P25 , X25 , X30 . We will compare them.
To correctly assess the performance of the CPU + GPU combination in this price segment, I propose to introduce two theses. First, for that kind of money, the buyer should be able to play all modern games at the maximum graphics settings. If this is true, we call the chipset a gaming chipset. The second is to choose a benchmark in the face of the cheapest chipset that provides such opportunities, and compare all others with it. The most popular Android – game among the 'hard' ones is WoT Blitz. A decent game at maximum graphics settings (at least 30 fps) can be provided by the GPU Mali-T880 MP4, which is part of the SoC MediaTek Helio X20, and we will choose it as a reference point. The idea of such a comparative analysis came to mind thanks to our author and expert Andrey Podkin, for which special thanks to him. To evaluate the performance, the results of Ice Storm Unlimited, in the mode '1280 × 720 offscreen' were used.
Menu
- CPU and GPU
- RAM and ROM
- Modems
- conclusions
626
We can see this chipset in new smartphones: Motorola Moto Z2 Play, BQ Aquaris X and Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 is made on the 14-nnm process technology, like its predecessor Snapdragon 625. Eight Cortex A-53 cores in two clusters operate at 2.2 GHz (versus 2.0 GHz in 625). If we compare it with a conventional 8-core CPU based on Cortex A-53 and a core frequency of 1.2-1.5 GHz (for example, in Snapdragon 617), then thanks to the 'overclocking', the performance increase per core was about 13%, and in multi-threaded mode, we see parity with the major league, represented by Snapdragon 821 (Geekbench 4.1 tests in 64 Bit Multi-Core mode).
GPU in Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 is similar to that in 625 and is Adreno 506. Supports all modern libraries OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 2.0 Full, DirectX 12, GPU Tessellation and Geometry Shading. However, to call the chipset a gaming one, in this price segment, is hard to imagine. And the reason for this is the lag from the Mali-T880 MP4 by 24%. In practice, this means that for a comfortable game in WoT Blitz, you will have to choose medium graphics settings and turn off shadows.
652
The chipset settled in smartphones: Alcatel Idol 4S, LeEco Le2, ZTE Nubia Z17 Mini (version 4 GB RAM) and Z11 Max, Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra, Xiaomi Mi Max, LG G5 SE, HTC 10 Lifestyle, Lenovo Phab 2 PRO and many others.
The CPU is manufactured according to the 28 nm process technology and is represented by two clusters. One cluster contains the usual set of 4 Cortex A-53 cores, operating at 1.4 GHz. In the other – 4 cores Cortex A-72, working at a frequency of 1.8 GHz. It would be difficult to explain the use of such a 'flagship filling' in the Snapdragon 600 series anything other than the declared support for recording and playing video in 4K Ultra HD format. Probably the 2 Cortex A-72 cores in the Snapdragon 650 couldn't handle this. For all other tasks, such performance is excessive, there are simply no applications on Google Play that would make you think about a cluster of 4 Cortex A-72 cores.
GPU Adreno 510, as in Snapdragon 650, shows excellent performance. The superiority over the Mali-T880 MP4 (in Helio X20) reaches 8-10%. In WoT Blitz, you can safely twist all the graphics settings to the maximum and enjoy FPS from 30-45. However, remember that crooked stitching can always bring a fly in the ointment. On various forums, there are complaints from the owners of LeEco Le2. The point of complaints comes down to the fact that Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 does not reach full capacity and in WoT Blitz at maximum graphics settings there are drawdowns up to 'unplayable' 20-25 FPS. Nevertheless, the chipset can be called a gaming chipset without any exaggeration.
653
This chipset is present only in 3 smartphones on the Russian market. These are: Vivo X9 Plus, ZTE Nubia Z17 Mini and Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro.
In terms of the structure of the CPU, the chipset repeats the 652nd. The difference lies in the ability to overclock a 4-core Cortex A-72 cluster from 1.8 to 1.95 GHz.
GPU is represented by Adreno 510, as in 650/652. All the same + 8-10% relative to the Mali-T880 MP4 benchmark, which allows us to call the chipset a gaming one.
820
So we got to the actual chipsets of the 800 series. The presence of Snapdragon 820 can boast smartphones: Sony Xperia XZ / XZs and X Perfomance, ZTE Nubia Z11 and Axon 7, Motorola Moto Z, BlackBerry DTEK60, LG V20 , ZUK Z2 and Z2 Pro, OnePlus 3, HTC 10, LG G5, Xiaomi Mi 5, etc.
In order to adequately assess the Kryo cores in Snapdragon 820/821 and 835, some clarifications are necessary. Their relationship to the Cortex architecture is not mentioned anywhere, but there is a lot of material on the topic of how they differ. So, in standard Cortex-based chipsets, any system requests (Android in our case) go through the CPU, but in the case of Kryo, they don't. Let's say we start playing an MP3 file. The signal goes to a kind of hardware dispatcher called 'Symphony System manager' (hereinafter SSM), which does not use a gluttonous CPU to complete the task, but a low-power signal processor Hexagon 680. When photographing, not a CPU is involved, but a dedicated low-power ISP processor Qualcomm Spectra. The GPU also falls under the distribution of tasks from SSM. Together, this is called support for heterogeneous computing and compares favorably with the standard Cortex approach in terms of power consumption. As for the user experience, this leads to a lightning-fast reaction of the smartphone to performing common tasks, no delays, etc.
The Snapdragon 820 CPU is made using the 14nm process technology and is represented by four Kryo cores with a clock speed of up to 2.2 GHz. Standard tests speak of two clusters with two cores, but we do not know for certain, and Qualcomm is silent. The performance of a single Kryo core at 2.2 GHz is similar to that of the Cortex A-72 core (Snapdragon 652, Helio X20). In multi-threaded tests (Geekbench 4.0 64 Bit Multi-Core), the 4 Kryo cores confidently occupy the top lines, next to the 8 cores Snapdragon 625 (-6%), 626 (+ 12%) and Helio P20 (-4%).
GPU Adreno 530 supports OpenGL ES 3.1 + AEP1, OpenCL2.0 Full, Renderscript, 64-bit virtual addressing DirectX 11.2, plus hardware tessellation, geometry shaders, programmable blending, and exotic Vulcan. I would like to write a couple of lines about the latter. Unfortunately, I know for certain that there are only three games that support this API. These are Need for Speed No Limits, Heroes of Incredible Tales and Vainglory. You can appreciate the usefulness of this support in the Samsung promo video. From the video you can see that Vulcan support results in a cleaner picture, the player sees more small details, puddles, reflections and reflections. In terms of overall performance, the Adreno 530 outperforms the ARM Mali-T880 MP4 by 169%. The Snapdragon 820 is one of the best options for gamers.
821
The chipset is found in smartphones LG G6, HTC U Ultra, OnePlus 3T, LeEco Le Pro3 and many others.
The CPU, as in the 820, is represented by 4 Kryo and SSM cores. Process technology 14 nm. The maximum core frequency increased to 2.4 GHz (was 2.15 GHz), which led to a 5-10% increase in performance in multi-threaded tests.
The GPU has not changed, the same Adreno 530 (see above).
835
The chipset has already been well studied, built on its basis: Xiaomi Mi 6, HTC U11, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, as well as some subspecies of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 +.
This is Qualcomm's first 10nm chipset. The CPU includes 8 'Kryo 280' cores operating at up to 2.45 GHz. Officially, Qualcomm says the Kryo 280 cores are based on Cortex. From this we can assume that Cortex A-72 + SSM = Kryo 280. However, we do not know the division by clusters and the type of Cortex cores and therefore we will not guess. In performance tests of one core, the 835th bypasses the 821st by 4%, the 820th by 15%. In multi-threaded tests, the Snapdragon 835 sits between Intel Core i5-6200U (-1%) and Intel Core i5-7200U (+ 7%). Of the closest mobile competitors, only Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa is present, all the others are far behind.
GPU Adreno 540 supports OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 full, Vulkan and DX12 libraries. Compared to the Mali-T800 MP4, the Adreno 540 shows a performance increase of 204%. In WoT Blitz, at maximum graphics settings, FPS will always be at 60, without drawdowns and freezes.
P15
MediaTek Helio P15 is found in only one smartphone on the Russian market. This is Motorola Moto M (32 GB), a Chinese exclusive, brought to Russia by an accidental gray wind. The 'old' 28nm process is used. It differs from the previously considered Helio P10 only by the CPU frequency increased by 0.2 GHz. CPU performance equal to or slightly better than Qualcomm Snapdragon 430/435.
GPU ARM Mali-T860 MP2 is 49% weaker than Mali-T880 MP4. In WoT Blitz you will have to play on medium settings, manually selecting the quality of vegetation and shadows.
P20
The chipset is found in: Meizu E2 and Meilan X, Sony XA1 Ultra, BlackView BV8000 Pro. The chipset continues to produce new smartphones.
CPU MediaTek Helio P20 consists of two clusters of four Cortex A-53 cores. The first cluster operates at 1.6, the second at 2.3 GHz. The use of faster RAM (compared to the P10) and the 16nm process technology had a beneficial effect on the performance of the chipset. In single core tests, the Helio P20 is 22% better than the Snapdragon 430/435, roughly equal to the Snapdragon 625 and 10% behind the Snapdragon 626. In multi-threaded tests, the Helio P20 can compete almost on par with the Snapdragon 820 (just 4% behind).
The GPU is an ARM Mali-T880 MP2 that runs at 900 MHz. Supported libraries are OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 11.2. The lag behind the ARM Mali-T880 MP4 is 47%. We can say that the Mali-T860 MP2 (Helio P10) and T880 MP2 (Helio P20) are roughly equal, are not gaming in the full sense of the word, and are the chipset's weak point.
P25
There are currently only two smartphones with this chipset on the market. These are Meizu Pro 7 (64GB) and variations Doogee Mix.
CPU from two clusters with four Cortex A-53 cores, the frequency of which is 1.6 and 2.6 GHz. Faster RAM and 16nm process technology are used. As a result – the superiority of the Helio P25 CPU over Snapdragon 430/435, compliance with Snapdragon 625 and lagging behind Snapdragon 626. All tests show a 5-10% increase in CPU performance compared to Helio P20.
The GPU is the ARM Mali-T880 MP2, the frequency of which was raised to 1 GHz (versus 900 MHz in the P20). Performance has grown linearly and is still inferior to the Mali-T880 MP4. This is not enough to play WoT Blitz at maximum graphics settings with a comfortable FPS.
X25
Smartphones are equipped with a chipset: Xiaomi Redmi Pro, Meizu Pro 6 and 6s, LeEco Le 2 Pro x625, vernee Apollo.
Before us is a 10-core chipset (like the Helio X20). Two clusters of 4 Cortex A-53 cores operate at frequencies of 1.55 and 2.0 GHz (1.4 and 1.85 GHz in the X20). The third cluster is packed with two Cortex A-72 cores, operating at frequencies up to 2.5 GHz (versus 2.1 GHz in the X20). In single-core tests, the Helio X25 confidently occupies a niche between the Snapdragon 820 and 821. In multi-threaded tests, the X25 outperforms the Snapdragon 821, but lags behind the Snapdragon 835.
GPU ARM Mali-T880 MP4 also overclocked. The frequency was 780 MHz, now 850 MHz. Supports modern graphics libraries OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 11.2, no changes here. The chipset is suitable for games, in WoT Blitz at maximum graphics settings there will be no problems.
X30
The MediaTek Helio X30 chipset is installed in the only smartphone on the Russian market, this is Meizu Pro 7 Plus. Following Qualcomm, MediaTek took advantage of the ideology of completely heterogeneous computing, added dedicated chips for working with cameras (Imagiq 2.0, dual 16 + 16 MP or one 24 MP), VPU, and so on and so forth.
The CPU is made using 10nm technology and consists of 10 cores in three clusters. The distribution of cores is the same as in X20, only instead of Cortex A-72, two Cortex A-73 cores are used, and instead of one of the A-53 clusters, an even more energy efficient A-35 is used. Unfortunately, the performance tests of this chipset are not enough to draw any conclusions. However, we have a developer statement (ARM) claiming that the Cortex A-73 outperforms the A-72 by 30%. If so, then we have the most modern and powerful mobile CPU on the market.
The GPU is represented by the latest IMG PowerVR 7XTR-MT4 video processor. According to statements MediaTek, the new video processor outperforms our test Mali-T880 MP4 by 2.4 times. If so, then it is approximately equal to the Adreno 540 in Snapdragon 835. It is impossible to say more precisely, due to the small number of tests carried out (at the moment). But if you look at the WoT Blitz streams, then the IMG PowerVR 7XTR-MT4 in Meizu Pro 7 Plus, with maximum graphics settings (including x16 anisotropic filtering), demonstrates 57-60 FPS. This is a very, very good result, but the Snapdragon 835 FPS stays at 60 and does not drop below. This is a reason to look for a new test game, because WoT Blitz will no longer help to adequately assess the performance of flagship chipsets.
626
LPDDR3 is used, operating at a frequency of 933 MHz. The drive works according to the E.MMC Jedec 5.1 standard
652
Dual-channel LPDDR3 memory operating at 933 MHz is used. No changes compared to Snapdragon 650.
653
LPDDR3, two channels, frequency 933 MHz. But, unlike Snapdragon 650-652, the supported capacity has grown from 4 GB to 8 GB.
820
LPDDR4 is used. On average, LPDDR4 is 50% faster than the best LPDDR3 samples, and electricity consumption is 40% lower. The volume and frequency characteristics are unknown.
Interestingly, the Snapdragon 820 supports UFS-2.0 flash drives. Real read / write speeds (and not on the bus, as in E.MMC Jedec 5) are 350/150 MB / s. Unlike E.MMC, in UFC-2.0, read and write processes can occur simultaneously, and not alternately. This is a significant advantage.
821
Everything is the same as in Snapdragon 820 (see above)
835
The first Snapdragon chipset to use LPDDR4x RAM. Dual channel memory, frequency is unknown. The main difference between LPDDRx and LPDDR4 is the reduced bus voltage from 1.1 to 0.6 V. This leads to a 10-20% reduction in the power consumption of the RAM.
Communication with the drive is carried out according to the UFS-2.1 standard. The difference between UFS-2.1 in Snapdragon 835 and UFS-2.0 in Snapdragon 820/821 is the increase in read and write speeds by 26%. The natural result is almost instant installation of updates and applications.
P15
A single-channel LPDDR3 memory operating at a frequency of 933 MHz is used. The overclocked Helio P10 works with the drive according to the E.MMC Jedec 5.1 standard. With the cost of the only representative in Russian retail with this chipset Motorola Moto M (32Gb) from 13,290 rubles, questions about the price involuntarily arise.
P20 and P25
With the Helio P20 and P25, the company MediaTek gave more freedom to smartphone manufacturers to choose the component base. The chipset supports LPDDR3 and LPDDR4-4x RAM. The maximum capacity of LPDDR3 is 4 GB, LPDDR4-4x 6 GB. Frequencies 933 MHz for LPDDR3 and 1600 MHz for LPDDR4-4x. Thus, you can buy two smartphones with different speeds on Helio P20 (and P25). We can only advise you to study the information from the manufacturer of the smartphone itself more carefully.
The drive is operated according to the E.MMC Jedec 5.1 standard. Here we can add that the best samples of such memory offer read / write speeds of 250/125 MB / s. (versus 350/150 in UFS-2.0 (Snapdragon 820)).
X25
Helio X25 shows not flagship characteristics at all – dual-channel LPDDR3 memory at 800 MHz, the drive – E-MMC Jedec 5.1.
X30
As befits a flagship, Helio X30 supports the maximum memory operating modes possible today. RAM – LPDDR4x clocked at 1866 MHz, maximum capacity 8 GB. Drives – UFS-2.1 (like Snapdragon 835).
626 and 653
Qualcomm X9 LTE modem is used. The speed of downloading / sending information is carried out via LTE Cat 7/13. Cat 7 download – 300 Mbps, Cat 13 upload – 150 Mbps.
652
Qualcomm X8 LTE modem. Download / upload speed 300/100 Mbps.
820 and 821
Qualcomm X12 LTE modem is used. Download / upload speeds are 600/150 Mbps.
835
Qualcomm X16 LTE modem is used. Downloading and sending information over the LTE channel is carried out at a speed of 1 Gbps (1024 Mbps) and 150 Mbps, respectively. This corresponds to LTE Cat 16 upload and LTE Cat 13 upload.
I wanted to ask you friends, have you ever seen such speed in real life?
All Qualcomm chipsets examined offer GPS, GLONASS and Beidou navigation.
P15, P20, P25 and X25
Helio P15, P20, P25 and X25 have an LTE modem that allows you to download / send information at a speed of 300/50 Mbps, which corresponds to LTE Cat 6.
X30
Helio X30 transfers data over LTE Cat 10 (450 Mbps) for download and LTE Cat 13 (150 Mbps) for sending. As you can see, in terms of communications, chipsets MediaTek still cannot compare with Qualcomm.
All listed chipsets MediaTek support GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo.
When choosing a new smartphone costing over 12,000 rubles, special attention should be paid to products with Qualcomm 800-series chipsets on board. In addition to outstanding gaming performance, Qualcomm's flagship chipsets offer the best communication modems available today. And it's not only the sky-high data transfer rates, but also the stability of their work.
As for the flagship chipset MediaTek Helio X30, then in a month or two the network will accumulate enough information about its gaming capabilities and energy efficiency. If the engineers MediaTek managed to cope with overheating, if the price for smartphones with this chipset is adequate, then we have a worthy competitor for the Snapdragon 835. Let's see.
In the next article, we will compare the Exynos, Kirin and Surge chipsets based on the statistics we have.
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