New amd mobile processors. AMD mobile processors. Premium laptop processors from Intel

A week ago, AMD held a small presentation dedicated to the new Ryzen Mobile APUs, formerly known under the code name Raven Ridge. The speaker, however, as usual, first lamented the current situation in the world of processors. Like, Moore's law is no longer so strictly enforced and everyone has already gotten used to "5-7% growth per year" (it is known in whose garden this stone is). And even in desktops, where there are no special restrictions, five years ago a competitor's mass processor had 4 cores (and 8 threads) with a frequency of about 3.5 GHz, and until recently, all the same 4C / 8T, but at about 4 GHz. It was only this year that the competitor changed tactics, offering more cores for the same price as before. In the mobile segment, in this sense, it was even worse until this fall - configuration stability is no longer a sign of skill. Lack of competition is bad for the market and end users. However, we have heard all this from AMD before.

On the left is the CCX block of Zen cores, on the right is the GPU block (blue)

The company itself has been developing new cores (CPU and GPU) for the past four years, and, according to AMD, it is important that they tried to make them as scalable as possible. Powerful server solutions and desktop systems are made on the same basis, and now also mobile ones - for laptops. In fact, the AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are one CCX for four Zen cores (8 threads), Radeon Vega graphics and a slightly modified Infinity Fabric bus. The latter combines the CPU, GPU, memory controller, display and multimedia units, as well as the peripheral controller. The basic version of both chips has a TDP of 15 W, but with AMD's approval, system manufacturers can independently configure TDP in the range from 12 (9 is indicated in the table, but 12 was repeatedly announced) to 25 W - everything will depend on the quality of the cooling system. These settings are not available to the user.

At the microarchitecture level, the new APUs do not differ much from the desktop versions of the chips and . The changes concern those areas that are critical specifically for the mobile segment. Developers, for example, cut L3 caches down to 4 MB, just to keep the die size down. HBM for the GPU also had to be abandoned - the video memory is cut off from the main DDR4. The specific volume depends on the laptop OEM. For tests (benchmarks are given below), AMD used configurations with 256 MB of video memory, but in general there will be options for 512-1024 MB, since a relatively large amount of RAM in modern laptops is no longer a rarity. And yes, the overall performance of the complex will again partially depend on the frequency random access memory.

The DDR4-2400 memory controller has also remained almost unchanged: it is dual-channel here, but for some ultraportable solutions AMD insists on using a single-channel configuration - in this case, the difference in graphics performance will be about 20-40%. ECC is supported, but we are unlikely to see it in laptops. The differences between AMD Ryzen Mobile 7 2700U and 5 2500U are not that big. The older model has a base and boost frequencies of 2.2 and 3.8 GHz, respectively, and the younger one has 2.0 and 3.6 GHz. The 2500U has eight 1.1GHz Radeon Vega CUs, while the 2700U has ten of them running at 1.3GHz. Yes, only two APU models will be available for now, but next year AMD promises to significantly increase their number. The crystal has an area of ​​209.78 mm 2 and contains approximately 4.95 billion transistors. The manufacturing process is 14 nm.

However, some important changes in the new chipsets are worth mentioning. The Precision Boost crystal dynamic frequency control technology has acquired the number 2 in the title. It still changes frequencies in 25 MHz steps, but in this case, such a step is used in both the GPU and the CPU. Besides, a new version copes better with multi-threaded workloads - the main limiting factor in the case of laptops will be cooling efficiency rather than power limit. In addition, the Mobile XFR subsystem has appeared in the new APUs - it also additionally increases the turbo frequency above par, but here its task is to keep the established overclocking as long as possible. The exact frequency increase, the number of activated cores and specific APU models with mXFR have not been announced, but it is reported that this technology is designed more for high-performance laptops with good cooling.

However, some additions are also provided in the power subsystem. There are thousands of separate sensors (and regulators) in the crystals that measure voltages directly at the transistor blocks, and with millivolt accuracy. That is, data on the state of external VREGs is no longer so important. There was already voltage regulation for individual Zen cores, and now it has been added for the GPU. It is curious that an AMD representative claims that the worst load scenario, when the peak occurs simultaneously on the CPU and GPU, allegedly does not occur in practical work scenarios. This, of course, is debatable. Nevertheless, the main task in the case of APUs is the correct and fast distribution of power between the graphics and processor parts, depending on which of them really needs it. Actually, the main innovation in the APU is the LDO controllers built into the GPU. It is argued that no one has such an effective implementation of this technology now.

The new internal LDOs unified for the CPU / GPU, as AMD itself says, allow in the case of the APU to reduce the current requirements by 36%, while increasing the maximum current for powering the CPU or GPU by 20% - in fact, you can make either a more powerful solution, leaving that the same power system, or, conversely, reduce it, but maintain performance. In any case, the energy efficiency of the final solution increases, because the dynamic distribution of frequency and power, depending on the load, occurs both between the CPU cores and between the graphics and central processors. However, the specific details of the distribution algorithm are not disclosed. On the other hand, not only the algorithm is important, but also the speed of switching between different CPU / GPU states and their number, which, in particular, is necessary for more effective use laptop battery.

In the new APUs, the GPU has a special mode in which the power consumption of the card is reduced by 95%. It is activated when literally nothing happens on the screen, that is, a static picture is displayed, for example, if the user simply moved away from the PC for a while. There is a similar state for CPU cores. The transition between the main states in both cases takes 100 microseconds or less (typical value - 50 microseconds), and for deep sleep mode - up to 1.5 ms. In addition, the internal components of the APU are conventionally divided into two zones with different power policies, which also contributes to energy efficiency. The Infinity Fabric bus carries data from various internal sensors and regulators.

Also, the developers note the small thickness of the finished product - only 1.38 mm. Previously, as stated, not all ultrabooks were able to place the existing chips just because of their thickness. As for the GPU, it is worth noting the presence of FreeSync 2 technology. AMD will try to ensure that manufacturers add support for it to the displays of their laptops whenever possible. The graphics card itself supports multi-monitor configurations, 4K and HDR image output. Right now, together with Microsoft, PlayReady support is being prepared, which is necessary for the correct operation of some video streaming services. But in general, AMD continues to adhere to the long-term strategy 25 × 20, which was announced in 2014. According to her, by 2020 the overall performance of the APU should increase 25 times compared to the 2014 models.

Unfortunately, during the presentation, AMD did not present the full characteristics of new products (for example, there is no data on integrated controllers for peripherals), showing only some benchmarks. We note a few important points in them. Firstly, in some cases, the comparison is not with competitor solutions, but only with AMD products on the old platform. Secondly, where such a comparison still exists, an eighth generation chip was used with the same nominal TDP of 15 W, which was available on the market (and there are still few of them). Thirdly, various acceleration technologies or any other “cheating” were not involved, including, for example, laptop tests in a pre-chilled room. Below in the gallery are the results of the tests, as well as comments and notes to them.

AMD Ryzen Mobile Benchmarks

Best of all, new items show themselves in multi-threaded applications, as well as in software that actively uses the graphics subsystem. AMD notes that now on ultra-thin laptops, for example, you can safely process video and graphics without worrying too much about the autonomy of the device. And of course, for them, according to the company, a new niche appears - games. Naturally, heavy gaming monsters will feel uncomfortable here, but popular eSports projects work well with acceptable resolution and graphics quality. By the way, options with Dual Graphics are not yet expected, instead, developers can use DirectX 12 tools to share the resources of different GPUs.

Sergey Pakhomov

Notebook sales have long surpassed desktop sales, and most home users today are focused on laptops. The retail network offers a huge variety of laptop models on both Intel and AMD platforms. On the one hand, such an abundance pleases the eye, and on the other hand, the problem of choice arises. As you know, the performance of a computer is largely determined by the processor installed in it, but it is not so easy to understand modern processor families and symbols. And if everything is more or less clear with the designations of mobile processors from Intel, then AMD has a complete mess with this. Actually, it was this circumstance that prompted us to compile a kind of guide to AMD mobile processors.

The range of AMD processors for laptops is more than diverse (see table). However, if we talk about modern processors that it makes sense to focus on, then we can limit ourselves to considering only 45-nm processors of the Phenom II, Athlon II, Turion II, V-series, Sempron families with the following core code names: Champlain, Geneva and Caspian.

Processors codenamed Champlain were announced by the company as recently as May 2010, while 45nm processors codenamed Caspian were announced in September 2009.

The AMD mobile processor family includes both quad-core and triple-, dual- and single-core models.

Each processor core has a 128 KB L1 cache, which is divided into a dual-channel 64-kilobyte data cache and a dual-channel 64-kilobyte instruction cache. In addition, each processor core has a dedicated L2 cache of 512 KB or 1 MB.

But AMD mobile processors are deprived of cache memory of the third level (L3) (unlike their desktop counterparts).

All AMD mobile processors feature AMD 64 technology (support for 64-bit computing). In addition, all AMD processors are equipped with MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3 and Extended 3DNow! instruction sets, Cool'n'Quiet power saving technologies, NX Bit virus protection and AMD Virtualization technology.

So, let's look at the families of modern AMD mobile processors in more detail. And we will start, of course, with a review of the family of AMD Phenom II quad-core processors.

AMD's mobile quad-core processor family is the 900 series of Phenom II processors.

All 900-series Phenom II processors have a 2 MB L2 cache (512 KB per processor core) and an integrated DDR3 memory controller. In addition, all of these processors use 128-bit FPUs. The differences between the quad-core Phenom II 900-series processors are clock speed, power consumption, and supported memory. For its processors, AMD specifies another rather strange and, in our opinion, absolutely illogical characteristic - Maximum processor-to-system bandwidth (MAX CPU BW). We are talking about the total bandwidth of all buses between the processor and the system, or rather, the total bandwidth of the HyperTransport (HT) bus and the memory bus. If, for example, the processor works with DDR3-1333 memory, then the memory bus bandwidth is 21.2 GB / s (in dual-channel mode). Further, if the bandwidth of the HyperTransport (HT) bus is 3600 GT/s, which corresponds to a bandwidth of 14.4 GB/s, then we get that the total bandwidth of the HyperTransport bus and the memory bus will be 35.7 GB/s. Of course, it would be more logical to indicate in the processor specification the maximum memory frequency that the processor supports, but ... that is, that is. Fortunately, knowing the bandwidth of the HyperTransport bus and such a parameter as MAX CPU BW allows you to unambiguously determine the maximum memory frequency supported by the processor.

So, back to the Phenom II 900-series quad-core processor family. This family is headed by Phenom II X920 Black Edition (BE) with an unlocked multiplier. This processor has the highest clock speed (2.3 GHz) in AMD's quad-core mobile processor family and is the hottest processor with a power consumption of 45 watts. The HyperTransport bus bandwidth is 3600 GT/s and the MAX CPU BW setting is 35.7 GB/s. As you can easily calculate, this means that the integrated DDR3 memory controller supports memory with a maximum frequency of 1333 MHz (in dual-channel mode).

Two more models of quad-core AMD mobile processors are Phenom II N930 and Phenom II P920. The Phenom II N930 has a 2GHz clock speed and 35W power consumption, while the Phenom II P920 model has a 1.6GHz clock speed and 25W power consumption. Both processor models have a HyperTransport bus bandwidth of 3600 GT/s, however the Phenom II N930 processor supports DDR3-1333 memory while the Phenom II P920 processor only supports DDR3-1066 memory.

AMD's tri-core mobile processor family is the 800 series of Phenom II processors. There are only two tri-core mobile processors available today: Phenom II N830 and Phenom II P820, both with 1536 KB L2 cache (512 KB per processor core) and an integrated DDR3 memory controller. The difference between these models lies in the clock speed, power consumption, and the maximum frequency of supported DDR3 memory. Thus, the Phenom II N830 processor operates at a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz with a power consumption of 35 W, and the maximum frequency of DDR3 memory supported by the processor is 1333 MHz. The Phenom II P820 processor runs at 1.8GHz with 25W power consumption and supports DDR3-1066 memory.

In passing, we note that if the letter “P” is present in the marking of AMD processors, then this means that the power consumption of the processor is 25 watts. The presence of the letter "N" indicates the power consumption of the processor at 35 watts, and the letters "X" indicate 45 watts.

The Phenom II dual-core processor family is the 600 series. Two models are presented in this series today: Phenom II X620 BE and Phenom II N620. Both have 2 MB L2 cache (1 MB per core) and 3600 GT/s HT bus bandwidth. At the same time, both processor models support DDR3-1333 memory (MAX CPU BW is 35.7 GB / s). The difference between the processors is that the Phenom II X620 BE has a power consumption of 45W and a clock speed of 3.1GHz. In addition, this processor has an unlocked multiplier. The Phenom II N620 processor with a power consumption of 35 W has a clock frequency of 2.8 GHz.

Finishing the review of Phenom II family of mobile processors, let's note once again that it includes four, three- and two-core processors with 128-bit FPU, power consumption of which can be 45, 35 or 25 W. All these processors have HT 3600 GT/s bus bandwidth and support DDR3 memory with a maximum frequency of 1333 or 1066 MHz. The size of the L2 cache depends on the number of processor cores and is 512 KB per processor core (for four and three-core models) or 1 MB (for dual-core models).

The next family of 45nm mobile processors based on the Champlain core is the Turion II dual-core processor family, which is represented by two models: Turion II N530 and Turion II P520. These processors differ from each other only in clock speed and power consumption. The Turion II N530 has a clock speed of 2.5GHz and power consumption of 35W, while the Turion II P520 has a clock speed of 2.3GHz and power consumption of 25W. In all other respects, the characteristics of these processors are the same. So, both models are equipped with 128-bit FPU, have a 2 MB L2 cache (1 MB per core), and the HT bus bandwidth is 3600 GT/s. In addition, both processor models support DDR3-1066 memory. Note that the dual-core processors of the Turion II family of the 500th series practically do not differ in their characteristics from the dual-core models of the processors of the Phenom II family of the 600th series. The differences are only in the clock frequency and the maximum frequency of the supported memory. Actually, it is not very clear why these two processor models needed to be separated into a separate Turion II family, because they could be attributed to the Phenom II dual-core processor family.

AMD's next family of dual-core Champlain mobile processors is the Athlon II family, which is also represented by two models: Athlon II N330 and Athlon II P320. These processors are really very different from the dual-core Phenom II and Turion II processors. First of all, they cut the L2 cache to 1 MB (512 KB per core). In addition, these processors have 64-bit FPUs, and the HT bus bandwidth is 3200 GT/s. In addition, these processors only support DDR3-1066 memory. The differences between the Athlon II N330 and Athlon II P320 models themselves are clock speed and power consumption.

Single-core mobile processors based on the Champlain core are represented by the V-Series, which today includes only one model - the V120 with a clock speed of 2.2 GHz and a 512 KB L2 cache. This processor is endowed with 64-bit FPUs, and the bandwidth of the HT bus is 3200 GT/s. In addition, the V120 processor supports DDR3-1066 memory, and its power consumption is 25W. In general, the characteristics of the V120 processor is a single-core version of the Athlon II P320 processor.

All of AMD's mobile processors we've reviewed are 2010 processors (announced by the company in May) aimed at performance and entry-level laptops. However, AMD's range also includes low-power processors - they are focused on ultra-thin laptops and netbooks. Also announced in May, these dual-core and single-core 45nm processors are codenamed Geneva and feature the Turion II Neo, Athlon II Neo, and V-Series.

Dual-core processors of the Turion II Neo series (Turion II Neo K665, Turion II Neo K625) have a power consumption of 15 W, dual-core and single-core processors of the Athlon II Neo series (Athlon II Neo K325, Athlon II Neo K125) have a power consumption of 12 W, but the power consumption of a single-core processor V105 is only 9 watts.

Turion II Neo dual-core processors feature 128-bit FPUs and 2MB L2 cache (1MB per core). The bandwidth of the HT bus is 3200 GT/s.

The Athlon II Neo series processors have 64-bit FPUs and 1 MB L2 cache per core, while the HT bus bandwidth is 2000 GT/s. Well, the single-core processor V105 differs (except for the clock frequency) from the single-core processor Athlon II Neo K125 by the L2 cache cut in half.

Note that all Geneva processors support DDR3-1066 memory in dual-channel mode.

In addition to Champlain and Geneva mobile processors, AMD also has other mobile 45nm processors in its product range. We are talking about processors codenamed Caspian, which were announced in September 2009 and have not yet become obsolete. Caspian mobile processors are represented by the Turion II and Turion II Ultra dual-core processor families, the Athlon II dual-core processor family, and the Sempron single-core processor family.

All dual-core Caspian processors have a power consumption of 35W, and single-core processors have a power consumption of 25W. In addition, all Caspian processors only support DDR2-800 memory (in dual-channel mode).

The Turion II and Turion II Ultra processor families are equipped with 128-bit FPUs, and the HT bus bandwidth is 3600 GT/s. The difference between Turion II Ultra and Turion II processors is that Turion II Ultra processors have a 2 MB L2 cache (1 MB per core), while Turion II processors have 1 MB cache (512 KB per core).

The processors of the Athlon II and Sempron families have 64-bit FPUs and 512 KB L2 cache per core. In addition, the HT bus bandwidth for these processors is 3200 GT/s.

When choosing an AMD processor, you come across a lot of incomprehensible letters and numbers. What do they mean? How to separate an average processor from a weak one? You will learn about this in our material.

Introduction

Processors before 2010, as well as server solutions, chips on the AM1 platform, as well as the AMD Ontario line (not relevant at the moment), will not be considered here, so the marking shown in this article may not be suitable for them.

Here is a video that will help you figure it out, but we still recommend reading the article, as it is more detailed and will be updated in the future.

Architecture

There are currently 4 chips of the latest desktop architectures on the market, and in the second half of 2016 it is planned to introduce the new Zen architecture to the world with a large performance jump per clock and reduced to 14 nm, which may help to catch up with Intel in the top segment.

sockets

Actual platforms for the beginning of 2016 include FM2, FM2+ and AM3+

Processor lines

E-series

Budget entry-level processors designed for laptops and netbooks.

E1s have 2 cores on board, and E2s have 4.

Belonging to a particular generation is determined by the first digit:

• 7- Carrizo-L
• 6-Beema
• 2, 3 - Kabini (excluding old chips before 2012, which have the same number)

There are quite a few chips in this series, and if there is a need, you can familiarize yourself with the models by.

APU

AMD processors with an integrated graphics core (APU) are divided into lines:

• A4 - 2 cores
• A6 - 2 cores
• A8 - 4 cores
• A10 - 4 cores

A12-8800B falls out of this nomenclature, but you can read about it.

Accordingly, from weaker to more powerful, both in graphics and in the processor part. Here is an example:

The first digit indicates the processor cores (generation).

In our case, having the number 7, we get the Kaveri kernels.

It is worth noting that the number 4 for the A4 series on the Richland architecture means a reduced frequency, which leads to a decrease in performance.

850 - indicates performance among similar processors by frequency (more is better)

• P - typical power consumption in the case of mobile processors (35 W)
• B - designation of Pro processors
• M - mobile processor (old designation)
• K - unlocked for overclocking
• T - reduced power consumption (stationary PCs)

Interestingly, there are A-processors marked with the FX trademark. As a rule, these are the most powerful laptop processors of the company. They are also built on the APU architecture.

Athlon

Now let's talk about Athlon. In fact, these are the same A - processors, but with a disabled video core for a lower price.

As an example, let's take

• X4 - stands for 4 processor cores
• 8 - is an index of Kaveri cores (7 - Trinity)

We see no point in pointing to earlier models, since even the top-end Athlon X4 860K chip for this socket demonstrates the results of an average chip by modern standards, so we do not advise you to take these processors in 2016. If at first it suits you, then when you upgrade, you will have to change and motherboard, which will cost a pretty penny and beat off the money saved on this decision.

• 60 - as well as in the previous case, indicates the position of the processor in the line
• K - has the same meaning

FX

Now let's talk about the fastest AMD processors - the FX series. These chips have great overclocking potential and a very affordable price tag. The main disadvantage stems from a rather outdated architecture and production technology - energy consumption. TDP ratio - performance loses a lot Intel processors, but the price - performance at a very good level. The nomenclature below is not valid for the FX 9xxx - it's the same 8xxx but with a higher clock speed. Here is the chip we chose as an example:

The first number indicates the number of cores, in this case 8.

The second refers to the generation

• 3 - Vishera cores
• 1, 2 - Zambezi cores

The remaining numbers indicate the frequency of the chip within the same family, but we believe that this does not matter. We advise you to take the youngest model in the line, as the older ones are exactly the same, but with factory overclocking. And why overpay for factory overclocking, if the “stones” are chasing so well?

If you have any questions, you can visit the site, there you can find some useful information.

This article did not provide information about older chips, as well as server solutions due to the outdated technology (manufacturing process, architecture) for the former and the specific application and high cost of the latter. We hope that our material has helped you understand the range of AMD processors and will help you make your choice.

Now smartphones, if desired, can process a mountain of information. The power of their processor is enough to solve absolutely any tasks. At the same time, modern chipsets consume a minimum amount of electricity, for which the improved technical process should be thanked. Our rating of processors for smartphones will tell you about the most powerful and interesting models. Devices based on them can be blamed for anything, but definitely not for lack of power!

Good to know!

Samsung Exynos 9820

• Year of issue: 2019
• Process technology: 8 nm
• Architecture: 2*Custom + 2*Cortex A75+ 4*Cortex A55
• Video accelerator: Mali-G76 MP12

Geekbench result: 4382/9570 points

An interesting fact was the appearance of the Samsung chipset in third place among the most powerful processors. Previously, the company's solutions in synthetic tests were inferior not only to Qualcomm, but also to Huawei, but in this case, the numbers for the Koreans turned out to be higher.

The novelty is built on an 8-nanometer process technology, the cores are divided into 3 groups - two fourth-generation proprietary cores, two productive Cortex A75 and four energy-efficient Cortex A55. Like other manufacturers, the company focused on improving the performance of neural networks, the security of user data, as well as improving camera performance and supporting a large number of sensors. So the novelty can work with 5 cameras including infrared for face scanning and a resolution of no more than 22 megapixels or two front cameras of 16 megapixels. In addition, the chipset supports 4K displays, shooting in 8K at 30 fps, 4K up to 120 fps.

Advantages:

• Instant camera settings for AR and VR.
• Support shooting in 8K.
• Work with 5 cameras.
• Economical battery consumption.
• Improved encoding of user personal data.
• 4K video processing up to 150 fps.
• Support for 4K displays.
• Working with UFS 2.1/3.0 SSDs.

Disadvantages:

• 8 nm manufacturing process - even with the most ideal optimization, these chipsets cannot compete with 7 nm models in energy efficiency.
• Of the 8 cores, only the first two can be called new, the remaining 6 cores migrated from previous processors without any changes, that is, it is difficult to fully consider the novelty as such - rather, it is an improved old processor.

Samsung S10, S10+, S10e

Huawei Kirin 980

• Year of issue: 2018
• Process technology: 7 nm
• Architecture: 2*Cortex-A76 + 2*Cortex-A76 + 4*Cortex-A55
• Video accelerator: Mali-G76 MP10

Geekbench result: 3390/10318 points

The new processor from Huawei technically became the first one created using the 7 nm process technology, however, by introducing it to the world, the company was late with the release, giving the laurels to Apple. The cores are divided into three groups - two high-performance, two energy-efficient and four medium-performance. In order to use exactly the cores that are needed in a particular task, the company introduced Flex-Scheduling technology, thanks to which performance increased by 37% compared to last year's Kirin 970. Not without a new graphics accelerator, which is not only more powerful, but also automatically increases the clock speed in games.

Just like Huawei's competitors improved the machine block, it is 120% faster than its predecessor. In this case, these are not just words. Every year, all manufacturers focus on cameras and the fact that through the work of AI the pictures really turn out better in any conditions is difficult to dispute. This is best seen in Huawei. Already with last year's Kirin 970, the company achieved first place in the most prestigious camera rating from DxOMark. With the new processor, we should expect to overcome the previous bar. A lot has been written about the photo capabilities of the chipset, or rather its neural unit. To simplify, Huawei does the following - it does not chase top performance in tests, but it makes really excellent chipsets for photos and videos, while again there will be no difficulties with launching games and any other tasks. In many cases, this is what users want, who look at real possibilities, not numbers.

Advantages:

• The best processor for photos and videos.
• Two modules of neural networks.
• Support for high-speed LPDDR4X RAM up to 16GB.
• Flex-Scheduling is a technology of "correct" selection of cores for specific tasks, which results in excellent energy efficiency and fast loading of any applications.
• HDR10+ support.
• Support for the new standard - Wi-Fi 802.11ay.
• Work with 48 MP cameras or dual 22 MP modules.
• 4K recording at 60 fps.

Disadvantages:

• The graphics co-processor is weaker than the competition - for users this is not a minus, as there is GPU Turbo technology for automatic overclocking, which compensates for the difference.
• The company used the "old" cores and improved them, that is, in fact, this is an updated processor, and not a fundamentally new development.
• No 5G support.

The most popular smartphones: View 20, Huawei P30, Huawei Mate 20

Mediatek Helio P90

• Year of issue: 2018
• Process technology: 12 nm
• Architecture: 2*Cortex-A75 + 6*Cortex-A55
• Video accelerator: PowerVR GM 9446

Geekbench result: 2025/6831 points

MediaTek has long been associated by users with processors for budget and occasionally mid-priced smartphones. The company is struggling to create a competitive flagship-level model, but it is not very successful. So MediaTek did not get into the top 10 most productive chipsets, but took 11th place with the Helio P90 released in 2019. The model has an eight-core structure, which, although it has a breakdown into two and six cores, but in fact they are all high-performance. Not surprisingly, the P90 was able to overtake the Snapdragon 710 described below, which has exactly the same cores, but with a six-core emphasis on energy efficiency.

In general, the new product from MediaTek is quite interesting - there is support for the fastest RAM up to and UFS 2.1 solid-state drives, like competitors, it can work with a single 48 MP camera or a dual-module solution of 24 and 16 MP. An interesting feature is the support for displays with a resolution of 2520 * 1080 and an aspect ratio of 21:9. The chipset has three image processing units and an updated AI with support for AI Fusion is responsible for ensuring that tasks are distributed among all units, which increases the speed of data processing. One of the features of this technology is the adaptation of the screen in real time to the selected application - in particular, when making a video call and switching from full-screen video to preview, users will not notice any delays.

Advantages:

• Eight powerful cores for maximum performance.
• Updated AI block for working with photos.
• Support high-speed LPDDRX memory up to 8GB.
• Support modern cameras up to 48 MP.
• Shooting slow motion video with fps 480 in HD format.

Disadvantages:

• Not the best energy efficiency.
• No shooting in 4K.
• Old generation graphics coprocessor.

The most popular smartphones: BV9800

Qualcomm Snapdragon 710

• Year of issue: 2018
• Process technology: 10 nm
• Architecture: 2*Cortex-A75 + 6*Cortex-A55
• Video accelerator: Adreno 616

Geekbench result: 1897 / 5909 points

A mid-range processor that took 12th place in the ranking of the most powerful chipsets. The model was the first in the 700th series. Prior to this, Qualcomm had a clear division: the 800 series is the flagship level with maximum features, the 600 series is the mid-level with stripped down GPU and CPU cores, and the 400 series is the budget line with a minimum of features. Processors of the 700th series, and in particular the Snapdragon 710, are all the current chips from the main line and at the same time a fairly affordable price.

The novelty runs on two high-performance cores and six power-efficient ones. Given the new graphics system, the model shows excellent performance in games and at the same time low power consumption. In addition, she knows how to process photos with high quality - reduces noise, supports two dual cameras up to 16 MP, and 4K video. The company did not forget about AI either, in this case, the manufacturer did not waste time on trifles and supplied Hexagon 685 machine cores, that is, the same ones as in 2018 - Snapdragon 845. The output turned out to be a fairly inexpensive chipset, which, if inferior to flagships, is quite a bit . For those who are looking for a mid-range smartphone with excellent performance, energy efficiency and photo processing, the Snapdragon 710 will be a real find.

Advantages:

• Affordable price.
• Support for two cameras up to 16 MP.
• Low power consumption.
• Powerful AI for taking photos.
• Support for 4K c 30 fps and HDR.
• Working with biometric sensors.
• Support for Quick Charge 4+.

Disadvantages:

The most popular smartphones: Samsung Galaxy A8s, 16, Xiaomi Mi8 SE

Conclusion

It is worth noting that our rating did not include Snapdragon 845 and 660, Kirin 970, Apple A11, Exynos 8895, Helio X30 chipsets due to the fact that they were all released in late 2017 or early 2018. Despite their relevance, many readers are familiar with them, and there are a lot of smartphones based on them. For this reason, we chose powerful new items, which does not entail recommendations for buying devices based solely on them. But if you want a smartphone with the latest and most powerful chipset, then the models presented above are the best of their kind.

Excluded from selection

Samsung Exynos 8 Octa 8890

• Year of issue: 2016
• Process technology: 14 nm
• Architecture: Samsung Exynos M1 + ARM Cortex-A53 (ARMv8-A)
• Video accelerator: Mali-T880, 12 cores, 650 MHz

Geekbench result: 5940 points

If not the best processor for a smartphone, then at least one of those who deserve this title. It is no accident that they are equipped with all variations of the South Korean Galaxy S7. Is it possible to reproach this flagship with a lack of power? The chipset easily digests 4K video at 60 fps. It consists of eight cores. The maximum frequency is 2290 MHz. But it rarely comes to raising it to such a level, since even lower frequencies are quite enough to solve most problems.

Unfortunately, the processor also has certain problems. It just so happened that South Korean chipsets are not endowed with the best video accelerator (GPU). Here, too, the Mali-T880, despite its 12 cores, works out strictly for the “good” rating, but nothing more. This is proved by tests in GFXBench, where the Samsung Exynos 8 Octa 8890 outperforms some other chipsets reviewed today in terms of graphics.

Advantages

• Video support in 2160p resolution at 60 fps;
• Not very big heating;
• Low power consumption;
• High marks in benchmarks.

disadvantages

• The memory test shows not the highest results;
• The graphics accelerator could have performed better.

The most popular smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung Galaxy Golden 4

Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996

• Year of issue: 2015
• Process technology: 14nm FinFET
• Architecture: Qualcomm Kryo
• Video accelerator: Adreno 530, 624 MHz

Geekbench result: 4890 points

Qualcomm does not have its own manufacturing facilities. However, it has many patents at its disposal. And with them, it is not difficult to develop a processor close to the ideal, after which it remains only to place an order for production from other companies. pleases with both computing power and graphics processing capabilities. Many flagships that were born in 2016 were equipped with this chipset. And none of their customers complained about the graphics in mobile games!

The chip consists of only four cores. However, this did not prevent him from scoring record scores in benchmarks - not least thanks to the graphics accelerator. The maximum frequency at given processor is 2150 MHz. At the hardware level, the chipset supports HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0, and Bluetooth 4.1. In a word, the processor could easily cope even with the tasks assigned to a laptop! It also features support for a camera with a resolution of up to 28 megapixels - that is why the company made its choice in favor of this processor, in whose flagship smartphones such a sensor is present.

Advantages

• Very high resolution camera support;
• Capable of processing Full HD video at up to 240 fps;
• Support for 10-bit 4K video;
• Windows devices use DirectX 11.2;
• Very high clock frequency;
• Not very high energy consumption;
• High scores in benchmarks;
• The memory test produces high results;
• Excellent performance in games.

disadvantages

• Sometimes it gets quite hot.

The most popular smartphones: Moto Z Force, Elite X3, ZenFone 3, 10, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Sony Xperia X Performance, Sony Xperia XR, Xiaomi Mi5 Pro, Z11

HiSilicon Kirin 95

• Release year: 2016
• Process technology: 16 nm
• Architecture:
• Video accelerator: Mali-T880, 4 cores

Geekbench result: 6000 points

This chipset is made on a 16-nanometer process technology, which indicates its decent energy efficiency. The maximum frequency here is increased to 2.5 GHz. The creators had to take such a step because of the Mali-T880 graphics accelerator, which does not cope with its task in the best way.

The Chinese chipset consists of eight cores, four of which can be called auxiliary. Paired with a GPU, it is capable of playing 4K video at 60 fps. But only to reproduce - the processor is capable of creating a video recording on its own only in 1080p resolution. And this despite the fact that the chip even supports dual cameras, the total resolution of which is 42 megapixels. It is also capable of recognizing Bluetooth 4.2 and USB 3.0 modules.

Advantages

• Support for many modern wireless technologies;
• Almost record clock speed;
• No big problems with overheating;
• Can decode 4K video at 60fps;
• Supports dual high definition cameras.

disadvantages

• The graphics accelerator shows poor results.

The most popular smartphones: Huawei P9, Huawei P9 Plus, Huawei Honor V8, Huawei Honor Note 8.

HiSilicon Kirin 950

• Year of issue: 2015
• Process technology: 16 nm
• Architecture: 4x ARM Cortex-A72 + 4x ARM Cortex-A53
• Video accelerator: Mali-T880, 4 cores, 900 MHz

Geekbench result: 5950 points

In 2015-2016, this processor was used by many Huawei smartphones. The chipset consists of eight cores, the power of four of them can reach 2300 MHz. It would seem that the result is quite good. But not everything is so clear. The weak point of the chip lies in the graphics accelerator. The first version of the Mali-T880 is used here as it. It copes with video decoding with dignity - in theory, you can even run 4K video at 60 frames / s. But in games, this GPU performs disgustingly, especially by the standards of flagships.

However, the computing power of this chipset cannot be faulted, which is why it got into our top processors. The product supports Bluetooth 4.2 and USB 3.0 standards, although the Chinese giant did not really produce smartphones with such high-speed interfaces, preferring to save money. Also, in theory, the processor copes with the data stream from, which has a total resolution of 42 megapixels.

Advantages

• Supports USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.2;
• High computing power;
• Support for modern memory formats;
• Not very expensive to manufacture;
• Decodes high definition video;
• Capable of handling a dual 42-megapixel camera.

disadvantages

• The graphics accelerator could be much better;
• Cannot provide the camera with 4K video recording.

The most popular smartphones: Huawei Honor 8, Huawei Honor Note 8, Huawei Mate 8, Huawei Honor V8.

Apple A9X APL1021

• Year of issue: 2015
• Process technology: 16 nm
• Architecture: Apple Twister 64-bit ARMv8-compatible
• Video accelerator: PowerVR Series 7X 12 cores

Result in Geekbench : 5400 points

Why are game developers primarily targeting Apple smartphones and tablets? Really only their owners can afford to buy a toy? No, it's much easier. It is on this technique that the game shows itself best. The Apple A9X APL1021 processor is endowed with an almost perfect graphics accelerator that can handle absolutely any task! If desired, Apple could even implement 4K video recording at 60 fps!

As for computing power, everything is in order with it, although the processor still does not gain record points in benchmarks. It would seem that only two cores are used here. But this is enough for everyday tasks. Not least because of the better optimized operating system.

Advantages

• High power of two cores;
• Excellent 12-core graphics accelerator;
• Full support for 4K video at 60 fps;
• Support for many modern technologies;
• Recognizes modern memory formats.

disadvantages

Apple iPad Pro

MediaTek MT6797 Helio X25

• Year of issue: 2016
• Process technology: 20 nm
• Architecture: 2x ARM Cortex-A72 + 4x ARM Coptex-A53 + 4x ARM Coptex-A53
• Video accelerator: Mali-T880MP4, 4 cores, 850 MHz

Geekbench result: 4920 points

A processor with a rather complex structure. It consists of ten nuclei belonging to two varieties. The two cores are the most powerful - they belong to the Cortex-A72 type, and their clock speed can reach 2500 MHz. The remaining computing cores belong to the Cortex-A53 type. At the same time, half of them are overclocked to a frequency of 2000 MHz, while the frequency of the rest is limited to 1550 MHz.

All this allows the processor to score a lot of points in benchmarks. And the result would be even higher if not for the graphics accelerator. This element here is seriously limited in its capabilities. Yes, it supports full 4K video work, including its creation, but only at 30 fps. And in games, the GPU copes with its task even worse. As for the rest of the characteristics, we should highlight the support for 32-megapixel cameras and the Bluetooth 4.1 standard. The maximum display resolution of a smartphone with this chipset can reach 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Advantages

• 32MP camera support;
• Very high computing power;
• Relatively low power consumption;
• Albeit limited, but support for 4K video;
• Low cost chipset.

disadvantages

• The GPU performs poorly in games;
• No Bluetooth 4.2 support.

The most popular smartphones: Meizu Pro 6, K6000 Premium, Xiaomi Redmi Pro, Speed ​​8, Apollo.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953

• Year of issue: 2016
• Process technology: 14 nm
• Architecture: ARM Cortex-A53 (ARMv8)
• Video accelerator: Adreno 506

Geekbench result: 4900 points

One of Qualcomm's most popular creations. They are endowed with a huge number of smartphones from the mid-budget and even top segments. The manufacturer did not bother with the architecture, endowing the chipset with eight identical cores. The maximum clock frequency is 2000 MHz, which is enough for the average user.

The graphics accelerator here is optimized for video content processing. Theoretically, a smartphone based on this processor is capable of playing and recording 4K video at 60 frames / s. But in games, some problems begin. Although their presence is surprising, because the GPU even has support for DirectX 12, which is activated on devices with Windows on board. The chipset also supports a dual camera, the total resolution of which does not exceed 24 megapixels. The only thing missing here is USB 3.0 support. However, the creators of smartphones do not like to build such high-speed connectors into their creations.

Advantages

• Dual camera supported;
• Well implemented fast charging technology;
• High power of all eight cores;
• Full support for 4K video content at 60 fps;
• Relatively low cost.

disadvantages

• Camera resolution cannot exceed 24 MP;
• No support for Bluetooth 4.2;
• Display resolution cannot exceed 1920 x 1200 dots;
• In games, the chipset does not perform well.

The most popular smartphones: Huawei G9 Plus, ASUS ZenFone 3, Fujitsu Easy, Huawei Maimang 5, Vibe P2, Motorola Moto Z Play, Samsung Galaxy C7.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 APQ8076

• Year of issue: 2016
• Process technology: 28 nm
• Architecture: 4x ARM Cortex-A72 + 4x ARM Cortex-A53
• Video accelerator: Adreno 510

Geekbench result: 4886 points

This chipset is also known as the Snapdragon 652. This is one of the last processors that is still being manufactured on the 28nm process. The creators are not at all embarrassed by the relatively large size of the chip, since it is mainly built into tablets.

The processor consists of eight processing cores. The clock frequency of four of them can reach 1800 MHz. This is quite enough for the tablet to solve the main tasks without any thought. The chipset also includes the Adreno 510 graphics accelerator. There are no particular complaints about it, because no one will expect excellent graphics performance from a tablet. It should be noted that theoretically the chip supports video in 2160p resolution at 30 fps. It also boasts support for Bluetooth 4.1 and proprietary Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology.

Advantages

• Supports devices with large screen resolution;
• Great computing power;
• Albeit limited, but still support for 4K video;
• Built-in fast charging technology.

disadvantages

• No support for Bluetooth 4.2;
• Still not the best graphics accelerator.

Most popular devices: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Plus 8.0, Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Plus 9.7.

MediaTek MT6797M Helio X20

• Year of issue: 2016
• Process technology: 20 nm
• Architecture: 2x ARM Cortex-A72 + 4x ARM Cortex-A53 + 4x ARM Cortex-A53
• Video accelerator: Mali-T880MP4, 4 cores, 780 MHz

Geekbench result: 5130 points

Many mobile processors have four or even eight cores. In the case of the MediaTek MT6797M Helio X20, their number has been increased to ten. As a result, the performance of the chipset is very high. Especially in those applications where serious graphics processing is not required. It should be noted that only two computing cores are especially powerful here - their clock frequency reaches 2300 MHz. The remaining nuclei are divided into two groups. One is able to please with a frequency of 1850 MHz, while the other has this parameter fixed at 1400 MHz. But in any case, the result is very good, which is confirmed by synthetic tests, and by the smartphones themselves - the interface on them does not slow down at all thanks to the chipset.

As for the graphics accelerator, everything is much worse here. Theoretically, it copes with viewing and recording 4K video at 30 fps. But in games, the lack of power is immediately felt. Modern games on a smartphone with such a processor will work, but with simplified graphics. Especially if the device has a screen with Full HD resolution or higher. It should also be noted that the processor supports almost any mobile camera - as long as the resolution of the module does not exceed 32 megapixels.

• Year of issue: 2015
• Process technology: 28 nm
• Architecture: ARM Cortex-A72 + ARM Cortex-A53 (ARMv8)
• Video accelerator: Adreno 510

Geekbench result: 4610 points

There are two versions of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 processor, also known as the Snapdragon 652. The first is the MSM8976, which was released in 2015. A year later, a slightly more advanced version was released - APQ8076, which some received. The products are practically indistinguishable from each other. They have eight cores, half of which are capable of boosting the frequency up to 1800 MHz. Both processors are endowed with a far from ideal Adreno 510 graphics accelerator.

Qualcomm's creation is capable of supporting smartphones with a display resolution of no higher than 2560 x 1600 pixels. As for the camera, it is possible to process data coming from a dual module, the total resolution of which does not exceed 21 megapixels. Everything is in order with the module and with the ability to process data coming from dual-channel LPDDR3 memory.

Advantages

• High performance;
• View 4K video at 30 fps;
• The theoretical ability to record video in 1080p and 120 fps;
• Not very high cost;
• Support for dual cameras;
• The screen resolution can reach 2560 x 1600 pixels.

disadvantages

• Bluetooth 4.2 not supported;
• The maximum resolution of the camera cannot be very high.

The most popular smartphones: X6S A, Vivo X7, Vivo X7 Plus, LeEco Le2, G5 SE, R9 Plus, Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (2016), ZTE Nubia Z11 Max, Xiaomi Mi Max

This article will compare laptop processors from two leading semiconductor manufacturers - Intel and AMD. The products of the first of them are equipped with an improved processor part and have a higher level of performance in this regard. In turn, AMD solutions boast a more productive graphics subsystem.

Division into niches

Comparison and Intel for laptops will be most optimally performed in three niches:

• Budget-class processors (they are also the most affordable).
• Mid-range CPUs that combine both a high level of performance and acceptable energy efficiency.
• Chips with the highest level of performance. In this case, speed, autonomy and energy efficiency fade into the background.

If in the first two cases AMD can provide a worthy alternative to Intel, then the premium segment has been dominated by the latter company for quite a long time. The only hope in this regard is new processor solutions based on the Zen architecture, which AMD should introduce next year.

Entry level Intel products

Until recently, this niche from Intel was occupied by products of the Atom line. But now the situation has changed and entry-level laptops are now based on processors. The most modest products of this class include only 2 cores, and the most advanced ones - 4. The following models are relevant for the 3rd quarter of 2016, which are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 - Current CPU models from Intel for entry-level mobile PCs.

There are essentially no cardinal differences between these CPU models. They are aimed at solving the most simple tasks and have a minimum level of performance. Also, this manufacturer of semiconductor solutions has a strong point in the processor part, but the integrated graphics subsystem is very weak. Another strength of these products is the high degree of energy efficiency and thus improved autonomy.

Mid-range solutions from Intel

"Kor i3" and "Kor i5" are mid-range Intel processors for laptops. Comparison of their characteristics indicates that the first family is closer to entry-level solutions, and the second - under certain circumstances, can compete with the most productive chips from this company. Detailed specifications of the specified family of products are given in Table 2.

Table 2 - Intel processor parameters for mid-range laptops.

The characteristics of the CPU of this class are almost identical. The key difference is the improved energy saving of the 7U54. As a result, autonomy in this case will also be better. Otherwise, there are no significant differences between these processors. The price of all chips of this family is the same - $281.

Premium laptop processors from Intel

For latest generation laptops, indicates that the highest performing solutions are i7 family CPUs. Moreover, in architectural terms, they practically do not differ from middle-class products. Even the models of video cards in this case are the same. But a higher level of performance compared to mid-range processors is provided by higher clock frequencies and increased size of volatile memory of the 3rd level. The main parameters of the chips of this family are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 - Main characteristics of i7 family CPUs.

The difference between the two products is that the latter has improved energy efficiency, but the performance will eventually be lower.

AMD entry-level mobile processors

For laptops of the two leading manufacturers of this product, it indicates that Intel, as noted earlier, has a better processor part, and AMD has an integrated graphics subsystem. If an improved video system is a priority in a new laptop, then it is better to pay attention to laptops from a second manufacturer. Specific chip models technical specifications are shown in Table 4.

Table 4 - Most recent AMD processors for entry level laptops.

For the most part, these chips have almost identical technical parameters. The key difference here is only in the frequency range and the model of the integrated built-in accelerator. It is based on these parameters that you need to make a choice. If you need maximum autonomy, then choose products with lower performance. If autonomy comes to the fore, then you will have to sacrifice dynamism for this.

AMD chips for organizing mid-range laptops

FX-9XXXP and A1X-9XXXP are for laptops. A comparison of their characteristics with entry-level products indicates that they already have 4 computing units versus 2 that are available in entry-level products. Also in this case, it can compete with entry-level discrete accelerators. But the weak processor part is the factor today, which significantly reduces the performance of laptops based on these chips. Therefore, you can look in their direction only when, at the minimum cost of a mobile computer, you need the fastest graphics subsystem. The main specifications of this CPU family are shown in Table 5.

Table 5 - CPU settings from AMD for mid-range laptops.

It is most difficult to compare laptop processors in the entry-level segment. On the one hand, Intel solutions in this case have a lower cost and an improved processor part. In turn, AMD offers mobile PCs with an improved graphics subsystem. It is based on the last parameter that it is recommended to buy when choosing an entry-level laptop Pavilion 15-AW006UR from HP. Other things being equal, with competing solutions, the video card in this case will have a certain performance margin, and the processor does not lose much to the CPU from Intel. As a mid-level mobile PC, it is recommended to choose the Aspire E5 - 774 - 50SY from Acer. It has an i5 - 7200U chip installed, which is only slightly inferior to the flagship products. Yes, and other technical specifications are at an acceptable level, as for a middle-class laptop. Comparison of laptop processors in the niche of the highest performance solutions indicated that it is best to purchase mobile computers based on 7th generation i7 chips. The most affordable, but at the same time very equipped version of the laptop, is the IdeaPad 510-15 IKB from Lenovo. It is he who is recommended to buy when choosing the most productive mobile PC. At the same time, the price is quite democratic for such a class of devices, and the equipment is excellent.

Results

Comparison of processors for laptops of the two leading chip manufacturers today clearly and clearly indicates that the leading positions in most cases are occupied by products from Intel. AMD, in turn, is significantly behind its direct competitor. The only market segment where parity is still maintained is entry-level mobile products, where AMD has a worthy alternative. In all other cases, it would be more correct to purchase laptops based on the CPU from Intel. The current situation can be drastically changed by the release of processors based on the Zen architecture in 2017. But whether AMD can do it, time will tell. Now, in the niche of mid-range and premium mobile PCs, it is most correct to rely on solutions from Intel. Although they are somewhat overpriced, the level of performance more than compensates for this shortcoming.