As of 2024, we've seen the rapid evolution of mobile processors, from 7nm to 5nm to 3nm, with huge improvements in performance and efficiency. However, we should not forget about those pioneers who once led the way, they were the three brothers of 7nm: Snapdragon 855, Kirin 980 and A12. All three chips were released in 2018, and they were the most advanced mobile processors at the time and the first chips to use the 7nm process. They all excel in their respective fields, so let's take a look back at their brilliance.
The Snapdragon 855 is Qualcomm's flagship chip released at the end of 2018, it is an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 845, and it is also Qualcomm's first chip using TSMC's 7nm process. The CPU of the Snapdragon 855 consists of four Kryo 485 Gold cores and four Kryo 485 Silver cores, with a maximum clock speed of 284GHz, a 45% performance improvement compared to the Snapdragon 845. The GPU of the Snapdragon 855 is the Adreno 640, which improves performance by 20% compared to the Snapdragon 845 and supports Vulkan 11. HDR10+, physics engine and other advanced features. The Snapdragon 855 is also powered by the Hexagon 690 DSP, which supports Tensor Accelerator for a 3x boost in AI performance. The Snapdragon 855 also supports the Snapdragon X24 LTE modem, which supports speeds of up to 2Gbps, and the Snapdragon X50 5G modem, which enables 5G connectivity. The Snapdragon 855 also supports the Spectra 380 ISP, which supports 4K HDR** recording, multi-frame noise reduction, portrait mode, 3D scanning, and more. The Snapdragon 855 is a well-rounded chip that brings unprecedented performance and experience to Android phones, and is also ready for the 5G era.
The Kirin 980 is Huawei's flagship chip released in September 2018, it is an upgraded version of the Kirin 970, and it is also Huawei's first chip using TSMC's 7nm process. The CPU of the Kirin 980 consists of two Cortex-A76 cores, two Cortex-A76 cores, and four Cortex-A55 cores, with a maximum clock speed of 26GHz, which is 75% higher than the Kirin 970. The GPU of the Kirin 980 is Mali-G76 MP10, which is 46% higher than the Kirin 970, and supports GPU Turbo, HDR10, and OpenGL ES 32nd and other advanced features. The Kirin 980 is also equipped with a dual-core NPU that supports Kirin AI, improving AI performance by 120%. The Kirin 980 also supports the Balong 5000 5G modem, which supports up to 4** speed of 6Gbps, which enables 5G connectivity. The Kirin 980 also supports ISP 40, Support 48 million pixel camera, multi-frame noise reduction, portrait mode, super night scene and other functions. The Kirin 980 is a powerful chip that brings excellent performance and photography to Huawei phones, and is also ready for the 5G era.
A12 is Apple's flagship chip released in September 2018, it is an upgraded version of A11, and it is also Apple's first chip to use TSMC's 7nm process. The CPU of the A12 consists of two Vortex cores and four Tempest cores, with a maximum clock speed of 25GHz, a 15% performance improvement over the A11. The GPU of A12 is Apple's self-developed quad-core GPU, which improves performance by 50% compared to A11 and supports advanced features such as Metal 2, Core ML, and ARKit. The A12 is also equipped with a Neural Engine that supports Core ML and improves AI performance by 9 times. The A12 also supports LTE Advanced Pro modem, which supports speeds up to 1Gbps**, as well as eSIM technology for dual SIM dual standby. The A12 also supports ISP, supports a 12-megapixel camera, smart HDR, depth control, face recognition and other features. The A12 is an excellent chip that brings smooth performance and great photography to Apple's phones, and is also ready for future innovations.
TSMC's 7nm three brothers, Snapdragon 855, Kirin 980 and A12, are all god U, which were hailed as god U in 2018, leading a new height of mobile phone performance and bringing the ultimate experience to mobile phone users. Even today, in 2024, their performance and features allow users to enjoy a good experience, but if you want to pursue a higher level, you need to switch to a more advanced processor.