iPhones have at all times had an higher hand when it comes to CPU efficiency. Actually, Apple’s smartphones have been 2-3 generations forward of flagship Android smartphones from the likes of Samsung, OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Even this yr, the iPhone 15 Professional is at the very least 28% quicker than the quickest Android smartphone chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However all that’s set to alter subsequent yr if a brand new analyst report is to be believed.
Exynos or Snapdragon, Galaxy S25 might beat iPhone 16 Professional in CPU efficiency
All of the processors used inside Android smartphones use ARM’s Cortex CPU cores. This yr’s flagship smartphone chips use the Cortex-X4 CPU core, which is round 25-30% slower than the {custom} ARM-based CPU core utilized by the iPhone 15 Professional. This can be a mixture of Apple’s {custom} CPU structure and a extra superior semiconductor chip manufacturing course of. Later this yr, like clockwork, ARM is predicted to unveil the Cortex-X5 CPU core, and it is going to be utilized in processors from MediaTek and Samsung. Qualcomm might go its separate method and implement its homegrown Nuvia {custom} CPU core in its subsequent flagship chipset. In keeping with a analysis report from Moor Insights and Technique (by way of Android Authority), ARM has “an audacious plan to have one of the best smartphone CPU core” in 2025. Codenamed “Blackhawk,” the attainable Cortex-X5 CPU core is predicted to carry the biggest year-over-year efficiency positive aspects up to now 5 years.
The Cortex-X1 was ARM’s largest efficiency leap, and it got here in 2020. With the Cortex-X5, ARM might defeat Apple when it comes to CPU efficiency. In keeping with the report, ARM’s plan is to “remove the efficiency hole between Arm-designed processors and {custom} Arm implementations.” Right here, ARM implementation factors to Apple’s {custom} implementation of ARM design that’s normally utilized in iPhones and iPads. Nonetheless, nothing has been revealed concerning the energy effectivity of this Blackhawk CPU core from ARM. It will be important that the facility consumption stays low even with excessive efficiency, just like Apple’s chips.
The Cortex-X5 CPU core will probably be used contained in the 3nm Exynos 2500 chipset that can energy most Galaxy S25 sequence telephones. The remaining Galaxy S25 models will probably use the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, which is predicted to characteristic Qualcomm’s in-house Oryon CPU core. This in-house CPU design has proven immense promise, and it might additionally match or beat Apple’s single-core CPU efficiency. So, if the report from Moor Insights and Technique is on level, each Exynos and Snapdragon variations of the Galaxy S25 might beat the iPhone 16 Professional in CPU efficiency subsequent yr. The Galaxy S25 is predicted to carry a number of different enhancements, together with higher cameras, higher hardware-software integration, and software program fluidity.
Watch our long-term Galaxy S23 Extremely assessment within the video under to see the way it has fared when it comes to efficiency, battery life, and software program stability since its launch.
Creator’s Notice: Some Galaxy S25 models will probably use the Exynos 2500 (tentative naming) processor that Samsung is designing in-house by its System LSI enterprise arm. Some stories declare that the upcoming Exynos 2500 processor is being custom-made for the Galaxy S25 sequence. Earlier Exynos chips have been made in such a method that any smartphone model might use them (it is one other challenge that no model apart from Samsung really finally ends up utilizing them).
Because the tailored method is reportedly getting used for the Exynos 2500, trade insiders imagine that it’ll have higher hardware-software integration in addition to higher efficiency, effectivity, and stability in comparison with what we’re used to seeing from Exynos chips yearly. They’re at all times barely (generally extra) inferior to their Snapdragon counterparts when it comes to efficiency and/or effectivity. The addition of the Cortex-X5 CPU core might assist the chip much more. Samsung is trying to make a splash with the Galaxy S25, and all issues are showing as in the event that they’re coming collectively to make that occur. Expectations are fairly excessive for the Galaxy S25, however solely time will inform how good the smartphone might be and the way it might change Samsung’s fortunes.