Snapdragon or MediaTek - which smartphone processor is better in 2021?

I can’t even believe that the days when inexpensive Android-based smartphones were endowed with a quad-core chip have long gone. Now even budget solutions can boast eight cores. For example, the MediaTek Helio G35, introduced in June 2020, has this number. Its distinguishing feature is the fact that absolutely all nuclei belong to the same type. As a result, they are all capable of operating at the same high clock frequency - the maximum declared 2300 MHz. In theory, this should make any smartphone equipped with such a chip a gaming one. In practice, of course, this does not happen. This comes with a lot of restrictions. Benchmark tests show that in games this processor begins to beg for mercy.

The competitor of this chip is Qualcomm Snapdragon 636. This is a real old man that has been around since October 2017. For its manufacture, the same 14-nanometer technical process, therefore, one should not hope for special energy efficiency. In games, the chip performs a little better, but don't expect an ideal result either, especially if the device has a Full HD + screen. At the same time, on paper, the processor looks even weaker. Half of its cores operate at a clock frequency of 1800 MHz, while the rest have this parameter even lower.It looks like thanks should be a little more powerful graphics accelerator.

In smartphones based on Helio G35 you will not find a record volume random access memory, since it is simply not supported by the chip. And both products have a rather serious limitation on cameras. Especially the same processor from MediaTek, which is not even theoretically capable of "digesting" shooting 4K video. Also, don't expect 802.11ax Wi-Fi support from devices based on these chips, let alone 5G networks.

If we talk about specific device models, the Snapdragon 636 can be found in many good smartphones. For example, in Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, one of the most inexpensive devices among those that received a display with Full HD + resolution. But the age of the chip still makes itself felt. Many devices based on it are running Android 9.0. And some of them don't even have a frameless design! If you do not agree to put up with this, then it is better to look towards phones with Helio G35 - this is a whole range of devices from Realme, Oppo A16, Xiaomi Poco C3, Nokia G20 and many other devices. But get ready for the fact that in terms of performance they will lose to older smartphones with a processor from Qualcomm.

So, Snapdragon vs MediaTek, ultra-budget segment. Who becomes the winner? Definitely a Qualcomm product. For a smartphone manufacturer, its use implies fewer restrictions, as you can see for yourself from the table above. But this is not the best option for those who are chasing design and software freshness. In this regard, Helio G35 is superior to its competitor, because it was developed much later.

These processors are usually installed in those devices that will be used in full. From having one of them, a smartphone is most often expected not only to solve the simplest tasks. Often these devices are used for games. In this regard, the chips show themselves about two times better than the analogs discussed above. And this despite the use of the Qualcomm product is by no means the most powerful graphics accelerator.

But let's start with chip design. Both processors are octa-core. In both cases, only a part of the cores gets to the maximum clock frequency (2000 MHz). Process technology used by two companies - very similar, in this regard, although the Snapdragon 665 has an advantage, it is very small.

The Qualcomm product was born in April 2019. The announcement of the MediaTek product took place a little later - in February 2020.All this does not prevent the chips from being in fairly recent smartphones. Not to mention that they support the latest versions of Android without any problems.

What is the maximum you can squeeze out of the processors? Let's start with the fact that the chips are able to recognize up to 8 GB random access memorywhich is quite acceptable in this price segment. Also, these processors can be used in devices with screen, whose resolution is no more than 2520x1080 pixels. There are no differences in terms of supported cameras. MediaTek loses only in video shooting - a competitor is ready to write a picture in 4K resolution, while Helio G80 is only capable of saving 2K content. A similar situation is observed in terms of wireless networks – purely theoretically, a device based on Snapdragon 665 is ready to download data over 4G networks faster. But, for example, Wi-Fi 802.11ax is not understood by both chips. This standard became somewhat popular after the announcement of these processors.

In favor of the affordable Helio G80, many smartphone manufacturers have made their choice. As a result, you can find it in Xiaomi Redmi 9, and in Xiaomi Poco M2, and in Samsung Galaxy A32, and in Realme 6i. And this is not a complete list. In AnTuTu Benchmark, such devices score approximately 200,000 points. Alas, the result of devices with Snapdragon 665 is usually slightly lower. This chip should be looked for in Vivo and Oppo products, where it is found most often.

Statistics show that a larger number of devices are equipped with a MediaTek chip. This is due to the fact that it has a lower price. At the same time, the processor has decent specifications. In this regard, a device based on it will be the best choice for any person who does not require 4K video shooting from a smartphone. It should also be noted that this chipset is able to boast a little more computing power. However, the naked eye will not notice this - the difference is still small.

Both of these chips are octa-core. Snapdragon was introduced in January 2020 and Dimensity 700 in November. At this point, both companies were already ready to use a very thin technical process. As a result, the products turned out not so much powerful as energy efficient. Practice shows that smartphones based on them are able to discharge during the working day only if they are loaded with games. We also note that only two cores have the most power in both cases. At the same time, the clock frequency of this pair of cores in Snapdragon 720G is slightly higher.

Comparing these two chips is very difficult.In some games, the preponderance is observed on the side of the Qualcomm product, while in others it is MediaTek. But in any case, the difference is 2-3 fps. This is also evidenced by benchmark measurements, as a result of which almost identical figures are recorded.

Purely theoretically, the Dimensity 700 could perform better than its competitor, because this chip supports up to 12 GB random access memory. But not a single smartphone manufacturer dared to use such a volume paired with this processor, considering it an overkill. If we talk about multimedia, then there is already a clear superiority of Snapdragon. The fact is that theoretically this chipset is ready to work with a 192-megapixel camera. And the resolution of the other two modules may be higher than when using a MediaTek product. The chip also supports 4K video recording, while the competitor is limited to 2K.

Difficulty assessing opportunities wireless data transmission. The Snapdragon 720G equipped with a processor can receive Wi-Fi 802.11ax support from the manufacturer. But on the side of the Dimensity 700 is the ability to work in 5G networks. Here it is up to you to decide what is more important.

These chips are embedded in a whole bunch of smartphones. The more affordable Realme Narzo 30 5G, Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G, Oppo A55, Vivo Y72 54 and many other devices received the MediaTek product. As for the processor from Qualcomm, it is equipped with more expensive devices: Realme 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy A72, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro and others.

If you look at the benchmarks, it is better to take a smartphone based on the Snapdragon 720G. But if you want to experience the possibilities of 5G networks as early as possible, then you need to look towards the device with a MediaTek chip. However, to be honest, there is no big difference between these chipsets. Perhaps most of all, it is expressed only in supported cameras.

Each instance of the Snapdragon 870 costs device manufacturers a minimum of $50. In this regard, devices equipped with such a chip cannot be cheap. But they allow you to perform a variety of tasks. If you wish, you can even do video editing. And games with the help of such a chip come with maximum graphics settings. However, MediaTek Dimensity 1100 is not far behind in this regard.

For you to understand, processors allow you to unscrew the graphics settings to the "Ultra" position. And even in this case, you are waiting for 60 to 100 frames / s - more than many displays are capable of delivering.At least, such numbers are observed in Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG Mobile, World of Tanks Blitz and many other games. Serious fps drops with these graphics settings only occur in Genshin Impact and Fortnite.

Both chips were announced in January 2021. They consist of eight cores. For the manufacture of Snapdragon and Dimensity was used technical process 7 and 6 nm, respectively. The second processor is therefore slightly more energy efficient. And practice really shows that smartphones with them, provided that they have an AMOLED screen, require a charger to be connected a little less often.

The design of both chips is different. Qualcomm has made only one core the most productive. But how much! Its clock speed is capable of reaching an incredible 3200 MHz. Three cores are also not very weak, their frequency can be 2420 MHz. And only the remaining four cores do not have transcendental significance. As for the MediaTek product, it is much simpler. Half of its cores are clocked at 2600 MHz and the other half at 2000 MHz. Because of this, this chip is less productive than its competitor. However, the difference is small. If it can be noticed, then only with a direct comparison of two smartphones, when exactly the same tasks are performed.

These chips can recognize up to 16 GB random access memory. This means that manufacturers of mobile devices will use them for a very long time. This is also evidenced by the support of 5G networks, which has not yet become fully relevant. The processor from Qualcomm is able to get the most out of LTE, intelligently aggregating frequencies, thereby achieving very high speeds.And both chips can work on a Wi-Fi 6 network, which may encourage the owner of a smartphone to buy a new router.

If we talk about multimedia, then the chips are not in vain turned out to be so productive. They are able to process the data stream from almost any cameras. However, here too, the advantage of Snapdragon is observed. Its competitor only supports a 108-megapixel main camera, while Qualcomm allows the chip to be placed in a smartphone with a 200-megapixel module when one is developed. And in terms of video shooting, the processor of this company looks more interesting, since it is able to write a picture in 8K resolution, albeit at a frequency of no more than 30 frames / s.

Snapdragon vs Mediatek, chips for flagship smartphones. Who is the winner? Alas, the lag of the product of the Taiwanese company is the most noticeable here. It is not surprising that not the largest number of devices are equipped with it - only Vivo S10, Xiaomi Poco X3 GT and Realme Q3 Pro are remembered. The Qualcomm chip imposes fewer restrictions on the manufacturer, and therefore it can be found in a wide variety of smartphones - in the Oppo Find X3, Vivo X60 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 10S, Moto G100 and many others.

It is difficult to imagine a task that these two processors could not handle. This is the case when the performance of mobile solutions seems redundant. Especially if we talk about the Snapdragon 888. However, someone will say that the power reserve is never superfluous. At the same time, it should be noted that the creators achieved it by reducing technical process up to 5 nm. This means that they were able to significantly increase energy efficiency. And this is almost more important than performance.

On paper, the advantage of the Snapdragon 888 over the Dimensity 1200 does not seem to be very large. Yes, this chip has a particularly productive core. But the difference in numbers is not very big. You can see for yourself by looking at the table below. In practice, it turns out that Snapdragon literally tears a competitor. In benchmarks, it scores significantly higher, and games with this chip run at higher frame rates. However, everything spoils the cost of this solution. Because of this, the price tag of smartphones equipped with it usually exceeds $500.

Curiously, the processor from MediaTek continues to limit manufacturers, despite its top status. In particular, it does not allow setting display with 4K resolution. The competitor, in this regard, unties his hands. It should also be noted that both processors support 200-megapixel camera, which has not yet been seen in any of the devices. And MediaTek wins slightly due to the higher resolution of auxiliary modules (32 MP vs 25 MP). But the final victory is on the side of Qualcomm. The chip of this company supports 8K video shooting. And if the process is carried out in 4K resolution, then theoretically the picture can be written at a frequency of up to 120 frames / s. But in this case, the chipset will get very hot, so a high-quality cooling system is needed. Not every smartphone is equipped with it, so many manufacturers limit the capabilities of the camera to a lower frame rate.

As expected, flagship processors support a lot of various wireless modules. For them, 5G is no longer a novelty. But high speeds are achieved even without fifth-generation networks, due to frequency aggregation. They also understand the Wi-Fi 802.11ax standard.

It is easy to see that the Snapdragon 888 is getting devices that focus on the camera. These are Sony Xperia 1 III, ZTE Nubia Red Magic 6 Pro and many others. It is also equipped with some gaming smartphones. Samsung also made its choice in favor of this chip, which created the Galaxy Z Flip3 clamshell. As for the MediaTek Dimensity 1200, it is put by those manufacturers who seek to at least slightly reduce the cost of their devices. These are mainly Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo and OnePlus.

In this comparison, Qualcomm again wins. Its chip allows the smartphone manufacturer to depend only on their imagination. Suffice it to say that when using the Snapdragon 888, Genshin Impact runs at over 60fps on ultra graphics settings. And this is one of the most beautiful games on mobile devices! As a result, Apple's solutions are a competitor to this processor, but not MediaTek.

It is easy to guess that MediaTek has suffered a defeat. However, it cannot be called unconditional. The fact is that the opportunities offered by Qualcomm chips are rather a reserve for the future. The Android operating system and the vast majority of apps just don't require that much performance, and smartphones don't need 200-megapixel cameras for a variety of reasons. Therefore, many of our readers will be quite satisfied with those devices that are based on a chip from the Helio or Dimensity series.

Perhaps only gamers will look towards the Snapdragon processor. They are the ones who will be able to evaluate the maximum performance. But here, too, there is a problem. There are not many games released for smartphones with amazing graphics. Therefore, it does not always make sense to buy a device in order to run all sorts of Call of Duty: Mobile on it in the future.Not without reason, we recently carried out a comparison of game consoles - they are much better suited for this purpose.