The first Snapdragon 865 benchmarks are out, here’s how it compares to Apple’s A13
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Just two weeks ago, Qualcomm officially announced the Snapdragon 865 chipset, which is set to power most of next year’s premium Android handsets. While the 865 will bring widespread 5G support, improved battery efficiency, and more powerful AI processing, the first reported benchmarks give us a glimpse of how much of a raw speed boost the new Snapdragon will offer.
Of course, one other way the Snapdragon 865 offers a marked boost over this year’s chipsets is with its increased focus on AI, including support for a new neural core processor. In AImark, an artificial intelligence-based benchmark, the Qualcomm reference device scored a sky-high 108,650, completely blasting the iPhone 11 Pro’s 59,330 out of the water.
What does this mean? Well, first things first- the Snapdragon 865 is not so game-changing that it somehow makes all current chips obsolete. With the exception of some niche tests, it performs roughly similar to its peers, like Apple’s A13 Bionic, Samsung’s Exynos 990, or Huawei’s Kirin 990. So in everyday usage, you might not notice that the Snapdragon is markedly faster than any other 2020 flagship.
“Apple’s A13 will power the latest iPhones for the majority of 2020, just as the Snapdragon 865 will do on the Android side of things.”
On the other hand, Apple’s house-made chipsets have historically always been at the top of the hill, and this is the first time a Snapdragon rival has come close to having it beat- let alone actually outperforming it in a major benchmark. That means iPhones and Androids are more neck-and-neck than ever before.
But the Snapdragon 865 is next year’s chip, while the iPhone 11 is here already, you say? That’s true, but consider this- the Snapdragon 855 is already a year old, while the A13 was only announced three months ago. Apple’s A13 will power the latest iPhones for the majority of 2020, just as the Snapdragon 865 will do on the Android side of things.
In any case, it’s important to appreciate that all flagships across manufacturers and operating systems are becoming more and more advanced- they’ll need all the extra oomph they can get to power 5G connectivity and all the extra consumption that’ll bring with it. In all honesty, we still can’t know for sure if the Snapdragon 865 is the be-all, end-all chipset of 2020, but we do know that it’ll give Apple a run for its money. The playing field is level now- let the games begin.
Questions & Answers
Q.What improvements does the Snapdragon 865 offer over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 855?
What improvements does the Snapdragon 865 offer over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 855?
The Snapdragon 865 provides widespread 5G support, improved battery efficiency, and more powerful AI processing. It also shows a significant speed boost in multi-core benchmarks compared to the 855.
Q.How does the Snapdragon 865's raw speed compare to Apple's A13 Bionic chip?
How does the Snapdragon 865's raw speed compare to Apple's A13 Bionic chip?
The Snapdragon 865's multi-core benchmark score is neck-and-neck with the A13 Bionic. While not making current chips obsolete, it performs roughly similar to its peers in raw speed.
Q.Is the Snapdragon 865 significantly better than other flagship chips in real-world use?
Is the Snapdragon 865 significantly better than other flagship chips in real-world use?
In everyday usage, the Snapdragon 865 might not feel markedly faster than other 2020 flagship chips like Apple's A13 Bionic, Samsung's Exynos 990, or Huawei's Kirin 990.
Q.Which specific benchmark does the Snapdragon 865 notably outperform the A13 Bionic in?
Which specific benchmark does the Snapdragon 865 notably outperform the A13 Bionic in?
The Snapdragon 865 completely outperforms the A13 Bionic in AImark, an artificial intelligence-based benchmark. It scored 108,650, while the iPhone 11 Pro achieved 59,330.
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