In April 2015, MediaTek, which focuses on mobile processing chips, released its own high-end CPU sub brand for smartphones/tablets - Helio. This series of processors is further divided into the P series for high-end positioning and the X series for high-end positioning. Helio X10 processors are the first to be launched. On the eve of the 35th Taipei Computer Exhibition in June 2015, Helio's Chinese name was confirmed as Xili, and two new products, Helio P10 and Helio X20, were introduced. So far, the first batch of Helio series processors have all been launched. Helio X10 and Helio P10 have adopted a 28nm process, and Helio X20 has adopted a more advanced 20nm process. In February 2016, MediaTek launched its first 16nm processor Helio P20, positioned under Helio X20. In March of the same year, a slightly upgraded version of Helio X20, Helio X25, was launched, with the biggest change being to increase the dominant frequency.
So far, five types of processors, Helio X10, Helio P10, Helio P20, Helio X20 and Helio X25, have formed the main force of MediaTek in attacking the middle and high-end SoC market. Compared with Qualcomm, Samsung, Apple and Huawei processors, MediaTek processors have always given consumers the impression that they focus on low power consumption, while weakening performance, there is another point - stacking cores.
Although the title of the world's first dual core and quad core mobile phone processors was snatched by Nvidia Tegra 2 and Tegra 3 respectively, and Samsung took a shortcut to label the world's first 8-core processor with Exynos 5410, MediaTek is no less powerful than its friends in terms of core power. After Exynos 5410 was talked about as a fake 8 core for a period of time, soon MT6592 successfully regained the title of global real 8 core. In 2015, MTK increased the number of processor cores to 10 cores and launched Helio X20.
Next, let's take five processors, including Helio X10, as the main line, to see how successful they are compared with the same level processors of other manufacturers? Then we will talk about how MediaTek is going to hit high-end processors.
Helio X10 and Helio P10
Although the flagship processor Helio X10 of MediaTek in 2015 and the high-end processor Helio P10 of MediaTek in 2016 belong to two periods respectively, their performance is very similar, especially when the dominant frequencies are the same. This is mainly because Helio X10 and Helio P10 both use a 28nm process, Cortex-A53 architecture, and 8 core design. The biggest difference is between GPU and baseband chip. The former has the advantage of supporting 4K video codec, while the latter supports all Netcom.
It is worth mentioning that the Helio X10 GPU has been complained by many consumers. As the core of the positioning flagship processor, it is really unreasonable to use only one Imaging PowerVR G6200 GPU, and this GPU is an old product. The PowerVR G6200 has been introduced as early as the MT6595 on Meizu MX4 (which can be seen as the previous work of Helio X10). I don't need to say more about the performance at that time. Everyone knows it. Finally, they were teased by the kerosene, saying that the Mali-T760 MP2 GPU used in the Meilan series mobile phones launched in the same year was more advanced than the PoverVR G6200, with better fluency and compatibility. It could not help wondering whether Meizu accidentally swapped the GPU of the two platforms.
Helio P10 replaced the GPU on Helio X10 with Mali-T860 MP2. The GPU frequency is the same as that of PowerVR G6200, and is maintained at 700MHz. It may be due to immature calibration or engineering machine problems. TCL and Jinli have previously tested the use of Helio P10 mobile phones, and even the best speed car 17 can not operate normally, resulting in flashback. The TCL model even showed a flashback of the Wild Racing 8. On the contrary, after a period of optimization and adjustment, a red rice mobile phone with Helio X10 has successfully passed the compatibility test of Fantastic Speed Car 17 and Wild Speed Racing Car 8.
It seems that Helio P10 and Helio X10, which are positioned at the middle and high-end level, have a bad start, so how do they compare with the processors from friends? We mainly compare it with Qualcomm processor.
It is obvious from the above figure that the performance of Helio P10 and Helio X10 is about between Snapdragon 617 and Snapdragon 650. The actual score of rabbit can also confirm this conclusion. Not to mention Snapdragon 650, let's talk about the slightly better performance Snapdragon 652. With the layout of more than half a year, the new model of Snapdragon 652 in the market has been able to reduce the price from the status of breaking through the 3K price at the time of the first launch to the level of 1000 yuan today. On the contrary, until today, we can still see that many people use Helio P10 mobile phones to set the initial price at about 2000 yuan, which can not help but make a cold sweat for MediaTek.
Snapdragon 652 and Helio X10/P10 are both 28nm processes, and the number of cores is 8, so what we need is the main frequency and architecture. Although Qualcomm's highest main frequency is slightly lower than MTK's processor, it has introduced the Cortex-A72 architecture with higher energy efficiency ratio in four of its cores. On the other hand, Adreno 510 GPU is undoubtedly better than Mali-T860 MP2 and IMG G6200. Therefore, Snapdragon 652 can naturally crush Helio X10/P10.
Helio X20 and Helio X25
Can MTK, who lost the first battle, turn defeat into victory on the flagship Helio X20/X25? After all, there are 10 cores, including the 20nm process and the Cortex-A72 architecture. Let's continue to compare the processors of the same level from friends:
MediaTek left the Cortex-A72 architecture with higher energy efficiency ratio at the flagship level for use. In combination with the 20nm process and 10 cores of Metamorphosis, as well as the stronger Mali-T880 MP4 GPU, MediaTek finally surpassed Snapdragon 652/650 in terms of running points, and also defeated one of the flagship processors of a major wave company in 15 years: Snapdragon 810, Kirin 935 and Exynos 7420. However, the performance of Helio X25/X20 model on the rabbit ranking list is very close to that of Kirin 955/950 model. Looking at the above parameter table, it is easy to find that although MTK has more cores, the Cortex-A72 architecture is only used in two cores. The four cores of Huawei are all based on this architecture. At the same time, in terms of manufacturing process, 20nm has no advantage over 16nm. In addition, TSMC's leakage rate and other problems make the Helio X20/X25 not ideal for heating and endurance. Therefore, when the highest frequency is similar and the GPU is the same, it is worth celebrating that MTK can draw with Huawei.
On the other hand, compared with Huawei's SoC, MTK does not support LPDDR4 RAM. By the way, there is also a relatively negative adjustment method for the 10 cores. It is believed that many consumers have encountered the problem that one core has difficulties and nine cores are around, mainly to control its heat and power consumption. As early as in the MT6752 era, the eight cores will not be fully opened except for the score running scenario. For the MT6752, only 3-4 cores will be opened, even the big games such as Wild Racing 8 and Top Speed Racing 17.
The 10 cores will not be fully opened. The 20nm process has problems such as leakage rate. The Cortex-A72 is only used for two cores. Helio X25/X20 will naturally only be able to draw with Kirin 955/950 in the end. Compared with the Snapdragon 820 and Exynos 8890, the results naturally need no more analysis when the manufacturing process, architecture and GPU are completely backward.
Helio P20
Although Helio X25/X20 did not beat Qualcomm and Samsung's flagship processors this year, it has made a lot of progress compared with MTK's previous performance in flagship processors. MTK will naturally place its hope on the next generation of high-end processor Helio P20. The 16nm process is the biggest highlight. Having said goodbye to the problem of leakage rate, can MediaTek regain its vitality? Let's still compare the processors of the same level from our friends.
MTK、 Huawei, Qualcomm, and Samsung have coincidentally lowered the 14/16nm advanced manufacturing process to the mid tier processors. Except for the Helio P20, which has no model yet, we have been able to find specific phones on the market for the other three processors. Kirin 650 is carried on Huawei G9 Youth Edition and Glory Play 5C, Snapdragon 625 is used on Samsung C7, Huawei Maimang 5 and Asus ZenFone 3, and Exynos 7870 is launched on Samsung J7 (2016).
Horizontal comparison of the above four processors shows that the architecture, number of cores and process are basically equal, and Helio P20 has a slight advantage on the main frequency. The most critical GPU performance is that the processors before MTK have always lagged behind. Helio P20 uses the same GPU as Helio X25/X20, with a maximum frequency of 900MHz, but there are two fewer cores. It is gratifying that MTK finally supports LPDDR4 RAM on Helio P20, but none of the three processors of the same level from friends supports it.
Finally, while Qualcomm released Quick Charge 3.0 to Snapdragon 625, MediaTek refused to be outdone and launched the latest PumpExpress 3.0 on Helio P20 for the first time. To sum up, MTK's new product is obviously more attractive than the other three SoCs from the perspective of parameters, depending on the actual performance of the models equipped with this processor.
Who has hindered MediaTek from attacking high-end processors?
For its own reasons, MTK's configuration of Helio P10/X10 and Helio X25/X20 processors is not careless enough, and it has no obvious advantages over the same level SoC scheme of friends. In addition, the improper matching of CPU and GPU in the MT6595 era continues to be used on Helio X10. This year, the maximum dominant frequency of those models equipped with Helio P10 is only 1.8GHz. Last year, those models equipped with Helio X10 also have at least 2GHz. Some Meizu and Xiaomi mobile phones have pushed this dominant frequency to 2.2GHz. Finally, the high leakage rate of the 20nm process, the Cortex-A72 architecture only used on two cores, and the 10 core startup mechanism was relatively negative, all of which are areas that MTK needs to improve in the future.
From the perspective of cooperative manufacturers, TSMC's 20nm manufacturing process killed Qualcomm last year and MediaTek this year, which is indeed an extraordinary teammate. However, the key is still the mobile phone manufacturer. Let's take a look at the following table (the prices shown are all the initial prices):
From MT6595, Helio X10 to Helio X20/X25, MTK has never forgotten to enter the high-end processor market and shape its flagship chip image. Lenovo in MT6595, Jinli, HTC and OPPO in Helio X10, and Meizu in distress are more or less supporting MTK. The ideal is very full, but the reality is very skinny. LeTV, Xiaomi and 360 mobile phones will always fly the high-end chips of Helio into ordinary people's homes. Consumers laugh, and MTK naturally cries.
summary
Until today, MTK chips still have a vision to enter the middle and high-end market, and shaping the image of the flagship processor chip manufacturer is still a long-term goal. However, compared with the previous performance of MediaTek, Helio X10 last year and Helio X20/X25 this year have gradually made MTK processors known to more consumers. At least when we talk about MTK, we don't just think of the title of "good companion of copycat machine". From the perspective of parameters, Helio P20 is likely to become a turning point. The key lies in the development of MediaTek in the second half of the year, as well as its ability to control upstream and downstream manufacturers.
