Less than a month after the release of the iPhone 12 equipped with an Apple A14 Bionic, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G is here to compete. While the iPhone has its own proprietary chips, most Android phone makers use a Qualcomm or MediaTek SoC. In short, now we can write about Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 vs Apple A14 Bionic and compare the latest iPhone with the next Android devices.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G vs. Apple A14 Bionic
Let's start with an overview of what's going on. On the first day of the Snapdragon Tech Summit Digital, Qualcomm launched its latest Snapdragon 888 SoC. The chip is the latest in the Snapdragon 8 series, which are flagship processors from the Chinese chip giant. It's not only 5G ready, but it comes with a built-in X60 5G modem-RF system.
While the company is tight-lipped on all specs, some details were announced in the opening speech. The Snapdragon 888 5G features a new 6th generation AI engine, running on the redesigned Qualcomm Hexagon processor. The company also announced that the chip features a "significant upgrade" from the Adreno GPU. The chip sees improvements in photography, with a beefed up Qualcomm Spectra ISP that can capture photos and videos at 2.7 gigapixels per second or around 120 photos at 12 MP resolution.
On the Apple side of the ring, we have its first 5G-ready heavyweight, the Apple A14 Bionic. Based on a 5nm design, the chip achieved insane benchmarks and threw current Android flagships out the window. Apple called it the fastest chip on a smartphone. In terms of image processing, the SoC allows the iPhone 12 range to film in Dolby Vision.
SD888 crushes A14 Bionic in 5G
While Qualcomm has reported significant gains across all segments when it comes to the Snapdragon 888 5G, the 5G part stands out. We can say for sure that the chip beats the Apple A14 Bionic in terms of battery consumption when using 5G. Now on par with Apple's 5nm chip design, the SD888 has a built-in 5G modem. It is superior to Apple's power-hungry external modem.
That said, Qualcomm has clearly left Apple behind when it comes to optimized 5G delivery. We'll wait for full specs and benchmarks to compare the two, but it looks like the new Snapdragon 888 5G could give the A14 Bionic a run for its money.
It's more than just processors
When we compare Android and iOS processors, we often forget that processors aren't the only thing on the device. There's the phone's hardware, UI, RAM, and more that add to the user experience. For example, Samsung phones tend to slow down over time due to the OneUI skin. It consumes a lot of RAM and takes up a large part of your phone's memory.
Then we have Android devices in stock, which are easy to use and receive faster updates and provide a more vivid user experience. When it comes to iOS devices, some apps have a better interface, cameras have uniformity, and the device is able to stay consistent because the software makes full use of the hardware.
So when we talk about user experience, a chip is just as good as the other hardware it's associated with. While the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G certainly has some muscle, the end result will be in the hands of the makers of the phones that use the chip.
Sources: Qualcomm, Apple
