Snapdragon 870 vs Snapdragon 888: 2021 high-end processors compared
Qualcomm is not satisfied with a high-end chipset and has just introduced its second 800 series processor in just two months. The Snapdragon 870 5G mobile platform promises higher clock speeds than last year’s processors and will power the upcoming flagship products from Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, the Iqoo brand from Vivo and Xiaomi.
In reality, the processor is closer to a Snapdragon 865 Plus Plus than a brand new design for affordable flagship smartphones. We were hoping a Snapdragon 888 Lite would fill that void, but it shouldn’t be. How can this processor hold up against Qualcomm’s other premium tier option in 2021? Let’s dive into the Snapdragon 870 vs Snapdragon 888.
Snapdragon SoC Guide: All Qualcomm smartphone processors are explained
Snapdragon 870 vs Snapdragon 888 specs
| Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 870 | Snapdragon 865 Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU configuration | 1x 2.84 GHz (Cortex-X1) 3 x 2.4 GHz (Cortex-A78) 4 x 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A55) | 1x 3.2 GHz (Cortex-A77) 3 x 2.4 GHz (Cortex-A77) 4 x 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A55) | 1x 3.1 GHz (Cortex-A77) 3 x 2.4 GHz (Cortex-A77) 4 x 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| DSP | Hexagon 780 (fused scalar, tensor and vector) | Hexagon 698 | Hexagon 698 |
| process | 5nm | 7nm FinFET | 7nm FinFET |
| Camera support | • 200 MP single shot • 84MP single with no shutter lag • 64 MP + 25 MP without shutter lag • Triple 24 MP with no shutter lag • Hybrid AF • 10-bit HEIF image capture • HDR video • Multi-frame noise reduction • Classification, segmentation and replacement of objects in real time | • 200 MP single shot • 64 MP with no shutter lag • 25MP dual camera with no shutter lag • Hybrid AF • HDR video • Multi-frame noise reduction • Classification, segmentation and replacement of objects in real time | • 200 MP single shot • 64 MP with no shutter lag • 25MP dual camera with no shutter lag • Hybrid AF • HDR video • Multi-frame noise reduction • Classification, segmentation and replacement of objects in real time |
| Video recording | 8K @ 30fps 4K UHD at 120 fps 720p @ 960fps | 8K @ 30fps 4K UHD at 120 fps 720p @ 960fps | 8K @ 30fps 4K UHD at 120 fps 720p @ 960fps |
| Video playback | 8 THOUSAND 4K HDR up to 120 fps H.265 and VP9 video decoders 360 degrees | 8 THOUSAND 4K HDR up to 120 fps H.265 and VP9 video decoders 360 degrees | 8 THOUSAND 4K HDR up to 120 fps H.265 and VP9 video decoders 360 degrees |
| Charge | Fast charge 5 | Fast charge 4+ Fast charge AI | Fast charge 4+ Fast charge AI |
| modem | X60 LTE / 5G (integrated) 7500 Mbit / s down 3000 Mbit / s | X55 LTE / 5G (external) 7500 Mbit / s down 3000 Mbit / s | X55 LTE / 5G (external) 7500 Mbit / s down 3000 Mbit / s |
| Other networking | Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a / b / g / n | Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a / b / g / n | Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a / b / g / n |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 vs Snapdragon 888: More of it
A quick look at the table above reveals a number of important differences in the debate between Snapdragon 870 and Snapdragon 888. First, the Snapdragon 870 is based on the somewhat older, large Arm Cortex-A77 CPU cores and not on the ultra-modern Arm Cortex-X1- and A78 clusters of the Snapdragon 888. The CPU architecture is often more important than the raw clock speeds. The Cortex-X1 architecture performs much more per clock than the Cortex-A77 and is the leader despite the discrepancy between 2.84 GHz and 3.2 GHz clock speed.
The 870 also has a latest generation Adreno 650 GPU, Hexagon 698 DSP, and legacy image processing blocks compared to the 888’s Adreno 660 GPU, Hexagon 780 DSP, and a more powerful Spectra ISP. This makes the 888 the superior chip when it comes to gaming, AI processing, and imaging technologies. Although the 870’s slightly older features are still very competitive, including support for dual-camera processing, 8K video recording, and mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G networks.
See also: Snapdragon 888 vs. Exynos 2100 vs. Kirin 9000 vs. Apple A14 specifications compared
Another important difference is that the Snapdragon 870 keeps an external Snapdragon X55 5G modem instead of switching to an integrated part and continues to be manufactured in a 7nm instead of a 5nm process. This means that the Snapdragon 888 retains a good lead both in the energy efficiency department and in terms of performance. There’s also no support for Quick Charge 5, Bluetooth 5.2, or Wi-Fi 6E with the 870.
The 3.2% increase in clock speed is the only difference to the last generation Snapdragon 865 Plus.
In fact, the 870 is entirely based on last year’s Snapdragon 865 Plus. The only difference is the increase in the core clock speed of the Prime CPU. From 3.1 GHz in the 865 Plus to 3.2 GHz in the 870, which is a rather minor change of 3.2%. Keep in mind that the Snapdragon 865 Plus was just a faster version of the Snapdragon 865. This means that the functionality of the Snapdragon 870 has been fully adopted from 2020.
Even so, the Snapdragon 865 Plus offers a 10% CPU and GPU improvement over the Snapdragon 865. The Snapdragon 870 continues to benefit from this performance improvement over a range of 2020 flagship phones that don’t have the Plus chipset variant. We haven’t seen too many Snapdragon 865 Plus smartphones launched in 2020. As such, the Snapdragon 870 still offers a small increase in performance over a number of last-generation phones. While not nearly the 30-40% performance improvements promised by the Snapdragon 888.
See also: Analysis – Qualcomm just spent $ 1.4 billion to compete with Apple’s arm laptops
Should I buy a phone with a Snapdragon 870?
There’s much more to a great smartphone experience than just the processor. We would therefore hesitate to make recommendations based on the chip only. Unless you’re looking for cutting edge performance and an integrated 5G modem package. In this case, the Snapdragon 888 is the way to go.
On paper, the Snapdragon 870 is a good processor, but basically just a rebranding of last-generation technology. Granted, we had no reason to complain about the capabilities of smartphones by 2020 and this chip will perform well in 2021 as well. Note, however, that despite the new name, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 offers performance, features, and energy efficiency that were already available in 2020. So upgrade from a last-gen flagship to a Snapdragon 870 handset, and not just for performance reasons.
The Snapdragon 870 could help build affordable flagships with last-gen performance.
Even so, the Snapdragon 870 remains an interesting option. We are way beyond that smartphone performance is good enough. Instead, the price is increasingly preferable to the numerical calculation. The Snapdragon 870 could fit nicely in the growing gap between the mid-range Snapdragon 765G and the ultra-premium Snapdragon 888 – assuming Qualcomm rates the chip competitively.
Despite its last generation references, manufacturers can certainly build great phones based on the Snapdragon 870. We just have to wait and see what kind of value propositions they offer. Look forward to announcements from handsets in the second quarter of 2021.
