Introduction
HiSilicon Kirin 980 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 are probably two of the most dominant chipsets in the industry. Each has different feature sets and advantages. It is a fact that in 2018, HiSilicon Kirin 980 was one of the initial chipsets to be based on a 7nm process and brought about phenomenal performance improvements in smartphones. The recently launched Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 carries the newest technology like better power efficiency and 5G connectivity, which keeps it really powerful in mid-range smartphones.
Comparison: HiSilicon Kirin 980 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Release Year |
2018 |
2024 |
| Fabrication Process |
7nm |
4nm |
| CPU Architecture |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-A76, 2x Cortex-A76, 4x Cortex-A55) |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-X2, 6x Cortex-A55) |
| Clock Speed |
2.6 GHz |
3.0 GHz |
| GPU |
Mali-G76 MP10 |
Adreno 700-series |
| AI Accelerator |
Dual NPU |
Hexagon 690 AI engine |
| Memory Support |
LPDDR4X |
LPDDR5 |
| Max Camera Support |
48 MP (single) |
200 MP (single) |
| AnTuTu 10 Score |
~300,000 |
~450,000 |
| GeekBench 6 Score |
Single: ~3,200, Multi: ~10,500 |
Single: ~3,800, Multi: ~12,000 |
| 5G Support |
No |
Yes |
Specifications
| Specification |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Launch Year |
2018 |
2024 |
| Process Node |
7nm |
4nm |
| CPU Architecture |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-A76, 2x Cortex-A76, 4x Cortex-A55) |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-X2, 6x Cortex-A55) |
| GPU |
Mali-G76 MP10 |
Adreno 700-series |
| AI Accelerator |
Dual NPU |
Hexagon 690 AI engine |
| RAM Support |
LPDDR4X |
LPDDR5 |
| Camera Support |
Up to 48 MP (single), 24 MP (dual) |
Up to 200 MP (single) |
| Display Support |
4K UHD @ 60Hz |
FHD+ @ 120Hz |
| Storage Type |
UFS 2.1 |
UFS 3.1 |
| Connectivity |
4G LTE, Wi-Fi 5 |
5G, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Battery Efficiency |
Moderate |
High |
Review
| Aspect |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Performance |
Strong, especially for 2018 |
Excellent, with modern optimizations |
| Gaming |
Good, but outdated for modern games |
Excellent with newer GPU architecture |
| AI Capabilities |
Decent dual NPU |
Powerful AI with Hexagon 690 engine |
| Power Efficiency |
Moderate, older process node |
High, thanks to the 4nm process |
| Camera Support |
Excellent for its time |
Excellent with support for up to 200 MP cameras |
| Thermal Management |
Good |
Excellent, thanks to newer tech |
4. Benchmarks
AnTuTu 10
| Test |
Kirin 980 |
Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Overall Score |
~300,000 |
~450,000 |
| CPU Score |
~80,000 |
~120,000 |
| GPU Score |
~90,000 |
~140,000 |
| Memory Score |
~60,000 |
~100,000 |
| UX Score |
~70,000 |
~90,000 |
GeekBench 6
| Test |
Kirin 980 |
Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Single-Core |
~3,200 |
~3,800 |
| Multi-Core |
~10,500 |
~12,000 |
Smartphones
Key Functionality Breakdown: HiSilicon Kirin 980 vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3
1. CPU Performance
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Core Architecture |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-A76, 2x Cortex-A76, 4x Cortex-A55) |
Octa-core (2x Cortex-X2, 6x Cortex-A55) |
| Clock Speed |
Up to 2.6 GHz |
Up to 3.0 GHz |
| Manufacturing Process |
7nm |
4nm |
| Performance Focus |
Balanced power & efficiency |
High-performance & power efficiency |
Graphics (GPU)
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| GPU Model |
Mali-G76 MP10 |
Adreno 700-series |
| Graphics Performance |
Excellent for mid-range gaming |
Advanced performance for high-end gaming |
| Max Display Support |
4K UHD @ 60Hz |
FHD+ @ 120Hz |
AI Accelerator
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| AI Technology |
Dual NPU (Neural Processing Unit) |
Hexagon 690 AI engine |
| Key Features |
Enhanced AI for imaging, voice, and video |
Advanced AI for real-time tasks, enhanced camera & app experience |
Memory Support
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| RAM Type |
LPDDR4X |
LPDDR5 |
| Max RAM Support |
Up to 8GB |
Up to 16GB |
| RAM Speed |
2133 MHz |
3200 MHz |
Multimedia (ISP)
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Max Camera Support |
48 MP (single), 24 MP (dual) |
200 MP (single) |
| Video Recording |
4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps |
4K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 120fps |
| Image Processing |
AI-powered camera enhancements |
Advanced AI for noise reduction, better low-light performance |
Connectivity
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| 5G Support |
No |
Yes (Sub-6 GHz) |
| Wi-Fi Support |
Wi-Fi 5 |
Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 5.0 |
Bluetooth 5.2 |
| USB Type-C |
Yes |
Yes |
Power Efficiency
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Manufacturing Process |
7nm |
4nm |
| Efficiency Features |
Intelligent power saving algorithms |
Enhanced battery management with improved idle consumption |
Battery & Charging
| Feature |
HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 |
| Fast Charging |
22.5W |
33W |
| Wireless Charging |
Yes |
Yes |
| Max Battery Capacity |
Up to 5000mAh |
Up to 5000mAh |
Your Questions and Our Opinion: HiSilicon Kirin 980 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 3
- Which chipset is newer?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 is newer, launched in 2024, while the Kirin 980 was released in 2018.
- Which one has better CPU performance?
- Opinion: Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 has a faster CPU with Cortex-X2 cores and higher clock speeds, making it better for overall performance.
- Which supports 5G?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 supports 5G, while the Kirin 980 does not.
- Which one is more power-efficient?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 is more power-efficient due to its 4nm process, offering better battery life and lower power consumption.
- Which one has a better GPU for gaming?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 offers a superior Adreno GPU, making it better for gaming performance.
- Which chipset has better AI capabilities?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 has advanced AI features with the Hexagon 690 AI engine, offering better real-time performance.
- Which supports higher camera resolutions?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 supports up to 200 MP cameras, while the Kirin 980 supports up to 48 MP.
- Which is better for multitasking?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 is better for multitasking due to its higher RAM support and more efficient cores.
- Which one has better connectivity options?
- Opinion: The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 supports Wi-Fi 6, 5G, and Bluetooth 5.2, while the Kirin 980 supports only Wi-Fi 5 and lacks 5G.
- Which one should I choose?
- Opinion: Choose the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 for better overall performance, modern features, and future-proofing, especially if you want 5G and improved gaming.
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