Table of Contents

Superior Performance and Efficiency

The Huawei Kirin 990 processor is a cutting-edge 7-nanometer mobile chipset that delivers exceptional performance and energy efficiency. It is the first commercial processor to employ the ARM Cortex-A76 architecture, which boasts significant improvements in both single-core and multi-core performance.

Advanced Manufacturing Process

The Kirin 990 is fabricated using TSMC’s 7nm+ Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process. This advanced manufacturing process enables the integration of over 10 billion transistors on a single chip, resulting in higher performance and lower power consumption.

Architecture and Design

The Kirin 990 features an innovative CPU cluster architecture that consists of two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores, two medium-performance Cortex-A76 cores, and four power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores. This design strikes a balance between raw speed and battery life.

Benchmark Performance

In benchmark tests, the Kirin 990 has consistently outperformed its competitors in both CPU and GPU performance. For example, in Geekbench 5, it achieved a single-core score of 747 and a multi-core score of 3081, surpassing other flagship processors in the market.

Enhanced Graphics Capabilities

The Kirin 990 integrates a Mali-G76 MP16 GPU, which offers a significant boost in graphics performance. It supports advanced rendering techniques such as HDR10 and Vulkan, enabling immersive gaming experiences and enhanced multimedia playback.

Neural Processing Unit

The Kirin 990 incorporates a powerful dual-core Neural Processing Unit (NPU). This NPU is designed for efficient AI and machine learning tasks, allowing for faster object recognition, image enhancement, and natural language processing.

Battery Life and Power Management

Despite its high performance, the Kirin 990 is surprisingly energy-efficient. It employs a range of intelligent power management technologies, such as dynamic voltage and frequency scaling, to optimize battery life.

Table of Key Specifications

Feature	Specification
Fabrication Process	7nm+ EUV
CPU Architecture	2x Cortex-A76 + 2x Cortex-A76 + 4x Cortex-A55
GPU	Mali-G76 MP16
NPU	Dual-core NPU
Benchmark Performance	Geekbench 5: 747 (single-core), 3081 (multi-core)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What devices use the Kirin 990 processor?
A: The Kirin 990 is found in various Huawei smartphones, including the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, Huawei P40 Pro, and Huawei Nova 7 Pro.

Q: How does the Kirin 990 compare to the Snapdragon 865?
A: The Kirin 990 and Snapdragon 865 are both high-performance processors. The Kirin 990 generally performs better in CPU tests, while the Snapdragon 865 has a slight edge in GPU performance.

Q: Is the Kirin 990 5G compatible?
A: Yes, the Kirin 990 supports both 4G and 5G connectivity.

References:

Huawei’s 7nm Chip

Huawei’s 7nm chip, the Kirin 990, is a powerful processor designed for smartphones. It features:

Leading-edge 7nm process technology for improved performance and energy efficiency
Advanced octa-core architecture with two Cortex-A76 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores
Mali-G76 GPU for enhanced gaming and graphics performance
Dual NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for accelerated AI tasks
Integrated 5G modem for fast wireless connectivity
LPDDR5 support for faster memory speeds

The Kirin 990 offers significant performance improvements over its predecessors, making it a top choice for high-end smartphones. It enables faster app loading, smoother gaming, and improved AI capabilities.

Huawei Mate 40 Series 7nm Processor

The Huawei Mate 40 series smartphones feature the Kirin 9000 processor, a 7nm chip that offers significant performance improvements over its predecessors. The processor boasts:

An octa-core CPU with one Cortex-A77 core, three Cortex-A76 cores, and four Cortex-A55 cores
A Mali-G78 MP24 GPU with 24 cores
A NPU with 16 cores
A 5G modem

The Kirin 9000 delivers:

Up to 28% faster CPU performance than the Kirin 990
Up to 52% faster GPU performance
Up to 2.4x faster NPU performance
Advanced 5G capabilities, supporting both sub-6 and mmWave frequencies

This powerful processor enables the Mate 40 series to handle demanding tasks with ease, including gaming, video editing, and AI-driven applications.

Huawei P50 Series 7nm Chipset

The Huawei P50 series smartphones feature a powerful 7nm chipset known as the HiSilicon Kirin 9000. This chipset boasts:

Advanced Processing Power: With an octa-core CPU, the Kirin 9000 delivers exceptional computational performance for demanding applications and games.
Integrated 5G Connectivity: Supports high-speed 5G networks for seamless connectivity.
Exceptional Graphics Performance: The Mali-G78 MP22 GPU provides stunning visuals and smooth gaming experiences.
AI Capabilities: Features an NPU for advanced AI processing, powering features such as image enhancement and facial recognition.
Improved Power Efficiency: The 7nm process technology enables efficient power consumption, extending battery life.

The 7nm chipset in the Huawei P50 series empowers users with cutting-edge technology, ensuring a premium and responsive mobile experience.

Huawei Nova 9 Series 7nm

The Huawei Nova 9 series smartphones feature a 7nm chip process, resulting in improved performance and power efficiency. This allows the devices to handle demanding tasks smoothly and extend battery life.

The Nova 9 series offers a range of variants, including the standard Nova 9, Nova 9 Pro, and Nova 9 SE. These models boast high-end specs, such as vibrant OLED displays, powerful cameras, and fast charging capabilities.

Despite the advanced technology used, the Nova 9 series remains competitively priced, making them an attractive choice for mid-range to high-end smartphone users.

Huawei Chip Performance

Huawei’s Kirin series of chipsets have consistently delivered competitive performance in the smartphone market. The latest Kirin 9000, found in the Huawei Mate 40 series, is a 5nm chipset that boasts impressive CPU and GPU capabilities. Benchmark tests have shown it to be on par with, or even slightly ahead of, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 and Apple’s A14 Bionic in terms of raw performance.

In addition to its raw power, the Kirin 9000 also excels in areas such as energy efficiency and AI processing. Its integrated 5G modem offers fast and reliable connectivity, while its dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) enables advanced AI features.

Overall, Huawei’s Kirin chips have established themselves as a strong contender in the smartphone chip market, providing users with a combination of high performance and efficient operation.

Huawei Kirin 990 7nm Chip vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 7nm Chip

The Huawei Kirin 990 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 are two of the leading 7nm mobile chipsets on the market. Here’s a comparison of their key features:

CPU:

Kirin 990: Octa-core design with 2x Cortex-A76 cores, 2x Cortex-A76 cores, and 4x Cortex-A55 cores
Snapdragon 888: Octa-core design with 1x Cortex-X1 core, 3x Cortex-A78 cores, and 4x Cortex-A55 cores

GPU:

Kirin 990: Mali-G76 MC16
Snapdragon 888: Adreno 660

Memory:

Kirin 990: Supports LPDDR4X RAM
Snapdragon 888: Supports LPDDR5 RAM

Connectivity:

Kirin 990: Integrated 5G modem with support for sub-6GHz and mmWave bands
Snapdragon 888: Integrated 5G modem with support for sub-6GHz bands only

Other Features:

Kirin 990: Dedicated NPU for AI processing
Snapdragon 888: Dedicated Hexagon DSP for AI processing

Performance:

The Kirin 990 offers better single-core performance than the Snapdragon 888, while the Snapdragon 888 has a slight edge in multi-core performance.
In terms of gaming, the Snapdragon 888’s Adreno 660 GPU provides slightly better performance than the Kirin 990’s Mali-G76 MC16 GPU.

Conclusion:
Both the Huawei Kirin 990 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 are excellent mobile chipsets with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Kirin 990 offers better single-core performance and dedicated AI processing, while the Snapdragon 888 provides better multi-core performance and support for LPDDR5 RAM. Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.

Huawei 7nm Chip vs Exynos

Feature	Huawei 7nm	Exynos 990
Manufacturing process	7nm EUV	7nm LPP
Number of transistors	9.3 billion	10.1 billion
Core configuration	1x Cortex-A77 @2.86GHz, 3x Cortex-A77 @2.6GHz, 4x Cortex-A55 @1.95GHz	2x M5 @2.73GHz, 2x A76 @ 2.5GHz, 4x A55 @ 1.95GHz
GPU	Mali-G76 MP16	Mali-G77 MP11
NPU	11-core Da Vinci NPU	N/A
ISP	4-core ISP	4-core ISP
Connectivity	5G modem integrated	5G modem integrated
Launch date	September 2020	February 2020

Comparison:

The Huawei 7nm chip is manufactured on TSMC’s 7nm EUV process, while the Exynos 990 is fabricated on Samsung’s 7nm LPP process. This gives the Huawei chip a slight edge in terms of power efficiency and performance.

In terms of core configuration, the Huawei 7nm chip has a slightly higher clock speed for its Cortex-A77 cores, while the Exynos 990 has more cores and a higher clock speed for its M5 cores.

The Huawei 7nm chip features a Mali-G76 MP16 GPU, while the Exynos 990 has a Mali-G77 MP11 GPU. The Mali-G77 is a newer GPU architecture and has more cores, giving it a performance advantage over the Mali-G76.

The Huawei 7nm chip includes an 11-core Da Vinci NPU, while the Exynos 990 does not have a dedicated NPU. This gives the Huawei chip an advantage in AI-related tasks.

Both chips have 4-core ISPs and integrated 5G modems.

Conclusion:

The Huawei 7nm chip and the Exynos 990 are both powerful mobile chips with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Huawei 7nm chip has a slight edge in terms of performance and power efficiency, while the Exynos 990 has a more powerful GPU and more AI-related features. Ultimately, the best chip for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.

Huawei 7nm Chip Benchmarks

Huawei’s 7nm Kirin 980 chip has been benchmarked against competitors from Qualcomm and Samsung, showing impressive performance in various areas.

CPU Performance:

Kirin 980 leads in single-core performance, outperforming Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 and Samsung’s Exynos 9810.
In multi-core performance, Kirin 980 is comparable to Snapdragon 845 and slightly behind Exynos 9810.

GPU Performance:

Kirin 980’s Mali-G76 GPU delivers strong performance, surpassing Snapdragon 845’s Adreno 630 and on par with Exynos 9810’s Mali-G76 MP12.

AI Performance:

Kirin 980’s dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) provides exceptional AI capabilities, outperforming Snapdragon 845 and Exynos 9810 in various AI benchmarks.

Memory Performance:

Kirin 980 uses LPDDR4X memory, offering faster data transfer speeds than LPDDR4 used in Snapdragon 845 and Exynos 9810.

Overall Performance:

In comprehensive benchmarks like Antutu, Geekbench, and PCMark, Kirin 980 ranks highly, often surpassing Qualcomm and Samsung’s offerings.

Overall, Huawei’s 7nm Kirin 980 chip delivers impressive performance across the board, making it a competitive choice in the high-end smartphone market.

Huawei 7nm Chip Power Efficiency

Huawei’s 7nm Kirin 980 processor boasts impressive power efficiency, enabling longer battery life and sustained performance. Key factors contributing to its efficiency include:

Advanced architecture: The 7nm process technology allows for smaller transistors and more compact chip layouts, reducing power consumption.
Intelligent scheduling: The big.LITTLE CPU architecture intelligently switches between different cores based on workload, optimizing energy usage.
Integrated AI: The chip’s integrated AI engine helps optimize power management by learning user patterns and adjusting the device’s performance accordingly.
Advanced power management: Huawei’s custom power management algorithms minimize power leakage and optimize voltage regulation, further improving efficiency.