Mediatek vs Snapdragon Processor, which is better?

Techy Mind

July 09, 2022

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The difference between Mediatek vs Snapdragon, which is better?

Snapdragon and MediaTek processors each have their advantages and disadvantages. But, which one is better and superior? Check out the following review!

This time I will discuss the Differences between Mediatek and Snapdragon. When you want to buy a new cellphone, you must be confused about choosing a Mediatek or Snapdragon processor, right? Because both processors have their advantages and disadvantages. Of course, this must be considered so that in the future you will not regret it.

A good processor can certainly make a Mobile Phone's performance smoother and smoother. The processor is also one of the determining factors for the price of Android Mobile. The better the processor, the more expensive the HP will be.

You need to know that until now there are 5 brands of special processors for smartphones that many people know, namely Qualcomm Snapdragon, MediaTek, Exynos, Intel Atom & Apple A series. Of the five types of chipsets, there are only two that we most often encounter, namely Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek. And here I will only discuss Mediatek and Snapdragon processors.

Mediatek processor vs Snapdragon processor

Well, for those of you who are confused about choosing a Snapdragon or Mediatek processor, let's see what are the differences between Mediatek and Snapdragon.

What is Mediatek?

Mediatek is a Taiwanese processor brand founded on May 28, 1997, by Tsai Ming Kai. Mediatek is still classified as a new processor compared to Snapdragon. Yes, although it is still new, the development of this processor globally is quite fast too.

The main difference between Mediatek and Snapdragon is the price. Mediatek processor prices are cheaper than Snapdragon. Therefore, most cell phones that use Mediatek are sold at low prices.

What Are the Advantages of Mediatek Processors?

Mediatek is a processor or chipset manufacturer that is quite innovative. Mediatek has launched the MT6592 processor as the world's first True Octa-Core processor. Unlike the octa-core processor in general, which consists of 2 quad-core processors. This processor has 8 ARM Cortex A7 cores with speeds up to 2.0 GHz.

In addition, MediaTek is also the first manufacturer of deca-core processors in the world. While most processors have 8 cores, Mediatek is trying to innovate by creating processors with 10 cores. The world's first deca-core Mediatek processors are the Mediatek Helio X20, Helio X23, Helio X25, Helio X27, and Helio X30. One of the cellphones that use this 10-core processor is the Redmi Note 4 which uses the Helio X20.

What is Snapdragon?

Snapdragon is a processor brand from San Diego, United States. Snapdragon processor is one of Qualcomm's flagship products which was founded in 1985. Rather than Mediatek, Snapdragon is the most widely used in the world. The reason why it is more widely used is that Snapdragon technology is more up-to-date. Because it is more sophisticated, Snapdragon's performance is on average faster and more power-efficient.

One of the most striking differences between Mediatek and Snapdragon is the price. Snapdragon processor prices are higher than Mediatek. With the exact specifications, Snapdragon prices can be 2 times more expensive than Mediatek.

What are the Advantages of Snapdragon Processor?

It is undeniable in general, that Snapdragon's advantage over Mediatek is its performance. Snapdragon does not only focus on creating processors with many and fast CPU cores but also other supporting components such as GPUs and ISPs or Image Signal Processors.

Snapdragon graphics quality tends to be better because it is supported by a more sophisticated GPU or Graphics Processing Unit. In addition, the results of cellphones photos using Snapdragon are often better because Snapdragon processor ISP technology is always being improved.

The many things that have been upgraded make Snapdragon processors sometimes more expensive than Mediatek. In addition, most flagship-class cellphones also tend to prefer Snapdragon processors over Mediatek.

MediaTek vs Snapdragon Difference

Which is better Mediatek vs Snapdragon processor? In terms of price, Mediatek processors are cheaper than Snapdragon. If you're looking for a cheap cellphone but fast performance, you can look for a cellphone that uses a Mediatek processor. Apart from price, there are still many differences between Mediatek and Snapdragon.

Processor and Graphics Performance

Inside the processor, there are 2 essential chips, namely the CPU and GPU. The CPU consists of several cores that have different speeds and functions to regulate all the components in the processor. GPU functions to process graphics. GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit. GPU works like VGA on a Desktop PC or laptop.

Mediatek GPU performance is relatively lower than Snapdragon. Because it is lower, the Mediatek processor takes up less RAM. Meanwhile, Snapdragon processors can render better graphics and provide smoother visual effects. But unfortunately, Snapdragon processors consume more RAM.

Snapdragon is more wasteful of RAM because the GPU is not equipped with dedicated VRAM. When operating, the Adreno GPU used by Snapdragon will eat the cellphone core RAM itself. Therefore, to maximize Snapdragon graphics, it must be accompanied by a large RAM capacity. In conclusion, Mediatek processors are more RAM efficient but the graphics quality is not as good as Snapdragon.

Product Variations

In terms of product variety, Snapdragon has more variety than Mediatek. In 2020, Mediatek reduced the production of low-end processors and focused more on making mid-range processors. It is evident that in 2021, Mediatek only focused on one series of processors, namely the density series. On the other hand, Snapdragon processors issue more variants of new processors.

Snapdragon has released many new product variations, starting from the 400 series for beginners, the 600 series for the middle class, the 700 series which is the latest version for the upper-middle class, and the 800 series for the upper-middle-class or premium.

At the end of 2022, Snapdragon also updated all of its product lines. One of the products that most attracts attention is the Snapdragon 8 gen 2 as the latest version of the Snapdragon 8 gen 1. This latest super-fast processor is claimed to be able to compete with the A15 Bionic processor belonging to the Apple iPhone 14.

- Processor cores in MediaTek and Snapdragon

Both MediaTek and Snapdragon are multicore processors (1-2-4-6-8-10). MediaTek begins trial production of a 12-core chipset. However, we must remember that what is less important is how many cores the processor contains, and more what the cores do.

- CPU and GPU in MediaTek and Snapdragon

Comparing MediaTek and Qualcomm purely from a performance point of view, there is hardly any difference in terms of CPU, but it is clear that the graphics part is better done by the Adreno GPU which is installed in all Snapdragon SoCs.

This is especially noticeable in the high-end segment. The difference in GPU performance is significantly less noticeable in the mid-range and low-end segments. Qualcomm manufactures graphics chips that are best designed to work with the processor and other components.

- MediaTek and Snapdragon battery life

MediaTek chipsets are known to consume high power which results in shorter battery life. They upgraded their processor to be more energy efficient but are still behind Snapdragon.

- Show

Performance-wise, the MediaTek processor performs solidly. Their extra-core processors allow for the performance of intensive and heavy-duty tasks and they are excellent at multi-tasking. Snapdragon has better performance in multi-tasking and handling heavy and intensive tasks and games.

- Heating

Snapdragon processors are generally less prone to heating than MediaTek.

- MediaTek and Snapdragon costs

MediaTek's SOCs are often less expensive than similar Qualcomm solutions.

Summary - MediaTek vs. Snapdragon

In general, the processing power of both chipsets is generally high. However, the difference between the two is mostly reflected in battery consumption, namely efficiency, as well as durability. In our estimation, Snapdragon is a more powerful and reliable chipset than MediaTek, but MediaTek is a much more cost-effective variant.

So in conclusion, Snapdragon processors are more varied than Mediatek. In addition, Snapdragon also targets many segments, unlike Mediatek which only focuses on the middle class.

MediaTek vs Snapdragon, Which is Better?

So which is good? Mediatek or Snapdragon? Judging from the conclusions above, Snapdragon is indeed better than Mediatek. Many product variants and faster performance are the reasons why Snapdragon is better. Especially if you want to buy a flagship-class cellphone, of course, the ideal processor choice is Snapdragon.

But when it comes to mid-range phones, Mediatek and Snapdragon are still just as good. Because Mediatek is more focused on this segment, of course, its performance is not much different from Snapdragon.

That's the article about the difference between Mediatek vs Snapdragon, which is better? Hopefully, this article can be useful see you in the next post.