Huawei Kirin Chip May Stick with 1+3+4 CPU Architecture

Huawei, through its HiSilicon subsidiary, commits to its 1+3+4 CPU architecture in its upcoming Kirin chips. The announcement signals that Huawei plans to maintain this architecture strategy, a move that suggests the brand is focusing on achieving a balance in power efficiency and performance across various use cases.

Understanding the 1+3+4 Architecture

The 1+3+4 CPU architecture, as adopted in previous Huawei Kirin chips, is a configuration involving eight CPU cores divided into three distinct clusters. These clusters are designed to handle different levels of computational demand:

1. One High-Performance Core: The single high-performance core is typically a large, power-hungry CPU core designed to handle the most demanding tasks, such as gaming, augmented reality (AR), or high-resolution video editing. This core delivers maximum performance but consumes more power when active.
2. Three Medium Cores: The trio of medium-performance cores offers a balance between power and efficiency. These cores take over tasks that require consistent yet not extreme computational power, such as browsing, multitasking, and running regular apps. They are more energy-efficient than the high-performance core but can still provide relatively robust processing power.
3. Four Low-Power Cores: The four smaller cores are designed for tasks that require minimal processing power. These include background processes, push notifications and light tasks like messaging or browsing. These cores prioritize energy efficiency to conserve battery life when handling less demanding applications.

Why Huawei is Sticking to the 1+3+4 Architecture

Huawei’s decision to retain the 1+3+4 CPU architecture in its upcoming Kirin chip lineup reflects a thoughtful strategy focused on balancing performance and power consumption. This approach has several advantages:

1. Efficient Task Distribution: With three clusters, the architecture can allocate tasks to the most appropriate cores. Power-hungry tasks can be handled by the high-performance core, while everyday applications can rely on the medium or low-power cores. This allocation maximizes performance when necessary while conserving energy during low-demand activities.
2. Battery Life Optimization: One of the biggest challenges in modern smartphones is finding a balance between performance and battery life. The 1+3+4 architecture allows Huawei to offer powerful performance while ensuring that battery drain is minimized. By using smaller cores for background and lightweight tasks, the device conserves energy when maximum performance isn’t needed.
3. Real-World Performance Benefits: Users benefit from the system’s ability to adapt to their usage. High-performance cores activate for tasks like gaming or video editing, while medium cores handle multitasking, and low-power cores handle less intensive applications. The result is a smoother user experience that also extends the overall battery life of the device.
4. Flexibility and Scalability: The 1+3+4 architecture provides scalability across Huawei’s product lineup. Whether implemented in flagship devices or mid-range smartphones, this architecture offers the flexibility to adjust performance across different price segments. For instance, the same architecture can be tweaked by using different cores for higher-end or budget models, offering Huawei a level of versatility in its mobile chip offerings.

How Huawei’s 1+3+4 Architecture Compares to Competitors

Huawei’s decision to stick with the 1+3+4 architecture contrasts with some of its competitors who have adopted alternative strategies for their processors. For example, Qualcomm and Samsung have often employed variations of the “big.LITTLE” architecture with configurations like 1+2+4 or even 2+2+4 setups.

One of the more notable competitors in this field is Apple. Apple’s A-series chips, particularly the A17 Pro, use a different approach, typically employing a mix of high-efficiency and high-performance cores, but with fewer overall cores than Huawei. Apple focuses more on a high-performance cluster combined with high-efficiency cores to handle low-energy tasks. Huawei’s 1+3+4 structure, by contrast, puts a greater emphasis on tiered performance, offering a middle ground with its medium cores.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, also feature a similar multi-tiered design, but often lean more towards fewer high-performance cores and more low-power cores. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 employs a 1+4+3 setup, where four medium cores manage most of the work, and three lower-power cores handle less demanding tasks. In comparison, Huawei’s approach offers more specialization for different types of tasks, particularly for handling intensive workloads with the single high-performance core.

7nm Manufacturing

The upcoming Kirin chips, built on the 7nm process, are expected to continue using this architecture but with improvements in manufacturing efficiency. While some competitors, like Apple, are transitioning to 3nm chips for enhanced power efficiency and performance, Huawei’s use of 7nm may be seen as a limitation. However, Huawei has focused on optimizing its design and leveraging software enhancements to close the performance gap.

Using 7nm architecture still allows Huawei to produce chips at a relatively lower cost while delivering solid performance. The inclusion of the “Pro Plus” variation of the 7nm process could also mean that Huawei is working to improve the performance per watt, allowing its chips to remain competitive despite the larger manufacturing node.

Conclusion

Huawei’s decision to continue with its 1+3+4 CPU architecture in its Kirin chips shows a clear focus on delivering balanced performance without compromising on energy efficiency. While competitors may be adopting different strategies or moving towards smaller manufacturing processes, Huawei’s commitment to this architecture offers clear advantages for multitasking, battery life, and cost-efficiency.

By improving performance through architecture refinements and software optimizations, Huawei is positioning itself to remain competitive in the SoC market, even as it faces challenges from competitors working with smaller and more advanced nodes. Ultimately, the 1+3+4 structure remains a strong foundation for Huawei’s mobile processors, offering flexibility, scalability, and real-world performance benefits for a wide range of users.

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