HiSilicon Kirin 960 vs MediaTek Dimensity 720

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The HiSilicon Kirin 960 and MediaTek Dimensity 720 processors are two popular choices in the smartphone market. Despite similarities in core count and architecture, there are several key differences between them.

Starting with the HiSilicon Kirin 960, this processor boasts an architecture composed of four Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. It utilizes the ARMv8-A instruction set and has a lithography of 16 nm. With 4000 million transistors, the Kirin 960 offers a low TDP of 5 Watts.

On the other hand, the MediaTek Dimensity 720 features an architecture consisting of two Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2 GHz. It supports the ARMv8.2-A instruction set and is fabricated using a smaller 7 nm lithography. With a slightly higher TDP of 10 Watts, the Dimensity 720 also includes a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for enhanced AI capabilities.

One notable distinction between the two processors is their lithography. The Kirin 960 utilizes a 16 nm process, while the Dimensity 720 is manufactured using a more advanced 7 nm process. This allows the Dimensity 720 to offer better power efficiency and potentially improved performance.

Additionally, the Dimensity 720 stands out with its inclusion of an NPU, which enables advanced AI features such as enhanced camera capabilities, better voice recognition, and improved power management.

In summary, while both processors offer eight cores and ARMv8 instruction sets, the HiSilicon Kirin 960 utilizes a 16 nm lithography and has a lower TDP, while the MediaTek Dimensity 720 boasts a more advanced 7 nm lithography, higher TDP, and an NPU for AI-related tasks. The choice between these processors ultimately comes down to the specific needs and preferences of the end-user.

CPU cores and architecture

Architecture 4x 2.4 GHz – Cortex-A73
4x 1.8 GHz – Cortex-A53
2x 2.2 GHz – Cortex-A76
6x 2 GHz – Cortex-A55
Number of cores 8 8
Instruction Set ARMv8-A ARMv8.2-A
Lithography 16 nm 7 nm
Number of transistors 4000 million
TDP 5 Watt 10 Watt
Neural Processing NPU

Memory (RAM)

Max amount up to 6 GB up to 12 GB
Memory type LPDDR4 LPDDR4X
Memory frequency 1866 MHz 2133 MHz
Memory-bus 2x32 bit 2x16 bit

Storage

Storage specification UFS 2.1 UFS 2.2

Graphics

GPU name Mali-G71 MP8 Mali-G57 MP3
GPU Architecture Bifrost Valhall
GPU frequency 900 MHz 850 MHz
Execution units 8 3
Shaders 128
DirectX 11.3 12
OpenCL API 1.2 2.1
OpenGL API ES 3.2
Vulkan API 1.0 1.2

Camera, Video, Display

Max screen resolution 2520x1080@90Hz
Max camera resolution 1x 20MP, 2x 12MP 1x 64MP, 1x 20MP + 1x 16MP
Max Video Capture 4K@30fps 4K@30FPS
Video codec support H.264 (AVC)
H.265 (HEVC)
VP8
VP9
H.264 (AVC)
H.265 (HEVC)
VP9

Wireless

4G network Yes Yes
5G network Yes Yes
Peak Download Speed 0.6 Gbps 2.77 Gbps
Peak Upload Speed 0.15 Gbps 1.2 Gbps
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) 5 (802.11ac)
Bluetooth 4.2 5.1
Satellite navigation BeiDou
GPS
Galileo
GLONASS
BeiDou
GPS
Galileo
GLONASS
NavIC
QZSS

Supplemental Information

Launch Date 2016 October 2020 Quarter 3
Partnumber Hi3660 MT6853V/ZA, MT6853V/NZA
Vertical Segment Mobiles Mobiles
Positioning Flagship Mid-end

AnTuTu 10

Total Score
Kirin 960
253892
Dimensity 720
293337

GeekBench 6 Single-Core

Score
Kirin 960
382
Dimensity 720
540

GeekBench 6 Multi-Core

Score
Kirin 960
1544
Dimensity 720
1698