HiSilicon Kirin 960 vs Unisoc SC9863A

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The HiSilicon Kirin 960 and Unisoc SC9863A are both processors commonly found in mobile devices, but they differ in terms of their specifications.

Starting with the HiSilicon Kirin 960, it features a powerful architecture with 4x 2.4 GHz Cortex-A73 cores and 4x 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. With 8 cores in total, this processor offers a significant amount of processing power. The instruction set is ARMv8-A, which ensures compatibility with modern software. The Kirin 960 is manufactured using a 16 nm lithography process, which is notably more advanced compared to the Unisoc SC9863A. It contains a impressive 4000 million transistors and operates at a TDP of 5 Watts.

In contrast, the Unisoc SC9863A has a different architecture with 4x 1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 cores and 4x 1.2 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. Although slightly slower than the Kirin 960, it still offers a satisfactory level of performance for most tasks. The instruction set is ARMv8.2-A, which supports the latest generation of software. However, one notable advantage of the SC9863A is the inclusion of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which can greatly enhance AI-related tasks. The processor is manufactured using a less advanced 28 nm lithography process and operates at a TDP of 3 Watts.

Ultimately, the choice between these two processors depends on the specific requirements of the user. The HiSilicon Kirin 960 offers a more powerful architecture, with faster clock speeds and a higher number of transistors, making it suitable for demanding tasks such as gaming and multimedia. On the other hand, the Unisoc SC9863A may be a more cost-effective option, particularly for users who prioritize AI-related tasks.

In conclusion, while the HiSilicon Kirin 960 and Unisoc SC9863A have distinct specifications, they both offer their own advantages. The Kirin 960 excels in overall performance and power, while the SC9863A may be a more budget-friendly option with its NPU capabilities.

CPU cores and architecture

Architecture 4x 2.4 GHz – Cortex-A73
4x 1.8 GHz – Cortex-A53
4x 1.6 GHz – Cortex-A55
4x 1.2 GHz – Cortex-A55
Number of cores 8 8
Instruction Set ARMv8-A ARMv8.2-A
Lithography 16 nm 28 nm
Number of transistors 4000 million
TDP 5 Watt 3 Watt
Neural Processing NPU

Memory (RAM)

Max amount up to 6 GB up to 4 GB
Memory type LPDDR4 LPDDR4X
Memory frequency 1866 MHz 1866 MHz
Memory-bus 2x32 bit 2x16 bit

Storage

Storage specification UFS 2.1 eMMC 5.1

Graphics

GPU name Mali-G71 MP8 Imagination PowerVR GE8322
GPU Architecture Bifrost Rogue
GPU frequency 900 MHz 550 MHz
Execution units 8 4
Shaders 128 128
DirectX 11.3 11
OpenCL API 1.2 3.0
OpenGL API ES 3.2
Vulkan API 1.0 1.2

Camera, Video, Display

Max screen resolution 2160x1080
Max camera resolution 1x 20MP, 2x 12MP 1x 16MP + 1x 5MP
Max Video Capture 4K@30fps FullHD@30fps
Video codec support H.264 (AVC)
H.265 (HEVC)
VP8
VP9
H.264 (AVC)
H.265 (HEVC)
VP8

Wireless

4G network Yes Yes
5G network Yes Yes
Peak Download Speed 0.6 Gbps 0.3 Gbps
Peak Upload Speed 0.15 Gbps 0.1 Gbps
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) 4 (802.11n)
Bluetooth 4.2 4.2
Satellite navigation BeiDou
GPS
Galileo
GLONASS
BeiDou
GPS
GLONASS

Supplemental Information

Launch Date 2016 October 2018 November
Partnumber Hi3660 SC9863A
Vertical Segment Mobiles Mobiles
Positioning Flagship Low-end

AnTuTu 10

Total Score
Kirin 960
253892
SC9863A
114273

GeekBench 6 Single-Core

Score
Kirin 960
382
SC9863A
145

GeekBench 6 Multi-Core

Score
Kirin 960
1544
SC9863A
779