Cheap 8 core smartphones. Benefits in marketing
The processor of a current smartphone sometimes has more cores than a similar desktop device. Does this mean that the productivity of such a smartphone is greater than that of a PC? Does an Android smartphone need 8, or, even more stunningly, 10 cores? There is an opinion that so large number of cores the processor is not required. An important feature of mobile device processors is that not every core has the same clock speed. For example, all cylinders in a car engine have the same capacity. And this is a completely different matter. Octa-core processors, for example, Samsung Exynos 7420, have two different sets of cores.
4 cores are highly productive, and the same number are less energy-consuming. When you need to carry out such mundane tasks as managing new emails, there is no need for significant processor productivity. Gary Sims, in his own publication on this topic, explains why this approach makes sense, and also introduces readers to the engineering and marketing reasons on which the transition to the production of multi-core processors is made, despite the fact that they do not increase the productivity of a smart phone .
When there are two sets of cores, Android uses those that will most effectively handle a particular task. While network connections are characterized by significant downtime and latency, running tasks is a completely different matter. If you are running a game, this is where the need for high-performance cores will arise.
Technical benefit
We know this approach to separating processes as “heterogeneous computing.” In this case, not all cores are equal. For this technique to work, the system scheduler must know that the cores have different characteristics and, in accordance with this, assign tasks to the cores.
ARM's heterogeneous computing model is called big.LITTLE. 8 big.LITTLE cores form two clusters. One of them houses 4 Cortex-A57 or Cortex-A72 cores. These cores have greater computing power. The other cluster consists of 64-bit Cortex-A53 cores, which are quite power efficient as they have a lower clock speed. Chip designers can create not only the 4+4 model, they can also form other models, for example, 2+4 (dual-core Cortex-A57 kit and 4-core A53), just like in the Snapdragon 808.
If you increase the number of cores on a computer, it will become more powerful, but this rule does not work with smartphones. For example, a computer processor has 8 cores; it works more efficiently than a quad-core one. And if you increase the number of cores in a smartphone, it will simply become more energy efficient.
If we talk about MediaTek X20, then this 10-core processor designed to reduce energy consumption by a third than the two-cluster design analyzed. The processor has two cores with high performance, four with mediocre performance, and four more with the lowest power consumption. This processor allows you to significantly reduce power consumption for basic tasks, such as browsing websites, video materials or using the social network Facebook.
In reality, a smartphone does not have the ability to use more than 3 cores in one scenario, according to Forbes analyst Patrick Moorhead. The only question is which kernels are currently running in the operating system.
Does your smartphone have a two- or three-cluster big.LITTLE architecture? Then the work will include those kernels that are most suitable for the task being implemented. The more resource-intensive the task, the more powerful set of cores will be used to implement it. In other cases, the choice will fall on more energy-efficient sets of processor cores with low clock speeds. Chip makers are experimenting to find the best balance to strike between productivity and energy efficiency.
Benefits in marketing
Speaking of Intel, we can safely say that the company does not have processors with heterogeneous computing and can only give smartphones a 4x86 option, and it is in this option that the energy efficiency of processors is acceptable. Intel is trying to become a super developer of processors for mobile devices and is even ready to offer device suppliers their own processors for next to nothing, notes Gary Sims. This means that competitors need to find their marketing trick to hold their own against Intel. This advantage is 8- and 10-core processors. That is why the big.LITTLE option also has an advantage in marketing terms. In 2015, smartphones with 8-core processors are increasingly conquering the market, and among them you can find extremely interesting models.
Do you agree that the big.LITTLE model is a good engineering option or will it run its course very soon? Perhaps its meaning is more of a marketing one? Is there a future for 10-core processors and will MediaTek sanction increased use of its own chips by device suppliers?
Finding a phone that won't freeze and works stably is not particularly easy. Many manufacturers offer large RAM, but forget about a powerful processor. To ensure that your phone sees no limits in multitasking, you need to choose a smartphone with 8 cores. To make it easier for you to decide “which phone is better to choose,” we have compiled a rating of the best smartphones with 8 cores for 2017. Our TOP presents 5 models among which you will find the smartphone you need.
DOOGEE Y6 16Gb
Doogee is a well-known budget smartphone manufacturer that has been producing devices for quite some time. The Doogee Y6 is a cell phone that has a great appearance, decent characteristics and costs only 8,000 rubles. However, the smartphone is well built and it uses a metal back panel to add a bit of a premium look. The frame and buttons are made of plastic. It has a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280x720, which is quite good for everyday use. Doogee Y6 comes with Mediatek MT6750 octa-core (1.5 GHz), 2 GB RAM and 16 GB expandable storage.
Main characteristics:
- Android 6.0;
- Camera: 13 and 8 MP;
- Battery: 3200 mAh;
Pros:
- Superior quality iron;
- Decent cameras;
- Nice screen;
Minuses:
- Non-removable battery;
LG X power 2 M320
Inexpensive but good smartphone LG X power 2 M320. The amazing camera makes your photo shots amazing and vibrant. The smartphone is equipped with a large battery that provides excellent battery life. It has a large 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. You can choose from the model's colors: Titanium Black, Titanium Brilliant, Titanium Brilliant, Gold Brilliant and Blue Blue. The smartphone is powered by a 1.5GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6750 processor, which is paired with 2GB RAM for excellent multitasking capabilities.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels;
- Processor: Mediatek MT6750 and Mali-T860 video accelerator;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM;
- Android 7.0;
- Camera: 13 and 5 MP;
- Battery: 4500 mAh;
Pros:
- 4G connection;
- Impressive cameras;
- Fast charging;
- Smooth performance;
Minuses:
- Non-removable battery;
The third place in our TOP was taken by a solid smartphone from Samsung. The smooth edges and cool back certainly give the smartphone a more rugged, premium feel than the Galaxy S6, which was considered a flagship device just two years ago. Despite its excellent design, the Galaxy J5 (2017) is not a premium smartphone. Therefore, the AMOLED display has a somewhat modest resolution of 720p. If you try hard enough, you can see some pixels due to the PenTile sub-pixel array, which is similar to the J5 (2016) in this regard. The Exynos 7 Octa 7870 chip provides enough performance to run Android 7.0 and Samsung Experience UX smoothly.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.2 inches with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels;
- Processor: Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7870 and Mali-T830 MP2 video accelerator;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM;
- Android 7.0;
- Camera: 13 and 13 MP;
- Battery: 3000 mAh;
Pros:
- Good screen resolution;
- Excellent configuration;
- Good battery;
Minuses:
- Average internal storage;
Meizu M5 32Gb
The smartphone doesn't have a very flashy design, but it still offers a comfortable hold thanks to its rounded edges and glass with a 2.5-degree curved edge. The screen borders are not too thick and give the smartphone a nice front view. There is an LED notification light next to the front camera and speaker, which for some reason is positioned asymmetrically above the display. The smartphone has a small 5.2-inch screen. Under the plastic shell there is a MediaTek MT6750 processor, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.2 inches with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels;
- Processor: MediaTek MT6750 and Mali-T860 MP2 video accelerator;
- Memory: 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM;
- Android 6.0.1;
- Camera: 13 and 5 MP;
- Battery: 3070 mAh;
Pros:
- Acceptable price;
- Excellent battery backup;
Minuses:
- Poor display quality;
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X
This reliable and high-quality smartphone took an honorable place in the ranking of the best smartphones with 8 cores for 2017. It packs a lot of high-quality features at an extremely competitive price. From the display to the battery, it is loaded with highly rated specs. The smartphone comes in Hatsune Miku Green, Cherry Powder, Champagne Gold, Platinum Silver and Matte Black color options. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X is powered by a 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and comes with 3GB of RAM.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels;
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 and Adreno 506 video accelerator;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM;
- Android 6.0;
- Camera: 13 and 5 MP;
- Battery: 4100 mAh;
Pros:
- Good screen properties;
- Excellent configuration;
- Large battery;
Minuses:
- Average internal storage;
Conclusion
On the website you can order eight-core smartphones with a large battery. All new products on the market and already well-known models at low prices. When do you need an 8-core processor and is it possible to get by with a less powerful one? We will help you choose the right gadget for playing games, sharing photos and downloading videos.
Why does a smartphone need an 8-core processor?
A more modern version of the processor contains twice as many cores in the working chip. But this did not make the device more powerful. He learned to organically redistribute the load and use energy economically. The presence of 8 cores does not mean that all operations are performed at space speed - all processes are accelerated, but without compromising other functions and options.
The eight-core processor consists of two quads combined with each other. In the traditional version, the elements of a 4-chip operate simultaneously. The 8-core uses two types of chips: one more powerful, the second with a lower clock frequency. The second block is used to exchange messages, photos and video files; when connecting games with complex visual effects, the first one works. It is not practical to use all 8 cores at once for simple operations.
Advantages of an eight-core smartphone
For the user, the difference between the number of processor cores is noticeable in only one way - the device performs its tasks with less energy consumption. The battery of such a phone will have to be charged less often.
The typical memory capacity of such models is 2 or 3 GB of RAM and 16 or 32 GB of internal memory. You can shoot and store no more files on your phone than on a regular quad-core gadget.
Inexpensive 8-core smartphones with a powerful battery
Lower energy consumption is associated with the presence of a powerful battery - up to 4500 mAh. For those who prefer rationality and innovation, our IM has selected the best solutions in this category at prices ranging from 8,300 to 13,500 rubles.
Xiaomi Redmi 4 16 GB is the cheapest option. Blackview BV6000 costs 5,200 rubles. more expensive due to the 4500 mAh battery. This was reflected in the dimensions and weight of the model - 81x152.3x16.6 mm and 247 g versus 69.9 × 141.3 × 8.9 mm and 156 g for Xiaomi Redmi 4.
You can place an order for a powerful smartphone right now, and by the evening or morning it will be in your hands - all the devices declared on the website are in stock. Delivery is made by courier within the Moscow Ring Road.
The increase in demand for mobile devices has accelerated the development of related industries. Just five years ago, the very first version of the Android platform was released, and today, based on it, processors with 8 cores have appeared on the market.
The first 8-core processors were given life by the world famous company ARM, which licenses the production of platforms with the same architecture name. It was this company that first announced the big.LITTLE concept in 2011, which assumed several principles of interaction between individual cores having different architectures, but at the same time combined into one processor. For example, one chip combines two clusters of different cores: Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7, the first of which is more productive, and the second is energy efficient. Thus, the company has heard numerous requests from users who have been waiting for a long time for the release of a mobile device that has a powerful, productive processor and at the same time a large reserve of autonomy.
How do modern multi-core systems work? Today, the most common option - big.LITTLE - is capable of processing the assigned task with only one cluster, that is, simply put, the load from any running application cannot be simultaneously distributed among the cores, since they have different microarchitectures. In this case, the starting point for any application is the Cortex A-7 core, and as the load on the processor increases, the scheduler switches the task to the Cortex-A15 cores. The biggest challenge in building the platform for ARM was minimizing the time spent switching between core clusters. As a result of extensive work, the company was able to reduce the time spent on the procedure to 20 microseconds.
In 2013, the Korean giant Samsung developed its own Exynos 5 Octa processor with 8 cores. He also used the big.LITTLE concept. This processor forms the basis of the flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S4. The public did not receive this news with much enthusiasm, since particularly advanced users quickly realized that, in fact, they did not receive the declared 8-core processor, but two 4-core processors. Despite this, the combination of processors with different powers has borne fruit. According to research conducted by the English company Which?, which compared the battery life of eight different smartphones, including the flagships of HTC, Apple, Nokia and Samsung, it was the latter that came out on top. Thus, the Galaxy S4 withstood 1000 minutes of constant conversation, beating its closest competitor HTC by 280 minutes. The same applied to the duration of continuous web surfing. These studies have confirmed a reduction in energy consumption, which significantly increases battery life, but does not in any way affect the level of performance.
What if 8 cores make sense? Any experienced user sooner or later has a natural question about the demand for 8-core devices today. Most applications on the market are, at best, capable of using 4 cores simultaneously. At the same time, companies involved in the production of mobile platforms are receiving conflicting information on this matter. For example, back in 2011, Intel announced the imminent appearance of devices with more than a hundred cores. In contrast, Qualcomm assured potential users of higher performance from devices with multiple, but high-frequency cores. So which of the two market giants is right?
Let's not speculate, but take a look at some facts that will help make sure that the hyper-performance of a device with eight cores is nothing more than a myth. Consider the processor of the aforementioned Galaxy S4, Exynos 5 Octa. In this case, eight cores are represented by two 4-core processors. In this case, only one of them is used at a time, that is, the maximum load goes only to 4 cores. This solution helps to significantly reduce power consumption, extending the life of the device on a single charge, but does not in any way affect the performance of the device.
The only thing stopping companies today from producing high-performance, multi-core systems is the need for such systems to have a large number of transistors. To increase system performance, it is necessary to increase the number of transistors, which necessarily leads to an increase in power consumption and heat dissipation. That is why today all the efforts of manufacturers are aimed at reducing energy consumption in the first place, and not at increasing productivity.
Is it worth overpaying? Eight-core mobile devices on the market have a fairly high price, despite the fact that most of these devices are manufactured in China. The eight-core processors tested on AnTuTu Benchmark scored the following number of points: Galaxy S4 - 26275 points (average cost - 20 thousand rubles), Meizu MX3 (18 thousand rubles), also based on Exynos 5 Octa, showed 29112 points, Zopo zp998 - 27608 points (11 thousand rubles). At the same time, the flagship of the Japanese Sony, the Xperia Z Ultra model based on the 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 platform, although it costs the most - 22 thousand rubles - is ahead of everyone in the test, showing 29185 points. By comparison, the Galaxy S3 scored just over 15,000 points.
The performance increase on 8 cores is quite noticeable. However, what it is for, if it cannot be used completely, is unclear. Today there are simply no mobile applications that would require 8 cores to process. Thus, purchasing a device with an eight-core processor today can be called more of a kind of “investment in the future” than a rational purchase. This option is suitable primarily for those who do not like to change devices frequently.
How quickly technology develops. A few years ago, 4 cores in a mobile phone was something incredible, but in 2017 every smartphone manufacturer is trying to install an eight-core chip. In addition to the obvious increase in performance, such processors are superior to their weaker brothers in some other indicators. First of all, 8-core chips are less energy-consuming due to the efficient separation of cores (4 of them perform undemanding tasks at lower frequencies). We invite you to familiarize yourself with the rating of the best eight-core smartphones in 2017 so that you can find a high-quality smartphone that suits your requirements.
DOOGEE Y6
Inexpensive but good smartphone with a large tap from Doogee. The rich and responsive screen responds to even a light touch (even with a pre-applied protective film) and recognizes up to 5 touches while touching the screen at the same time. To completely shrink part of the 5.5-inch display, Doogee opted for physical buttons on the bottom half of the device. These buttons are very responsive and operate with quick tactile feedback. At first impressions, the smartphone seems quite heavy, in general it is, because it weighs 199 grams, but the manufacturer claims that they built the body from lightweight aluminum. Available colors of the smartphone in stores: black, gold, blue and silver.
Main characteristics:
- Processor: MediaTek Helio P10 and Mali-T860 MP2 video accelerator;
- Android 6.0;
- Camera: main 13 MP, front 8 MP;
- Battery: 3200 mAh;
Pros:
- Excellent sensor response;
- Copes with all applications;
Minuses:
- Heavyweight;
LG X power 2 M320
An excellent smartphone from the popular company LG, offering long battery life, good sound and an attractive design. There's an interesting metallic effect on the back of the smartphone that makes it feel weird to the touch, but it reflects when you hold it up to the light. You can buy the smartphone in four colors: black, silver, gold and dark blue. The battery is the key point of the cell phone - it has a capacity of 4500 mAh, which, according to the manufacturer, will last a whole weekend without recharging. A smartphone can be purchased for around 11 thousand rubles - a very good price for such a stylish device.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM;
- Android 6.0;
- Battery: 4500 mAh;
Pros:
- Large battery;
- Interesting design;
Minuses:
- No Full HD screen;
- Limited Storers;
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)
This rugged smartphone looks good and the screen is large due to the edges growing slightly around it. Users like the fact that the camera protrudes from the body, but is even slightly recessed, which protects the glass from scratches. Samsung doesn't say anything about the glass on the front, but you can clearly see how it blends into the metal design. Connectors and antennas fit perfectly into the smartphone body. Although the material changes are blatantly obvious, they are cleanly constructed and the gaps are small and even. The small card tray accepts a Nano-SIM card and a wider second SIM card, as well as a microSD card. The smartphone with two SIM cards is available to users in black, gold and blue colors.
Main characteristics:
- Processor: Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7870 and Mali-T830 MP2 video accelerator;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM;
- Android 7.0;
- Camera: main 13 MP, front 13 MP;
- Battery: 3000 mAh;
Pros:
- New metal case;
- Clear screen;
Minuses:
- Hybrid SIM slot;
Meizu M5
Meizu recently announced another powerful budget-level phone, which made it into our ranking of the best eight-core smartphones in 2017. The M5 is a quality smartphone with a small 5.2-inch 720p screen that has more features compared to the M3 that was released earlier this year. Like the M3, the M5 is powered by a MediaTek MT6750 processor with 2 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The smartphone has a 13-megapixel camera on the back, which the firm says focuses in just 0.2 seconds thanks to fast phase detection AF and has an aperture of 2.2.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.2 inches with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels;
- Processor: MediaTek MT6750 and Mali-T860 MP2 video accelerator;
- Memory: 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM;
- Android 6.0;
- Camera: main 13 MP, front 5 MP;
- Battery: 3070 mAh;
Pros:
- Improved screen;
- Excellent performance;
- Attractive design;
Minuses:
- Not the best screen resolution;
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X
If you are familiar with Redmi Note 4, it will be easier for you to notice the changes in the new Note 4X smartphone. The two small screws on either side of the MicroUSB charging port have been removed for a cleaner look, and the antenna strips have been kept to a minimum and replaced with shiny strips rather than just cheap white plastic. It doesn't seem like anything major, but enough to make the Note 4X a modern and sleek looking smartphone. A beautiful and rich screen will make your time with your smartphone unforgettable, because it has a good screen resolution today, despite its budget price. The smartphone will also certainly please you with a large 4100 mAh battery.
Main characteristics:
- Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels;
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 and Adreno 506 video accelerator;
- Memory: 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM;
- Android 6.0;
- Camera: main 13 MP, front 5 MP;
- Battery: 4100 mAh;
Pros:
- Good display properties;
- Excellent battery;
Minuses:
- Average memory;