Samsung gearing up for a shift in their Galaxy game with the Samsung Galaxy S24. You remember how the S23 series took a turn, relying solely on Snapdragon processors? Well, get ready because the S24 is expected to swing back to using Exynos for most global models. But here’s the kicker: Snapdragon sticks around for the US and China.
So, what’s the deal with Exynos, you ask? Historically, it’s been tagged as a bit slower and hotter compared to the Snapdragon champs. But hang tight—Samsung’s reportedly shaking things up. They’re tapping into something called Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP) for their new Exynos 2400 chip. Why’s that a big deal? Well, this tech tweak promises a smaller, more efficient, and cooler chip.
Cool Chips: FOWLP Magic
Here’s the scoop on FOWLP: it’s all about how the chip components get bundled up. This new method helps the chip stay cool—literally. You see, when chips hit their heat limit, they start slowing down to avoid meltdown mode. Every mobile processor does this dance, but some take a bigger hit in performance than others. With FOWLP, Samsung’s aiming to keep that slowdown to a minimum.
Not just cooler, but also smaller. FOWLP does this neat trick where it attaches components right onto wafers, skipping the circuit board pitstop. Compared to the older FC-BGA packaging, this new tech shrinks down the System on a Chip (SoC) by a whopping 40%. And that’s not all—this smaller size means it’s 30% thinner and boasts 15% higher stable clock speeds. Translation? Expect the Exynos 2400, likely on Samsung’s 4nm process node, to be way less of a headache.
Exynos 2400 vs. Snapdragon Drama
Let’s put this change into perspective. Remember Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip from early 2022? Yeah, that one had a rep for heating up faster than a hot potato. It’s the type that loses steam—almost half its oomph—after a few rounds of gaming. Qualcomm made a switch for the better with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, moving to TSMC manufacturing and embracing FOWLP. The result? Way more reasonable temperatures despite nearly the same specs.
Early benchmarks for the Exynos 2400 show it’s holding its ground against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. What’s cooking in the Exynos kitchen? Brace yourself for a ten-core setup: a Cortex-X4 prime core (3.1GHz), two Cortex-A720 performance CPU cores at 2.9GHz, three more Cortex-A720 cores at 2.6GHz, and four Cortex-A520 efficiency cores ticking at 1.8GHz. It’s an oddball ten-core configuration, but hey, with the improved packaging, this chip’s looking to be a worthy contender. And that’s why Samsung’s keen to slap it into most S24 phones.
S24 Lineup: Snapdragon vs. Exynos
What’s the plan for the S24 lineup, you ask? Here’s the lowdown: most S24 flavors across the globe will rock the Exynos 2400. But hold up, the US and China are sticking to their Snapdragon guns. The S24 Ultra, however, will hold onto the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in all markets. For the rest of the world, the S24 and S24+ are likely to sport the Exynos badge. Mark your calendars because Samsung’s set to unveil this new lineup in early 2024.
So, there you have it—a shift in the Exynos-Snapdragon saga might just redefine the Samsung Galaxy experience.