Xiaomi Devises Homegrown Top-tier Chipset, Aspirant to Challenge Qualcomm and MediaTek Dominance
In the tech world, a new competitor has entered the mobile chipset scene: Xiaomi's Xring O1 platform. Traditionally dominated by Qualcomm and MediaTek, this novel development signals a potential shift in the industry.
Xiaomi's Xring O1, built on a second-generation TSMC 3nm node, boasts a 10-core CPU and a 16-core Arm Immortalis-G925 GPU. Positioned as a rival to the best offerings from Qualcomm and MediaTek, the Xring O1 is promising to deliver performance and power efficiency on par with these industry leaders.
The Xring O1 utilizes Arm's v9.2 cores, setting it apart with a 10-core design in comparison to its rivals' octa-core configurations. Its CPU composition includes two Cortex X925 cores clocked at 3.9GHz, four Cortex A725 cores at 3.4GHz, two additional A725 cores at 1.9GHz, and two Cortex A520 cores at 1.8GHz. Leveraging Arm's CoreLink Interconnect system, Xiaomi aims to maximize the tri-core architecture's potential.
In terms of graphics, the Immortalis-G925 provides 16 shader cores, allowing Xiaomi to claim a significant win over MediaTek's 12-core Dimensity 9400. Additionally, Xiaomi's Xring O1 comes equipped with its fourth-generation ISP and a 6-core NPU with 44 TOPS, comparable to Qualcomm's offering on the 8 Elite.
Xiaomi has previously dabbled in custom chip design, but the Xring O1 represents a more ambitious effort. The manufacturing giant is so confident in its new product that it has integrated the Xring O1 into its latest offerings, including the Xiaomi 15S Pro and Pad 7 Ultra tablet.
The Xiaomi 15S Pro shares many features with the 15 Pro, except for its use of the Xring O1 chipset and a standard 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage (an upgrade from 256GB). This phone will be limited to the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, the Pad 7 Ultra announces a considerable upgrade with a 14-inch OLED panel, a significant improvement over the 11.2-inch LCD-toting Pad 7 and Pad 7 Pro. This tablet also boasts a large 12,000mAh battery, leaving tech enthusiasts eager to test its performance with the Xring O1.
Looking ahead, key areas of interest for the Xring O1 include its modem performance and battery efficiency. Xiaomi has opted for an external MediaTek T800 modem, a decision that may affect battery life in real-world scenarios. Preliminary tests suggest comparable CPU efficiency to Qualcomm and MediaTek rivals, but with a slight impact on battery life.
It remains to be seen whether Xiaomi will develop its own 5G modem, a significant challenge for any manufacturer outside of Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung. In addition to the Xring O1, Xiaomi has also unveiled the Xring T1, a smartwatch platform designed for its wearables. This announcement comes a week after Xiaomi and Qualcomm extended their 15-year partnership, with future Xiaomi flagships expected to continue using Qualcomm silicon.
Although Xiaomi may opt for Qualcomm's solutions for its global offerings, the Xring O1 and Xring T1 represent a strategic shift towards self-reliance in its home market. With its impressive performance and potential, the Xring O1 is set to challenge MediaTek and Qualcomm's dominance in the flagship mobile chipset market.
The Xiaomi 15S Pro, powered by the Xring O1, showcases the latest technology with a custom 10-core CPU and a promising 16-core Arm Immortalis-G925 GPU. This gadget, aiming to rival smartphones equipped with Qualcomm and MediaTek chipsets, may shake up the industry with its performance and power efficiency.
