The processor of a smartphone is arguably one of its most essential components. Phones with the fastest processors open all your favourite apps in the blink of an eye and finish tasks quickly.
The processor’s performance also directly affects phone speed, gaming performance, user experience, and battery efficiency. However, phones with weaker processors can lead to poor user experience and problems such as overheating, lag, and poor battery life.
Smartphone brands use different SoC manufacturers, including:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon
- MediaTek
- Unisoak
- Samsung Exynos
- Silicon
- Google tensor
- Spreadtrum
Samsung almost exclusively uses Samsung Exynos, while Google Tensor is only used by Google Pixel devices. Apple uses Apple A-series SoCs in its phones and tablets. Other phones, including Motorola, use Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek mostly.
Best phones with Fastest Processor in 2024
There are a lot of smartphones, and almost all of them come with different chipsets. The performance of each chipset is essential to every smartphone, shaping the user experience and leaving a long-lasting positive impact.
So, to make sure you are buying the right smartphone with the proper SoC, check out our best processors for phones ranking list.
1. OnePlus 12
As always, OnePlus has packed its latest flagship to the gills with specs. It runs the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, making it the best phone with the fastest processor of 2024. For non-experts, it’s swift and can hold up without a problem for years to come.
The OnePlus 12 phone has all the essential features you want in a phone, including a large, bright, and responsive touchscreen. Impressive sound quality; Slim and lightweight design; A fast and capable processor that makes multitasking easy; Easily integrates with all Google apps and services. And there are lots of customizable options.
Speed and exceptional responsiveness come partly from the same Snapdragon 9 Gen 3 mobile processor that powers the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Compared to the previous generation, AI performance has improved by 98%, CPU performance by 30%, GPU performance by 25%, CPU power efficiency by 20%, and GPU power efficiency by 25%. As a result, the battery life of the OnePlus 12 is perfect.
Google Assistant gives you easy access to the Google search engine using on-screen fields or voice commands. The home screen is customizable. Of course, you can also customize your lock screen.
2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is 2024’s latest and fastest Android phone. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a strong competitor to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It excels at multitasking and demanding applications, making it an excellent choice for power users.
A high-speed component that delivers a ton of processing power and tears through workloads. Apart from the incredible speed of this phone, it is also important to note that it has a great design.
3. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Boasting the new A17 Pro Bionic chip, the iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts top performance in terms of processing power. It delivers incredible performance for everything from gaming and video editing to AI-powered tasks.
4. Google Pixel 8 Pro
The newest Android phone and the best processor phone in Google’s Pixel line of phones, the Pixel 8 Pro offers a powerful Google Tensor G3 chip, making it the best smartphone with the fastest processor. The basics of the triple camera array are, of course, solid.
It’s built around a 50MP primary wide camera with a generous f/1.68 lens and dual 48MP cameras that offer ultra-wide and telephoto perspectives. With its beautiful 6.7-inch Super Actua LTPO OLED, the Pixel 8 Pro handles well and feels like a premium phone.
In terms of video output, the Pixel 8 Pro shoots 4K resolution at up to 60p, and while some users may criticize the lack of an 8K option, the reality is that most users won’t need it. Instead, Google went all-in on the computational AI-based wizardry that was starting to become a hallmark of the Pixel series, enabling modes like Night Sight, which optimizes image quality in low light.
For video shooters, the latest Pixel 8 update introduces a Video Boost mode that automatically turns on Night Sight, HDR+, and Unblur to deliver the highest quality video possible (note that this doesn’t work with files stored locally). You’ll need to back up your video to Google Photos for it to work.
An excellent processor phone that offers better value for money than most of its major competitors, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is the choice of most users.
5. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is equipped with the Kirin 9000 chipset, the most potent processor released by Huawei at the time. The Kirin 9000 was an octa-core processor built on a 5nm manufacturing process and had a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI tasks.
The Mate 50 Pro also features 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, and a 6.76-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1344 x 2772 pixels. It also features a triple camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera, and a 20-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.
6. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
Motorola has been building its reputation in the tech industry year after year by offering superior features at a price that is undoubtedly cheaper than Samsung phones.
The Edge 40 Pro features Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus and offers excellent performance and affordability. It’s a good choice for users who want a robust phone without breaking the bank.
The Motorola Edge 40 Pro provides an excellent price-to-feature ratio and blazing-fast processing speeds.
7. Xiaomi 13 Pro
The Xiaomi 13 Pro features Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and offers flagship-level performance at a slightly lower price than some competitors—a balanced choice for demanding users who value both performance and value.
Still, considering the overall cost of this device, it is undoubtedly a very competitive model in today’s market.
8. Google Pixel 7 Pro
One of the best phones launched by the company this year is the Google Pixel 7 Pro. Google has put a lot of effort into this product in terms of performance and a bold, unique design that brings fresh air to the mobile phone industry.
This phone has a great camera that is very simple to operate and produces fantastic images regardless of the lighting situation. Google’s second-generation CPU, Tensor G2, makes this phone work quickly.
The metal surface can scratch easily and may need to be more durable. The Google Pixel 7 Pro has incredible speed and many fun features, making it an excellent alternative for anyone looking for a fast phone that isn’t an iPhone or Samsung. It’s a great replacement.
9. ASUS ROG Phone 7
Explicitly built for gamers, ROG Phone 7 is one of the best phones with the fastest processor that delivers powerful performance with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 chip and 16GB RAM. This is the best gaming phone with great frame rates and ultra-low latency.
10. OnePlus 10 Pro
Despite having a fast-running, powerful processor, this model’s 6.7-inch screen feels like one of the best quality. Thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, the colours and visuals on this screen are wealthy and stunning.
This phone can be fully charged in about 30 minutes, even if the battery is dead. This changes the game and sets the standard for future phone models from other manufacturers.
Considering that battery life is average, being able to charge your phone this quickly is fantastic news. Overall, this fast phone offers an ideal combination of features. This is an excellent option if you want a short phone without spending much money.
11. Nubia Z50 Ultra
Another Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered phone, the Nubia Z50 Ultra boasts impressive specs and a unique under-display camera for an almost bezel-less viewing experience, making it the best processor phone for 2024.
Phones with the fastest processor walkthrough guide
Phone’s speed overview
Phone speed is an essential aspect of modern smartphones, as users increasingly rely on their devices for various tasks, from web browsing to video streaming to playing games. To understand your phone’s speed, it’s essential to consider a few key factors.
One of the most critical factors in a phone’s speed is its processor. The processor is the brain of your smartphone, responsible for executing instructions and running apps. The faster the processor, the quicker your phone will perform.
Most high-end smartphones have processors from companies like Qualcomm and Apple, known for their speed and efficiency.
Another critical factor in your phone’s speed is the amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) the device contains. RAM is the temporary storage space that your phone uses to run apps.
The more RAM your phone has, the more apps it can run simultaneously without slowing down. Most high-end smartphones today come with at least 10GB of RAM, with some models supporting up to 16 GB, just like ASUS ROG Phone 7.
Storage space is also an essential factor that determines mobile phone speed. Faster storage means faster app loading times and faster data transfers. Most high-end smartphones use UFS 3.1 storage, up to 3 times faster than traditional storage.
Some smartphones also offer expandable storage, allowing users to add storage via microSD card.
Your phone’s software is essential in determining its speed. Software must be optimized to work seamlessly with the hardware and updated regularly to ensure optimal performance.
The display is another critical component of your phone that can affect its speed. High refresh rate displays, like those found on many modern smartphones, can make scrolling and gaming smoother and more responsive.
What is a processor or CPU?
As mentioned earlier, your smartphone’s processor, or CPU, is essentially the brains of your computer system, just like your smartphone. It handles everything on your smartphone, i.e., all the calculations and commands required to function.
The CPU executes commands from the device’s operating system, processes input and output, and manages the memory.
The difference between a smartphone CPU and a traditional computer CPU is that a computer CPU is a standalone component. In contrast, a smartphone CPU is part of a larger chipset called a system on a chip or simply SoC.
What is SoC?
A system on a chip (SoC) is an integrated circuit that integrates many components of a computer system into a single chipset. SoCs always come with a CPU, GPU, memory interface, input/output interface, cellular modem, image signal processor, etc.
What is a benchmark?
A benchmark is a set of applications whose primary purpose is to run standard tests to evaluate the relative performance of components or devices.
Some benchmarks test the device’s overall performance, while others test specific components such as CPU, GPU, memory, or a combination of CPU and GPU.
There are many benchmarks, including AnTuTu and Geekbench.
Understand AnTuTu benchmarks
AnTuTu scores SoCs based on various parameters. An internal algorithm tests the system chips and provides an overall score. So, naturally, the higher the score, the better the performance.
For example, a processor with a score of 4,00,000 will perform twice as fast as a SoC with a score of 2,00,000. However, AnTuTu did not mention any set criteria for scoring.
Geekbench benchmarks
Geekbench scores are calculated from various matrices. Each score is measured by performing several computational tasks on the SoC. Typically, real-world studies are based on cryptographic workloads, floating point, API analysis, etc. Simply put, the higher the score, the more critical the performance of your mobile processor is.
Which mobile processor is best for gaming?
If gaming, video editing, and heavy multitasking constitute your primary smartphone usage, you’ll want to use a top-rated, top-scoring chipset.
But let’s say you’re a regular user who needs smooth browsing, texting, and viewing content experience without putting too much strain on your device.
In this case, one of the list’s 70-100 score chipsets will be sufficient. A 55-70 point processor isn’t bad but may lack a bit of performance here and there. That’s why it is recommended if you’re on a tight budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest Android phone?
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the fastest Android lineup with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-based chipset.
Which is better, MediaTek or Snapdragon?
Mediatek and Snapdragon are great chipset manufacturers, leading the popularity charts and outperforming competitors. Snapdragon focuses more on flagship products in its chipsets, and most of them come with Snapdragon chipsets.
Meanwhile, Mediatek focuses more on budget and mid-range chipsets. Both are equally good, but the choice is based on the chipset.
Is the Exynos chipset better than Snapdragon?
Samsung has slowed down the development of the Exynos chipset, so the Snapdragon chipset is better than the current Samsung Exynos chipset.
What is the No.1 processor mobile phone?
Currently, the No. 1 processor in the mobile industry is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. It is based on a 4nm processor and features an octa-core CPU and powerful Adreno GPU.
Are Apple A chipsets better than Snapdragon in Android phones?
In general, Apple A-series chipsets are more potent than their Snapdragon counterparts.
What is the most powerful Snapdragon processor?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is Qualcomm’s most powerful processor based on 4nm architecture. It is the company’s first chipset to support Qualcomm AI Engine and 240Hz display.
Which phone currently has the fastest processor?
iPhone 15 Pro Max is equipped with the Apple A17 Pro chipset, which is the fastest processor in the mobile industry. The processor can be found in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s powerful enough to run AAA games like Grand Theft Auto 6 or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
What’s more important to you: the phone’s speed, RAM, or processor?
RAM and processor are essential components that affect your phone’s speed; their importance may vary depending on your requirements.
The processor is responsible for executing instructions and launching apps, and a powerful processor provides faster app launch, faster data transfer, and smoother overall performance.
Therefore, a fast processor is essential for users who use their phones for heavy tasks such as gaming or video editing.
On the other hand, RAM (Random Access Memory) is a temporary storage area your phone uses to keep apps open and running.
The more RAM your phone has, the more apps you can available simultaneously without slowing down. So, users who use their phones to multitask and run multiple apps simultaneously can benefit from having more RAM.
Is the Snapdragon 855 still good in 2024?
The Snapdragon 855 from 2019 is showing its age in 2024. It’s still decent, but newer mid-range chips like the Snapdragon 865 and Dimensity 900 surpass it. Snapdragon 855 is no longer recommended for smooth performance in 2024.
Is MediaTek Dimensity 1200 suitable for gaming?
Yes, MediaTek Dimensity 1200 is a very capable gaming chipset. Deliver smooth frame rates and stunning graphics in the most popular mobile games. Hardcore competitive gamers might want the Snapdragon flagship, but the Dimensity 120,0 is excellent for casual gaming, considering its mid-range price.
Which Snapdragon processor is best for PUBG?
Snapdragon 888 is very suitable for PUBG. However, if you want to get the best PUBG Mobile performance with maximum graphics and high frame rates, choose a phone powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Is the Snapdragon 720G an old processor?
Yes, the Snapdragon 720G is outdated, as it was released last year. It lags far behind modern mid-range processors in terms of performance and efficiency. Phones with Snapdragon 720G will feel sluggish and sluggish compared to phones with 700 series chips like Snapdragon 778G.
Is MediaTek Helio G95 suitable for gaming?
MediaTek Helio G95 is a competent gaming processor in the budget segment. It delivers smooth frame rates in most titles with decent graphics. Casual gamers on a budget will be satisfied with the gaming performance of the Helio G95 device.
Which is better, Snapdragon 665 or 720g?
The Snapdragon 720G is much faster than the Snapdragon 665. Launched two years later, the 720G is built on a more advanced 8nm process and features speedier CPU and GPU components. Overall performance is about 70% faster, making the 720G a much better choice.
Is Dimensity 700 5G good?
Yes, MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G is a capable budget 5G chipset. It offers smooth everyday performance, a decent camera, and gaming features. 5G connectivity is also solid. In the sub-$200 phone segment, the Dimensity 700 is a great value option.
Which phones have Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1?
Some famous phones with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processors include Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, Asus ROG Phone 6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Xiaomi 12T Pro, and OnePlus 10T.
Conclusion
Due to the substantial performance differences between chipsets, choosing a suitable mobile processor is now more critical than ever. In this blog post, we compare all the best processors of 2024 and give you the best phones with faster processors based on real-world usage, benchmarks, and reviews.
Some key things to look for are the manufacturing process (lower nm is better), CPU core count and speed, GPU capabilities, and power efficiency. Flagship phones perform similarly to gaming desktops, while mid-range and budget chips impressively keep up.
Use this buyer’s guide to the best mobile processors of 2024 to choose the correct chip for your usage, performance, and budget requirements.
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