Mobile Processor Ranking: Choose The Best Processor for Your Mobile (March 2025)

Mobile Processor Ranking: Chipsets are nothing but another name for mobile processors and they are sometimes also called System-on-a-Chip (SoC). Since chipsets coordinate different functions, manage tasks, and process instructions, they are called the brains of smartphones.

Processors significantly impact speed, gaming, battery life, and multitasking because they influence the speed of task execution and the smooth operation of gaming. Processors further define the duration for which devices stay powered and have an important role to play in multitasking.

The most important processor brands currently available to us include Snapdragon, MediaTek, Exynos, and Apple A-series. In this blog, we'll provide the latest mobile processor ranking list. This helps us make an enlightened choice when buying mobile devices.

Overall Mobile Processor Ranking: Best Processor for Mobile

Best Processor for Android Mobiles

Best Processor for Apple Phones

Top 10 Best Snapdragon Processor for Mobiles

Top 10 Best Mediatek Processor for Mobiles

Best Mobile Processor for Gaming

Snapdragon vs MediaTek: Which is the Best Processor for Mobiles

Snapdragon and MediaTek, both are processors that cater to different requirements. This makes it difficult to define the best processor among the two. If you are into gaming and high end devices, Snapdragon is the processor that should deliver the best outcomes for your requirements.

In comparison, MediaTek is a more affordable option but features good power efficiency. This makes them ideal for budget or medium range phones.

Android vs Apple Processors

Apple pioneered smartphone manufacturing and sales, and iPhone was the world’s first smartphone. To date, in the sea of smartphones, the performance of iPhones is unparalleled. Apple processors (A-series) live up to the expectations. They are associated with raw performance and efficiency and Android processors are seldom a match for them.

An important reason for the same is that Apple enjoys complete control over software and hardware. A noteworthy factor, here, is that in the case of Android devices, different processors created by different manufacturers are used. This adds to the complexity of optimization.

What is a Mobile Processor?

Another name for mobile processor is CPU or Central Processing Unit. Processor executes instructions and manages tasks. Other important functions of a processor are to induce portability and power efficiency.

In essence, mobile processors manage all instructions and computations that are a must for the functioning of a mobile device. This includes managing network connections and running apps.

A noteworthy point regarding mobile processors is that they are made to be smaller than desktop CPUs but feature higher energy efficiency. They do not use as much voltage as a desktop CPU but via multiple sleep modes, conserve battery life.

An important component of mobile processors or chipsets includes multiple cores or processing units that have a bearing on the app’s responsiveness. Other components include a GPU or Graphical processing Unit, and Image Signal processor or ISP for camera functions.

Future Trends of Mobile Processor Ranking

The competition among smartphones is persistently on the rise. Only the top performing smartphone brands are popular because the consumer expects more for less. Correspondingly, mobile processors are also under persistent innovation.

If we discuss upcoming processor innovations, we cannot go without mentioning 3nm and 2nm chipsets. 2nm and 3nm stand for the size of chipsets. Smaller chipsets pack more transistors in the same area and are more complex but powerful.

Improvements in AI and ML also reflect on chipsets. Inherent categorical properties and ease of stimulation make chips more amendable to ML. Similarly, via AI, chipmakers improve verification and testing, simulations and analysis, transistor models, and conceptional design.

ARM-based computing is another important trend for the future in terms of chipsets. Characterized by scalability and energy efficiency, ARM-based computing extends battery life and performance per watt. Nearly 100% of premium smartphones use ARM-based chips and they also find applications in laptops, tablets, and some servers. Apple's shift towards ARM-based computing specifies them as a trend for the future. Chipset's power efficiency is also a trend for the future as this reflects on the product's total carbon footprint.

How This Mobile Processor Ranking List Was Created

Factors considered for creating this ranking include Benchmark scores from AnTuTu and Geekbench, real-world usage, and efficiency.

As popular benchmark apps, AnTuTu and Geekbench evaluate the performance of smart devices such as tablets and smartphones. The focus area of both apps, however, is slightly different. AnTuTu has a lot to do with testing overall device performance, which covers UX, memory, GPU, and CPU. However, in the case of Geekbench, the focus primarily lies on compute performance and CPU. By using the latter, comparisons across different platforms can be made.

How to Choose a Best Mobile Processor Tips & Tricks

• Selecting the best mobile processor depends on your usage, including gaming, photography, and everyday tasks.
• Consider desired features and budget when making a choice.
• For gaming performance: Look for a chipset with an excellent GPU.
• For photography: A good ISP (Image Signal Processor) is essential.
• For everyday tasks: A mid-range processor is sufficient.
• For multitasking: A high-end processor with 8GB RAM or more ensures the best performance.

In general, Qualcomm Snapdragon is the preferred processor for gaming and high-end devices. MediaTek is the chipset that offers a fine mix of price and performance while Samsung Exynos is the ideal processor for integration with Samsung devices. Apple A-series is a premium processor worth mentioning here and one uses the processor by owning an Apple device.

Causes of Processor Heating & Cooling Methods

Why Do Processors Heat Up?

• High-performance tasks (gaming, video editing, multitasking).
• Poor thermal management in smartphone design.
• Background apps and heavy software usage.
• Overclocking or excessive load on CPU and GPU.
• Hot environments and lack of cooling solutions.

How to Keep Your Phone Cool?

• Choosing a phone with a good cooling system (liquid cooling, vapor chambers).
• Avoiding excessive gaming or heavy tasks in hot environments.
• Using battery optimization features to reduce load.
• Proper case selection to allow heat dissipation.

How to Check a Mobile Processor Before Buying a Smartphone

• Check Benchmark Scores: Look at AnTuTu, Geekbench, and 3DMark scores for performance comparison.
• Real-World Performance: Read expert reviews and user feedback for daily performance and gaming capabilities.
• Cooling System & Thermal Management: Look for features like liquid cooling or vapor chambers.
• Software Optimization: Ensure the brand provides long-term updates and good optimization.
• Battery Efficiency: Check if the processor is power-efficient or prone to overheating.
• Future-Proofing: Choose a newer chipset for better longevity and support.

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