The upcoming HiSilicon Kirin 9010 is generating buzz as the alleged powerhouse behind Huawei’s future smartphone lineup. Expected to be the successor to the Kirin 9000 series, this system-on-chip (SoC) is speculated to be one of the first mobile processing platforms to be produced using a 5 nanometer (nm) fabrication process by SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation).
The Kirin 9010 is anticipated to pack a robust eight-core CPU configuration. It is likely to feature two high-performance Taishan V130 cores that could reach speeds of up to 3.00 GHz, with an architecture capable of 6/7 wide decode ALU operations. These cores might come with 128 KB of L1 instruction cache, a 64 KB L1 data cache, and an ample 1 MB of L2 cache. Complementing these are six Taishan V130 Lite efficiency cores designed for energy-saving performance, with each supporting up to 1.8 GHz in clock speed, 3/4 wide decode ALU, a 64 KB L1 instruction cache, and 32 KB L1 data cache, along with a 256 KB L2 cache.
The entire CPU is further bolstered by a substantial 8 MB L3 cache. For graphics, the Kirin 9010 is expected to integrate a Maleoon 920 GPU with six computing units (CUs) and a peak clock speed of 750 MHz.
In terms of connectivity and capabilities, the chipset is likely to house a Balong 6000 5G modem to keep devices internet-ready at high speeds. Furthermore, a custom Kirin 8.0 Image Signal Processor (ISP) and a Huawei Ascend Neural Processing Unit (NPU) are anticipated to deliver advanced imaging and AI experiences. The memory interface could support swift LPDDR5 at 6,400 MT/s, catering to the needs of multitasking environments.
Regarding power consumption, the Kirin 9010 might draw about 5.2 Watts for single-core activities and up to 12.4 Watts during multiple-core use. The projected performance, based on leaked Geekbench scores, suggests a competitive edge, with the chipset scoring around 1,800 in single-core and 4,800 in multi-core tests.
Graphically, the Kirin 9010’s Maleoon 920 GPU is rumored to deliver 2,800 points in 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme, achieve 54 FPS in GFXBench Aztec Ruins High Tier (Offscreen at 1440p using Vulkan), and maintain a smooth 188 FPS in GFXBench Manhattan (1080p, Offscreen using OpenGL ES 3.1).
If the speculation holds true, the Kirin 9100 could be a landmark in processing technology, debuting with the anticipated launch of the Huawei P70 series later this year. For consumers eager to lay their hands on the latest Huawei tech, they can consider exploring the company’s current offerings, such as the Huawei Band 8, for a taste of the brand’s innovation.
