The Mate 70 series has hit the market as Huawei’s newest flagship smartphone line, and it’s making waves with the introduction of the Kirin 9020 chip. Building on the surprise of last year’s Mate 60 series, which debuted the Kirin 9000S, Huawei is pushing boundaries once again with this innovative addition. While details about the chip’s manufacturing process are sparse, its robust specifications are capturing attention. The Kirin 9020 features an impressive 12-core CPU configuration, thanks to hyperthreading, enhanced graphics capabilities, and more.
A recent image circulated by @faridofanani96 provides a closer look at these intriguing specifications. Although we don’t have confirmation on the lithography, it’s suggested the chipset may be produced using a 6nm process, showcasing a collaborative breakthrough between SMIC and Huawei in overcoming the previous 7nm limitations. Initially, it seems the Kirin 9020 sports an 8-core setup, but hyperthreading gives the appearance of a 12-core configuration.
Diving into specifics, the Kirin 9020 hosts two cores at 2.50GHz, four at 1.60GHz, and another set operating at a peak of 2.15GHz. While Huawei’s past approach has involved custom CPU designs, the shared details don’t confirm if this continues or if ARM designs are in use. The GPU section also sees an upgrade, with the new Maleoon 920, reaching speeds up to 840MHz, replacing older components reportedly considered for the chip.
Actual performance metrics are still under wraps, but insights suggest that while Huawei faces manufacturing restrictions, relying on SMIC’s older processes might impact speed and power efficiency. Despite this, as long as the Kirin 9020 showcases improvements over its predecessor, the Kirin 9010, it marks a significant step forward.
Stay tuned for upcoming benchmarks and reviews, as we aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of how this new SoC translates into everyday performance and energy consumption.
