With the rumored debut of its proprietary 4nm chipset, Xiaomi is moving closer to becoming a significant participant in the smartphone chipset market.
Despite initial rumors of a 3nm version, this chipset is anticipated to emerge later in 2025 and is scheduled for mass production using TSMC’s cutting-edge 4nm “N4P” process. Xiaomi is still withholding a lot of information, but according to leaked specifications, this chipset may directly compete with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series. However, it will continue to use ARM’s current CPU designs rather than developing its own cores.
Xiaomi’s Unique Chipset: No In-House Cores
According to recent leaks from sites like Fixed Focus Digital, ARM’s standard CPU cores will be included in Xiaomi’s next SoC.
One Cortex-X925 core operating at 3.20GHz, three Cortex-A725 cores operating at 2.60GHz, and four energy-efficient Cortex-A520 cores operating at 2.00GHz will probably be included in this.
Xiaomi has decided not to use its own proprietary cores, unlike Qualcomm with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, even though this configuration is consistent with the architecture found in Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
An Imagination Technologies IMG DXT 72-2304 GPU operating at 1.30GHz will power the chipset’s graphics. Sources claim that this GPU might significantly boost mobile gaming and graphics performance by outperforming the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Adreno 740.
HTC Wildfire E7 Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
Why 4 nm Instead of 3 nm?
It looks like Xiaomi will introduce a 4nm chipset instead of the 3nm one that it had originally planned to introduce.
According to sources, the 3nm chip has effectively entered the tape-out phase; nevertheless, the shift may have been caused by strategy adjustments or production delays.
However, the 4nm version is still expected to provide strong performance, with the possibility of for more sophisticated AI, multitasking, and gaming features, but with a more developed process node.
Outstanding performance, but with some warnings
According to the performance leaks, Xiaomi’s next chipset may be able to rival the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in terms of CPU and GPU performance.
In contrast to Qualcomm’s more recent Snapdragon models, it might be less innovative and energy efficient due to the absence of proprietary cores.
It’s important to note that Xiaomi’s chipset will be based on TSMC’s 4nm process, which should provide better performance and efficiency than previous nodes, making it appropriate for high-performance smartphones. Xiaomi will still have to purchase this essential part from foreign vendors due to the lack of an integrated 5G modem, which could pose a risk to the reliability of the supply chain.
What’s Up Next for Xiaomi’s Plans to Make Chips?
In terms of access to TSMC’s most cutting-edge manufacturing nodes, Xiaomi has not yet been harmed by the mounting difficulties presented by U.S. export prohibitions.
It is unclear, though, if upcoming regulations would make it more difficult for Xiaomi to increase the volume of chips it produces or postpone its 3nm goals.
We may anticipate more developments in Xiaomi’s bespoke chipset portfolio as the company keeps stepping up its efforts in the semiconductor industry. Will this make the business a major competitor?
Although Qualcomm and MediaTek are still unknown, this first 4nm SoC may be a good place to start.
In summary, is Xiaomi’s chipset prepared for competition?
An important step toward Xiaomi’s goals in the mobile semiconductor market is the company’s impending 4nm chipset.
The combination of a potent CPU cluster and the cutting-edge Imagination Technologies GPU should offer strong performance for high-end smartphones, even though the absence of bespoke cores may make it less competitive with Qualcomm’s cutting-edge CPUs.
Nevertheless, a lot hinges on Xiaomi’s capacity to successfully bring this technology to market and maintain its 3nm objectives going forward.
As Xiaomi gets ready to make its formal announcement—which might occur as early as the first half of this year—we’ll keep an eye out for any new information.
Questions and Answers (FAQs)
1. How is the next chipset from Xiaomi being made? TSMC’s 4nm “N4P” technology, which is renowned for providing better performance and efficiency when compared to earlier process nodes, will be used to mass-produce Xiaomi’s next chipset.
2. Will the chipset from Xiaomi have unique CPU cores? No, Xiaomi will not be using proprietary CPU cores in its first in-house chipset. ARM’s current cores, such as the Cortex-X925, Cortex-A725, and Cortex-A520, will be used instead.
3. When will the new chipset from Xiaomi be released? Xiaomi is anticipated to make an official statement in the first half of this year regarding the introduction of its 4nm chipset later in 2025.
To visually represent the smartphones getting the Android 16 Beta 3.2 update, a crisp, high-quality photograph of the most recent Pixel models (Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9 series) is used.
4. What is the difference between Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Xiaomi’s chipset? Xiaomi’s 4nm chipset is anticipated to function on par with Qualcomm’s older Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, albeit its overall performance and energy efficiency may be impacted by the lack of custom cores.
5. Will 5G be supported by Xiaomi’s chipset? Since the chipset itself lacks an integrated 5G modem, Xiaomi will probably have to rely on outside vendors for 5G connectivity, which could present supply chain and availability issues.