Snapdragon 732G vs Helio G96: A Typical Midrange Contest
If you step into the market today to purchase a good phone around 150,000 to 200,000 Naira, there's a good chance that you'll come across a Snapdragon 732G or a Helio G96 phone. Which SoC offers the best performance, gaming and photography for money spent? Read on to find out.
For the past two years, the midrange SoC market has been dominated by two noteworthy contenders: the Snapdragon 732G and the MediaTek Helio G96. In this discussion, we will thoroughly analyze both SoCs to determine the superior option.
The Snapdragon 732G, developed by Qualcomm, belongs to the upper midrange category, serving as an enhanced iteration of the immensely popular Snapdragon 720G.
Interestingly, the Snapdragon 732G has not gained the same level of popularity as its predecessor, appearing in a limited selection of smartphones, including the Redmi Note 10 Pro, Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G, Xiaomi 11 Lite, Poco X3, Moto G40 Fusion, and Moto G60.
Similarly, the MediaTek Helio G96, also an upper midrange offering, follows the trend of being an upgraded version of an older SoC, specifically, the successor to the Helio G95.
Notably, the Helio G96 has gotten significant attention from smartphone manufacturers, powering numerous upper midrange phones, including the Redmi Note 11 Pro 4G, Redmi Note 11S, Redmi Note 12S, Doogee S98 Pro, Doogee S99, Poco M4 Pro 4G, Infinix Hot 20S, Infinix Note 11 Pro, Infinix Note 12 G96, Infinix Note 12 VIP, Tecno Camon Camon 18P, Tecno Camon 18 Premier, Tecno Camon 19 Premier, and many others.
With this background established, let's engage in a thorough Snapdragon 732G vs. Helio G96 comparison.
(Snapdragon 732G vs. Helio G96 - Spec Comparison Table)
Performance Comparison: Snapdragon 732G vs Helio G96
Both SoCs share a similar architecture, incorporating 2 ARM Cortex A76 CPU cores for performance-oriented tasks and 6 ARM Cortex A55 CPU cores designed to optimize battery efficiency. Nevertheless, when it comes to tackling demanding computational tasks, the Snapdragon 732G enjoys a noteworthy advantage due to its higher clock speed of 2.3GHz compared to the G96's 2.05GHz. This translates to superior performance for the 732G when handling larger and more resource-intensive applications compared to the G96.
However, in terms of the power-efficient cores, the G96 takes the lead with its faster cores clocked at 2.0GHz, surpassing the 732G's 1.8GHz. Consequently, the G96 excels in managing lighter tasks while potentially compromising slightly on battery efficiency.
Overall Performance: Snapdragon 732G
Gaming Comparison: Snapdragon 732G vs Helio G96
In the gaming department, the Snapdragon 732G exhibits superiority on multiple fronts. Not only does it boast a more capable GPU in the form of the Adreno 619, but it also stands out for its optimized gaming performance. In contrast, while the Helio G96 manages gaming adequately, it lags noticeably behind the Snapdragon 732G in this aspect.
Gaming: Snapdragon 732G
Cameras and Video Capability
Moving on to photography, the Snapdragon 732G enjoys a significant lead. It supports camera resolutions of up to 192MP, whereas the G96 can only accommodate up to 108MP. Moving to videography, both SoCs are capable of capturing 4K video at 30fps, but the Snapdragon 732G stands out by offering smoother playback at 60fps.
Furthermore, the Snapdragon 732G is a class above the G96 with its superior Spectra ISP and a Hexagon 688 DSP, enhancing its imaging and processing capabilities.
Cameras and video: Snapdragon 732G
Multimedia
For multitasking, the Helio G96 has faster LPDDR4x RAM and should handle multiple apps better than the 732G. Both SoC support UFS 2.1 storage.
RAM and Storage: Helio G96
Network Connectivity
Both of these SoCs possess 4G LTE capabilities, yet the Snapdragon 732G boasts a swifter 4G connection, categorized as Cat. 15, whereas the G96 is limited to a Cat. 13 connection. Additionally, the 732G offers superior WiFi connectivity, although both SoCs support Bluetooth 5.1.
Connectivity: Snapdragon 732G
Battery Efficiency
Built on an 8nm process, the Snapdragon 732G can boast of better battery life and power efficiency than the Helio G96 which is built on the older and hotter 12nm process.
Battery life: Snapdragon 732G
Conclusion
In this closely contested comparison, the Snapdragon 732G emerges as the clear winner. However, it's important to note some key considerations.
If you seek an upper midrange smartphone that offers good overall performance without straining your budget, the G96 is a suitable choice. Nevertheless, it's essential to be aware of some drawbacks, such as a lower gaming performance, less impressive camera capabilities, slower network connectivity, and a shorter battery life.
However, if you're willing to invest a bit more, the Snapdragon 732G is a compelling option. It delivers comparable overall performance to the G96 but offers superior gaming performance, better camera capabilities, faster network connectivity, and an extended battery life.