Samsung Exynos 1480
Samsung Exynos 1480: A Balance of Power and Efficiency in the Mid-Range Segment
April 2025
Introduction
Modern mobile processors are the heart of smartphones, determining their speed, battery life, and capabilities. In 2025, Samsung continues to strengthen its position in the SoC (System-on-Chip) segment, introducing the Exynos 1480—a chip that combines a 4nm process technology, 5G support, and enhanced AI processing. In this article, we will explore who this processor is suitable for, what tasks it can handle, and how it stands against competitors.
1. Architecture and Process: What's Inside the Exynos 1480?
The Exynos 1480 is built on Samsung's 4nm SF+ technology, optimized for balancing performance and power consumption. At its core, it features a hybrid ARMv9 architecture with a 4+4 core configuration:
- 4 high-performance Cortex-A78 cores clocked up to 2.75 GHz for resource-intensive tasks;
- 4 energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz for background processes.
The graphical component is handled by the Samsung Xclipse 530 GPU, developed in partnership with AMD based on the RDNA 2 architecture. This allows the chip to support ray tracing in games and improved rendering performance.
Key Features:
- Support for LPDDR5 RAM (up to 12 GB) and UFS 3.1;
- Integrated third-generation neural processing unit (NPU) with 12 TOPS performance for AI tasks;
- Samsung DeX technology for connectivity to monitors.
2. Performance in Real Tasks
Gaming:
The Exynos 1480 shows stable 60 FPS in games like Genshin Impact on medium settings. In less demanding titles (COD: Mobile, PUBG), Ultra HD mode is possible. However, during prolonged sessions (~40 minutes), temperatures can reach up to 42°C, necessitating a cooling system in the smartphone.
Multimedia:
The chip supports displays with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 2K resolution, making it appealing for streaming and viewing HDR videos. Hardware decoding of AV1 and HEVC reduces battery load.
AI Applications:
The NPU accelerates the performance of photo editors (for instance, automatic retouching in Lightroom), voice assistants, and AR applications. For example, real-time image processing takes 30% less time compared to the Exynos 1380.
Power Consumption:
Thanks to the 4nm process and optimization of A55 cores, smartphones powered by the Exynos 1480 can last up to 14 hours under mixed usage (web surfing, video, messaging).
3. Integrated Modules: The Connectivity of the Future
- Modem: The built-in Samsung Exynos Modem 530 5G supports Sub-6 GHz (speeds up to 3.5 Gbps) and mmWave (up to 5 Gbps) frequencies, as well as 4G LTE Cat.24.
- Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3: Stable connections to 6 GHz routers and low latency while using TWS headphones.
- Satellite Communication: Support for emergency SOS messages via satellites (similar to the iPhone 15 features), but without voice transmission capability.
4. Comparison with Competitors
The Exynos 1480 is positioned between the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and MediaTek Dimensity 8300:
- Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3: Better performance in gaming (Adreno 725 vs. Xclipse 530), but more expensive. AnTuTu 10 score is ~750,000.
- Dimensity 8300: Higher performance in multithreaded tasks (AnTuTu 10 score of 780,000), but poorer AI optimization.
- Exynos 1380: The previous generation lags behind in energy efficiency (~20%) and GPU speed.
5. Usage Scenarios
- Gaming: Suitable for casual games and medium settings in AAA projects. Smartphones with passive cooling are recommended.
- Everyday Tasks: Smooth interface operations and multitasking (simultaneous running of 5-7 applications).
- Photography and Video: Support for cameras up to 200 MP, 4K@60fps recording with EIS. AI algorithms enhance detail and color accuracy in low light.
6. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Good price-to-performance ratio;
- Support for current connectivity standards (Wi-Fi 6E, 5G);
- Energy efficiency.
Cons:
- Heating under peak loads;
- GPU weaker than Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3;
- Limited satellite communication support.
7. Practical Tips for Choosing a Smartphone
- Cooling: Look for models with vapor chamber or graphite plates.
- RAM: A minimum of 8 GB LPDDR5 is recommended for comfortable operation of AI applications.
- Price: Devices with Exynos 1480 range from $400 to $600. Examples include the Samsung Galaxy A55 (starting at $450) and vivo V30 Pro (starting at $500).
8. Final Conclusion
The Exynos 1480 is an excellent choice for those seeking a smartphone with good battery life, 5G support, and smooth everyday operation. It is suitable for:
- Students and office workers;
- Mobile photography enthusiasts;
- Gamers willing to make compromises on graphics settings.
The main benefits are modern communication technologies, energy efficiency, and an accessible price. However, if maximum performance is your goal, consider the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 or Dimensity 9300 but prepare to pay from $800.
Conclusion
The Exynos 1480 confirms Samsung's trend toward creating balanced SoCs for the mass market. It is not a revolution but a confident step forward that makes advanced technologies accessible to millions of users.
