HiSilicon Kirin 990 4G
HiSilicon Kirin 990 4G: Review of the 2020 Flagship Processor in 2025
April 2025
Introduction
The HiSilicon Kirin 990 4G is one of Huawei's key processors, released at the end of 2019. Despite the fact that more than five years have passed since its announcement, smartphones based on this chip continue to be in demand on the secondary market and in the budget segment. In this article, we will analyze how the Kirin 990 4G handles modern tasks, what its strengths and weaknesses are, and who might find it useful in 2025.
1. Architecture and Process Technology: Engineering Foundation
The Kirin 990 4G is built on a 7nm process technology, which was considered advanced at its time. This allowed for reduced power consumption and improved heat dissipation. The processor includes 8 cores, divided into three clusters:
- 2 high-performance Cortex-A76 cores with a frequency of up to 2.86 GHz;
- 2 mid-range Cortex-A76 cores (up to 2.36 GHz);
- 4 power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores (up to 1.95 GHz).
This Big.LITTLE+ architecture provides a balance between performance and battery life.
The Mali-G76 MP16 GPU with 16 compute units is responsible for graphics. At its time, it was one of the most powerful mobile GPUs, capable of competing with Qualcomm's Adreno 640.
An L2 cache of 2 MB accelerates the processing of frequently used data, while the integrated Da Vinci NPU (Neural Processing Unit) ensures high-speed AI computations.
2. Performance: Real Tasks in 2025
Gaming
In 2025, the Kirin 990 4G still manages most mobile games at medium settings. For example, in Genshin Impact, the processor provides stable 30–40 FPS at 1080p resolution, although it may heat up after 30–40 minutes of gameplay. For less demanding projects (PUBG Mobile, COD Mobile), the frame rate holds at around 50–60 FPS.
Tip: For comfortable gaming, choose smartphones with liquid cooling systems (for example, the Huawei P40 4G).
Multimedia
The processor supports 4K@60fps video decoding and H.265 encoding. This makes it suitable for editing short videos in apps like CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush. The display technologies of devices on Kirin 990 (e.g., OLED panels in P40) enhance the experience of watching HDR content.
AI Applications
The Da Vinci NPU accelerates tasks such as object recognition, automatic photo retouching, and voice control. In 2025, the Kirin 990 4G handles basic AI functions but falls short compared to modern chips with third-generation neural accelerators (e.g., Snapdragon 8 Gen 3).
Power Consumption and Heating
With a TDP of 6W, the processor demonstrates good energy efficiency. Smartphones with a 4000–4500 mAh battery (e.g., Honor 30 Pro+) provide 5–6 hours of screen time under active usage. However, during prolonged loads (streaming, gaming), throttling may occur due to heating.
3. Integrated Modules: Connectivity and Navigation
- Modem: Support for 4G LTE Cat.24 (speed up to 1.4 Gbps), but the lack of 5G is a major drawback in 2025.
- Wi-Fi 6: Maximum speed up to 1.2 Gbps.
- Bluetooth 5.2: Compatible with modern gadgets (headphones, smartwatches).
- Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo — high positional accuracy.
Important! The absence of 5G makes devices on the Kirin 990 4G less relevant in regions with developed next-generation networks.
4. Comparison with Competitors
2019-2020 Generation:
- Snapdragon 865: Better in gaming (Adreno 650), but more expensive.
- Exynos 990: Similar performance but higher power consumption.
- Apple A13 Bionic: Leader in single-threaded performance, but closed iOS ecosystem.
Modern Analogues (2025):
- Snapdragon 7 Gen 3: 30% more energy-efficient, supports 5G.
- MediaTek Dimensity 8300: Better AI performance.
The Kirin 990 4G today is a choice for a budget flagship with decent baseline performance.
5. Use Cases
- Gaming: Suitable for casual games and medium settings in AAA titles.
- Daily Tasks: Social media, browsing, office applications — without lags.
- Photo and Video: Processes images from sensors up to 64 MP, records 4K@60fps, AI stabilization. For example, the Huawei P40 Pro 4G is still praised for its camera quality.
6. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Good CPU/GPU balance;
- Support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2;
- Energy efficiency.
Cons:
- No 5G;
- Heating under extended loads;
- Lack of updates for some models (e.g. EMUI 14+).
7. Tips for Choosing a Device
- Cooling: Look for models with vapor chambers or graphite heatsinks.
- Memory: Minimum 8/128 GB for comfortable use in 2025.
- Price: New devices (if still available) range from $250–$350 (e.g., Huawei Nova 7i).
The Kirin 990 4G is most commonly found in:
- Flagships from 2020-2021 (Huawei P40, Honor 30 Pro);
- Advanced mid-range models.
8. Final Conclusion: Who Should Consider the Kirin 990 4G?
This processor is worth considering for:
- Budget gamers, willing to compromise on graphics settings;
- Users for whom 5G is not critical;
- Photography enthusiasts, choosing devices with top cameras from previous years.
Key benefits: Price-performance ratio, availability on the secondary market, reliability for everyday tasks.
Conclusion
In 2025, the HiSilicon Kirin 990 4G is an example of a "surviving" flagship that continues to provide value thanks to its successful architecture and optimization. If you are looking for an affordable smartphone for basic tasks and are willing to live without 5G, devices based on this chip will be a reliable choice.