Why Microsoft is using old Snapdragon processors

[nkaufmann]

The 410 runs cooler, has a better radio, and better graphics. The fact it's not used in the 640 or 640 xl is a joke. It should have been the bare minimum in these devices. My new zte maven has a 410 and it's a $50 phone. Works quite well also!

Good luck comparing the cameras/build quality though. Just a compromise I guess.

 

[trivishal]

Good luck comparing the cameras/build quality though. Just a compromise I guess.

It's comparison about processor performance and use in various smartphones. Not about camera or build quality

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Ignorance. Nobody can deny that Windows Phone can run better even on older SoC, and having latest SoC is redundant, but that's only after they actually try the phone. Microsoft fails to see this trend in market, even non techies know that bigger number is better. I don't know about other market but here, Lumia phone have half the specifications for similar price. Those Chinese phone are really dead cheap, and no, not some shady brand but the big ones, Lenovo, Xiaomi, etc. Most people prefer an Octa Core and 2GB RAM phone from these brand instead of a quad core and 1GB RAM Lumia 640, which cost 30% more. They don't even understand differences between SoC, what they know is SD410>SD400, Octa-core>Quad-Core, 2GB>1GB, for only 70% of the price. No contract, fully unlocked. This happen in low end and mid end market, which is where Microsoft seemingly spend their effort the most, but just don't do well enough, and won't, unless their strategy changed.

It's simple, Microsoft needs to take a hit on hardware. SD810, 64GB RAM, 256GB on board storage, etc. ?25 no contract. Then those Chinese manufacturers can't keep up.

 

[scd147]

This sums up perfectly the problem of not having an aspiration device in the marketplace. Sure, save money by throwing last gen's processors in the low and even mid-range phones. Since that is all we see from Microsoft, it creates the image that the WP tech is a generation behind. I get it, the problem with being on the cutting edge in tech is its a moving target. What is brand new will be old, but we don't need seven flagships, we need one or two.

 

[vinhcomputer]

I'm thinking that by making phones having similar spec, developers will have only one target spec to optimize for. By this way old devices which use old chipsets (S4, 200, 400) can run new softwares smoothly. Just like the old days with PC when people thought they couldn't get much out of low specs PC until mobile devices with even lower specs come out, developers have to put more gray matter to optimize their softwares rather than "don't care" attitude toward low spec ones. Also, maybe that's why iPhone is faster than Android devices, since developers cannot get a super duper 2GB RAM iPhone to develop softwares, they have no choice but to optimize for 1GB ones.

 

[trivishal]

I'm thinking that by making phones having similar spec, developers will have only one target spec to optimize for. By this way old devices which use old chipsets (S4, 200, 400) can run new softwares smoothly. Just like the old days with PC when people thought they couldn't get much out of low specs PC until mobile devices with even lower specs come out, developers have to put more gray matter to optimize their softwares rather than "don't care" attitude toward low spec ones. Also, maybe that's why iPhone is faster than Android devices, since developers cannot get a super duper 2GB RAM iPhone to develop softwares, they have no choice but to optimize for 1GB ones.

If so, then why Windows phones have dual core snapdragon 200 processors, quad core snapdragon 200 processors, dual core snapdragon 400 processors, quad core snapdragon 400 processors, dual core snapdragon s4 processors, and snapdragon 800 processors? No, the Windows phones don't have Apple's Iphone strategy but Lumia Smartphones are being a generation behind by using old processors

 

[patisnotageek]

I don't thing the future proofing argument holds any water for a couple reasons.

The people that care most about this are also the ones most likely to buy new phones every six months or so.

In two years the difference between a SD400 and an SD410 is going to seem so small you will not be able to tell the difference.

On a digital camera forum I remember someone trying to justify spending $100 more for a 1.3 MP camera vs a 1.0 MP camera for "future proofing" In a couple years the difference between the two were nonexistent.

 

[vinhcomputer]

If so, then why Windows phones have dual core snapdragon 200 processors, quad core snapdragon 200 processors, dual core snapdragon 400 processors, quad core snapdragon 400 processors, dual core snapdragon s4 processors, and snapdragon 800 processors? No, the Windows phones don't have Apple's Iphone strategy but Lumia Smartphones are being a generation behind by using old processors

The performance gaps between those chipsets, except with S800 vs others, are not large. So, the argument still hold.

 

[peachy001]

I don't thing the future proofing argument holds any water for a couple reasons.

The people that care most about this are also the ones most likely to buy new phones every six months or so.

In two years the difference between a SD400 and an SD410 is going to seem so small you will not be able to tell the difference.

On a digital camera forum I remember someone trying to justify spending $100 more for a 1.3 MP camera vs a 1.0 MP camera for "future proofing" In a couple years the difference between the two were nonexistent.

Not sure where you are from, but I have
never met anyone that buys a new phone every 6 months. The future proofing bit is for those that would be stuck on a long 2 yr contract.

 

[Shobin Drogan]

We all did proper research before we bought our phones, unless you're stating that WP users are idiots and we didn't do our research first?

If this were Android we were talking about then that would be true. However, we're talking about WP and Microsoft have stated that ALL WP8.1 devices can upgrade to W10M, it's up to the manufacturers to provide the update for their phones but we know for sure that the Lumia range WILL get the update.

At no point in my comment did I state that windows phone users don't do proper research before buying phones, quit saying things I clearly did not state. It seems like you're not even on the same comment thread.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

Two things:
-user experience: use a lumia 930 and you'll see that windows phone does not need those little architecture increments that android needs, it is so fast and responsive, only a rich kid looks at the little CPU increment to brag about it with friends;
-iPhones: iphones are the example that shows that, even on high end, aesthetics design, marketing and software feature are far more important than hardware. Iphones have had old hardware for years when compared to top Androids and yet they sell like hot cakes expecially in the US.

 

[trivishal]

Having latest processors would make Lumia smartphones resulting performance boost and be in the line of the tech race. It doesn't feel nice when your friends Android phones have latest Snapdragon processors whereas you are stocked with one generation behind processors in Lumia Smartphones though the phones being launched at the same Time Frame. Sony, Xiaomi, LG may have Snapdragon 820 processor in their To Be launched Smartphones by Q4 2015 it won't be nice to use Old, well criticized not custom core Snapdragon 810 processor in Lumia 940XL or whatever Microsoft Mobile will call it in it's flagship device. Same goes for upcoming mid range Lumia 7** and 8** series smartphones.

 

[colinkiama]

Having latest processors would make Lumia smartphones resulting performance boost and be in the line of the tech race. It doesn't feel nice when your friends Android phones have latest Snapdragon processors whereas you are stocked with one generation behind processors in Lumia Smartphones though the phones being launched at the same Time Frame. Sony, Xiaomi, LG may have Snapdragon 820 processor in their To Be launched Smartphones by Q4 2015 it won't be nice to use Old, well criticized not custom core Snapdragon 810 processor in Lumia 940XL or whatever Microsoft Mobile will call it in it's flagship device. Same goes for upcoming mid range Lumia 7** and 8** series smartphones.

You have a point. We do want Microsoft to use the 820 over the 810 but won't your friends feel bad Ehen they realise an 810 phone is running better than their phone running the 820.

 

[colinkiama]

Look guys it doesn't matter that Microsoft aren't using the latest and greatest processors now. Imagine this. They release a budget phone with a snapdragon 410 now then for Windows 10 they have a 415 or 420 phone. There might not be that much difference between the two however the difference between a 400 and a 415/420 would be huge so it would be worth upgrading.

 

[Blacklac]

The Snapdragon 210 wasn't even announced until Sept. Not expected to hit devices in production until mid 2015. That leaves very little testing time considering the 540 was released in April.

 

[jrdatrackstar1223]

It does suck that Modern Combat 5 lags like crazy on "high-end" Windows Phones (my Lumia Icon). For me, its not even about having specs just for specs, but having late hardware really does ruin the whole experience period. It's not JUST about what the OS needs to run, but some apps just need high-end specs.

Playing a game on an iPhone just makes me want to switch all the time because games just perform. Part of this is to blame on developers, but when Microsoft has developers hating them and giving them "crumbs" in the form of apps (Modern Combat 5) that aren't optimized, Microsoft needs to keep up and make up for the lack of quality software. Low-end devices, I get it, but there is no excuse for high-end Windows Phones to not have AT LEAST the same hardware as Android high-end devices.

 

[Daroath]

don't care how old it is. Even a lumia 520 that I used to use run smooth and fast enough if compare to Android phone such us Samsung Galaxy V with similar specs and similar price but ugly slow!

 

[Yazen]

Why Microsoft is using old snapdragon processor ( such as old snapdragon 200 instead of snapdragon 210 on lumia 540, old snapdragon 400 instead of new snapdragon 410 in Lumia 640) . Which processors do you think that Lumia 740 and 840 would support? I expect Snapdragon 610 processor for Lumia 740 and Snapdragon 620 processor for Lumia 840 would be great? What do you think ? And I have heard Snapdragon 615 processor heats a lot and not so nice performance giving mid range processor? Should Lumia Smartphones skip this Snapdragon 615 processor in mid range smartphones?

Think about how often Apple changes processors.

1 - Microsoft would need to modify their NT Kernel to do so.
2 - Microsoft would need to add support in WP, possibly creating multiple development branches.
3 - Historically speaking, 2. would mean that other phones would bite the dust (Lumia Camera 5, Miracast, etc).
4 - Takes a lot of work to design a new logic board.
5 - Microsoft could be getting a discount or they are sitting on many older chips.

It is much cheaper, faster, and easier to get a phone on the market with an already supported SoC. Goes through certifications with less issues, and many precisely developed components are at their disposal.

Androids kernel is open source, and their OS works differently. They literally read Java documentation and stole all their interfaces!

 

[esackbauer]

arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/

I dont want to see a premature hardware release on Lumias.
Anyway I think only <10% of ppl buy by CPU specs.
So if you need to compare CPUs like **** size, go for bleeding edge Android stuff.

 

[thekonger]

Perhaps it's the result of an anxiety.