Why are Lumia devices still coming with Snapdragon 400?

[ricrocks12]

Is it because Windows Phone 8.1 doesn't support anything higher and this will change once Windows 10 arrives? I'm tempted to buy a Lumia 640 but I really don't like knowing I'm paying for a chipset from 2013... I would like to future proof my purchase...

 

[Asskickulater]

They still come out them because they are low end phones, higher end chipset = higher cost. Specs literally aren't everything, spec wars are so comical to watch, when you buy a phone your paying for so so much more, batter, build quality, screen type, patent's licenses, look past that dang CPU/GPU. unless you intend to hard core game on it, then you don't even need such ridiculous specs.

and might I note.. this phone is under $100 that is incredibly cheap for everything the 640 offers.

 

[ricrocks12]

I understand the price issue, but still I would imagine snapdragon 410 or Snapdragon 425 wouldn't be that much price wise. I have a feeling the OS just doesn't support the chipsets...

 

[xandros9]

I had a much longer post but I lost it, I'll try to recreate it later probably.

But in a nutshell its probably:

Cost. (its in many phones and performs quite well)
Maybe they get a better deal when in bulk. or somebody added an extra zero to the purchase order.

Proven.
We know it works and wont be problematic. It's safe. (and without the effort or gremlins that can potentially appear.) Great for cheaper phones, especially since its still performing adequately.

WP does support newer things. There is a BLU phone equipped with a 410 IIRC.

 

[noersetiawan]

I understand the price issue, but still I would imagine snapdragon 410 or Snapdragon 425 wouldn't be that much price wise. I have a feeling the OS just doesn't support the chipsets...

Not true, unlike MediaTek, Qualcomm and MS works together really well. It's probably just that even newer Lumia is device from the past, the hardware is frozen since the start of development, and isn't getting SoC refresh when it's near the release date. On W10M it's expected that they will get 2014-ish SoC, but probably won't be the newest one.

 

[npoe]

410 is a 64 bit processor and assuming that you got 32 bit compatibility on it; you won't get any advantage if WP8 is 32 only. Therefore you go with the cheaper SoC.

Edit: Win Jr LTE has a 410.

 

[RumoredNow]

Moved to appropriate forum...

As per this advice: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ask-question/292973-who-should-post-ask-question-forum.html WC members are free to post in all areas of the board. Please use Ask a Question only for time critical help issues that affect the immediate functionality of your device.

Is it because Windows Phone 8.1 doesn't support anything higher and this will change once Windows 10 arrives? I'm tempted to buy a Lumia 640 but I really don't like knowing I'm paying for a chipset from 2013... I would like to future proof my purchase...

I have a Nokia Lumia 1520 running WP 8.1 and it has a Snapdragon 800 SoC so there is not a limit on the OS.

Phone OEMs have to balance part cost vs availability and place orders. This happens during the design and helps get it locked in for the supply chain to feed assembly. Microsoft went all in on the SD 400 as they concentrated on mid range and also SD 200 for low range models. There hasn't been a full flagship since Nokia driven Lumia 930 which also has SD 800 like the Lumia 1520. That will change this fall when Microsoft driven Lumia flagships start rolling out.

 

[tangledW]

Is it because Windows Phone 8.1 doesn't support anything higher and this will change once Windows 10 arrives? I'm tempted to buy a Lumia 640 but I really don't like knowing I'm paying for a chipset from 2013... I would like to future proof my purchase...

Of course WP 8.1 supports better chipsets.
You don't buy a low end or even midrange device if you're looking to "future proof".

 

[fatclue_98]

I don't get this infatuation with the latest and greatest chips. Engineers (no dummies) start with what's called a design basis. They select components that meet or exceed the design limitations they have set forth. They don't go "parts shopping" at will to make their creations work. Corporate rules state that you should use what's on the shelves first if it meets the design criteria. If a SnapDragon 400 works in the specified set and it's freely available, there's no need to incur additional expenses in the manufacturing process. GM used the Chevy 350 small-block over the course of 5 decades because.........it worked! It was updated and upgraded incrementally but it was still the same 5.7 Liter V-8 introduced in the mid Sixties. In fact, it was a variation of the original small-block introduced in 1955. Name 1 person who bought a 2002 Corvette and complained about an outdated motor from 1967.

 

[RJ Priest]

I totally understand wanting the best specs. Lots of people have stated that Windows Phone doesn't really need a crazy processor, and I agree. I've had a Lumia 1520 for a month, and in day to day operations, I notice no performance improvement over my ATIV S with the S4. Now, on paper the S800 is a huge leap over the S4, but it doesn't make much of a difference (although I'm sure that it would really help the Lumia 1020 process photos faster).

Apps do seem to install faster on the 1520, and I've heard that web pages load faster in the broswer (I never really use the broswer, so haven't noticed). Like I said, day to day use such as email, facebook, wpcentral - the S4 matches the S800.

Whether that shows if WP8 truely is a lean, mean, optimized machine, or that WP8.1 simply isn't optimized to take advantage of the power of S800. Who knows. All I know is that whether your device is a WP8 launch device (Lumia 920, ATIV S, HTC 8x using S4), a Lumia 1520 / 930 with S800, or one of the many S400 devices - you are going to have a great experience with your device.

The only difference I've ever noticed is with the Lumia 520. I bought one for my Mom last year to replace her Nokia flip phone, and the 520 takes longer to boot up than the higher end Windows Phones, and I've noticed it take a little longer to perform a few tasks in the OS, but still a good experience.